Welcome to DigameXtra !

The Most Popular English Language Daily Newsletter In Andalucia

Content in this newsletter blog site comes from its Editor, Sponsors & Supporters (Holiday Fundraiser Donors). Submissions are subject to editing and posting at the Editor’s discretion. If I don’t want to post something, I won’t, and I do not owe you an explanation. Content from other sources is credited. The Editor is Naythan, aka DoctorLaptop.

SUBMISSIONS INFO & RULES PAGE LINK

*Subscribe to receive free daily issues by email. To subscribe, please send me an email with the message “subscribe me to DigameXtra” from the email account you want subscribed. 

*By making a submission you are indicating you have read and agree to follow the rules. RULES PAGE LINK: https://digamextra.com/about/

*Send your submissions & subscription requests to digamextra@protonmail.com

Note: The submission deadline is 6pm for the next day’s issue.

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DigameXtra Featured Sponsor

Home Page  and  FB Page

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ANNOUNCEMENTS

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ANNUAL HOLIDAY FUNDRAISER

 I can only produce DigameXtra with the financial support of my readers. Once a year, during the year end holidays, I do a fundraiser to help pay production expenses throughout the whole year. This year’s goal is to receive a donation from 4% of subscribers. The 4% Club finances DigameXtra for the 96% group that don’t donate. Which group will you belong to? The generosity of the 4% Club members is greatly appreciated. THANK YOU FOR YOUR DONATIONS! 

Just like your morning coffee,
what would you do
without your morning DigameXtra?

– Holiday Donation Info, 2 Methods –
#1. You may drop cash donations off in person and say hello, by appointment, or place them in my mailbox beside my door anytime. Please be sure to include your name on the envelope- there are benefits to being on the DigameXtra Donor’s lists, such as not needing to open an issue every 2 weeks to maintain your posting privileges, but only if you donate at least €30. Due to health reasons, unannounced drop-ins are inconvenient for me. But if I am expecting you, no problem! My mailbox has the name HARRIS on it. Email me for map and directions. Cash donations are strongly preferred. 
#2. Alternatively, you may send me an Amazon ES (Spain) “eGift card” by email. You need to have an Amazon.es account. The only info you need is my email address and your name (the sender’s name). Remember, this is an “eGift card” you buy that Amazon emails directly to me, don’t buy a plain “gift card”. Use the link provided below to access the “eGift card” purchase page. 
PLEASE DO NOT SEND AMAZON UK eGIFT CARDS. NO BANK TRANSFERS OR PAYMENT APPS.
Here is the Amazon.es eGift Card Link, (NOTE: YOU CAN CHOOSE ANY AMOUNT YOU LIKE ON THE FORM, it is set at €50 by default):
https://www.amazon.es/Cheques-Regalo-Amazon-es-mail-Amazon/dp/B07SS5PFJK/
On the eGift card purchase form, enter the DigameXtra email as the recipient, as shown below in Spanish and with English translation.
Para/For : digamextra@protonmail.com

Total Donations Received As Of Today: 115 (2.3%)

4% target = 200 donations

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IMPORTANT FUNFRAISER UPDATE: 8 Jan

New Submission Rule Goes Into Effect

So far, 115 of the 4946 subscribers (2.3%) have donated to the 2024 Holiday Fundraiser. Therefore, I have extended the fundraiser for another month. If you want DigameXtra to continue in its current form, free to read and subscribe, you must help support it! 

Due to the weak response to the 2024 Holiday Fundraiser, in an effort to stimulate more donations, I am instituting a rules change. I regret this is necessary. However, to continue providing a quality publication to the loyal DigameXtra supporters, I must now cut back on services provided to those who choose not to support this project. This will allow me to focus on new features, more high quality content, attracting new readers and sponsors, and providing better support services to my supporters and sponsors. There are some subscribers selling thousands of euros in merch per year who never donate. Others, managing businesses and service organizations, with monthly budgets of several thousands of euros, ask me to promote their events & services, yet decline to sponsor for only €5 per week. Sorry, after 7 years of editing 8 hours a day, and considering the current financial state of affairs, that cannot continue. This is the only solution I could come up with. If the goal of 200 donations is achieved by the end of January I will rescind this new rule. Let’s hope that is the case. -Ed.

NEW RULE

Anyone can read DigameXtra for free- on the website, or by email subscription.

