Torrevieja´s Municipal School Council, chaired by the town´s Mayor José Manuel Dolón, met last week in an extraordinary session with the aim of renewing the board and welcoming new members who will oversee the educational needs of the municipal´s children. The first point agreed was that the presidency of the Municipal School Council will remain the same, a post held …

If you’re out and about in Torrevieja on Friday, be sure to keep an eye out for Cruz Roja members, who will be offering flags for those who support them with a little donation. The teams will have information tables set up, one at the Plaza de la Constitución and one near the Hombre del Mar on the sea front …

Three people have so far been arrested, with other detentions looming, after an investigation by the National Police led to the breakup of a major drug supply network. The arrests have followed weeks of investigations, resulting in a van being intercepted in Torrevieja, and sixteen thousand euro in cash being found, along with half a kilo of cocaine. The arrest …

In Thursday’s commemorative events recognising 40 years since the birth of Spain as a constitution, the mayor of Torrevieja, José Manuel Dolón, advocated “working not only to maintain the constitutional consensus, but to expand and improve it.” The head of Torrevieja council stands experienced in supporting unity, as he himself is from a lesser supported group, and stands at the …

On Wednesday, 14 November, an earthquake will hit the area with its epicentre in Torrevieja. Luckily, it is only a drill, part of continual operations that ensure the emergency services are trained and equipped should such an event occur, as was the case in 1829 when much of the area, including Torrevieja, was destroyed by …

Officers from the Catalan police, the Mossos d’Esquadra, have arrested four alleged members of a group who would pose as police officers on the AP-7 motorway between the French border and the Valencia region, in order to stop and then rob vehicles, mostly targeting tourists, in service areas and lay-bys. The report states how the …

The association of relatives and cancer patients of Torrevieja (AFECÁNCER) has commemorated World Day Against Breast Cancer by reading a manifesto and displaying a panel with messages of solidarity in support of the many women, and some men, who have overcome or are surpassing this disease. The rally, held in the Plaza de la Constitución, had municipal support and assistance …

The theft of a motor vehicle is one of the most distressing and costly losses that an owner can suffer, not only because of the fact it can affect anybody, but because it can happen at any time and at any place. Like most countries, the theft of a vehicle is not considered a priority …

Hospital Quirónsalud Torrevieja has introduced virtual reality headsets in the care provided to children by its paediatric emergency service. The use of these devices, personalised for each child, plays a role in the reduction of their perception of pain and anxiety when undergoing procedures such as taking blood samples or reducing fractures and luxations, among others. These devices work by keeping …

The councillor for tourism, Fanny Serrano, detailed various aspects relating to the data collection in a press conference, which, amongst other things, show how the tourist information offices have received a total of 11,265 visitors, and water consumption indicates a population equivalent to almost half a million people during the summer months. Serrano said that the number of inquiries that …

Marisol Moreno, the new councillor for Animal Protection in Alicante, says that she supports a national ban of bullfighting in Spain, and calls for a referendum to ban the activity throughout the municipality.

She says that ban is supported by a large number of government councillors, members of the Guanyar Alicante, which is made up by EU, Podemos and politicians from plataformas Ciudadanas.

She also states that there is some support from members of the PSOE and Compromís parties and that a council vote would see the municipal government position itself clearly behind the veto.

Indeed the new Councillor for Youth and Animal Protection, was out protesting within hours of being sworn in, taking time to attend the protest at the Plaza de Toros in support of the Alliance Platform ‘Animals Feel'.

The organization is also calling for the closure of the Bullfighting School in Alicante which teaches the ‘sport' to children aged between 9 and 16. Moreno said that she believes many of the children are simply "victims" of bullfighting and pressured into attending the school by their parents.

And the protests are just beginning with the next demonstration scheduled for 20 June the first day of the San Juan bonfires in the city. The rally will be held in the Plaza de la Estrella under the title of ‘Bloodless Fires'.

Discussion surrounding bullfighting bans are not only being held in Alicante. The new Los Verdes government team in Villena has already said that they will no longer allow bullfights to take place in the town.

In Alicante a further motion was passed to ban circuses in the city that use live animals in their shows.

Last year, Spain's parliament bestowed cultural-heritage status on bullfighting, making it much harder for further bans beyond that of Catalonia in 2010, and the Canaries in the early 1990s, to take effect. Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero, the former Socialist Party prime minister, has said that he is not in favour of prohibition, too, while the currently ruling Partido Popular party has rejected the notion completely.

Bullfighting is also enjoyed in some southern parts of France which added La Corrida, as it is known, to its list of “intangible heritage” back in 2011, but subsequently removed any mention of it from their website after outrage from animal rights activists

It seems hard to believe that in this so-called civilised age, such a cruel spectacle continues to flourish in Spain.

Bullfighting is yet another example of a barbaric ‘sport' and many people feel that it should have been banned several years ago.

I am sure that those of you who are former members of the armed forces will look back on operational military rations with mixed emotions. Most popular were the 24 hour packs which were required to provide one man with enough food to last for up to on...