Here is The Leader daily briefing for Thursday 28 December 2023, with the news from around Spain, things to do locally, the weather forecast, and a little trip back in time on this day.
News Around Spain
Given the rebound in respiratory diseases such as Covid and flu, which in the last week has shown an increase of 37.17 percent, the Ministry of Health published recommendations to prevent contagion that include hand hygiene, covering your nose or mouth when coughing or sneezing, and using a mask if you have symptoms compatible with a respiratory infection. This week the percentage of positivity for SARS-CoV-2 has increased to 14.3 percent, for flu it has increased to 20 percent.
A Local Police officer, who was acting as a football referee at a children’s handball match on the island of Lanzarote, has been awarded 12,000 euro in compensation for offensive posts published on Facebook after he suspended the match for safety reasons relating to the wearing of spectacles. Four people took to the social network and, according to the ruling, went beyond the criticism of the suspension of the match and insulted the official personally. Although two were eventually acquitted, the other two will have to share the payment of the 12,000 euro compensation.
The Senate Bureau has put out to tender a contract that can reach a maximum amount of 756,000 euro for the interpretation and translation services of the interventions made in Basque, Catalan, Galician and Valencian during the parliamentary sessions of the Upper House. According to this contract tendered by the Senate Board, up to 544 euro will be paid for an interpretation service of up to half an hour and up to 3,146 euro for an interpretation service between five and eight hours. For the transcription service, they will pay about three cents per transcribed word.
In their final session of the year this week, the Council of Ministers approved the extension of many of the emergency measures to help alleviate the cost of living, but one thing that is set to increase is the IVA payable on the electricity bill. The IVA reduction on basic food has been maintained, at least until June 2024, with 0% IVA continuing for essential foods, such as milk, vegetables, flour, and eggs. The 5% IVA will continue to apply to oil or pasta. Skyrocketing prices led to the IVA on electricity being lowered to 5%, instead of the 21% that we were paying. For 2024, a reduction is maintained but will have IVA of 10% until the end of next year.
The autumn of 2023 has been the second warmest in the historical series in Spain, only surpassed by 2022, which had a temperature one tenth of a degree higher, according to the state meteorological association, Aemet. Regarding rainfall, although there was a recovery, Spain as a whole continues to suffer meteorological drought, especially in the south and northwest of the peninsula.
For the full national picture, visit spaintoday.news
Things to Do Today
The artificial ice rink is open in La Mata until Saturday, December 30, inclusive. In addition, we can go down with Santa Claus’s Sleigh through the inflatable installed in the same square.
More “surprises” are promised throughout the day too in Torrevieja.
Not forgetting, the nativity scene is still open in the main square.
In the Virgen del Carmen Centre in Torrevieja the Christmas Dance will be held at 8 p.m.
On the Orihuela Costa, Winter Beach (surfing, paddle surfing and yoga) 9:00 – 12:00 H Orihuela Costa. 10-11am Surfing Cala Cerrada, 11-12am Paddleboard Playa de la Caleta, 12-1pm Pilates Playa de la Caleta.
Workshop design your board game (12 years +) 10:00 – 13:00 H (Alameda del Mar Civic Centre), skating classes (inline) (12 years +) 11:00 – 13:00 H (Explanada de Playa Flamenca), ceramic workshop (12 years +) 11:30 – 14:00 H (Alameda del Mar Civic Centre).
Film, “Canta 2” (all audiences) 6:30 p.m. (Playa Flamenca Town Hall).
The Weather
Although subject to change, the initial weather forecasted for the next 10 days will have maximum temperature of 20°c on Wednesday 03 January. Windiest day is expected to see wind of up to 17 kmph on Monday 08 January.
On This Day
On this day in 1980, breakfast television was given the green light following a shake-up of broadcasting in the UK.
In 2003, Britain gave the go-ahead for ‘sky marshals’ on some flights between the UK and USA, in order to tighten security.
In the world of music, on this day in 2011, sadly no longer with us having passed away only this year, Sinead O’Connor announced the end of her marriage to Barry Herridge after only 16 days, her 4th marriage, saying she had “made a mistake rushing into getting married”.
Famous for Spiderman, amongst others, and sadly no longer with us, Stan Lee was born on this day in 1922.
