Headlines

Well, it is just over four weeks until the Christmas celebrations, so things are just going to get busier and busier as the season builds, even on Gran Canaria. Warm weather for the upcoming weekend with some interesting events to enjoy. The south eastern municipality of Ingenio is the next to celebrate their Christmas lights-on event this weekend and there is a Motor and Commercial Fair taking place in El Carrizal. In Arguineguín, the...

A tragic shark attack has claimed the life of a 30-year-old German woman, who was swimming off a catamaran more than 500 kilometers from the Canary Islands. The incident occurred on Monday, September 16, 2024, in the Atlantic Ocean, approximately 180 kilometers east of Dakhla, Western Sahara. Despite efforts to rescue her, the woman died before reaching a hospital in Las Palmas, Gran Canaria.   The victim had been aboard the...

The Canary Islands Government will conduct a test of the ES-Alert emergency warning system across Gran Canaria on Thursday, September 26. This system is part of Spain’s National Alert Network and is designed to send immediate SMS alerts to mobile phones in areas affected by imminent or ongoing emergencies. These alerts will provide crucial information on the safety measures that people should follow, allowing for accurate information and a quicker response to serious situations. [fb_plugin...

On Tuesday, September 10, 2024, a 3.8-magnitude earthquake shook Gran Canaria, marking one the strongest seismic events felt on the island in six decades. The quake, with its epicentre off the northern coastal municipality of Santa María de Guía, was felt across 14 of Gran Canaria's 21 municipalities, according to the National Geographic Institute (IGN).   Residents across the island described the event in various ways: “The walls...

  Gran Canaria is set for a week of mixed weather, as ever with noticeable differences between the north and south of the island. The northern areas will see cloudy skies, particularly in the mornings and evenings, with a chance of light rain midweek. In contrast, the southern and inland regions will enjoy clearer, sunnier skies with rising temperatures.   While temperatures forecasted range from lows of 19ºC at night to highs of...

The municipality of San Bartolomé de Tirajana has celebrated the inauguration of ALDI’s first supermarket in southern Gran Canaria, located in the Sonnenland-Maspalomas area. The new store, situated on Calle Camino de Quito, marks a further step in ALDI’s ongoing expansion across the Canary Islands. The establishment features an 1,100 square meter sales floor and has created 19 new jobs, 13 of which have been filled by local residents.   [adrotate...

Recent shark sightings near the beaches of Melenara and (possibly) San Agustín, from the coasts of Gran Canaria, have reportedly caused some concern among tourists and locals. Or “Panic” if any of the international press are to be believed.     The swift response by authorities to close the beaches and conduct searches for the animal has highlighted the focus on safety, but also raises questions about how we report and react...

In a controversial move that has sparked widespread debate, Mogán's still serving Mayor, La Alcaldesa O Bueno, is chasing proposal to introduce a tourist tax on overnight stays that looks set to bring millions of extra euros into the municipal coffers. This tax, unique in Spain, would mark Mogán as the first municipality to implement such a levy, ostensibly to support public services benefiting from tourism activities. However, the plan is surrounded by contention, not only within the Canary...

The long-awaited Mogán Tunnel project, officially approved by the Canary Islands Government's Department of Public Works, Housing, and Mobility, marks a significant milestone in restoring safe and efficient transportation between Taurito and Playa de Mogán, two key tourist areas on Gran Canaria. This project, spearheaded by Rosana Melián, the Director-General of Road Infrastructure, is set to transform local and visitor experiences by replacing a hazardous stretch of the GC-500 road that has...

Today, on April 20, 2024, the Canary Islands are witnessing a widespread protest aimed at challenging the current development model heavily reliant on tourism. This significant event is set to occur simultaneously across all eight islands of the archipelago, as well as in various cities internationally including Málaga, Granada, Madrid, Barcelona, Amsterdam, London, and Berlin. The protests are unified under the slogan "The Canary Islands have a limit."   [adrotate...

The Civil Guard on Gran Canaria has confirmed this evening autopsy results recording the death of a 32-year-old Northern Irish national, named by the Belfast Telegraph as Dean Dobbin, as an accident. The discovery of Dobbin's body in a popular tourist complex, on the south of the island, has been met with a wave of condolences and reflections on the fragility of life. The Guardia Civil will no doubt continue with their investigation into the final hours leading up to the incident, where the...

The preliminary investigation, according to local sources, appears to confirm the hypothesis of an accidental death, in the case of the tourist found dead this Monday in a Puerto Rico de Gran Canaria apartment, in the southwestern municipality of Mogán.     The autopsy is scheduled for this Wednesday, and initial indications appear to suggest that the deceased man may have died of natural causes with a fall causing him to...

A holiday in the south of Gran Canaria has ended in tragedy for two friends after a 32-year-old man was found dead with a severe head wound in an apartment complex in Puerto Rico, Mogán. The Guardia Civil is handling the case, and there have been conflicting press reports about the victim's nationality, with some sources identifying him as British and others as Irish.  International press have also picked up on the story.   The...

Las Palmas de Gran Canaria looks set to witness a significant demonstration against genocide in Palestine this Saturday. Organized, among various other groups, by the Canarias por Palestina platform, the protest is part of a nationwide call for action on January 20th, demanding the cessation of arms trade and diplomatic relations with Israel. This event is one of many across the Canary Islands, reflecting a widespread outcry against the ongoing violence in Palestine.  ...

Following a week marked by the effects of storm Hipólito, which brought snow and sub-zero temperatures to mainland Spain, the Canary Islands have once again avoided the worst of this weather system. However, the disturbance over the continent has led to the formation of a high-pressure system, resulting in the arrival of calima (a dust-laden wind) to the islands.   The Spanish State Meteorological Agency (AEMET) has issued a...

Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, December 18, 2023 – Jesús Quesada @ Canarias7 – A series of legal rulings appear to have have reinforced the trajectory of the Salto de Chira hydroelectric project on Gran Canaria, courts have consistently denied requests for any suspension to the construction. The decision comes amidst concerns raised by environmental and cultural preservation groups, highlighting the complexities of balancing development with heritage conservation.  ...

In a crackdown at Tenerife South Airport, the Spanish Civil Guard has apprehended 14 airport workers and is investigating 20 more for their involvement in a large-scale theft ring. This operation, named "Oretel," exposed the workers' alleged participation in a criminal group, theft, property damage, and money laundering.     The operation commenced following an uptick in complaints and reports from travelers about thefts and...

Six tourists were injured when their boat overturned of the coast of Mogán on Tuesday. Around 1:30 p.m., several calls alerted the 112 Canarias Emergency and Security Coordination Center (CECOES) to an accident at sea in coastal waters. An inflatable boat capsized after being hit by a wave. Onboard were six foreign tourists, confirm sources from 112 Canarias.   Image: Jose A. Puerto De Mogán, CC BY 2.0 Fortunately, the tourists...

The authorities have activated an official missing persons search for one Olivia Karen Richardson, a 15-year-old, who was last seen on November 23 in the Agüimes area. The youth is 1.60 meters tall and has short, straight, brown hair. The Spanish SOS Desaparecidos Association has provided the following telephone numbers for anyone who can provide information about Olivia's whereabouts: 649952957 or 617126909.  

Anna-Karin Bengtsson, a 52-year-old Swedish tourist, mysteriously disappeared on Gran Canaria around April 9. She was last seen in person on that day, having checked out of the Abora Buenaventura hotel in Playa del Inglés, where she had gone, it seems, to continue working on her doctoral thesis on special education and textbook writing.   She had gone there the day before and after settling her bill, and spending some time in the...

A fire this Wednesday afternoon, apparently on the hillside behind an apartment complex in the tourist resort town of Puerto Rico de Gran Canaria, in the municipality of Mogán, has forced the evacuation of the fifth floor of the building due to flames being in close proximity, according to the 112 Canarias main emergency coordination centre.   According to the Canary Islands' Emergency and Security Coordinating Centre, firefighters...

In a tragic incident on Gran Canaria's GC-1 motorway, an 83-year-old driver lost his life on Saturday after suffering a fainting spell, leading to his vehicle veering off the road near the Playa del Inglés junction. The accident, which occurred at 5:33 PM in the municipality of San Bartolomé de Tirajana, also resulted in minor injuries to two female passengers aged 70 and 73.   Emergency services were promptly alerted, and upon...

In a landmark decision that could reshape the legal landscape of cannabis use in Spain, the Provincial Court of Santa Cruz de Tenerife has acquitted three German nationals charged with cultivating nearly ten kilos of marijuana. The court's ruling acknowledged the lack of evidence beyond the quantity of cannabis to suggest any intent to distribute, marking a significant shift in the interpretation of Spain's drug laws.   The...

The Kasbah in Playa del Inglés was the very first shopping and leisure centre to have been built in the south of Gran Canaria, and its seen its fair share of the night time economy over the years. Anyone who has visited late at night will possible have also witnessed large numbers of PRs, along with suspected drug dealers and prostitutes, and the occasional clip joint all able to exist quite openly around the entrances to the late night venues and bars.  However it seems someone has finally...