However, subscribers who wish to actively participate by making submissions will need to have donated at least €20 to the 2024 DigameXtra Holiday Fundraiser. If you won’t make the effort to donate just 39 cents a week (€20/yr), then please refrain from making submissions, as I have supporters – the donors and sponsors that pay the production expenses – that require my attention. Thank you.

I asked most of the 40 donors who stopped by to see me if they thought this rule change was appropriate. All of them agreed it was, and most suggested I should move to a paid subscription model as well. Some expressed indignation that about one hundred donors are funding the operation so 4800 subscribers can have a free ride. Well,  I am not ready to take the leap to requiring paid subscriptions, but that is the trend now for daily Internet blog newsletters. These typically only show a sample of the content for free. To see the entire issue in these, you must have a paid subscription, as on the popular blogging website, Substack. -Ed.

The Submission Rules Page has been updated to reflect this change.

Editor’s Note 9Jan25: I’ll be removing most of these annoying announcements next week. I don’t like them any more than you do, but it has been effective in motivating the stragglers to get their donations in.

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What’s On

Tell them you saw it on DigameXtra! 

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41 CLUB NERJA

41 Club Nerja Going From Strength to Strength:
– 41 Club Nerja is delighted to report that we really are going from strength to strength, our membership continues to grow and our doors are open for more new members to join our vibrant Club.
– Do you remember in your local communities all the events that the Round Table and 41 Club organised? Yes! that’s us!
– Do you love getting out and about in our beautiful Axarquia area and also like the idea of being with people who enjoy life and help the local community too? Well, that’s also us! So please come along, meet us, see how we do things, and you don’t even need to have been a member previously.
– We enjoy a wide variety of exciting activities, interesting meetings and tasty meals in many of the lovely restaurants we have in our local area. Our get togethers are attended by our members (who hail from nine different countries) as well as our partners, guests, friends and family too. We’re a very friendly bunch.
To get in touch you can
Email us: steve.ryan.sr56@gmail.com
Phone Steve on 0044 7546 402770
You can connect with 41 Club Nerja via Facebook.
Or visit our website to find out more at: https://41clubnerja.org/ 
We’d love to hear from you and we’d also love for you to come along and join in the fun!

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‘Take Your Pet To The Museum’ Day: Saturday, 18 Jan.
Vélez-Málaga
Under the label ‘Al Museo con sus mascotas’ this has the aim of encouraging the attendance of residents and visitors accompanied by their pets. Throughout the day, attendees and their pets may explore the Francisco Hernández Contemporary Art Center (CAC), Museum of the City of Vélez-Málaga (MUVEL), Holy Week Museum and Cervantes Room, all environments enabled for the occasion. Pet owners must come with the necessary hygienic material to care for the animals. This event coincides with the celebration of the Day of San Antón, patron saint of animals.

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Concert- Pianist Muñoz Cañivano presents the recital ‘Europe: From Bach to Ravel’: Caja Rural Granada Auditorium, Av. Don Bosco 2, 18006, Granada
Saturday, January 18 at 8:00 p.m. with free admission until capacity reached.
Map: https://maps.app.goo.gl/Ejdu7uAKssJHgst57
Ref: https://www.europapress.es/andalucia/noticia… 

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Weather Forecast from https://weather.com/

Tap or click map for updated forecast

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NOTICE! 
Submissions for posting in sections below 
must be signed like this or they will be returned !!!
Sender's First Name / Nearest Town 

NOTE: YOU MAY ADDITIONALLY INCLUDE A LOCATION TO MEET OR PICKUP, BUT YOUR LOCATION IS REQUIRED IN ANY CASE. Including only the statement "for collection from..." is NOT sufficient!

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Services Wanted/Offered

Check the DigameXtra Sponsor’s list whenever you need a service. By using these services you are helping support DigameXtra.
Landlords, tell your renters about DigameXtra, where they can get overnight answers to questions about local stuff without having to call you!

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CÓMPETA SOLAR

Cómpeta Solar:
-Solar Electric (PV) (Self-Consumption)
-Grid Connected or Off Grid Solar Electric
-Solar Hot Water
-Solar Pool Heating
-Heat Pumps
-Installation and Repairs
Contact: James Bain, Competa
Tel: +34 652970608 (Spain)
Email: info AT competasolar DOT es
Web: www.competasolar.es
We are DigameXtra sponsors, so our contact info can be found everyday in the Sponsor’s Section.

