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Archez Semana Cultural 2025:
– Wednesday 18 will be the ‘Children’s Day’ starting at 9:30 with a Musical Workshop with Ba – Ba Music in the CPR Almijara of Árchez. At 19.00 hours you can enjoy the puppet theater ‘Los Títeres de Miguel Pino: Peneque, cien por cien valiente’ (Miguel Pino’s Puppets: Peneque, one hundred percent brave). There will also be face painting, free attractions and surprises on Avenida de Andalusia. “It is open to children from other towns to have fun together, and we have prepared these activities because we are aware of what they liked in previous editions”, explained the councillor.
– On Thursday 19 will be held the eighth edition of the ‘Day of the Resident’ with a performance by the Lemon Pie band in the Avenida de Andalucía at eight o’clock in the evening. There will be tastings of drinks for attendees and a flea market will be installed with food from different parts of the world.
– Friday June 20 will be dedicated to the elderly so that at seven o’clock in the afternoon they will have a snack enlivened by the Choir of Árchez. An hour later they can enjoy the II Meeting of Choirs Rocieros with the participation of Corumbela, Comares and Archez. The evening will end with the performance of the room ‘La Gramola’.”
– On Saturday 21, Árchez celebrates the ‘Corpus Christi Day’ with a mass in which the Árchez Choir will participate. At night, from 23.30 pm, will begin a popular festival with the performance of ‘La Banda del Capitán Inhumano’ and ‘Los Electroduendes”.
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Cool & Groovy live at La Plaza, Canillas de Albaida:
Friday 20th June from 8.30pm.
Come and join the fun by calling 952553254 or 609167127 and reserve your table.
More info: mitchbanjo@hotmail.com
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Competa Culture Week 2025: 21-30 June. Full schedule of events.
Info: https://turismocompeta.com/es/agenda/eventodetalle/205/-/semana-cultural-2025
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Rincón de la Victoria- Noche de San Juan: Mon, 23 June
The event, which will take place between 8:00 p.m. and 2:00 a.m., will feature a free outdoor concert with a mix of local bands and DJs. Food and beverages will be available. Stage at Playa el Tajo.
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COMPARE FUNERALS
Compare Funerals cover the whole of Spain:
ruthforder@comparefuneral.org
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* 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
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– 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.
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– 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.
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CASACAMINO343 B&B
CasaCamino343: Our New B&B In Now Open!
Special 3 night break in the lovely mountains of Andalucia
– Casacamino343 (formerly Casa Magel) are once again offering our popular 3 night breaks, including breakfast and on one night, TBA, a delicious home made 3 course meal with wine or beer.
– We have moved across the village and now offer a fully licenced self contained 4 bedroom, 2 en-suite and 2 private bathrooms. The house has a fully equipped kitchen, dinning room, large living room. terrace with views to the mountains, set in an ancient olive grove on the outskirts of Valle De Abdalajis. From June our pool will be open.
– We are a 5 minute drive in to the pueblo of Valle De Abdalajis with supermarkets and bars. A very good restaurant is 10 minute walk away. The lakes of Ardales and the Caminito Del Rey are 30 minutes drive. Antequera and El Torcal are 30 minute drive and the Wolf park is 15 minute drive. Lots to do in the area, lovely walks and scenery.
– We can offer the whole house to a group of friends, ideal for birthdays and anniversaries or just a good time away. Or, come on your own and meet other people. We have a honesty bar or bring your own. No hard tracks to drive, very easy to find..
– The cost for 3 night B&B with 1 night 3 course meal with wine is €275.00 per room with 2 sharing.