In the early hours of Sunday, October 29, a series of at least four explosions reverberated through the city of Smara in the occupied territory of Western Sahara, resulting in one death and leaving three injured, with two in critical condition. This sobering event, in the country closest to The Canary Islands, has prompted swift action from local authorities. They've confirmed details to the Moroccan official news agency MAP, while the independence fighters of the Front Polisario, engaged in a...

If you are in the capital today, look up! At midday this Sunday, a commemoration event for the 110th anniversary of Aviation in the Canary Islands will take place at Las Canteras beach. The event, organised by the Aerial Command of the Canary Islands, features the remarkable Patrulla Águila and the Acrobatic Parachuting patrols of the Air and Space Army putting on a show for all below.   The activities kicked off on October 27th...

This week, a member of the Policía Nacional, specifically associated with the Junta de Auxiliares de Servicios Auxiliares (J.A.S.A.), has been implicated in a case involving a range of serious charges. These charges include threats, coercion, crimes against property, disclosure of secrets, and money laundering. The individual in question is one of four individuals detained in a recent operation, which also involved searches of their residences. This inspector is currently stationed at the...

Meloneras, Gran Canaria – Tensions escalated this week between the San Bartolomé de Tirajana local council and businesses at the Meloneras commercial centre, as the authorities ordered the closure of four outdoor terraces, including the popular Aqua nightclub, a club that has been reportedly operating without all the appropriate permissions for some years.   The Policia Local executed a municipal order last Thursday, acting on a...

Gáldar, Gran Canaria - A 35-year-old man identified by the initials J.A.G.T. has been remanded in custody without bail, following his arrest for the fatal axe attack on one man and the serious injuring of another. The attacks occurred in the early hours of last Friday in a residence on Calle Delgado in Gáldar, Gran Canaria. The suspect was ordered to be held in preventive custody by the Court of First Instance and Preliminary Investigation No. 3 in Santa María de Guía. Image: Gáldar CC A-SA...

In September, the price of housing, both new and used, saw a significant uptick of almost 9% in the Canary Islands compared to the same month of the previous year, as reported by the appraiser Tinsa, the leading independent provider of real estate valuation and appraisal services in Spain. The company specialises in assessing the value of residential and commercial properties, providing important insights into the real estate market. Tinsa's services are widely used by individuals, businesses,...

The ongoing conflict in the middle-east, between Hamas and Israel, is reverberating across global energy markets, and the Canary Islands are no exception. Gas prices have surged by 44.6% since the start of the Gaza conflict on October 7th, reaching €55.30 per megawatt-hour (MWh) in the European reference market, the Dutch TTF. In parallel, Brent crude oil has increased by 7.7% over the past week, reaching $91 per barrel.   The...

Disapproval Voiced In Regional Parliament of the CC/PP Government's Handling of Mayor O Bueno's Opposition to Using an Apartment Complex as a Transitional Residence for Patients Discharged from Hospitals. "With Wealthy Nordics, There Would Be No Problem" PSOE Accuse.   Mogán, Canary Islands - The controversy over the use of a hotel in Mogán as a temporary residence for elderly patients with nowhere else to go and no-one to support them, has deepened...

The ongoing forest fire on Tenerife, initially started back in August, has worsened, necessitating an elevation, once more, to a Level 2 emergency status as of this Monday. This escalation led to the precautionary evacuation of 110 residents from Las Calderetas, Campo de Tiro, and Carril del Polvo, along with 500 dogs and 25 horses, which have been relocated to the Casa del Ganadero in La Laguna.   Manuel Miranda, the Canary...

The Government of the Canary Islands, through the Ministry of Education, Vocational Training, Physical Activity and Sports, has urgently decreed the suspension of teaching and extracurricular activities this Wednesday, October 11 and Friday, October 13 in non-university educational centres, due to the pre-alert situation for high temperatures. The measure affects students and all staff at public, subsidised and private centres on Wednesday and Friday of this week because of the sustained...

The Canary Islands have seen a near 20% increase in migrant arrivals by boat during the first nine months of 2023 compared to the same period in 2022, according to the latest data from the Ministry of the Interior. Despite this rise in migrants, the number of boats arriving has actually decreased by 3.2%, from 279 last year to 270 so far this year.           A Surge in Cayucos The increased number of migrants...

Wednesday's reactivation of the forest fire in Tenerife, thought to be well under control, has escalated due to changing wind conditions and high temperatures. Its severity has now been raised to Level 2, leading the Canary Islands Government to assume control of the firefighting operations.           Key Statistics - 30 hectares affected - Over 3,200 residents evacuated - 130 people spent the night in...

The Spanish State Meteorological Agency (AEMET) has escalated its heat warnings in the Canary Islands, moving Gran Canaria from a yellow to an orange advisory, indicating significant danger. Remarkably, AEMET has stressed that this is the first time ever that it has had to activate a warning of this level (significant danger) during the month of October anywhere in Spain.         The orange warning came into effect...

In a rare incident, a tuna fishing boat was reportedly "attacked" by a marlin yesterday, leading to an emergency situation some 30 miles off the coast of Lanzarote. The 90-ton vessel was in peril, endangering the lives of its five crew members.         Responding to the crisis, non-profit emergency service NGO, Emergencias de Lanzarote (Emerlan), managed to reach the struggling vessel. The crew had already installed...

Right now the Colorado beetle plague, which forced the commercial flow of this product from the United Kingdom to be interrupted, has been controlled, but it is not eradicated. Following Monday's Government Council meeting, Minister of Agriculture, Narvay Quintero stressed that when the risk is over, the Ministry of Agriculture, which has jurisdiction, will lift the phytosanitary restrictions. The Canary Islands are set to see the return of potato imports from the United Kingdom after...

Spain's central government has clarified that the responsibility for covering the burial costs of migrants who die at sea rests firmly with local municipalities. This clarification comes in response to La Alcaldesa, O. Bueno, the current mayoress of Mogán on Gran Canaria, having recently declared that her municipality will no longer fund these burials.         The government cited a 1974 public health regulation that...

The onset of autumn brings with it a slew of astronomical events, including a partial solar eclipse scheduled for this October 14, 2023. The eclipse will be annular, primarily visible in the Americas. However, it will also be partially visible in the Canary Islands, including on Gran Canaria, albeit with very low magnitudes. From the five westernmost Canary Islands (El Hierro, La Palma, La Gomera, Tenerife and Gran Canaria), the eclipse will be barely noticeable since the sunset will occur...

The Spanish multinational fishing company, Nueva Pescanova, has been planning to launch the world's first commercial octopus farm in Gran Canaria's port of Las Palmas. Expected to produce about 3,000 tonnes of octopus meat annually, the proposed facility is attracting widespread attention and criticism.  Much of the scientific community, as well as animal activists, have expressed opposition to the controversial plans.         [adrotate...

As Gran Canaria ushers in the first week of Autumn, a bit of a mixed bag in terms of weather, generally warm across the island in the mid to upper 20s, and characterised by some varying levels of cloudiness and steady temperatures.         This Week's Temperature Outlook Daytime temperatures are expected to hover around 28º to 29ºC in the shade on the south, although it will be considerably hotter when exposed to...

Over the next few days Gran Canaria weather is expected to be influenced by a front associated with a low-pressure system formed in northern Portugal. According to the State Meteorological Agency (AEMET), this will bring rain to the islands over the weekend. The northern areas of Gran Canaria, Tenerife, La Palma, Fuerteventura, and Lanzarote are expected to be most affected.         On Friday, the northern parts of...

This summer some Gran Canaria's beaches, particularly Las Canteras in the capital and the coast of Mogán on the southwest of the island, have been affected by significant algal blooms. A team of experts from the University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, the Institute of Mathematical Sciences (Icmat), CSIC, and Digital Earth Solutions (DES) report that they have determined these blooms are likely to become more common over the years to come, due to the warming of the Atlantic Ocean in the...

The Mogán Town Council has finally made a statement regarding the masses of dead fish, first reported by The Canary News,  that have been washing up on the southwestern shores of Gran Canaria over recent days and weeks, saying that "Since the situation was detected, the Council has maintained direct and constant contact with the General Directorate of Public Health of the Government of the Canary Islands."         [adrotate...

The weather outlook for the coming days on Gran Canaria suggests a predominance of cloud cover to the north, with light showers likely in the capital Las Palmas de Gran Canaria.  The touristed beaches of south of the island will likely escape any wet weather, though there is always a chance at this time of year. The coastal waters around The Canary Islands have been unusually warm this year, which seems to have led to a few surprises for swimmers...     [adrotate...

This Saturday at approximately 16:52, an emergency near a hotel pool in the Tauro area of Mogán, Gran Canaria was reported involving a male individual who was experiencing a cardiac and respiratory arrest.         Upon receiving the alert, the main Canary Islands 112 Coordinating Centre for Emergencies and Security (CECOES) immediately activated the necessary emergency resources. An off-duty emergency health...

The financial controller or "Interventor" of Gran Canaria's south western municipality of Mogán, an auditor who is responsible for overseeing and ensuring the legality and proper financial management of public funds in a governmental or municipal context, is now closely examining all minor contracts entered into by the town hall during the last mandate, between 2019 and 2022. The municipal official has initiated a supervisory action to investigate, among other things, the volume of direct...