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TONY ROAM TRANSPORT & REMOVALS

Tony Roam Transport & Removals Spain To UK To Spain:
Fortnightly Runs Spain to UK and Up to 4 weeks free Storage. Spain or UK.
18 years Removals To & Fro Spain / UK Spain.
Man & Van, Local & Long Distance Removals
No subcontracting, all collection and delivery in house.
Transportation, Removals & light haulage company that have scheduled trips all year from UK to Torrox and back every month.
Also additional unscheduled to suit your needs.
Full or part loads undertaken.
Dedicated Delivery Personal Service Full or Part loads up to 60 cubic meters up to 5.5 tonne.
Up to £25,000.00 insurance with British Insurance Company.
Evidence of insurance can be supplied by email on request.
Hard Copies always carried on the vans.
This and a current Operators licence are a legal requirement.
Our International Operators Licence No UKGB / OG2043664
We live just behind Torrox Pueblo in Spain and in South Wales UK and have vans going back and forth UK to Spain to UK by way of Santander or Bilbao / Portsmouth or Plymouth Ferry.
For more information and prices for all to see please visit our website http://www.tonyroamremovals.com
email ; tonyroam@btconnect.com
Spain 0034636393542 – UK 00447973362003.
Face book Tony Roam – WhatsApp Either Number
Our contact details are shown every day in the Sponsor’s Section.

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GREEK CASITA RESTAURANT & BAR

Reopened 1/1/25. The Greek House – Greek Casita Restaurant & Bar –Torrox Costa:
Located on the sea promenade, between the Safari bar and Picadero restaurants, BLQ 80 bajo. We offer you a little piece of Greece with our Greek home made specialities. You can choose meat specialties (Gyros, Souvlaki, Bifteki, Sutsukaki, Mussaka), cheese (Feta Psiti, Feta Saganaki, Hallumi), vegetables (Greek salad, Hummus, Eggplant cream, Mezze, Tzatziki) or sea fruits (prawns or octopus), all of this accompanied with our special Greek pita bread. For dessert… HOMEMADE BAKLAVA! We offer a lovely meal time in a quiet and exquisite atmosphere, accompanied with the best Greek music. See you soon! Hours: 7pm to close, Wednesday thru Sunday. Closed Monday & Tuesday. For reservations call 642585049. https://la-casita-griega.business.site/ We are DigameXtra sponsors, so our contact info can be found everyday in the Sponsor’s Section. 

 

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ASSISTED LIVING SERVICES & JUBILEE HOUSE

ASSISTED LIVING SERVICES IN THE AXARQUIA REGION:
Do you have health or mobility issues?
Would support enable you to remain independent in your own home?
Liz Brown, probably the only nurse registered to practice in Andalucia to hold the ENB 941 (Specialist qualification in care of the older person), together with her fully insured and police checked home care support team offers one-on-one support and companionship in the comfort of your own home. COE Malaga reg. 17425
HOME CARE/NURSE SUPPORT
Palliative care / Companionship / Health monitoring English Nurse / Hospital sitting / Respite at home / 24 hr live in care / Housekeeping / Correspondence & Communication / Medication collection & dispensing systems / Dressing, bathing & daily hygiene / Shopping & meal preparation / Fast response Falls Team / Provision of medical equipment such as wheelchairs and hoists
englishnurse@rocketmail.com
Tel: 951550581 or 692419548
JUBILEE HOUSE – Close Care Unit in Torrox
VACANCY: Due to a successful rehabilitation we will have vacancy from 21st November in one of our ensuite units for a long stay English speaking guest. Please contact Liz on 692419548.
5 ground floor individual units all en-suite
24-hour care at all stages from the English Nurse Care Team
Main language- English / Extensive sea views / Wheelchair accessible / Garden / Home cooking / Wifi / Air conditioning / Visiting physiotherapist, hairdresser, chiropodist and nutritionist
And we welcome guests for the day. We are DigameXtra sponsors, so our contact info can be found everyday in the Sponsor’s Section. 

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DOCTORLAPTOP’S COMPUTER REPAIRS

DoctorLaptop’s Computer Repairs & Sales- Torrox Costa (near the bus station): Computers only, Windows / Linux / Mac. No tablets or phones. 
I don’t work on dinosaurs computers made before 2018 unless I have been servicing then annually. 
Contact: doctorlaptop AT protonmail DOT com
Or call 675 993 069 (no calls before 12noon, missed calls returned asap). More info on my website. All work by appointment only, no drop-ins please. Appointments are only available 2pm-8pm, Sunday thru Thursday. Closed Fridays & Saturdays. Always include the make & model number of the device when requesting assistance. My contact details can be found everyday at the bottom of the Sponsor’s Section.