CONTACT
Phone: 722879503 or 632298062
Email: casacamino343@yahoo.com
Website: www.casacamino343.com
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BUY / SELL / TRADE / RENT / WANTED
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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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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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News Note: The battle between Spain’s different branches of gov’t heats up amid the latest socialist scandals and proposals. Meanwhile, Trump is alienating sections of his support base by suddenly going full warhawk on Iran. This can be seen as a bit odd considering that Trump has lately been saying he was distancing himself from actively participating in the Iran conflict. Some sources in the rumour mill now say the USA will attack Iran Thursday, and it will be big! Will Trump go to war with Iran? Will that start WWIII? Remember, Iran has mutual defence treaties with Russia and China. I’ll keep following this story and if anything significant happens after the Friday issue is posted at 2:30am I will post a ‘Special Edition’. -Ed
SPAIN
Sánchez says the UCO report was used by the right wing to help bring down the government: {Translation, summary}
– The Central Operative Unit (UCO) is a specialized division of the Civil Guard of Spain responsible for the investigation and prosecution of the most serious forms of crime and organized crime, whether national or international.
– Pedro Sánchez, Secretary-General of the PSOE and Prime Minister, sent a letter to party members following the crisis sparked by the resignation of Santos Cerdán, the Secretary of Organisation, amid allegations of corruption. The Guardia Civil’s Central Operative Unit (UCO) report implicated Cerdán as a recipient of bribes, a revelation that caused “pain, indignation and a mixture of confusion and sadness” within the PSOE, according to Sánchez. He denounced that the report’s contents were “put at the service of a deliberate attempt by the right wing to bring down a legitimate government.”
– Sánchez emphasised that he only became aware of the report on 12 June, which he said “speaks to the democratic health” of Spain because the government does not interfere in judicial investigations “as happened during much of the past decade,” a clear reference to previous administrations. Despite the scandal involving a senior party member, Sánchez defended the party’s integrity, stating that Spain “does not have a rotten system whose reform must be politically tackled,” but rather a democracy that fights corruption “with the law and justice.” He warned that socialists face a “moral demolition operation” that poses greater dangers to democracy than the corruption it claims to combat.
– Sánchez acknowledged the disappointment within PSOE ranks but urged members not to lose perspective, saying, “There are many reasons to keep fighting. Challenges that are not solved with headlines or lynchings, but with work and fair, modern and effective public policies.” He called for a calm debate on corruption and warned that the right wing’s priority was to “bring down the Government at any cost.” Affirming his commitment, Sánchez declared, “For all those challenges we will carry on, with the same enthusiasm and drive as on the first day,” urging unity and reminding members that they are in government to improve people’s lives, not “to occupy seats.” Source, Spanish: https://andaluciainformacion.es/andalucia/1904129/sanchez-el-informe-de-la-uco-se-puso-al-servicio-de-la-derecha-para-derribar-al-gobierno/ & X Link
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Judges and prosecutors announce three days of strike action if the Government does not withdraw the reforms: {Translation}
– Most judges’ and prosecutors’ associations, excluding progressive ones, have announced a three-day strike in July to protest the Sanchez administration sponsored reforms proposed by Minister Félix Bolaños {pic}. These reforms concern relaxed access to judicial and prosecutorial careers, and changes to the Public Prosecutor’s Office, shifting investigative powers from judges to prosecutors. The associations view these changes as a threat to judicial independence and the rule of law.
– They argue the reforms aim to weaken the Judiciary’s role as a counterbalance to political power, making it more susceptible to political and media influence, akin to illiberal democracies. The associations warn the reforms will lower entry standards, introduce subjective tests, and politicise judicial ethics oversight by creating government-dependent training centres, risking ideological bias in selecting judges and prosecutors.
– The associations have called for a demonstration outside the Supreme Court and warned that if the legislative projects are not withdrawn, they will strike on 1, 2 and 3 July. They emphasise their protest is institutional, defending the Judiciary’s independence, not opposing the Executive or Legislature personally.