Concerns about renewing your driving license are common among older individuals, writes Spanish language daily La Provincia. Many believe that once they reach a certain age, they can no longer drive a motor vehicle. However, the Spanish General Directorate of Traffic (DGT) has provided clear information regarding the conditions for renewing a driving license if you are among the older population, aiming to eliminate any confusion.      ...

Gran Canaria Island President, Antonio Morales, has made clear this Tuesday that there is no potato shortage on the island. He believes that the rising prices, in some places up 60% in just the last week, are simply due to what he has called a "made-up controversy" and an unnecessary panic. He has insisted that there is no real problem with the potato supply.         In response to the Canarian Association of...

The Spanish government Council of Ministers, this Tuesday, has officially declared Tenerife, along with other areas affected by wildfires and floods up until August, as a "catastrophic zone." This decision comes after devastating wildfires have raged across the island, causing extensive damage estimated at €80.4 million, according to the Tenerife Island Council, the Cabildo de Tenerife.         Spain's President,...

August 2023 has been the warmest and most humid in the Canary Islands since 1961, with an average temperature of 25.4ºC, which is to say 2.3º higher than the usual average temperatures expected for this time of year. There was an average of 2.6 mm of rainfall, which is more than double (124% higher) than would normally be expected. These data over this past month show the region to have been extremely warm and very humid, according to the climatological report by the Canary Islands branch of...

Eight people, including two minors, were injured in an accident on Thursday when a vehicle crashed into a bar terrace on the popular Avenida Nuestra Señora del Carmen, in the tourist town of Corralejo, on  Fuerteventura.         The driver who collided with two terraces tested negative for alcohol or drugs, as confirmed by police sources. The man, a British national, was among the eight people evacuated by...

During this past Saturday night, rains recorded on the northern part of Tenerife Island have successfully cooled the area where a wild fire has burned for nearly two weeks, and increased humidity, which has facilitated operational work over recent hours, and significant reactivations have not occurred.  Scientists and climate researchers warn that we can expect more of these kinds of unpredictable fires.         The...

Deputy Mayor Mencey Navarro, has revealed, this Monday, that the red flag was raised on Playa del Cura following a decision by the lifeguard there upon learning that there had been a sewerage overflow in a beach culvert.  However, he stressed, the problem was resolved "quickly", as the issue identified was "specific and negligible" allowing the green flag to be raised again after just a couple of hours.         No...

24 year old Misa Rodríguez, from Telde on Gran Canaria, is now a famous Spanish footballer and goalkeeper following Spain's world cup win on Sunday, and she has made significant contributions to women's football in Spain having played a pivotal role in both club and international competitions.         Early Career and Rise to Prominence in Arguineguín:Misa began at a local level. She initially played as a forward at...

A kayaker made a discovery on a Saturday afternoon, finding a series of bags that contained bone remains, in a small inlet along the coast of El Pajar, which is located on the southwest of Gran Canaria, in the municipality of San Bartolomé de Tirajana. The location was not accessible by land. The incident prompted officers from the National Police, headquartered at Maspalomas, and the local police of the southern municipality to respond.     ...

Uncontrolled wildfires continue to wreak havoc through the protected natural pine forests on the picturesque island of Tenerife. However first reports this morning suggest that the night was calmer, with more favourable weather conditions than were expected. The situation is currently being evaluated at the Plan #INFOCA coordination meeting and at the end of it official information on the fire will be updated.         [adrotate...

As of this Saturday August 19, 2023, the wildfire on Tenerife remains "challenging" and the situation has escalated significantly. The fire, which has been raging since Tuesday night and the early hours of Wednesday morning, has now led to the potential evacuation of approximately 26,000 people, a stark increase from the 5,000 initially reported. The meteorological conditions have been described as "severe," particularly during the early hours of Saturday. These adverse conditions, including...

The massive wildfire that began in the early hours of Wednesday has continued to rage uncontrollably across the municipalities of Arafo and Candelaria, expanding its reach to affect eight municipalities on Tenerife. Evacuations are ongoing from various areas, primarily as a precautionary measure. The latest update reveals that a total of 3,889 individuals have been directly impacted, while another 3,069 people have been evacuated from their homes and 3,820 individuals are under confinement,...

According to the town hall of San Bartolomé de Tirajana, the Urbanism Department, led by Davinia Ramírez (CC), has this week reached an agreement with the company "Energy Solutions by Scandinavians" to temporarily halt earthmoving work around the neighbourhood of Juan Grande, being undertaken for the installation of a photovoltaic solar panel park. Under this agreement, the company has committed to resume these works starting in September. This decision is based on the fact that during the...

A surge of commercial e-scooters left on the streets of Maspalomas and Playa del Inglés has prompted local government to take action due to a lack of licenses and permits for this activity, resulting in the confiscation of the e-scooters and fines for the rental company involved.         According to the information provided in Spanish language news portal for the south of Gran canaria, El Sur Digital GC, the...

This Monday afternoon a tragic incident unfolded at Tauro Beach, situated on the south-western coast of Gran Canaria in the municipality of Mogán. An individual lost his life while swimming near the beach, over which the local town hall of Mogán has full responsibility. The incident was reported by local passers-by and confirmed by the main 1-1-2 Canary Islands' Emergency and Security Coordination Centre (CECOES).         [adrotate...

This Monday starts mostly clear with a little cloud along the northern coasts of Gran Canaria, where some medium and high-level clouds may remain until midday, returning again towards the later hours. This is now the fifth day of intense heatwave, though starting to ease a little.         Calima continues to bring dust in from the Sahara, out to the east of us, primarily affecting higher-altitude areas. However, the...

A hiker died this Sunday after falling into a barranco ravine, in the Gran Canaria municipality of Valleseco, according to reports from the main emergency coordination team at 1-1-2 Canarias. The event took place on the GC-307 road, Zumacal highway, kilometre 2, at around 7:20 a.m. this morning.         A passerby alerted the emergency services that they had found some hiking poles and a backpack on the edge of a...

Among the various incidents being reported during this fourth day of intense heatwave, a car has apparently burst into flames this Sunday afternoon, while travelling northbound towards the capital, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, causing a visible column of black smoke to rise into the air.         The fire took place not far from the Shell service station, at the heights of Juan Grande. Passersby took photographs and...

A 36-year-old man, identified by the initials MMA, died this Friday afternoon after being discovered lying in the sun in an alley with temperature at above 40ºC in the shade. Despite attempts by paramedics, they could not recover his vital signs. The first indications suggest that the victim could have suffered from heat stroke shortly after leaving his own home, in Fataga, which together with other pathologies likely caused his death.      ...

A 25-year-old died man on July 29 at the main Hospital Insular de Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, after a fight at a shopping centre, at the top of the west hill overlooking Puerto Rico de Gran Canaria in the municipality of Mogán, having spent 13 days in an induced coma before being pronounced dead. The Guardia Civil has opened an investigation to try to identify the perpetrator or perpetrators of the fatal attack. Locals say the dead man was well known as a violent trouble maker and drug dealer,...

A tourist coach carrying passengers on the GC-1 caught fire this Thursday afternoon, while travelling along the southern highway. In the vehicle, besides the driver, there were 53 other people, according to reports from the Guardia Civil.         53 passengers were evacuated from the MAN Elite Touring vehicle, and firefighters from San Bartolomé de Tirajana and the Emergency Consortium managed to extinguish the...

We reported earlier this week on the need for care accommodations for the elderly being provided for by an old holiday apartment complex on the south of Gran Canaria.  On Friday it came to light that the Canarian Health Service (SCS) has now temporarily halted the transfers of individuals still occupying beds in public hospitals despite having been medically discharged, to the innovative new transit facility on Gran Canaria meant "to temporarily solve the social problem they are facing." The...

The Provincial Court of Las Palmas has sentenced four men to between 36 and 42 years for the gang rape of a woman in a Puerto Rico park, in the municipality of Mogán on the southwest of Gran Canaria , on the night of February 26 2021.         The leader of the group was sentenced to 12 years for each of the two crimes of rape charged against him, and six years for each of the three penetrative sexual assaults as an...

390 hectares affected.  The perimeter is 13.5km long about 66% of which has been stabilised.         The fire is divided into sectors from head to tail, with their respective heads of sector and assigned units in: 👉 Left flank: 70% controlled 👉 Right flank: 80% controlled 👉 Head 🔥 On the left flank with a head, the work last night has been concentrated, stopping the progression towards Valsequillo. 🔥 Containment work has been carried...

The fire that broke out on the summits of Gran Canaria, just after 1pm this Tuesday afternoon, has already affected approximately 200 hectares (primarily pine forest and shrub lands). Despite the fact that large parts of these areas have been previously subject to precautionary "prescribed burns" and some preventive grazing, which has helped to slow down the fire, the fire fighting teams have not managed to control the blaze as quickly as they had hoped, and it has spread beyond the point of...

Early in the afternoon of this Tuesday, a fire outbreak was declared on the summits of Gran Canaria, in the municipality of Tejeda.         Specialist firefighters managed to get to the scene quickly, while other land and air resources are already operating in the area, but as it is an area with abundant vegetation and as there is wind and low humidity, the flames are reportedly spreading rapidly throughout the area,...