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Buy / Sell / Trade / Rent / Wanted

Click on pics to enlarge

How to post more photos than the rules allow – use collages. The limit is one pic per item/event. You can combine several of your photos into a 
single collage photo by using this free online collage creation tool. It’s very easy to use, give it a try! https://www.photocollage.com/

Are you still dealing with scammers on Fakebook Marketplace?
Sell your items here, to locals, for cash, without the shenanigans.

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COMPARE FUNERALS SPAIN

 

Compare Funerals cover the whole of Spain
ruthforder@comparefuneral.org
* Direct Cremation €2,250
* Collection of deceased and conveyance to Funeral Home
* Supply of coffin
* Preparation and care of deceased
* Registration of death and certification of all legal documentation
* Cremation and any doctor’s fees
* Supply of Urn
* Delivery of Urn and associated paperwork to family (death certificate, cremation certificate etc)
This plan is exclusive to a number of provinces, please ask advisor for more information.
Contact Ruth Forder on 0034 693 715 718 ; funeralplansbyruthforder.com
Your questions answered by Ruth from Compare Funerals Spain
– Why should I have a funeral plan? Having been funeral planning for over 10 year I’ve experienced some very sad and upset families when nothing is in place. A Spanish funeral plans will ensure that all costs are covered for your funeral service. Getting a prepaid plan will help you feel assured that your family will not be under any financial strain when it comes to paying for your funeral. A plan also means you can have peace of mind that everything has been organised in advance, so your loved ones do not have to make any difficult decisions.
– Why choose Compare Funerals? There seems to be a gap in Spain between independent funeral directors, offering plans at a good price but lacking the security of an established Trust or ability to cover a client overseas and Providers who seem to charge more than necessary. We want to be right in the middle and offer the best of both worlds. Our best-priced plan is only 2,250€ and does the essentials.
– Can I do a payment plan? All our plans are payable in full or over up to 5 years interest FREE. The interest free periods are based on initial deposit. The higher the deposit the less your monthly repayments will be.
– Can I transfer the plan? The answer is YES. You could name 2 people on one plan however if you had a friend/family member pass away we can transfer the plan into a 3rd party’s name.
– What happens if I move? All our plans offer the equivalent service in Spain (including the islands), Portugal, Republic of Ireland and the UK. If you moved to the UK, we would transfer the plan to one of our many partners at no extra cost to you.
– Is paperwork included? Yes, your family will receive a death certificate in Spanish and an international certification in English. We also provide a cremation certificate that allows the ashes on board a plane.
We are DigameXtra sponsors, so our contact info can be found everyday in the Sponsor’s Section. 

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For Sale, 2 items:
– Ladies snow boots size UK 7 / EU 41. Leather upper, faux fur inner. Hardly worn and excellent condition. €30.
– Ladies Desigual sneakers size UK 4 / EU 37. Faux leather with sparkles and gold laces. Worn only once as a gift & wrong size. €15.
Contact Sam, Viñuela at Sam.seabrook70@gmail.com 

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For Sale: Used CB radio. Aldrecht ae4300 cb radio 10€
Chris, canillas de albaida
ctx2e@hotmail.com

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For Sale: New Lenovo Laptop, €320
Many people tell me they only need a simple laptop, all they do is emails, banking, social media and chat apps. Maybe stream some video. Well, here it is. This is a basic laptop with entry level specs, but at a very reasonable price for a major brand. This unit is not designed to store large media collections. 
– Lenovo V15 G2 laptop with Windows 11 Pro (UK English)
15.6″ FHD display, 8Gb ram, 256Gb M.2 SSD
Processor: Intel Celeron N4500 (1.1 – 2.8GHz)
Full size Spanish keyboard. Very low power consumption. Fully set up, updated and ready to use. 2 year factory warranty.
Naythan, Torrox Costa
Email: doctorlaptop@protonmail.com

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Recommendations, Requests & Comments

When making a recommendation always include the phone number or website of the biz, service, etc., so readers can reach them.
Note: I can’t post third party email addresses.

