NEWS BITES COSTA BLANCA – 8 SEPTEMBER 2014

QUICKER BY BUS

Despite the high demand RENFE has stopped the direct train service between Alicante and Sevilla. The service, which they introduced at the end of June was said to be ‘experimental’ with an end date of August 31. However the company did say that if there was demand the service would continue. With the cessation of the route the only option when traveling to Andalucía will be for passengers to change trains in Madrid.

BODY IDENTIFIED

Police on the island of Majorca have said that a dead woman found floating dead in the sea 6 weeks ago was a French tourist and they have refused to rule out murder or suicide as possible causes of her death. Although they are aware of her identity they have not yet released her name. The woman was said to be between 20 and 30 years of age and unaccompanied during her time on the island.

ELECTRIC SHOCK

An 18 year old man was electrocuted in Mallorca at the weekend when he answered the call of nature at the base of a street light whilst leaning against the lamp post, suffering a fatal electric shock as a result. Ambulance staff and police reached the scene within minutes of the accident but despite every effort, they were unable to save the young man’s life. He was said to have been be out partying and enjoying the annual summer fiestas in Bunyola.

ROAD DEATHS

Good news for road users as the number of deaths recorded on Spain’s roads during the holiday months of July and August fell by 4%. There were a total of 223 fatalities during the period, 10 deaths less than the same period of 2013. However the data was said to be provisional and only applying to Spain’s ‘interurban’ roads.

JOBLESS UP

Jobless figures went up again in August with the unemployment services registering 8,070 new jobless claims, to reach a total of 4,427,930 people who are out of work. August also saw 97,582 fewer contributors to the Social Security system, mostly explained by seasonal factors, in that many temporary education and health contracts came to an end last month.

PLAY THE GAME

Telefónica chairman César Alierta and Vodafone CEO Vittorio Colao said at the UIMP summer university course in Santander, that the European Union should treat Google, Apple and Facebook in the same way they treat telecom companies. “How can you have an entrepreneurial spirit in Europe if you have to deal with 27 sets of regulations?” said Vittorio Colao. “In the US you have 300 million consumers and just one set of rules. It’s not fair that Facebook or Whatsapp, who have a billion users, don’t have to follow the same rules we do.”

ARM RIPPED OFF

A 28 year old man lost his arm last week as he drove with it hanging out of the window. Emergency services said that he caught it on some iron bars along the side of the Ibiza town-San Antonio road when it was hanging out of his car window, and it ripped off from the elbow as he was unable to brake in time. A Guardia Civil medical helicopter found the arm on the side of the road and flew it to the Can Misses Hospital in the hope that it could be sewn back on.

SHOWING PROMISE

The Gibraltar Liberal government has celebrated 1,000 days in office. In that time the government has fulfilled over 300 of its 2011 manifesto promises. Chief Minister Fabian Picardo said: “It has been a positive and constructive 1,000 days. The government has moved in a fast and responsible manner in order to give effect to what is promised.

CASA TOM COMMUNITY CHOIR

From 8 September 2014, Casa Tom Community Choir meets every Monday at 2.00pm for 2.30pm. It is a mixed choir and all levels are welcome. No auditions, no solos. Make new friends and have a good time. Location: Casa Tom, Avenida JACA 31, San Luis, Torrevieja. Phone or email Terry for details. Phone: 647-189-135. Email: casatomsanluis@gmail.com.

AGE CONCERN

It is with regret that, unfortunately, due to the shortage of Volunteers, Age Concern has had to close their Information Office at the Playa Flamenca Town Hall. Anyone wishing to contact Age Concern can still use the Playa Flamenca published telephone number of 697176154 or contact the Day Centre in La Siesta on 966786887, we are still there to help.

ROYAL SPLIT

There is increasing speculation that the marriage of the former King Juan Carlos and Queen Sofia are about to announce their divorce. It is no secret that the pair have led virtually separate lives for many years and late last week the Italian newspaper La Repubblica claimed that an official statement has been released by the Royal Household, claiming that a Royal separation “is imminent”.

OPERATIONAL CORVERA?