A truck blaze, this Friday afternoon, reported on the summits of Gran Canaria, sparked fears that a forest fire could have occurred in an area with a lot of trees in tinder-dry conditions. The 112 emergency services received an alert of the incident at 12:40 this afternoon, shortly after the fire started at the back of the vehicle.         The incident took place on GC-135, in the area known as Pico de la Gorra, in...

Gran Canaria's tourism soars as the industry is experiencing a remarkable recovery, surpassing records set in 2019 and achieving its third-best year in history, even after the global pandemic. The island is leading the way in terms of tourist arrivals, revenue, and income, with an impressive 40% growth since 2019.         Carlos Álamo, Tourism Councillor for the Cabildo de Gran Canaria island government, has shared...

It's been a tense weekend, on The Canary Islands, following a week of intense heat, Saharan dust and very strong winds, blazes broke out on at least 3 islands, the worst of which was a forest fire on La Palma, which may have originated on Friday from the burning of a container at a recreational area. At least that is one of the hypotheses being considered by the Guardia Civil who are now investigating. Images courtesy of Equipos de Intervención y Refuerzo en Incendios Forestales del Gobierno...

Maspalomas, Friday, July 14, 2023.- The organisers of the Maspalomas Costa Canaria Soul Festival have decided, this sweltering Friday afternoon, to postpone the concert program scheduled for this evening, due to severe adverse weather conditions, caused by high temperatures, touching 40ºC in the shade, and predictions of strong gusts of wind across the South of Gran Canaria, that could exceed 50km/h.         To...

The two men, aged 18 and 22, had been clinging to the rudder of the container ship 'MSC Marta' since July 4th.         The two Nigerian men, aged 18 and 22, were located on Monday night perched on the helm of a ship upon their arrival at the Port of Las Palmas, following a voyage that began in Togo last week. They were taken to the Doctor Negrín Hospital in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria for observation, and they were...

The Canary Islands' Government, through the General Directorate of Security and Emergencies, has this Monday declared a state of alert for forest fire risk on El Hierro, La Palma, La Gomera, Tenerife, and Gran Canaria from 08:00 hours on Tuesday July 11th.         The decision was made taking into account the available information and in accordance with the Special Plan for Civil Protection and Emergency Response to...

A hot, dry Saharan air mass is currently producing a major heatwave across southern and central Spain, with red advisory warnings due to temperatures topping 44ºC, and is expected to also affect the archipelago starting from Monday, gradually raising temperatures here up towards 42ºC in the shade in some places. High temperatures will continue throughout the week, with Wednesday and Thursday as the probable peak days when a significant calima intrusion is also expected, especially in inland...

Binter Airline's new direct weekly flight connection between Gran Canaria and Ibiza looks set to provide a boost to the tourism industry in both destinations. The introduction of this convenient air route, which started in celebratory style last Thursday, will likely offer numerous benefits and opportunities for travellers and businesses alike.         With the launch of direct flights, tourists, visitors and...

Unexpectedly, Mogan town council, this Sunday, have decided to close Patalavaca Beach to swimmers due to two small hammerhead sharks having been spotted on Thursday and Friday near to the coast. Described as "two small offspring" the young hammerheads were spotted swimming close to shore, though they are thought to pose no real danger, the town hall has decided to only allow paddling in the shallows "until the water reaches knee height" just on this beach alone.    ...

In the Canary Islands, as throughout Spain, there are various hunting seasons every year. It has often been the case that if, while out in rural areas and away from houses, a licensed hunter happened upon any sort of animal living in the wild they were allowed to hunt them, so long as they are not on a list of endangered or protected species. Too often this has also included any dogs or cats that the hunter judged to be feral. Much of the culture around hunters has also been strongly...

A woman who accused a group of homeless migrants of raping her, in a Puerto Rico park, in Mogán, has testified this week that she had felt intimidated by the four young men she had been speaking to, who, she says, acting in concert, violated her, on a Friday night, in her own neighbourhood, at the end of February 2021, after an evening out with friends to celebrate a birthday. She stated that all four defendants penetrated her after she spoke with them in a public park, in an assault that...

The Spanish State Meteorological Agency (AEMET) has issued an orange alert for temperatures of up to 37ºC, in the shade, in the inland areas of the east, south, and west of Gran Canaria for this Tuesday,  minimum night time temperatures are not expected to drop below 25ºC. The north of the island and the summits will maintain a yellow alert, which also extends to four other islands.         This Monday, June 26th,...

A hotel chain faces a fine of up to 100,000 euros for large-scale waste dumping on protected land. An investigation began in March after it was discovered that someone had abandoned a total of 14 fibreglass bathtubs in the San Lorenzo ravine near the capital of Gran Canaria, an area of protected land due to its agricultural value. Officers from the General Policia Canaria Force and the Policia Local of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria have...

The Loro Parque group have filed a claim for €122.3 million from the Southern Town Council of San Bartolomé de Tirajana, for compensation and financial damages caused by the delay in granting the urban planning license for the construction of their long anticipated Siam Park Gran Canaria attraction in El Veril, at the entry point to Playa del Inglés. Of this amount, €30.3 million corresponds to actual damages, €89.9 million to lost profits, and €1.9 million has been claimed for other "missed...

Canary Islands, Spain - The ride-hailing company Uber officially launched its services in the Canary Islands this Thursday. The vehicle rental service with drivers, which is already present in five other regions of Spain, has started operating in the archipelago. However, for now, the service will only be available in the municipalities of Granadilla de Abona, Arona, Adeje, and Guía de Isora on Tenerife. The company plans to expand its operations to the rest of the island and eventually arrive...

The Kiessling family, who have promoted the idea of a major water park development on Gran Canaria for nearly 20 years, and for more than a decade have faced myriad administrative obstacles to breaking ground on their plan to site it in the El Veril basin, next to Playa del Inglés, on Wednesday presented their continuing efforts and project plans in a packed auditorium of the Gabinete Literario in Las Palmas, attended by a wide range of influential people, journalists and institutional...

Police officers from the National Police have arrested a 38-year-old man with a history of similar offences, and a 28-year-old woman, on suspicion of drug trafficking in San Bartolomé de Tirajana. The suspects were allegedly involved in the sale of cocaine, carrying out their operations in high-end vehicles at various locations throughout the municipality. During the raids conducted by the officers, 7.7 kilograms of cocaine and €5,550 in cash were seized. [adrotate...

Gran Canaria, June 12, 2023 - The Canary Islands continue to soar in popularity as their airports record a staggering 19,838,342 passengers so far this year, marking a remarkable 20.4% increase compared to the first half of 2022, according to the latest data from the Spanish Air Navigation Agency (AENA). Among these figures, international flights accounted for 11,967,352 passengers, representing a notable 20.7% surge compared to the previous year's...

A comprehensive analysis conducted by Group I of the Economic and Fiscal Crime Unit (UDEF) of the National Police yielded scandalous results, writes Spanish language daily Canarias7, regarding the alleged irregular use of the public funds intended for the care of unaccompanied minors, by the suspected to have been perpetrated by centres managed by the Foundation Social Response Siglo XXI on Gran Canaria and Lanzarote. In this case, driven by the Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office,...

The conservative Partido Popular-Agrupación de Vecinos (PP-AV) and the regionalist right Coalición Canaria (CC) have signed a government pact that will shape the future of San Bartolomé de Tirajana. This alliance, referred to as the Pact for Stability and Socioeconomic Progress of San Bartolomé Tirajana, represents 60% of the votes in the municipality's recent elections, as emphasised by the future mayor, Marco Aurelio Pérez (PP-AV). According to the...

 A governing coalition pact has been finalised in San Bartolomé de Tirajana. The Popular Party–Agrupación de Vecinos will join forces with Coalición Canaria to govern the main tourist municipality of Gran Canaria for the next four years. Marco Aurelio Pérez will serve as the mayor for the entire term, with the Popular Party taking charge of areas such as Employment, Sports, Roads and Infrastructure, and Human Resources. Meanwhile, the nationalists led by Alejandro Marichal will oversee Urban...

The 7th Investigation Court of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria has opened a preliminary investigation into the Social Response Foundation 21st Century and four of its directors. The Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office in Las Palmas filed a complaint against them, alleging crimes such as forgery of commercial documents, mismanagement, and embezzlement of public funds. The investigation aims to determine whether the nonprofit organization and its officials misused public funds intended for the care...

The authorities on Gran Canaria have been engaged in a rigorous search for Swedish tourist Anna-Karin Bengtsson, who went missing in the south of Gran Canaria around April 9. Her unexplained disappearance has caused her family much distress, with no clues to her whereabouts having emerged in the six weeks since they first realised her phone was no longer functioning. 52-year-old Anna-Karin Bengtsson, a mother of two, was last seen in person on April 9....

The body of a 58-year-old German man was found this Friday floating just off the coast of Mogán, on the south-west of Gran Canaria. At 10:42 a.m. the main 112 Emergency and Security Coordination Centre (CECOES) received an alert stating that the body of a person was floating face down in the sea, about five meters from the shore , in an area of ​​cliffs difficult to access by land, between the beaches of Amadores and Puerto Rico de Gran Canaria. The...