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News & Articles

(Click the link to read the full article) 
{ Translations by www.DeepL.com/Translator }

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AXARQUÍA

Environmentalists raise concerns over rubbish tip in Periana:
– Environmental lobby group Gabinete de Estudios de la Naturaleza (GENA)-Ecologistas en Acción has reported to Periana town hall in the Axarquía, on the eastern side of Malaga province, “An important uncontrolled dump that has been forming for some time in the vicinity of the town, with serious potential consequences for people’s health and environmental quality.” According to a press release, the environmentalists have been “observing that in the area around Periana there are numerous uncontrolled dumping points for all kinds of waste, not only rubble, but also furniture, electronic equipment, plastic objects, cardboard, glass, etc”.
– Yus, spokesman for GENA, went on to say that residents consider the dump to be a ‘punto limpio’ (official municipal dump): “From what the residents tell us, this place is considered a ‘punto limpio’ and therefore it is common knowledge that it is a place authorised or consented by Periana town hall for the dumping of rubbish that does not enter the street containers,” said GENA in their statement. However, according to the environmental group, “It is noted that in no way can this place be considered a ‘punto limpio’ as the rubbish is not sorted, the floor has not been waterproofed, nor is it fenced, nor does it have a guard or opening hours, basic requirements to be considered a real punto limpio.” Full article: https://www.surinenglish.com/malaga/axarquia/environmentalists-raise-concerns-over-rubbish-tip-malaga-20250108125834-nt.html 

TORROX

PP presents a motion to Torrox plenary session urging the Government of Spain to build A7 Autovía on & off ramps in El Morche: {Translation, summary}
– The municipal group of the Popular Party in the City Council of Torrox will present a motion in the regular plenary session this January urging the Government of Spain to build on & off ramps from the A7 highway where it passes El Morche. The municipal spokesman of the popular Torroxeños, José Manuel Fernández, says that “this exit of the highway has already been put on the table as an urgent need.” Source, Spanish: https://www.axarquiaplus.es/el-pp-presenta…

VÉLEZ-MÁLAGA

Vélez-Málaga, Benamargosa, Comares and Cútar demand more aid to address the damage in the countryside caused by DANA: {Translation, summary}
– The municipalities affected by the flooding of the river Benamargosa during the DANA of mid-November are united to claim more aid to the administrations, to address mainly the damage in the field. In the City Council of Veléz-Málaga a meeting was held Thursday attended by the alderman veleño, Jesus Lupiñez, and the mayors of Benamargosa, Salvador Arcas, Comares, José Miguel Ruiz, and Cútar, Francisco Javier Ruiz.
– For its part, the City Council of Benamargosa has estimated at more than two million euros the damage suffered by the public infrastructure of the municipality. To this must be added fifty homes and businesses affected by the flooding of the Benamargosa river, about twenty vehicles and, most importantly, the damage to the countryside, which has taken the brunt of the storm. For the moment they have only received an aid of 25,000 euros from the Junta de Andalucía.
– The mayor of Benamargosa, Salvador Arcas, has indicated in Cadena SER Axarquia that “there are many things to solve with farmers and the idea is to unite the four municipalities to make more pressure and to listen to us more”. “It is true that there is much to solve. Not only farmers, also within the town in real estate, houses or homes. But it is true that 80% of the damage has been in the countryside,” explained Arcas. Source, Spanish: https://www.axarquiaplus.es/velez-malaga…