– The Judiciary has engaged in dialogue with parliamentary groups and sought EU scrutiny of the reforms. The conflict exposes deep tensions between the Executive’s reform agenda and the Judiciary’s defence of its autonomy and constitutional principles. Source, Spanish: https://andaluciainformacion.es/andalucia/1904095/jueces-y-fiscales-anuncian-tres-dias-de-huelga-si-el-gobierno-no-retira-las-reformas/
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Strong editorial from the newspaper ‘The Times’ against Pedro Sánchez- “The Spanish people deserve something better.”: {Translation}
– The British newspaper The Times has published a harsh article against Pedro Sánchez following the alleged corruption cases surrounding the Socialist Party and the environment of the Prime Minister. The editorial is titled “Don Teflon” and states that “the Spanish people deserve something better” and that “the party is over for the Spanish Prime Minister, whose reputation seemed impenetrable despite repeated scandals.” In this regard, it indicates that Spaniards deserve “better governance, greater accountability, and essential transparency.” {Times source article is behind a paywall.}
– The article criticises Sánchez’s appearance this Monday, in which he ruled out early elections and even attacked the opposition: “Mr Sánchez tried to dispel uncertainty about his style of government with a sharp and combative performance on Monday, blaming the opposition for the corruption accusations that have stained his ramshackle administration, led by the Socialist minority.”
– It also refers to his refusal to call elections: “The conclusion is not that he will do better, but that the public will only be able to judge in the next elections. And not before the scheduled elections in 2027. Spaniards might be forgiven for thinking that is too long a wait.”
– The Times recalls the resignation of Santos Cerdán, whom it calls Sánchez’s “right-hand man,” and the alleged corruption cases involving the Prime Minister’s wife, Begoña Gómez, and his brother, David Sánchez. “Mr Sánchez smells conspiracy everywhere, but the truth is that police investigators and the judiciary appear to have worked scrupulously.”
– However, the British newspaper goes beyond the alleged corruption cases by stating that “Mr Sánchez’s government has been a catalogue of unnecessary errors since 2018,” and recalls “the catastrophic mismanagement of the floods and landslides in Valencia,” the Iberian blackout, and the housing shortage: “Immigration-friendly policies mean 250,000 new households are formed each year, but fewer than 90,000 homes are built annually.”
– It also calls Sánchez a “braggart” to “divert attention from his shaky and opportunistic coalition of centrists, leftists, and Catalan and Basque separatists,” and highlights his attempt to “present the alternative lineup of conservatives and Vox as the real spectre.”
– “Too often, Mr Sánchez withdraws from public view and scrutiny; a government with principles is not like that,” concludes the article, whose title, Don Teflon, refers to the nickname given to the New York mafia boss John Gotti for his ability to emerge unscathed from numerous scandals and legal proceedings. It is a widely used comparison in the Anglo-Saxon world referring to the Teflon coating that prevents food from sticking to pans. Source, Spanish: https://www.20minutos.es/internacional/the-times-compara-pedro-sanchez-capo-mafia-estadounidense-pueblo-espanol-merece-algo-mejor-5722892/
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Another corrupt socialist appointee resigns in disgrace, this time a Treasury official: {Translation, summary}
– Corruption scandals continue to shake Pedro Sánchez’s government, with José Antonio Marco Sanjuán {pic} resigning as president of the Central Economic Administrative Tribunal (TEAC) after being accused of receiving nearly €100,000 in bribes from a businessman to cancel tax claims. The Secretary of State for Finance, Jesús Gascón, demanded explanations, but Marco Sanjuán failed to respond, prompting distrust and pressure leading to his resignation.
– The Council of Ministers appointed Ignacio Ruiz Toledo as his replacement. The Finance Minister, María Jesús Montero, avoided commenting on the case during a congressional session, despite criticism from the PP referencing previous scandals involving senior officials. Reports suggest Marco Sanjuán admitted that the bribes were shared with other Ministry officials, though no names were given. Allegedly, these corrupt practices predate his presidency at TEAC, occurring during his tenure at the Regional Economic Administrative Tribunal of Castilla y León. This latest scandal adds to the mounting corruption controversies surrounding Sánchez’s administration. Source, Spanish: https://www.libremercado.com/2025-06-17/dimite-un-alto-cargo-de-maria-jesus-maria-jesus-montero-tras-ser-acusado-de-recibir-100-000-euros-en-mordidas-7266919/
ANDALUCÍA
The Andalusian PP points to Spain’s socialist Vice President and Minister of Finance María Jesús Montero for an alleged ‘corruption plot and kickback scheme’ against the regional government of Andalusia: {Translation, summary}
– The Secretary General of the PP-A, Antonio Repullo, urged this Saturday the Vice President of the Government and Secretary General of the Andalusian PSOE, María Jesús Montero {pic}, to provide explanations regarding her possible knowledge of an alleged corruption scheme related to former senior officials of the central government.
