The government to crack down on unregistered tourist rentals- asks the communities to collaborate to collect data on tourist flats to facilitate the prosecution of fraud: {Translation, summary}
– The Minister of Housing, Isabel Rodríguez, met this Friday with the regional ministers of the sector to address the problem of tourist flats. The government has asked the communities to collaborate in compiling data and to set up a platform to gather this information before the end of 2025, as required by a new regulation recently approved by the European Union. The aim is that this data will enable local councils to prosecute fraud.
– The state platform that the government intends to promote with the help of the communities and municipalities seeks to “standardise” and provide “uniformity” to the data on flats and rooms offered on online portals for tourist or temporary rentals of less than one year. The minister has set a deadline for implementing this initiative by the end of 2025, thus speeding up the two-year deadline set by the European regulation. Rodríguez assured that compliance with the new regulation will provide “better data” to tackle the phenomenon of tourist flats and prosecute fraud, and urged the communities and local councils to work together to develop it. Source, Spanish: https://www.20minutos.es/noticia/5306924/0/gobierno-pide-las-comunidades-colaborar-para-recopilar-datos-sobre-pisos-turisticos-que-faciliten-perseguir-fraude/

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The OCU warns of an important new development in butane- the price of the most widely used cylinder in Spain will no longer be capped: {Translation}
– Changes are coming for butane users. After accumulating a rise of more than 15% in just 4 months, as of last Tuesday, the 21st, the price of a cylinder of gas has been reduced once again to 16.14 euros -53 cents cheaper-. But this is not the only new development. This May revision is the last one in which the government measure has been applied, which until now prohibited increases above 19.55 euros. What does this mean? Simple: “From now on we will no longer have this tool that limited the price of a basic necessity, especially consumed by some vulnerable consumers”, warns the consumer organisation OCU.
– This change affects – as the OCU explains – users of the traditional butane cylinder, which has a 12.5 kilogram load and weighs more than 9 kilos when empty, which are the majority of those used in our country. 53 of the 68 million cylinders consumed in Spain fit this definition, according to the organisation. The others have had their price deregulated for years, so they can cost more than this regulated ceiling.
– With the May revision, the price of butane has finally gone down: a cylinder will now cost 16.14 euros. Despite this decrease, it is 6.6% more expensive than six months ago. It was in 2015 when the new pricing system for the cylinder was adopted. “Since then, this tariff has undergone very significant variations in a short period of time, although there was a trend, an annual cycle, in which prices tended to rise in winter and fall during the summer,” the OCU explains. In May 2022, a record price was reached, reaching 19.55 euros. From there it began to fall, although last autumn the streak was broken, chaining three consecutive rises.
– The new decrease approved by the Ministry for Ecological Transition and the Demographic Challenge breaks a dangerous streak of rises, and has a notable peculiarity: the variation does not use the entire permitted margin (5%), but remains at a decrease of 3.2%. We have to go back to July 2019 (almost five years ago) to see a similar case, without taking into account the freeze imposed in the summer of 2022 when butane reached 19.55 euros per cylinder, its historical maximum.
– And what will happen in July? The OCU indicates that we will find ourselves in a situation that has not been experienced since the summer of 2019: the absence of a tariff deficit or surplus to be covered. “Therefore, this summer the price will only be influenced by the factors that determine the evolution. Historically, it is usual to see decreases, but there have also been increases, such as in 2017, 2018, 2021 and, above all, 2022, when the price was frozen to avoid further increases”, they argue. And they add: “Although the annual cycle of butane prices should help costs to fall, we are in a very volatile situation, and anything can happen”. Source, Spanish: https://www.diariosur.es/economia/mibolsillo/aviso-ocu-novedad-precio-bombona-butano-20240526144822-nt.html

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The deadline to request a vote by mail for the European elections ends this Thursday: {Translation, summary}
– The deadline to request a vote by mail for the European elections ends this Thursday, May 30, although citizens have until June 6 to deposit it at any Post office in Spain during their usual hours.
– Voters who choose this voting system can request it until Thursday at any Post Office or online through their website http://www.correos.es, with an electronic DNI certificate or a valid digital certificate. Source, Spanish: https://www.europapress.es/nacional/noticia-plazo-solicitar-voto-correo-elecciones-europeas-finaliza-jueves-20240526112954.html 