COSTA DEL SOL

Government rushes with the coastal train in Malaga- these are the deadlines for the study and details of the route: {Translation}
– The next milestone will take barely a month. Consultancy firms interested in winning the juicy contract will have until 3 p.m. on February 10 to submit their budgets and possible improvements. And on March 5 the envelope containing the financial offer will be opened. From then on, three months to study the bids and choose the winning studio, which will have to start work in June at the latest.
– This appears on the last page of the specifications, in the “estimated chronogram” of the work, where the ministerial technicians have established three phases. According to this timetable, the first key milestone of the feasibility study will take place in the final part of Phase I, whereby in January 2026, that is, in exactly one year’s time, the “initial study of alternatives” will be known.
– It refers to the route, that is, where physically, and in what form (suburban, high performance or a mix) could be made the platform for the railroad tracks from Nerja to Malaga, and from there to Marbella, Estepona and Algeciras. The forecast coincides with the announcement made by the Minister of Transport, Óscar Puente, last December, when he said: “In one year we hope to have cleared the coastal train route”. The initial idea of the ministerial technicians is to take it, whenever possible, through the “zone of affection” of the A-7, which is a reserved space that the highway has on both sides.
– Plan Ready in November 2026? According to the aforementioned scheme of work, the first phase consists of collecting data to define the current situation of the network, which may be affected by the new rail corridor. The technical background and studies previously carried out will be compiled, as well as all the basic starting data (infrastructure, demand, cartography, geology and geotechnics, planning, environment, etc.). At the end of this, general conditioning and carrying capacity plans will be provided, and will culminate with an initial study of alternatives.
– Where will the future stations be located? The tender specifications for the feasibility study of the coastal train already highlights a number of points on the Costa del Sol, the capital and Axarquia where there should be a station. Thus, in the western area of the action, these will have to go to Malaga airport, Torremolinos, Benalmadena, Fuengirola, Mijas, Marbella, Estepona, Manilva, San Roque and Algeciras. Meanwhile, in the eastern area, two stops are proposed in the capital city of Malaga: Plaza de la Marina and Malaga East (possible locations in Pedregalejo or El Palo are already suggested); as well as in Rincon de la Victoria, Torre del Mar (Velez-Malaga) and Nerja.
– The second phase includes a more detailed analysis of the alternatives in the different sections into which the action has been divided (five in total). The areas and operating scenarios of the proposed alternatives, as well as travel times, demand and profitability, will also be studied in depth. Phase III includes quality control and support formalities, and will be carried out in parallel to the previous two phases. The feasibility study should be ready for final approval in November 2026, with a conclusions document and a summary format for public presentation. Source, Spanish: https://www.diariosur.es/malaga/gobierno-mete-prisas-tren-litoral-malaga-plazos-20250108120000-nt_amp.html

RINCÓN DE LA VICTORIA

Rincón de la Victoria already has five wells ready for future drought restrictions: {Translation, summary}
– Faced with the probability of future droughts, the local Rinconera Administration, in February 2024, launched the procedure to reserve the connection of 5 municipal cisterns to the low network, which is distributed to homes already in the urban area.
– Together, these resources would contribute up to about 45 liters per second, according to municipal calculations. They are the ‘Camello’ cisterns, with 9 liters per second; ‘La Corta’ and ‘8x’, with 5.5; ‘7x’, with 10, and ‘Locea’, with 15.
– Sergio Díaz, a municipal official, recalls that the rain that recently received, although beneficial, may not be enough to prevent the flow assigned to Rincón de la Victoria from being reduced again. With this new approach, municipal wells can provide emergency support to the water supply when needed. Source, Spanish: https://www.diariosur.es/axarquia/rincon/rincon-victoria-cinco-pozos-listos-ante-futuras-20250108001654-nt.html 

UK

The British Monarchy Will Get a Huge Pay Increase This Year:
– The Sovereign Grant, the amount paid to the monarchy by the UK’s Treasury, is increasing by £45 million to £132 million this year in a move that looks set to see royal finances spark more debate. Campaigners have described the rise as “scandalous” at a time when the UK government is struggling to find money for other things.
– When the increase was announced last year, Buckingham Palace made it clear that much of the additional money would be put towards the £369 million fixed cost of the Buckingham Palace renovations. However, they declined to say specifically how much of next year’s £132 million would be allocated towards the construction work. Full article: https://www.townandcountrymag.com/society/tradition/a63330811/british-royal-family-money-finances-2025/ 

HEALTH

The Clinical Hospital of Malaga, overwhelmed by respiratory viruses- some patients wait “more than 60 hours” in the emergency room: {Translation}
– As is usually the case, respiratory viruses such as the flu shoot up during the Christmas season due to the gatherings and the low temperatures of the season. That is why in recent weeks there has been a peak of cases of these viruses that are putting in check the Hospital Universitario Virgen de la Victoria (El Clínico) in Malaga. This means that some patients are having to wait “more than 60 hours for a bed”, according to the Nursing Union (Satse).
– According to epidemiological data, the respiratory syncytial virus is the one causing most hospital admissions: it has a hospitalization rate of 4.2 cases per 100,000 inhabitants, while that of influenza stands at 2 and that of covid at 0. As a result, Malaga has already entered the second of the three phases of the High Frequency Plan, according to Malaga Hoy.
– Malaga takes this decision taking into account the situation in the country. According to the latest data published Thursday by the Carlos III Health Institute, the flu rate has increased significantly this past week: the hospitalization rate has gone from 2.5 cases last week to 4.7, a figure significantly higher than that of the Andalusian province.
– Despite the situation, experts downplay the stress. “Family gatherings are always an area of transmission and, added to the cold, cause what happens every year; a lot of flu and respiratory syncytial virus. It is nothing different from other years,” explains José Luis Velasco, head of Pneumology at the Hospital Clínico.
– Some professionals, however, have assured that the situation is complicated in the hospital due to the shortage of staff. So much so that Satse has specified that, throughout Thursday morning, up to 70 patients were waiting for an available bed to be admitted. They have even detailed that there were four patients from the Stroke Unit who could not be transferred to the ward “due to the saturation of the hospital”, as confirmed by the same source. Source, Spanish: https://www.20minutos.es/noticia/5670971/0/hospital-malaga-desbordado-virus/