– At an event held in Cádiz, Repullo stated that “the look of surprise on the faces of the Socialist Government is not credible” in light of a scheme whose main figures, referring to Koldo García, José Luis Ábalos, and Santos Cerdán, “were close associates of Pedro Sánchez who enjoyed his utmost trust for more than a decade.”
– The popular party leader accused the Government of having had in Andalusia a “corrupt Government Delegation” dedicated, according to him, to “dividing up public funds and demanding commissions from companies awarded contracts for works.” Repullo asserted that in Andalusia “more than one million euros in commissions” have already been detected in relation to this alleged network, in a case he considers of “extreme gravity” and which, in his opinion, calls into question the Government as a whole. Source, Spanish: https://www.20minutos.es/noticia/5722215/0/pp-andaluz-senala-montero-por-presunta-trama-corrupta-gobierno-region/
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Ecologistas en Acción awards a ‘black flag’ to these 10 Andalucia beaches for “invasion of public property” and poor water treatment: {Translation, summary}
– Andalucía received a total of ten “black flags” from Ecologistas en Acción in their 2024 report on Spain’s worst beaches for pollution and environmental mismanagement.
– Among the flagged sites are the Huelva estuary and La Antilla de Lepe, the Trafalgar coast—criticised for contamination and invasive occupation of the shoreline—and the municipality of Tarifa, noted for accumulating urban development projects. The report also highlights the Natura 2000 protected beach area of Los Bajos de Roquetas de Mar and the beaches of Vera in Almería. Additionally, the delta of the Guadalfeo River and the coastal path in Granada were included.
– In Málaga province, concerns were raised about the proliferation of marinas and microplastics from wastewater treatment plants (EDAR). The Andalusian coast faces issues of illegal appropriation, such as at Costa de Trafalgar in Cádiz, urban expansion in flood-prone areas destroying habitats in the Salar de los Canos wetland (Almería), and urban pressure on Los Lances beach in Tarifa. The report calls for better regulation to protect these vulnerable coastal environments. Source, Spanish: https://www.20minutos.es/noticia/5722825/0/banderas-negras-espana-ecologistas-accion-2025/
UKRAINE WAR
Russian drone and missile attack on Ukraine kills 15, injures 131:
– A night-time Russian missile and drone bombardment of Ukraine killed 15 people and injured 131 others while they slept in their homes, local officials said Tuesday, with the main barrage focused on Kyiv. At least 14 people were killed as explosions echoed across the Ukrainian capital for almost nine hours during the night, Kyiv City Military Administration head Tymur Tkachenko said.
– Russia fired more than 440 drones and 32 missiles at Ukraine, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said, calling the Kyiv attack “one of the most terrifying strikes” on the capital. Full article: https://apnews.com/article/russia-drone-attack-kyiv-187fafa3d7324130e5ee7e20e0a3a5dc
MIDDLE EAST
Breaking News 10:30pm Tuesday- Trump Calls for ‘Unconditional Surrender’ From Iran:
– Fears of a wider war were growing on Tuesday after President Trump called for Iran’s “unconditional surrender,” cited the possibility of killing Iran’s supreme leader and referred to Israel’s war efforts with the word “we” — all apparent suggestions that the United States could enter the war against Iran.
– Mr. Trump’s comments, in social media posts, came as Israel has been pressing the White House to intervene militarily in the conflict with Iran to put an end to that country’s nuclear program. The president has long professed opposition to getting involved in foreign wars and has expressed hopes for a negotiated agreement with Iran.
– In a post on Truth Social, Mr. Trump wrote, “we know exactly where” Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Iran’s supreme leader, “is hiding,” but added, “we are not going to take him out (kill!), at least for now.” Boasting of Israel’s air superiority, which he suggested was based on American technology, he wrote, “We now have complete and total control of the skies over Iran,” associating himself with Israel’s war effort.