Edgar Aldaz was arrested on Wednesday morning at his home, among the private bungalow complexes of the privileged, leafy avenues of Campo de Internacional, in sunny Maspalomas on the touristed south of Gran Canaria.  After spending a night in the cells, he gave evidence on Thursday morning and was released on charges of suspected drugs smuggling, distribution and money laundering. By all accounts a fun guy, he is...

The Spanish airforce may have renamed themselves the "Air & Space Force" last year, but it seems they still sometimes fly beyond the limits of their highly trained pilots' abilities.  But then, isn't that exactly what training missions are for, to push the envelope and ready their personnel for active duty.  Last Tuesday, April 18, it has been revelaed, a Super Puma (H215) helicopter from 802 quadron, based at Gando, had an accident on the south of Gran Canaria, while undertaking such...

A driver reportedly lost control of their vehicle this Sunday morning leading them to end up trapped on some stairs in the island's capital, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria. The incident occurred on the stairs that lead to soccer fields, located in the La Ballena ravine area, better known for its shopping area. No injuries were reported and police are making enquiries as to how exactly the incident occurred.

A serious traffic accident occurred in the Sonneland area, near El Tablero, within the municipality of San Bartolomé de Tirajana this Wednesday morning. At around 9:30 a.m. this Wednesday, April 19, where Calle César Manrique meets Calle Einstein, a car, apparently traveling at very high speed, collided with three parked vehicles. The scene was attended by several members of the Policia Local according to La...

A fire at the Pasito Blanco "campsite" on Tuesday left an unfortunate dog dead, though, thankfully, no one else was reported injured. The fire, which broke out at noon, destroyed 50% of two of the homes. The area was evacuated, and firefighters from San Bartolomé de Tirajana used 12,000 litres of water to extinguish the flames. Firefighters from San Bartolomé de Tirajana intervened on Tuesday to extinguish the fire...

The Plaza shopping centre in Playa del Inglés (San Bartolomé de Tirajana), have come to an agreement with the local town hall, formally requesting a partial reopening of its facilities, which would allow up to 87 of its commercial spaces to to start up again, although initially only around 30 will do so. However, the car park, which has 300 spaces, intended for private individuals and companies, many of whom are not...

The proposal by Spanish multinational Nueva Pescanova to create the world's first commercial octopus farm on Gran Canaria has generated a great deal of controversy. The company aims to produce one million octopuses a year for consumption worldwide, three times the number currently caught in the wild by Spanish fisheries. However, the project has been condemned by many scientists who regard the proposed method of killing the octopuses as "cruel". Confidential documents obtained by the BBC...

Three men were arrested and charged with sexual assault after having allegedly gang-raped a young woman in a hotel, in the Santa Catalina area of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria on Thursday, March 16, 2023. The woman, who is 21 years old, reported the incident at the hotel's reception, claiming that she had been raped by the men and could not remember anything after accepting a drink from them. Police began an investigation...

The National Crime Agency and partners have renewed an appeal to help trace some of the United Kingdom’s Most Wanted fugitives. Twelve months ago the NCA launched its most recent appeal to find 13 men who had gone on the run – all believed to be hiding in Spain or with strong links to the country. In that time, six wanted men have been traced, arrested and are at various stages of the extradition and judicial process. Today, the appeal - run in conjunction with independent charity...

The TSJC Canary Islands' High Court of Justice has ruled that increase in salaries granted by the municipality of Mogán, to eight of its employees in 2022, were illegal. The Contencioso-Administrative Court has, once again, criticised the “arbitrary” nature of the town council led by La Alcaldesa Onalia Bueno, mayor of Mogán, who plans this year to run for re-election under the name of her new party, Juntos por Mogán, directly aligned with the right of centre regionalists, Coalición Canaria...

Spain's, so far, second largest consignment of the pink drug concoction has been intercepted at Gran Canaria airport. A 22-year-old passenger from Belgium was stopped, by Customs Surveillance and Guardia Civil, with an estimated ten kilos of the drug, writes A. Castilian in Spanish language daily, La Provincia     Last Tuesday, Customs Surveillance and the Guardia  Civil intercepted a consignment of, what is known as, "pink...

As of January 1, public road transport services, urban and interurban, for anyone with a resident's monthly bus pass, can travel free by bus and tram in the Canary Islands, the Government of the Canary Islands and the seven island councils have announced after a meeting held on Wednesday. This and other issues will be included in an action protocol that will be signed by all parties before the end of the year.     Anyone not in...

A massive Atlantic storm has been rumbling across the Azores over the last few days, bringing some residual wet weather last weekend and another band of rain which looks set to sweep across the archipelago today, and over the next 12 hours. Spanish State Meteorological Agency, AEMET, have issued a yellow advisory warning for the southern half of Gran Canaria, this Wednesday, for rainfall that could accumulate up to 15 litres per square...

There are two bank holidays this week, as Tuesday marks Spain's Constitution Day and Thursday is the feast of the Immaculate Conception, both of which are national holidays every year, which will make next weekend a long "bridge" weekend, and of course lots of people will take the opportunity to stock up in time of the seasonal festivities relentlessly heading our way at the end of the month. Many supermarkets will change their opening hours for these two most important shopping days at the...

Bus operators, technicians and managers have been expressing some concern over the new plan to make public transport free for regular daily users as of next January 1. 2023 is expected to begin with a sudden increase in demand for which the bus companies are not well prepared. The  increase in the number of users, means that bus companies like Global Bus (Interurban island-wide) and Guaguas Municipales (Las Palmas de Gran Canaria) will have to provide a potentially larger number of services...

The Guardia Civil arrested a Swedish man, in April 2019, in the tourist resort town of Puerto Rico, in the south western municipality of Mogán, accused of having beaten his partner to death. The woman, who was 42 years old, according to sources within the initial investigation was found dead in her apartment by a Guardia Civil patrol responding to a 112 emergency call, to ask for help at around 10 am the following morning. However,...

The Salvamento Marítimo (Maritime Rescue) rescued three stowaways on Monday, found on the rudder blade of an oil tanker that had just arrived in the Port of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, having left eleven days earlier from Lagos (Nigeria). They were picked up this Tuesday by the Salvamar Nunki in the port of the capital of Gran Canaria, having been sighted in a precarious position outside the ship's hull, with their feet hanging barely half a metre from the surface of the water. [fb_plugin...

Last month, a Guardia Civil SEPRONA (Nature Protection Service) patrol investigated an individual for a crime of animal abuse and/or abandonment, as in addition to having four dogs at a private home in a somewhat precarious state, evidenced by images provided to the Guardia Civil, the owner of the dogs was seen striking one dog with a stick, then with a large heavy rock and later with some sort of wooden board, at the house in question in the municipality of Mogán.  ...

A three day congress, the first of it's kind in Spain, has found itself the target of criticism over the cost of aiming to inaugurate a national conversation on financial responsibility, in particular in the administration of local, regional, national and EU funding.  Some opposition parties, many of whom, it seems, were not invited, have sought clarifications on how the expenditure for the event itself was decided, and why there was only one sound and lighting company invited to tender...

In the early hours of the morning of this Thursday, November 17, Mogán Policia Local arrested three adults and a minor for allegedly having forced their way into the Bahía Playa restaurant, in Puerto Rico de Gran Canaria, and stealing a cash register. Once alerted, the local agents managed to intercept a vehicle in which the suspects were fleeing, in the area of ​​El Tablero, just 10km away.     The Police were alerted around...

British singer songwriter Sting looks set to return to Gran Canaria in 2023. Gordon Matthew Thomas Summer (Wallsend, North Tyneside, England, October 2, 1951), known globally as Sting, will perform for islanders next summer, according to sources consulted by Spanish language daily, Canarias7. , in an enclave like the Gran Canaria Arena, in Siete Palmas.     The arena concert by the ex lead singer of The Police looks set to be one...

A man accused of having, allegedly, held a woman in Mogán during the state of alarm, against her will and wilfully engaging in her sexually abuse, confessed this Tuesday to being guilty as charged. The man acknowledged that he had taken the victim into his home, knowing that she was in a vulnerable situation, after having had problems with her partner, and that he took advantage of her, even engaging in non-consensual sex.     [adrotate...

It's the middle of November and Gran Canaria has been enjoying temperatures more typical of summer than of the middle of Autumn. The balmy sunshine looks set to continue for a few more days this week across the Canary Islands, while Calima haze is expected to trap some of that heat, forecasts suggest the temperatures may well drop by then end of the week and there is a distinct possibility of rainfall, so it could well be time to dust off the umbrella, just incase the prediction of Spain's...

Gran Canaria's second most important tourism municipality, Mogán on the south west coast of the island, are understood to be engaged in the process of endowing themselves with a new set of local bylaws which, among various other things, will prohibit and penalise anyone found sleeping, day or night, in public spaces. Prohibited too, in some of Gran Canaria's favourite resorts, will be the leaving of clothing or towels on balconies. The apparently deeply conservative Mogán town hall, led by the...