SPANISH ROYALS

Princess of Asturias climbs the mast of the ‘Juan Sebastián Elcano’ on her second day on board: {Translation, summary}
– This Thursday, the Princess of Asturias climbed the mast of the training ship ‘Juan Sebastián Elcano’ on which she embarked this Wednesday and on which on Saturday she will begin the training cruise that will take her to visit eight Spanish countries and ports in the next six months.
– The heir to the Crown has participated in the mast-climbing exercise along with the rest of the 76 midshipmen who, with her, will carry out the cruise with which they will complete their naval training. This is done with the new arrivals while the ship is moored and stable; this climb is very different when the ship is in open waters, swaying from side to side. In photos you can see Princess Leonor wearing a navy blue tracksuit from the Navy and sports shoes ascending the climbing ropes of one of the sailboat’s masts, also provided with a safety harness. The exercise is part of the different seafaring instruction and maneuver activities carried out by all the midshipmen on board before the training ship leaves the port of Cádiz on Saturday, an event that will be presided over by King Felipe VI and King Letizia. Source, Spanish: https://www.europapress.es/nacional/noticia-princesa-asturias-sube-mastil-juan-sebastian-elcano-segundo-dia-bordo-20250109175153.html

CULTURE

Paul ‘El Punky’, legend of Torremolinos nightlife, dies: {Translation, summary}
– The nightlife of Torremolinos will shine a little less from today due to the death of Paul ‘El Punky’, born in 1950, a true myth of the nights of the Costa del Sol and one of the most beloved characters of the alternative music scene. His popularity was so great that even Danza Invisible dedicated a song to him.
– DJ and owner of several bars in the town during the 1980s, Paul was one of the first to introduce punk music to the Costa del Sol. Full article: https://www.diariosur.es/malaga/muere-paul-punky-mito-vida-nocturna-torremolinos-20250109140644-nt.html 

CANCEL CULTURE

Epic Cancel Culture Fail In Malaga- The famous model Luisa Kremleva is convicted for falsely accusing footballer Theo Hernández of rape: {Translation, summary}
– The Criminal Court number 11 of Malaga has sentenced to six months in prison the celebrity and model, Luisa Kremleva, who falsely accused the famous footballer Theo Hernandez of sexual assault, for which he was acquitted without charge at the time.
– In addition to the prison sentence, the model has been sentenced for a crime of false accusation and denunciation to six months of fine of 1,800 euros.
– The accused has agreed after recognizing the facts related in the prosecutor’s indictment and the sentence allows the suspension of the execution of the sentence of six months for a period of two years conditioned on not committing a crime during the fixed period of suspension.
Source, Spanish: https://www.20minutos.es/deportes/noticia/5670823/0/condenada-famosa-modelo-luisa-kremleva-por-acusar-falsamente-violacion-theo-hernandez/ & Video Link 

OTHER

The possibility of riding in the opposite direction and other changes in the DGT’s regulations for cyclists: {Translation, summary}
– The Directorate General of Traffic has announced several changes in the General Traffic Regulations as of 2025. One of the most striking changes is that cyclists will be able to circulate in both directions, from either side of the road, but only on single lane streets with a 30 km/h limit. Most dedicated bike paths beside major roads are already marked for travel in both directions.
– City Rules- Another significant change is that cyclists will be able to overtake motor vehicles on the right or left on congested urban stretches. In cities, bikes must ride in the designated bike lanes; however, in cases where there are no dedicated bike lane, BIKES MAY RIDE IN THE CENTER OF THE ROAD to be treated as any other vehicle, with the bike having no obligation to move aside to allow you to squeeze by in the single lane, you will pass it like it was an automobile, when a passing lane is available. Additionally, at night or in poor light conditions, the use of approved reflective elements that can be seen at a distance of at least 150 meters will be mandatory.
– As for the obligation of other vehicles, they must maintain at least a safety distance of 1.5 meters from a cyclist when riding on the road. In addition, on the road, anyone overtaking a cyclist must do so at a maximum of 20 km/h below the speed limit applicable to the stretch of road on which he/she is riding and leave a minimum lateral separation of 1.5 meters. Source, Spanish: https://www.diariosur.es/sociedad/posibibilidad-circular-sentido-contrario-cambios-normativa-ciclistas-20250108233055-nt.html 

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CHURCHES & WORSHIP

Churches: Please submit your posts on Thursdays only, before 6pm.