– Iran responded. Residents of Tel Aviv and Haifa, in Israel, should “leave these areas to save your lives,” Iranian Brig. Gen. Seyyed Abdolrahim Mousavi said in a televised message on Tuesday, though it is not clear that Iran can make good on such threats. He said Iran’s barrage of missiles against Israel so far were “deterrence” and soon Iran would move to “retaliation attacks.” Full article: https://www.nytimes.com/live/2025/06/17/world/israel-iran-trump#heres-the-latest
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Trump Warns ‘Everyone’ to Evacuate Tehran as He Leaves G7 Summit Early and Rushes Back to DC Amid Escalating Iran-Israel Tensions:
– President Donald Trump issued a chilling warning that “everyone” in Tehran should “evacuate immediately,” in an alarming post on Truth Social Monday night as the White House announced that he would be leaving the G7 summit one day early because of the escalating tensions between Iran and Israel.
– “Well, I have to be back, very important,” Trump told reporters at the G7 Summit on Monday before positing on Truth Social, “Iran should have signed the ‘deal’ I told them to sign. What a shame, and waste of human life. Simply stated, IRAN CAN NOT HAVE A NUCLEAR WEAPON. I said it over and over again! Everyone should immediately evacuate Tehran!” Amid speculations over US President Donald Trump’s unexpected early departure from the G7 Summit in Canada, owing to “what’s going on in the Middle East”, the President on Tuesday confirmed that the move had ‘nothing to do’ with a potential ceasefire between Israel and Iran but something “much bigger”.
– The president’s warning to evacuate came after earlier calls by Israeli officials on Monday urging people in Tehran to leave, as Israel pressed forward with its ongoing military operations against Iran, marked by numerous missile exchanges between the two nations.
– Iranian officials brushed off Israel’s evacuation alert, calling it mere “psychological warfare.” Sources: https://www.ibtimes.sg/trump-warns-everyone-evacuate-tehran-he-leaves-g7-summit-early-rushes-back-dc-amid-80379 &
https://www.outlookindia.com/international/israel-iran-conflict-president-trump-rejects-ceasefire-plan-speculations-drops-hint-of-something-much-bigger
ENERGY CRISIS
Aagesen explains responsibility for the blackout for the first time and reveals that they requested to connect a power plant at the critical moment: {Translation, summary}
– Minister Sara Aagesen {pic} presented the official report on the April 28 blackout, ruling out cyberattack and highlighting a “complex” and “multifactorial” cause. Regarding thermal plants operating that day to control voltage, Aagesen stated “each and every one had some degree of non-compliance.”
– The report points to voltage instabilities starting early that day, with insufficient dynamic voltage control capacity in the system. Ten thermal plants were scheduled to help regulate voltage, but one became unavailable the night before, and replacements were not made. On the blackout day, voltage fluctuations escalated, with Red Eléctrica’s initial mitigation measures inadvertently increasing voltage. Disconnections of smaller and larger plants occurred, some improperly, worsening the crisis.
– The report criticises Red Eléctrica’s planning and the failure of compensated generation groups to absorb reactive energy and control voltage. The blackout reached a “point of no return” due to this lack of control capacity. Aagesen confirmed all thermal plants involved had compliance issues. She indicated that administrative and judicial procedures will follow to determine responsibility and compensation. The report underscores poor planning and inadequate system capacity as key factors behind the massive outage. Source, Spanish: https://www.libremercado.com/2025-06-17/aagesen-admite-por-primera-vez-culpas-por-el-apagon-y-revela-que-pidieron-conectar-una-central-en-el-momento-critico-7266915/
HEALTH
New collapse in the emergency department of the Clinical Hospital of Malaga; management infers nurses and doctors are intentionally lying about overcrowding; people with pleural effusions, haemorrhagic strokes and metastatic cancer patients enduring waits of between 36 and 48 hours for a bed: {Translation}
– The Staff Committee of the Virgen de la Victoria University Hospital in Málaga, formerly known as the Clínico, has once again reported today that the emergency department of the complex has collapsed for the second time this month, with around twenty patients, some of them seriously ill, waiting between 36 and 48 hours to be admitted to a ward and secure a bed. However, the hospital has denied this, stating that there are not that many people, but rather 13, and that the patient who has been waiting the longest for admission has not exceeded 15 hours. The hospital also painted a specific picture for this very morning: the problem will ease with patient discharges.