MALAGA PROVINCE

Analysis of tap water in Malaga- the best and worst municipalities: {Translation, summary}
– Obtaining water fit for human consumption involves a veritable collection of procedures from the source until it comes out of the taps. Poor quality raw water can be transformed into almost bottled water after dozens of complex physical, chemical and transport steps… Everyone does what they can with their means because it is not the same to have a powerful desalination plant, as in the city of Malaga, as it is to make do with traditional procedures, as in smaller municipalities.
– As if that were not enough, the drought complicates this small daily miracle that flows from our taps, as well water often has very high levels of salt and lime and even some chemical residues.
– SUR has analysed the data on the water that comes out of the taps of the 16 most populated municipalities in the province based on the analyses updated on 23 May in the Sinac, the National System of Water for Consumption (Ministry of Health). In addition, in the case of multiple supply networks, the most central or those with the greatest population coverage were taken. In general, they are quite hard water (lime) and with high levels of conductivity (salt), but all are clearly within the sanitary parameters. The analyses are the latest available in Estepona, Marbella, Mijas, Fuengirola, Benalmádena, Torremolinos, Málaga, Rincón de la Victoria, Vélez, Nerja, Antequera, Ronda, Cártama, Alhaurín El Grande, Alhaurín de la Torre. The municipalities not expressly mentioned in the text present intermediate and fairly homogeneous values in general.
– In general terms, it can be concluded that the water of the capital is the best, with only 88 hardness and a moderate 579 conductivity. It is followed by Vélez Málaga, although its 128 hardness in the last published analysis will probably have increased because the analysis is from the time when the Axarquía was receiving 270 litres per second from Málaga capital. This fact, for example, was confirmed in Rincón, which has now reached more normal levels of hardness after the cessation of these transfers. Another notable water quality is that of Antequera, which is semi-soft (160) and by far the least saline (265) in the province. In view of the data, it is probably one of the best, if not the best, at source (Torcal).
– At the opposite pole are the waters coming out of the taps of Cártama, with a high salinity (2,220) and hardness (505) and Mijas (852 and 679). In previous days, Fuengirola offered very low quality analyses and reached 1,072 salinity, probably due to the mixing of water from wells. The situation has been reversed in the last analysis, with 550 salt.
– Another factor that conditions the taste of the water is the best possible sanitiser, chlorine, which is obligatory by health regulations. It has to be between 0.2 and 1, so that the ideal are intermediate values. In this field, the limits are set by Rincón de la Victoria and Fuengirola, with 0.2 mg/l of free chlorine, and Cártama, Alhaurín de la Torre and Torremolinos, with 0.8.
– If we look at how cloudy the water comes out of the taps, the best indicators, on a scale of 0 better to 1 worst, are in Estepona, Rincón, Cártama, Torremolinos, Vélez, Ronda, Nerja and Marbella, are least cloudy with 0. At the other end of the scale, Fuengirola (1).
– In terms of PH, the most alkaline waters are Antequera, Rincón, Mijas and Fuengirola (above 8). The most neutral, as there is no acidic water, are Cártama, Coín, Marbella and Ronda (around 7.5). Source, Spanish: https://www.diariosur.es/malaga/analisis-agua-grifo-malaga-mejores-peores-municipios-20240517133659-nt.html
Photo key, light to dark:
Blanda/Soft
Semi blanda/Semi-soft
Dura/Hard
Muy dura/Very Hard
Extremadamente dura/ Extremely Hard

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State of the Malaga reservoirs on Sunday, May 26, 2024: Source, Spanish: https://www.diariosur.es/malaga/embalses-malaga-26mayo-20240520000000-nt.html

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The locations of the 54 DGT radars to control the roads of Malaga: See the full 4 page list here:
https://www.diariosur.es/malaga/mapa-radares-dgt-controlar-carreteras-malaga-20240521132404-nt.html

NERJA

Emergency works begin on Monday in El Playazo and La Torrecilla de Nerja: {Translation, summary}
– The work will take place from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., Monday to Friday, and is estimated to end on Friday, June 7, or earlier, if weather conditions permit.
– These actions are carried out due to the tilting that has been generated on both beaches as a result of the episodes of westerly winds in recent weeks.
– During the execution of the works there may be restrictions on access to some areas from the beaches. Source, Spanish: https://www.axarquiaplus.es/el-lunes-comienzan-las-obras-de-emergencia-en-el-playazo-y-la-torrecilla/ 