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Cornerstone International Church- Torre del Mar:
For English speakers. Sundays at 11:30 am.
Calle Solera 2, Local 2. In front of the Torre del Mar bus station.
634540519 / romyandalucia@gmail.com

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PETS FOR ADOPTION

Vélez-Málaga Municipal Pet Adoption Service, FREE adoptions:
– The animals are at the Don Animal Kennel and Feline Residence, currently located in Arroyo Granadillas Finca “El Olivar”, in Rincón de la Victoria (29730, Málaga). The adoptions will be totally free, and the animals will be identified with microchip and with all their mandatory treatments.
– Contact Telephone: 952971663
– Schedule: Monday to Friday from 9:00 – 14:00 & 16:30 – 20:00 and Saturdays from 9:00 – 14:00
– Email: info@donanimal.com
– Adoption form: https://donanimal.com
– See photo gallery of available pets: https://velezmalaga.es/index.php?mod=medio_ambiente&tag=servicio-municipal-de-adopcion-de-animales-de-compania

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Humour Section

Free Comic Strips provided by https://www.arcamax.com/comics

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Last updated Jan 9, 2025, 21:01 UTC

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Fun & Games

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Cinesur El Ingenio Films schedule: You can find the film schedule at this link. Films tagged as (VOSE) are in the original language with Spanish subtitles. 
https://www.cinesur.com/es/cine/mk2-cinesur-el-ingenio

Useful Links, Info & Numbers

2024 Holiday Calendars by town, click/tap to view:
Algarrobo 
Competa 
Malaga 
Nerja 
Rincon 
Torrox 
Velez-Málaga 
For other towns in Malaga Province, visit this website, click your town, then look for the post named “Calendario Laboral de ‘Your Town‘ 2024 “, click that to see calendar.
https://www.foro-ciudad.com/malaga.html

Petrol Prices – Updated daily: These are the fuel stations in Malaga province with the lowest prices. The price data for 95 and 98-octane petrol and diesel fuel is updated every day. See it here:
https://www.surinenglish.com/malaga/updated-daily-these-20220314114157-nt.html

Weekly Markets
Monday: Torrox Costa
Tuesday: Nerja, Salobrena
Wednesday: Rincon de la Victoria, Algarrobo Costa
Thursday: Velez Malaga, Torre del Mar, Frigiliana
Friday: Almunecar, Salobrena, La Herradura- Summers only, Mercadillo de La Cala del Moral- Rincon de la Victoria.
Saturday: Competa, Mezquitilla@Algarrobo behind the Sala Ottowa
Sunday: Nerja Car Boot 

Taxi
Nerja 952 524 519
Torrox: 952 531 030
Frigiliana: 952 533 231

Phone numbers for emergencies
Emergency Services.: 112
National Police: 091
Guardia Civil: 062
Ambulance: 061
Fire Station (Bomberos): 080
Emergency English Help Line: 902 102 112

Local Police
Torrox: 952 539 828
Nerja: 952 521 545
Frigiliana: 952 533 126
Torre del Mar: 952 549 238

Local/National News in English, The Sur: http://www.surinenglish.com/
Local Weather: https://www.accuweather.com/en/es/torre-del-mar/306652/weather-forecast/306652
Bus Info: https://www.alsa.com/en/web/bus/our-destinations/regional
Currency Converter: https://www.x-rates.com/calculator/?from=EUR&to=GBP&amount=1
Internet Speed Test: http://beta.speedtest.net/
Local Bank Holidays: http://www.officeholidays.com/countries/spain/index.php  UK Newspaper Front Pages and Worldwide Newspapers All On One Site: https://www.thepaperboy.com/uk/front-pages.cfm

Check All Lottery Results Here: Updated daily. 
https://www.20minutos.es/loterias/

Alcoholics Anonymous Meetings in Malaga Province: New, updated link (Aug, 2023). Info in English with list of English speaking meetings. https://aacostadelsol.com/

DoctorLaptop’s Homepage: https://doctorlaptop-repairs.webnode.com/

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