Policia Nacional have arrested a 39-year-old woman suspected of scamming more than €10,000 from at least five foreign restaurateurs on the south of the island island on the false premise that her daughter was suffering from a serious illness and then died after a failed operation, supposedly in Houston, Texas, for which she allegedly needed to raise money.     The detainee has been accused of fraud, forgery of documents, the...

All saints’ Day, All Hallows’ Day, Halloween, Todos Los Santos Monday, 31 October 2022  The 31st of October has long been celebrated here in The Canary Islands. A most traditional celebration where families gather and tell each other stories of family members long departed, ancestors of note, parents, grandparents, and the occasional spooky ghost story. Graveyards extend their opening hours so that families can visit their loved ones. Of course, US influences have seeped in over recent years,...

Spanish State Meteorological Agency (AEMET) has announced their forecast of a new "very unusual" warm spell for this time of year in the Canary Islands. Meteorologists have not ruled out that the end of October will make it the hottest October in Spain since records began. "Clearly warmer than normal conditions are likely to continue into the first half of November ," they have warned. According to AEMET, thermometers could reach up and over 30°C in the shade in The Canary Islands over coming...

Gran Canaria's island government, the Cabildo de Gran Canaria, are working with the Coastal Authority to reinforce fences that delimit and prevent access to certain areas of the Maspalomas Dunes.     The president of the insular institution, Antonio Morales, who made a visit to the Special Nature Reserve, did not give details about which places they would be focused on, but he did clarify that they would include access to the...

The Guardia Civil in Puerto Rico de Gran Canaria report that they identified a simulated crime, allegedly perpetrated by a 25-year-old on October 1, who stated that they had been attacked and held against their will by a group of six people, who forced them to withdraw €1,900 from a nearby ATM, in the popular tourist town on the southwest of Gran Canaria.     The person identified had reported to the Guardia Civil that day,...

Agents of the Policia Nacional have found the body of a man inside a vehicle parked in residential area of Bellavista, near Maspalomas, 0n the south of Gran Canaria. It is thought the deceased may have been there for about 15 days.     According to reports from sources within the San Bartolomé de Tirajana Town Council, and subsequently from Spanish language news portals, late on Sunday, everything appears to indicate that it was...

A powerful electrical storm descended last night over Puerto del Rosario, forcing at least five planes destined for Fuerteventura to have to be diverted to land on Gran Canaria. All arrived without major incidents.       The affected flights all originated from the United Kingdom. The first, from Jet2, had taken off from Manchester and at about 8pm, after remaining on hold to the south of Fuerteventura, controllers...

The forecasts of the business sector and the Tourism Department of the Government of the Canary Islands, which indicate that the islands will have a good winter, are gaining consistency as November 1, the official start date of the season, approaches, reports Silvia Fernandez in Spanish language daily, Canarias7 this Tuesday. Over the last week, reservations have grown more than 12% and it is expected that in the coming days the tourism rebound will be higher,...

An intense Calima has been sweeping the Canary Islands since Monday, October 3. According to forecasts of the meteorological models consulted by CanariasAhora, Saharan dust will remain suspended in the air at least until Wednesday. It is expected that this episode will also affect the entire peninsula, especially southern and central parts of Spain. [video width="1280" height="720" mp4="http://thecanarynews.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2022/10/finalVideo-3.mp4" loop="true"...

The rain last weekend has caused significant damage to roads and infrastructure across Gran Canaria, but the water has been "a blessing" for agriculture. This was expressed on Tuesday by the president of the Cabildo, Antonio Morales, who said that 2,721,212 cubic meters of water had been collected in the island's public and private reservoirs, a 6% increase on the total volume available. Specifically, the private reservoirs have collected 1,970,440 cubic meters, 8% of the total volume, and the...

The alert declaration for the heavy rains affecting El Hierro and the pre-alert situation that was still in place on La Gomera, La Palma, Tenerife and Gran Canaria due to tropical storm Hermine ended at 12:00 noon this Wednesday, according to the General Directorate of Security and Emergencies of the Canary Islands regional government. In a statement they specified that the meteorological conditions behind the declaration have now ended. Likewise, they have assured that communications and...

The President of the Government of the Canary Islands, Ángel Víctor Torres, has reported this Sunday evening on the evolution of 'Hermine' over the Archipelago, which despite being downgraded this morning from a Tropical Storm, to a depression, continues to make its presence felt across the Archipelago. So far, more than 800 incidents related to heavy rains have been reported and more than 250 flights to or from the Islands having been cancelled. In addition,...

The NOAA Hurricane Centre has downgraded Storm Hermine to a tropical depression this Sunday morning, as had been predicted in previous discussions, as wind speeds fell below 62 kilometres per hour. Meanwhile on social media some members of the public had become confused by the use of the word "cyclone" which had been utilised to describe the cyclonic, or circular, motion of the winds attached to this Atlantic wet weather system; comparing the abundant rainfall as no worse than a "Saturday...

The Spanish State Meteorological Agency (AEMET) in the Canary Islands this Saturday updated their warnings for rain on Sunday, September 25, on the islands of Gran Canaria, El Hierro and La Palma as tropical storm 'Hermine' passes to the south and west of the archipelago. The Red Advisory warning (the highest level) comes into force from 12:00 midday tomorrow for the east, south and west of Gran Canaria, where accumulated rainfall of 120 litres per square meter...

Tropical Storm 'Hermine' is expected to bring Autumn rains to The Canary Islands this weekend, reaching a peak for Sunday , which is expected to be "a complicated day", according to the Emergency technicians at a Canary Islands press conference on Friday, with effects expected to last until Monday. Among the official recommendations, they advised everyone to ensure they had candles, flashlights and a radio on hand, to be prepared in the event of a power outage. Likewise, the regional...

Heavy rains forecast this weekend in the Canary Islands have led the regional government to remind everyone that the situation can change rapidly when a storm like this affects the weather systems of the archipelago. Stay at home and drive with extreme caution are just some of the advice that the Government of the Canary Islands urge in situations like the one that is coming. With sudden downpours like this barrancos and ravines can fill quickly and turn into...

The president of the Canary Islands, Ángel Víctor Torres, this afternoon appealed for "prudence" and called for "self-protection and maximum precautions" during the weekend, in the face of what, he pointed out, "may be the most important rains in recent years ”. Torres announced that all activities are suspended from tonight and until the change from maximum alert. At this time, the forecasts highlight that the core of the cyclone will not touch the islands, but the meteorological phenomenon...

The Atlantic cyclone that has formed to the south of the Canary Islands has in the last hour been officially upgraded from a tropical depression to a tropical storm. The new classification has confirmed this Friday night by the US National Hurricane Centre. The president of the Canary Islands, Ángel Víctor Torres, reported this afternoon's press conference that the Canary Islands would very likely be affected by what was then a "tropical depression",  a type of...

Ahmed Haison, of Moroccan origin and in an irregular situation on the islands, has been convicted of causing damage to the Puerto Bello complex, in Puerto Rico de Gran Canaira, where he was being accommodated by the Government of the Canary Islands, he has, this week, been sentenced to three and a half years in prison. Convicted by the Second Section of the Provincial Court of Las Palmas for a crime of public disorder, and another of attack on an agent of the authorities, he was acquitted of a...

The Embassy of the United Kingdom in Spain announced on Friday the opening to the public of books of condolences, following the death of Elizabeth II, at its headquarters in Madrid, as well as consulates in seven other Spanish cities, including Las Palmas de Gran Canaria and Santa Cruz de Tenerife. Through a statement issued by the British embassy, ​​​​it was confirmed that a book of condolence would be available, to be signed, on Friday and over the next few...

The networks are going wild over a spectacular traffic accident this Friday in the capital, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, on Pancho Guerra street, Paseo de San Antonio, after a taxi mishap managed to result in a tumble from a height of 5 meters, into the middle of a building site. Fortunately, according to the Policia Local of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria on its official Twitter account, the driver of the vehicle does not appear to have suffered any serious...

August comes to an end on the Canary Islands with heat and Calima haze, from African winds carrying Saharan dust in suspension, with a mass of warm air that looks set to raise temperatures to 34ºC, or more, in the shade, particularly on south and west facing slopes, the spokesman for Spain's State Meteorological Agency (AEMET), Rubén del Campo, has reported. By Wednesday, however, there could be some storm showers on the westernmost islands, and from Thursday...

👷🏽‍♂️This week the installation of innovative Fog Water Collectors has begun on the north of Gran Canaria as part of a 4 year project to use this innovative method of water collection in an attempt to prevent further soil degradation or loss of vegetation.🛠️. Deforestation and desertification have long been recognised as two of the principal causes for biodiversity loss and soil degradation. These phenomena are mostly caused by a mixture of ongoing climate...

August 10th is International LGBTQ+ Tourism Day, and Maspalomas is world famous for its large Rainbow Community as well as welcoming an estimated 15% of Canary Islands tourism oriented specifically towards this sector.  Maspalomas is also, therefore, a focal point for a large number of foreign residents who work within tourism related businesses, and among whom there are a number of HIV+ patients who, with the right medical assistance, are able to successfully manage their condition and...