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Paseo de Burriana street in Nerja reopens to road traffic: {Translation, summary}
– Last Friday afternoon, Paseo de Burriana street was opened to traffic after the intervention was completed to stabilise the slope that adjoins the road located to the north of Burriana Beach, between Filipinas street and the landscaped entrance from the Capistrano Playa development. Source & photo credit, Spanish: https://www.axarquiaplus.es/reabre-al-trafico-rodado-la-calle-paseo-de-burriana-en-nerja/ 

ALMERIA

Two fake dentists who ran an illegal dental clinic in Roquetas de Mar arrested- Why you should always ask to see your new doctor’s credentials: {Translation, summary}
– The Guardia Civil has arrested two people who, without having a degree in dentistry, were working and running an alleged dental clinic set up in a house near Plaza de Andalucía in Roquetas de Mar (Almeria). They also lacked the necessary authorisations and licences.
– The detainees also offered dental treatments through a profile on social networks. The arrested were charged with crimes of professional intrusion and injury.
– {Checking the ID badge of healthcare workers is vital. Legally they must provide this on request. It will have their name, title (MD, resident-in-training / médico residente en formación , X-ray technician, nurse practitioner / enfermera especializada, student, etc.) and registration number printed on it. You can use this info to check if they are currently licenced, and if they have ever been subject to disciplinary actions. I have on multiple occasions had Spanish health workers present themselves as doctors, and upon checking their badge/ID, I found they were in fact only students, residents-in-training, or some form of technician or nurse. Personally, I don’t want any students fishing around for my hard to find veins, I insist on an experienced phlebotomist. -Ed.}
Source, Spanish: https://www.20minutos.es/noticia/5327211/0/detenidos-falsos-dentistas-clinica-dental-ilegal-almeria/

RINCÓN DE LA VICTORIA

Rincon/Malaga Night Bus (The ‘Búho’ or ‘Owl’) Extended Hours For Summer: {Translation, summary}
– It will now run 7 days a week, in order to “adjust to the mobility needs associated with weekends”. On Fridays, Saturdays and the eve of public holidays, it will have additional services: from Rincón de la Victoria, at 2.25 am; and from Muelle Heredia, at 3.00 am.
– In this way, there will be six single departures at weekends, with the following timetables: from Rincón, 0.10, 1.20 and 2.25 hours; from Málaga, 00.40, 1.50 and 3.00. From Monday to Thursday, there will be two departures from Rincón (0.10 and 1.20) and two from Málaga (0.40 and 1.50). Source, Spanish: https://www.diariosur.es/gran-malaga/mejoras-conexiones-autobus-rincon-malaga-anunciadas-consorcio-20240523000811-nt.html 

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Vandalism against the niche and the image of the Virgin of Carmen in Rincón de la Victoria: {Translation, summary}
– Last Saturday morning some acts of vandalism against the image of the Blessed Virgin of Carmen caused great damage to it and also to the niche that protects it.
– As explained by the brotherhood sponsoring the display, someone has broken the glass of the temple and destroyed the carving. “This is a desecration of our heritage committed by criminals without any scruples,” they make clear. Source & photo credit, Spanish: https://www.axarquiaplus.es/actos-vandalicos-contra-la-hornacina-y-la-imagen-de-la-virgen-del-carmen-en-rincon-de-la-victoria/ 

SPORTS

Golf News- Grayson Murray dies suddenly at age 30:
– Two-time PGA Tour winner Grayson Murray died Saturday morning at age 30, one day after he withdrew from the Charles Schwab Cup Challenge at Colonial. There were no immediate details on the circumstances of his death, only shock and grief from the PGA Tour and his management team. Full article: https://apnews.com/article/grayson-murray-death-pga-tour-1e7b61efd74e69b99b141b613c5072dc 

TECH

New WhatsApp Warning As Encryption Is ‘Bypassed’:
– WhatsApp users have suddenly been warned that its security has been seriously compromised, and that a flaw in its encryption may have exposed their data.
– There are two separate issues at play here. But the thing they have in common is metadata—the who contacted who, when, and from where of messaging. This data is not encrypted. It can be captured and stored by the platform, should it want to, and it can be monitored at a network level by governments or carriers with the right access. Think of this as vacuuming up staggering amounts of metadata from everyone, and then searching for patterns—the world of intelligence communications agencies.
– But hang on…we already know WhatsApp can collect all this information. It says as much in its published privacy policy, that it collects “information about your activity (including how you use our Services), how you interact with others using our Services (including when you search for and interact with a business), and the time, frequency, and duration of your activities.” And also that “even if you do not choose to use our precise location-related features, we use IP addresses and other information like phone number area codes, to estimate your general location.”
– But when it comes to network traffic analysis, the stakes are different. The implication here is that network monitoring at a massive scale can analyze IP addresses and other identifiers to work out traffic patterns between individuals without breaching the core encryption.
Full article: https://www.forbes.com/sites/zakdoffman/2024/05/24/new-whatsapp-warning-as-encryption-is-bypassed-on-iphone-and-android/