Murcia’s Regional Minister of Development, Manuel Campos, has said in an interview on Spanish Radio that “Corvera International Airport could open as early as April 2015”. This is the same Minister who just last month said that the airport would be operational by March 2015. In the same interview, however, he was unable to say when AENA will be fully compensated for the 75 Million Euro they have invested in San Javier Airport, a payment which needs to be made before they will agree to close the older and much smaller airport.

CAUGHT RED HANDED

Local police arrested three men on Monday evening after surprising them while they were robbing a warehouse in La Matanza, Orihuela. The men, aged 16, 17 and 51 entered the building through a broken window. When arrested they were in possession of a large quantity of scrap metal, aluminium bars and copper wire.

BRAIN DRAIN

Eurostat, the official statistics agency of the European Union, has said there are an increasing number of University Graduates who are choosing to leave Spain and seek employment overseas. The reports says that he UK is the most popular destination for applicants (55%), followed by Italy (10%) and Germany (10%), with Teaching, Nursing and Law leading the brain-drain exodus.

COSTLY LIBRARIES

A controversial new library tax is set to be introduced in Spain with libraries ordered to pay €0.05 for every registered user that checks out books at least once a year, and a further €0.04 to authors when their books are borrowed. Each library has been told that it is responsible for reporting its own records to the tax office. A trial of a similar scheme was introduced by the EU in 2007, which collected just €127 across the whole of Spain.

BARE FACED GERMANS

According to Expedia’s annual ‘Flip Flop report’, Germans continue to dominate Spain’s nudist resorts. The report says that, for the third consecutive year, when it comes to stripping off, Germans were the most likely to sunbathe fully nude. The report also says that nearly half of Spanish women have gone topless at the beach with some 4.1 out of 10 female Spaniards having no problem stripping off at least their bikini tops.

DEADLY SIESTA

A man in the Valencian town of Benicarló has shot dead his neighbour during an argument over a dog and its barking. The victim, aged 64, was spending his summer holidays in the town but was killed when the neighbor said that he was unable to take an afternoon nap because of the noisy dog.

SLIP OF THE TONGUE

Carlos Olías de Lima, a stadium announcer working at the Basketball World Cup in Bilbao, has lost his job after making a sexist remark over the PA system. The announcement was made during a performance by a group of cheerleaders on Saturday when he was heard to say “One should be so lucky as to be able to spend a night with one of them…” A few days later Olías de Lima, who has been the announcer for Bilbao Basketball club for the last 12 years, was fired for his remarks.

ROAD DEATHS

Good news for road users as the number of deaths recorded on Spain’s roads during the holiday months of July and August fell by 4%. There were a total of 223 fatalities during the period, 10 deaths less than the same period of 2013. However the data was said to be provisional and only applying to Spain’s ‘interurban’ roads.

JOBLESS UP

Jobless figures went up again in August with the unemployment services registering 8,070 new jobless claims, to reach a total of 4,427,930 people who are out of work. August also saw 97,582 fewer contributors to the Social Security system, mostly explained by seasonal factors, in that many temporary education and health contracts came to an end last month.

PLAY THE GAME

Telefónica chairman César Alierta and Vodafone CEO Vittorio Colao said at the UIMP summer university course in Santander, that the European Union should treat Google, Apple and Facebook in the same way they treat telecom companies. “How can you have an entrepreneurial spirit in Europe if you have to deal with 27 sets of regulations?” said Vittorio Colao. “In the US you have 300 million consumers and just one set of rules. It’s not fair that Facebook or Whatsapp, who have a billion users, don’t have to follow the same rules we do.”

ARM RIPPED OFF

A 28 year old man lost his arm last week as he drove with it hanging out of the window. Emergency services said that he caught it on some iron bars along the side of the Ibiza town-San Antonio road when it was hanging out of his car window, and it ripped off from the elbow as he was unable to brake in time. A Guardia Civil medical helicopter found the arm on the side of the road and flew it to the Can Misses Hospital in the hope that it could be sewn back on.

Filed under: http://www.theleader.info/article/44806/

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