The countdown has begun to power-saving blackouts, in shops and institutional buildings, set to be in force at least until November 1, 2023. The measures, decreed last week by Spain's central government form part of the package of measures on energy saving and efficiency. The open commercial areas of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria have reportedly reacted with skepticism, waiting to see how it will affect business and consumption; however, the sector recognises that inflation and the rise in...

A 62-year-old French man, rescued last Tuesday in a harrowing shipwreck off the Costa da Morte, was, it has emerged as reported in La Provincia, located thanks to a signal from his sailboat's emergency beacon, which reached the COSPAS-SARSAT search program, located at the Maspalomas Space Centre . Operators in Maspalomas quickly notified the National Maritime Rescue Centre in Madrid, which deployed units to begin an intervention that lasted more than 16 hours, in which the survivor had managed...

Ryanair has cancelled at least ten flights this Monday, coinciding with the start of the new strike call for cabin crew (TCP), as well as having experienced a number of delays. At the moment, no Canary Islands air traffic has been affected, as with previous strikes, the majority of problems caused appear to have been on flights to and from mainland Spain and elsewhere in Europe. This morning cancellations have been reported between Barcelona and Milan, Menorca,...

The Canary Islands are yet again expecting to spend the next few days in short sleeves, flip-flips and shorts, due to warning advisories from the Spanish State Meteorological Agency (AEMET), among others, due to yet another wave of incoming high temperatures. This latest heatwave, though for many a little less oppressive than the back to back swelters we experienced throughout July, is expected to persist throughout this week, at least until Thursday. Gran...

The Guardia Civil Judicial Police continue to investigate the death of Juan José VJ, a 53-year-old resident of Santa Lucía whose body was found last Friday in the Los Frailes ravine (Mogán). The body was found with numerous injuries including several deep cuts believed to be the result of stab wounds, according to sources close to the investigation, who added that it has now been ruled out that his death occurred due to a fall. This is now a homicide investigation. [fb_plugin...

A woman has died and a man seriously injured after being hit by a rally car participating in the competition being held this weekend on north of Gran Canaria, in the municipality of Gáldar. The vehicle left the road and travelled a few meters up a hillside, running over a small group of people who were there watching the event. The rally was suspended shortly afterwards. The 112 Government of the Canary Islands Emergency Coordination Centre (CECOES) reported...

Residents at the top of Puerto Rico de Gran Canaria's West Hill, on the other side overlooking Amadores, were shocked at around 22:30 on Friday night after a fire broke out in the barranco below the Lairaga apartment complex. Local resident and fitness trainer, Ben Stone, managed to capture a video of the blaze, including the heroic actions of at least one resident who appeared to be trying to tackle the fire from above using a garden hose. Fire crews were called to the scene,...

At least one worker has died and the other has been seriously injured this Wednesday when major hotel renovation work lead to the collapse of a retaining wall in the popular holiday resort town of Puerto Rico de Gran Canaria, in the municipality of Mogán. At around quarter past three in the afternoon, one of the walls collapsed trapping the two workers. Numerous emergency services were deployed to the scene, including firefighters from the Puerto Rico Park Consortium, Mogán...

British holidaymaker Russell Stones from Wellington, Telford travelled with his wife Vicky and their two teenage daughters on all inclusive family holiday holiday to Furteventura back in May. Within a couple of days of being there the whole family fell ill, and Russell managed to rupture his oesophagus due to chronic vomiting. He was flown by air ambulance to the Insular Hospital in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria for a life saving operation to repair it. Thanks to the excellent surgical team that...

Supermarket chain ALDI today opened their first two stores on Gran Canaria in the municipalities of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria and Telde. These are the island's two main population centres, and the locations are easily accessible from the primary motorways, off the GC23 ring road and at the Melenara exit from the GC1. Both stores were rammed full, on their first day, of people eager to find out what this new-to-the-islands store brand can offer, in Las Palmas the prices across all sectors were...

A 78-year-old Norwegian tourist, who had been missing since Sunday, was found by a Guardia Civil patrol in a hard to reach area, thanks to the reflections they say from the mans watch. A helicopter took him to hospital with a serious blow to the head, and severe burns all over his body.             The report was filed by his son at eleven o'clock on Sunday night. The septuagenarian had gone for a walk in the...

On October 22, 2022 the concession for the deep water dock, used by the cement factory operated by Cementos Especiales de las Islas (Ceisa SA), in the port of Santa Águeda is due to come to an end after 65 years of use, however the company is hoping to renew their contract. The Government of the Canary Islands owns the port and will have to decide whether to extend the concession for the industrial facility to maintain activities there or alternatively follow the established 2003 planning...

GLAY is the volunteer-led LGBTQIA+ not-for-profit association that founded Maspalomas PRIDE back in 2002. The Gay & Lesbian Associates of Yumbo were responsible for establishing communication with their local town hall, San Bartolomé de Tirajana, taking this community event from very humble beginnings, during the quietest month of the year, to becoming one of the single most highly attended annual celebrations on the island, bringing foreigners and native Canarians together, visitors and...

The British Club of Las Palmas this week continued their celebrations of the Queen of England's Platinum Jubilee, with the planting of an olive tree in their grounds, where it can be directly viewed from the main entrance to their historic headquarters in this once-mostly-British enclave of the city, known as Ciudad Jardín.             The event, organised by the club committee headed up by the newly re-elected...

A Las Palmas Court has sentenced four men accused of raping a Danish tourist to between 3 1/2 years and 8 1/2 years in prison, after one took advantage of her the other three then also abused the young woman during the early hours of the morning of December 25, 2016 at a shopping centre in the south of Gran Canaria. The judge ruled that there is "sufficient evidence" to destroy any presumption of innocence of the four defendants, Mohamed EH, 31 years old; Ahmed A., and Brahim A., 30; and...

A controversial campaign from the Captial City Town Hall proclaiming “Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, One, great and free, free of prejudice, free of LGBTQIphobia, free of mortal sin, free of injustice and free of hate”. The motto of the new campaign, being used to commemorate this Saturday's LGBTQIA+ Pride event, in Gran Canaria's capital, has been clearly inspired by the words spoken by the Franco regime, and this has generated uproar on all sides of the debate. The Councillor for Equality in...

Spain's Subcommittee on medicinal cannabis in the Congress of Deputies (lower house) this Tuesday approved their final report to regulate the legal, therapeutic use of marijuana. The proposal has been supported of various political parties including the socialist PSOE, United We Can, and Ciudadanos, PNV and PDECAT, however the ERC and Bildu parties abstained, demanding a more ambitious text, and the conservative PP, along with ultra right wing Vox, voted against the proposals....

Gran Canaria's highways maintenance department have announced night time closures in both directions on the main GC1 southern motorway for asphalting work between the exits for Pasito Blanco and Arguineguín, starting from Sunday night, in work expected to continue until at least Thursday.            Diversions will be in place every night from 11pm between kilometres 50 to 56 of the primary north south highway,...

Ryanair are due to operate some 300 international flights (150 round trips) in the Canary Islands during the six days of strikes called by the unions representing cabin crew this summer, for the weekend of June 24, 25 and 26 and June 30, July 1 and 2 . An estimated 50,000 passengers are booked to be on these flights, and they could suffer delays and cancellations, according to Spanish language daily Canarias7.            ...

One of the more interesting legacies, promoted through Gran Canaria's near 500 year old tradition of Carnaval, has got to be the outlandish displays of public cross-dressing, these days celebrated as mass media events with a full system of lights, pyrotechnics and massive sound, but they were once upon a time more hidden away in rural communities.  It is one of the most transgressive acts of annual trespass to be found in this sub-tropical archipelago. Carnival arrived here with the Genoese...

A controversy has been brewing over the "chiringuito" street bars that were properly authorised for the Maspalomas International Carnival. Last week 25 unauthorised street bars set up in a car park at the Yumbo (why do they call them "chiringays"?), were officially closed down by the Town Council of San Bartolomé de Tirajana, but at the last minute managed to get a judge to lift the ban with a temporary judicial order. Now the 13 legitimate businesses who followed the law, supported the town...

Ryanair have been reported as saying it does not expect widespread disruption this summer, after industrial action was called unions representing cabin crews in Spain, on Monday.             Announcing their six-day strike the USO and SITCPLA unions, representing a significant number of airline staff across Spain, following a break down in talks with the Irish no frills air carrier, who are calling for more...

The well loved European brand will open its first supermarkets in the archipelago on July 13, two on Tenerife and two on Gran Canaria · The supermarkets will have nearly 330 products of Canarian origin, from more than 40 suppliers in the archipelago · ALDI is working to make this platform the first logistics centre in the region to have the "BREEAM" sustainability and energy efficiency certificate with an "excellent" rating.          ...

Ryanair cabin crew will go on strike for six days at the start of the summer season. The USO and Sitcpla unions announced this Monday a call for a six-day strike set for June 24, 25, 26 and 30, as well as July 1 and 2. USO (Unión Sindical Obrera or Labour Trade Union) and Sitcpla (Sindicato Independiente de Tripulantes de Cabina de Pasajeros de Líneas Aéreas; Independent Airline Passenger Cabin Crew Syndicate) are the unions representing a majority of airline crew staffing Ryanair in...