Editor’s Note On Previous Article- WhatsApp Helps Usher In Digital Tyranny:
– WhatsApp collects all your movements every day, and those of your contacts, exposing your daily routines and those of your contacts, and how they interact; from this they identify patterns, allowing them to make remarkably accurate predictions of your behavior, and that of your contacts. WhatsApp shares this data with their owners, META. META also owns Fakebook, and shares all this data with them, and thousands of their “partner” businesses. These “partner” businesses then package all this data, and sell it to their “security service” subscribers- businesses like banks and insurance companies, governments and police forces that do frequent background checks.
– Fakebook already has a profile of every internet user- they create a new profile for every new IP address connecting to the Internet, even if you never had a FB account (ref below). If you have an Internet connection in your name, they know who you are, your IP address, the bank info you provided to pay for your Internet connection, and your router or mobile device location to within 50 meters of the router or 5 meters of your mobile. WhatsApp on mobile provides them more accurate data of your physical activities to add to your profile. As I have long warned, the only reason WhatsApp exists is to collect more data on you for Fakebook/META. But then again, many readers didn’t believe me 10 years ago when I warned that Gmail scans the content of your emails, and now everyone takes that for granted.
– Why is this important to you? For now it may seem only an annoyance, providing spooky targeted adverts. But once Agenda 2030 introduces “digital cash” and “social credit scores” that info will become critical in determining your status, and the rates you pay for services. For example, someone who often parks near a pub will be charged more for health/life/auto insurance; if you bicycle around town most days- your rates will be lower. Another example, you go apply for a job that requires a background check; they will use info in your profile to analyse who you regularly meet and what their backgrounds are like when making their decision about you…guilt by association, but that is how reputations are judged.
– Thus, you will be judged by those that control your digital money and social credit score by the travels, activities, and finances of not just yourself, but those of your friends, and their friends. If all your friends have low credit scores, don’t expect favorable rates on the next loan you apply for.
– Then at some point, using the excuse of the Green Agenda and having control of your digital wallet, they may deny you travel ticket purchases, your petrol purchases may be rationed, you may be limited in how much beef you may buy each month…you beginning to see the bigger picture?
Refs: https://www.newsweek.com/facebook-tracking-you-even-if-you-dont-have-account-888699
https://www.socialcreditscore.co.uk/
https://www.unbiased.co.uk/discover/personal-finance/budgeting/a-cashless-society-what-are-the-pros-and-cons
George Carlin Video Clip Link, 1 min.

NATURE

Iberian lynx population in Spain and Portugal has doubled in just three years:
– The lynx population on the Iberian peninsula has doubled in just three years. There are now 2,021 specimens of this native feline roaming freely throughout the southern half of these two countries. Iberian lynx can be found in the grasslands, marshes and mountains of Andalucía, Extremadura, Castilla-La Mancha, Levante and southern Portugal.
– This tally means three things, and all three are positives. Firstly, that the lynx is finally beginning to break free from the clutches of extinction. If nothing goes wrong then, in a few years, the species will be fully established in its own natural habitat.
– The second important fact is that the number of healthy, free-roaming, breeding females is now 406, some 80 more than just a year ago, an increase of 25% in twelve months. Their birth rate is almost two births per lynx (1.77) and they are getting closer and closer to the target of 750 breeding females (the figure considered necessary to be able to protect the species).
– The third positive is an objective in the process of being achieved: stable and widespread territories for the lynx. The population nuclei frequented by these native felines have now reached a total of fourteen different areas, spread over four regions of southern Spain and the south of Portugal. Only sixteen stable and connecting territories are needed, according to the specialists, to provide security for the lynx. Full article: https://www.surinenglish.com/andalucia/the-iberian-lynx-population-doubled-only-three-20240523080316-nt.html