– The Clínico explained that this Monday it again exceeded the figure of one thousand people in the emergency department. This figure is similar to that experienced just a few days ago, when the number of patients waiting to be transferred to a ward reached around thirty, a situation that was alleviated by speeding up discharges, enabling additional beds, and transferring patients to nearby hospitals. And summer has only just begun, so when tourists arrive and the floating population doubles, the difficulties will be even greater.
– The president of the Staff Committee, Juan Antonio Martos Aguilar, the body representing all the unions, explained that “the situation this morning is dreadful,” with eight stretchers occupied by people “with serious diagnoses, including one person having a heart attack in a chair without monitoring, others with heart failure waiting for a bed: people can die on a stretcher or in a chair.”
– Martos has called for the resignation of the manager and insisted: “There are no beds, management is poor; the stretchers are very worn out, there are people with pleural effusions, haemorrhagic strokes, metastatic cancer patients waiting for a bed and enduring waits of between 36 and 48 hours. We currently have 20 patients waiting for beds, eight of them on stretchers awaiting placement.”
– In his view, the technicians and nurses, as well as the rest of the staff, are “bearing a huge workload; the care is not what it should be.”
– The Clínico, for its part, assures that “throughout yesterday the number of emergencies attended to across the entire hospital complex again exceeded one thousand.” They are now “managing discharges to speed up the transfer of patients who are in emergency with admission orders to the various hospital wards,” although the hospital has denied that any patient has waited more than 15 hours for admission. At present, they claim there are 13 patients waiting to secure a bed after being ordered for admission.
Source, Spanish: https://www.diariosur.es/malaga/denuncian-nuevo-colapso-urgencias-hospital-clinico-malaga-20250617105823-nt.html
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Doctors call for a national strike on October 10, “We will not stop until we have our own Framework Statute.”: {Translation}
– The Spanish Confederation of Medical Unions (CESM) and the Andalusian Medical Union (SMA) announced on Tuesday a new national strike day on 10 October, in which they will demand from the Ministry of Health a Framework Statute for the medical profession, as well as their own negotiation framework.
– “Our goal is firm and clear; we will not stop our mobilisations until we have our own Framework Statute and our own negotiation framework. This will be a difficult path, but we will not cease our actions,” said Rafael Ojeda, president of the Andalusian Medical Union (SMA).
– Ojeda also communicated that further actions will be carried out, including additional strike days if there is no response from the Ministry of Health. “There will also be mobilisations by medical professionals, including demonstrations in front of the Ministry of Health during strike committee meetings. Colleagues will come to convey the support of the entire profession,” he added. Source, Spanish: https://www.infosalus.com/asistencia/noticia-medicos-convocan-huelga-nacional-10-octubre-no-vamos-parar-tener-estatuto-marco-propio-20250617114937.html
TECH
Meta (FakeBook, InstaScam & WhatSpamApp) warns that your Meta AI chatbot conversations may be public! Here’s how to keep them (somewhat) private:
– Meta has added a new pop-up to the Meta AI app, warning users that prompts they post are public. As a general rule, you should never assume that anything you tell an AI chatbot is private. However, it seems some Meta AI users hadn’t realised that their chatbot conversations could be published for the world to see.
– The public Discovery feed in the Meta AI app has been filled with people’s interactions with the chatbot, with multiple publications reporting last week that the app published sometimes sensitive or embarrassing conversations, audio, and images that users likely believed were confidential. Mashable’s own exploration of the app’s Discovery feed also corroborated this, finding Meta AI conversations from heartbroken people going through difficult breakups, attempting to self-diagnose medical conditions, and even posting personal photos it would like the AI to edit. Queries relating to medical issues being publically shared are also common. Users have shared details about bowel movements, hives, rashes, and even post-surgery conditions, including age and occupation details. Many of these accounts appear linked to public Instagram profiles.