A 48-year-old man was seriously injured after his a car crashed into a ravine, having left the road that connects the mountain market town of San Mateo with Utiaca, on the way towards Teror. The occupant had to be rescued by helicopter and taken to a car park in nearby for evacuation in another aircraft to hospital, where he was admitted in critical condition. A large rescue operation was deployed at the scene.          ...

The driver of a truck transporting a dangerous load in the Gran Canaria municipality of Santa María de Guía was arrested after trying to carry a large tube that protruded several meters behind his vehicle.  Reports of his having tested positive for alcohol, however, appear to have been mistaken.             A witness to the events, working at a nearby supermarket told a local radio station "We heard a noise like stones falling,"...

The Maspalomas Town Council (San Bartolomé de Tirajana) this Thursday ordered the closure of two outdoor Carnival street party areas, which use mobile beach bars usually called "Chiriguitos", but for some reason renamed "chiringays" by the organisers, which were located within two private parking areas at ​​the famous Yumbo Shopping Centre (in front of a well-known restaurant), prior to the celebration of the Maspalomas International Carnival for “lacking authorisations and organising a...

A truck driver had a nasty surprise when he ended up doing a wheelie in the northern Gran Canaria town of Montaña Alta, in the municipality of Guía, after trying to transport a large tube that was twice as long his vehicle, and was arrested shortly afterwards having tested positive for alcohol.              After having initial difficulties climbing a hill, which were caught on video, the truck continued...

Firefighters have been working during the early afternoon of this Wednesday, June 8, to extinguish a scrubland fire in an area of ​​Las Mesas and Los Giles, within the municipality of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, not far from the capital.            The fire affected a grassy area with dry weeds and had nowhere to spread. Aerial means were deployed to extinguish the flames, which were declared under control less...

What greater demonstration could there be of the dire, urgent need for tighter controls over discarded fishing gear, plastics and other human pollutants in the ocean, on this World Ocean's Day 2022, than the utter tragedy of a dead wild cetacean found with blue fishing net wrapped around its tail? Disgust must surely rise in the throats of anyone who cares for our environment, or about our marine neighbours, so many of whom make their homes off our southern coasts and a third of the world's...

One of the most exciting celebrations in the Canary Islands has to be Maspalomas Carnival! Usually celebrated in the run up to lent and Easter this year is a little different with all of Gran Canaria's "carnavales" occurring in the summertime.  And what a way to celebrate!  You'll find people of every age and background celebrating in the most outlandish costumes, most of them home made, with some glittering and truly entertaining people participating, some of them even on the main...

A pre-alert was being declared on Tuesday, due to a potential risk of forest fires on the island of Gran Canaria, as the well-known 30-30-30 guideline was being applied in readiness should the authorities need to activate the PEFMA (Plan Específico por Fenómenos Meteorológicos Adversos) "specific plan for adverse meteorological phenomena" following warnings of rising temperatures and strong winds from Spanish Meteorological Agency AEMET.       ...

The Canary Islands have become Spain's first destination, and Autonomous Community, to exceed the numbers of international tourists visiting prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, and have been joined by the Balearic Islands and, to a lesser extent, the Community of Valencia who are very close to matching pre-pandemic figures recorded in the fourth month of 2019.            According to the National Institute of...

A murder investigation has begun into the series of events that allegedly led to a man, who had lived quietly for ten years on a farm near the well-to-do neighbourhood of Santa Brígida, having attacked the lawyer, say sources, who had let him live there in exchange for help around the property.               The well respected criminal lawyer, and former chief inspector of the Policia Nacional, from Gran...

Spain is the country with the highest number of Monkeypox cases in Europe, and the Ministry of Health has confirmed thirty cases so far, all of them in Madrid. The majority of cases detected have been men who have had sex with other men, however it is very important to understand that this virus is in no way based around sexual orientation or so-called "risky" practices. The simple fact is that this is an infection that can be passed between any individuals who come into close contact with...

As advanced by this publication on Thursday, non-EU, third country, travellers from this Saturday can now enter Spain, by just presenting a negative PCR or antigen test, with so-called Covid certificates no longer needed, regardless of place of origin, according to the latest update to the Spanish pandemic restrictions.               The BOE (Spanish Gazette) this Saturday published the order from the...

The World Health Organisation today, in a statement, have said they and their partners are working to better understand the extent and cause of an outbreak of monkeypox. Editor’s comment: While sexual interaction has been identified as a potential vector, special emphasis was given to the importance of not jumping to conclusions, highlighting the unusual multiple occurrences currently being reported across the world, still less than 100 confirmed cases, and the inherent differences...

Something unusual is happening across the world, though many have been pointing out that our currently heightened state of awareness, means our ability to detect even small epidemiological outbreaks is more acute than ever.With less than 100 cases confirmed worldwide, doctors are urging calm as a series of Monkeypox infections have been reported, including at least one suspected case on Gran Canaria. This rare, and most-often mild, infection, is not new, and was first detected in the...

The Canary Islands have been confirmed, as of April, to be leading the Spanish tourism recovery with international passenger volumes comparable with pre-pandemic levels in 2019, with a total of 1.1 million, representing 15.9% of national market share throughout Spain, according to data released this Wednesday by the national tourism board, Turespaña. The Canary Islands are, not only, still the favourite destination in Spain for UK tourists, but they are also the fastest growing destination for...

Spain's Minister of Industry, Commerce and Tourism, Reyes Maroto, has said this Thursday that the requirement for travellers coming from outside the EU to present a COVID19 certificate, for vaccination status, test result or prior infection, will come to an end "in a matter of days" allowing them to enter the country with a simple negative test result.             "It will be a matter of days before we are going...

The regional Ministry of Health has this Thursday updated the health alert levels in line with the epidemiological report from the General Directorate of Public Health, carried out in accordance with the latest Surveillance and Control Strategy criteria for COVID-19, following the acute phase of the Pandemic, based on the indicators in use to assess assistance services.         ...

The Canary Islands received 1.12 million foreign tourists in March, exceeding the one million visitors in one month mark for the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic began. The figure represents an eleven fold increase in the number of arrivals in March 2021, which stood at just 100,525 for the whole archipelago.         The figures are, however, slightly down on those registered in March 2019, the year before the...

The body of a deceased man was found early on Thursday morning, April 14, at the main Juan Grande landfill site, in the municipality of San Bartolomé de Tirajana, on the south of Gran Canaria. The dead body had come from a refuse container that had been collected from Gran Canaria's north eastern town of Telde.         Judicial police cordoned off the area to proceed to remove the body, once a court order was obtained....

Europe welcomes Ukrainian refugees with an asylum system that averages more than 15 months of delay Ukrainian refugees now arrive under the aegis of the ultra-fast special protection system, but regular reception centres are piling up hundreds of thousands of applications and rejecting many.         Eva Belmonte, Ángela Bernardo, Miguel Ángel Gavilanes, Carmen Torrecillas, David Cabo, Lucas Laursen, April 4, 2022 Story...

Spain's Office for Asylum and Refuge (OAR) and the Policia Nacional have granted 51,957 temporary visas, over the last month, to people displaced by the war in Ukraine, almost a thousand of those are in the Canary Islands (965), according to the Ministry of the Interior.  More have been arriving across Spain, and on the islands, some being accommodated by private individuals, with many more seeking refuge after more than 45 days of horrendous bloodshed.     [fb_plugin...

Félix Guerra spent four days trapped between two walls at a farm in the north Gran Canaria area of Gáldar, he was rescued on Wednesday when another man heard his cries for help, and admitted to the Dr. Negrín hospital in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, here he is now recovering. His family say they are confident that he will be able to return home very soon, once his body returns to normal.           Residents of the...

The Second Section of the Las Palmas Provincial Court this Tuesday will hear the case of one Ahmed Haison who, according to the Prosecutor's Office, was at the heart of the serious incidents that occurred in the Puerto Bello apartments, in the tourism enclave of Puerto Rico de Gran Canaria, after being transferred to the temporary facility used to accommodate unaccompanied minors, having arrived on the island of Gran Canaria by open boat.      ...

The president of the Canary Islands, Ángel Víctor Torres, has announced that, in this week’s Governing Council on Thursday, as ever following the technical criteria, "we will suspend all restrictions that remain in the Canary Islands" regarding the covid pandemic.         Torres stressed that this is to take the form of a temporary suspension of the general and regional measures, making clear that if circumstances worsen,...

Calima has returned to the Canary Islands this Thursday and looks set to continue until at least Saturday, affecting all the islands, particularly in the easternmost province, the mass of Saharan dust clearly visible on the latest NASA satellite imagery.         Strong winds from the north from storm Celia left rain and snow, strong waves and a cold snap that closed roads and left snowfalls at the summits of Gran Canaria...

A night of strong persistent winds, and rain from the north, has brought snow and hail to the summits of Gran Canaria. The Cabildo closed access to Pico de las Nieves this Monday afternoon-night due to adverse weather conditions caused by storm 'Celia', just two hours before the snowfall arrived.           'Celia' brought strong winds and caused the suspension of school classes and extracurricular activities this...