– Now Meta AI has added a new warning alerting users that their prompts are public. First reported by Business Insider, this message pops up when you tap the “Share” button- “Prompts you post are public and visible to everyone. Your prompts may be suggested by Meta on other Meta apps. Avoid sharing personal or sensitive information.”
– Specifically, to keep your conversations private, avoid using the “Share” button in Meta AI, which posts conversations to the public Discovery feed.
*Detailed instructions*
~How to keep your Meta AI chats private~
Step 1: Open the Meta AI app.
Step 2: Tap your profile picture in the top right corner.
Step 3: Tap “Data & privacy.”
Step 4: Tap “Manage your information.”
Step 5: Tap “Make all public prompts visible to only you.”
Alternatively, if you no longer wish to have a record of your Meta AI conversations yourself and would prefer them wiped, select “Delete all prompts.”
Step 6: Tap “Apply to all.”
~Once you’ve done this, you may also want to stop Meta from sharing your prompts on Instagram and Facebook. You can do this via a separate setting in the Meta AI app.~
Step 1: Open the Meta AI app.
Step 2: Tap your profile picture in the top right corner.
Step 3: Tap “Data & privacy.”
Step 4: Tap “Suggesting your prompts on other apps.”
Step 5: Toggle off Instagram and Facebook.
Step by step directions with photos of each step can be seen in the source article:
Full article: https://mashable.com/article/meta-ai-chatbot-public-discovery-feed-privacy
A far more detailed article: https://www.archyde.com/meta-ai-app-unveiling-private-chats/
TRAVEL
Data protection prohibits hotels and accommodations from making copies of the ID card of the customer: {Translation}
– Verify the data, yes; keep a copy, no. On Tuesday, the Spanish Data Protection Agency (AEPD) issued an information note addressed to hotels and tourist accommodations stating that keeping a photograph or photocopy of customers’ ID cards violates privacy regulations. Without proper justification, carrying out this practice for guest registration could be subject to penalties, the agency warns.
– The Agency has issued this statement in relation to Royal Decree 933/2021, a regulation that sparked complaints from the hotel sector and privacy specialists due to the requirement for these establishments to collect a large amount of customer data. The regulation, which came into force in December 2024, requires hoteliers, tourist accommodation owners, travel agencies, and car rental companies to collect up to 28 categories of data from travelers.
– This includes unofficial personal data such as address, telephone number, or mobile phone number, as well as other transaction-related data such as payment method, bank account IBAN, or card expiration date. In addition, if any of the travelers are minors, the relationship between the guests must also be indicated. This data must be uploaded to a platform—called SES.HOSPEDAJES—set up by the Ministry of the Interior and must be kept for three years.
– Now, the AEPD is telling hoteliers that making a copy of the ID card or passport is not enough to comply with the regulations, as the document does not include all the necessary data. Instead, it involves the collection of information that the royal decree does not request. Therefore, it understands that “requesting a copy of the National Identity Document or Passport violates the principle of data minimization,” since “it involves excessive data processing.”
– “This is because the full ID card contains more data than is required under the applicable regulations, such as the photograph, the expiry date of the document, the CAN [Level Access Code, a six-digit number used as an additional security measure] or the names of the parents,” it points out. Sending the document via a photograph also does not allow verification that the guest is actually the person reflected in the document, the Agency continues.
– In addition, this practice exposes customers to security breaches in the event of a cyberattack. “Providing a copy of personal documentation involves, among other things, an unnecessary risk of identity theft,” says the privacy regulator. This is a growing attack vector with the repeated breaches suffered by accommodations, which then serve as a springboard for cybercriminals to launch scams against guests through platforms such as Booking.
– Instead of making copies of ID cards or passports, the regulator recommends that accommodations prepare a form with the necessary information to comply with the requirements of the Ministry of the Interior, and then verify it in person with the help of the official document. In the case of online data collection without in-person assistance, this verification can be carried out using mechanisms such as digital certificates, the note stated. “It is also possible to verify that the data and information provided matches the data associated with the means of payment used,” according to the agency. Source, Spanish: https://www.eldiario.es/tecnologia/proteccion-datos-prohibe-hoteles-alojamientos-copias-dni-clientes_1_12391723.html
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