Bono consumo 2026: which towns offer it and how to buy
Torrevieja, Alicante, Los Montesinos, Benidorm and more: step by step how to get the vouchers, what to bring, deadlines and who can apply.
News archive
Week’s good news: Urda’s solidarity and record jobs
RTVE’s weekly “Por las buenas” round-up: Urda residents who helped the injured and families after the train crash, a record 10.66 million women in work in Spain, and a Médecins Sans Frontières centre in Congo that discharged its last Ebola patient.
From 1 November: €2 fee on parcels from outside the EU
From 1 November the EU charges a “handling fee” of €2 per customs category of goods in each parcel from non-EU countries, whatever the order value. It comes on top of the €3 per category duty applied since 1 July to parcels worth up to €150.
Poland: crisis over the Constitutional Tribunal
Overnight into 31 October, police acting for Donald Tusk’s government cordoned off the Constitutional Tribunal in Warsaw after its president was suspended. President Karol Nawrocki called it a breach of constitutional order and demanded the cordon be lifted.
UN Security Council fails to renew Western Sahara mission
On 30 October the UN Security Council failed to renew the mandate of the MINURSO mission in Western Sahara: Russia vetoed a US draft, and a rival Russian draft did not win enough votes. The mandate expired on 31 October.
Orihuela replants about 100 palms in its historic Palmeral
Orihuela council’s environment department has moved about 100 palms from the municipal nursery to the Historic Palmeral to fill gaps and gradually renew the grove.
Personalised mRNA vaccine cuts melanoma relapse risk
In a major clinical trial, Moderna and MSD’s personalised vaccine Intismeran, given with the immunotherapy Keytruda, cut the risk of melanoma returning or death by 42%. The results are not yet peer-reviewed.
A janitor for 39 years — now a school bears her name
The Aubrey school district in Texas has named a new elementary school after Marilyn Hampton, who worked there as a janitor for 39 years. On hearing the news, 76-year-old “Miss Marilyn” burst into tears.
October electricity: the dearest month since 2022
Spain’s wholesale electricity price averaged €166.65 per MWh in October, the highest since October 2022. A typical household bill on the regulated PVPC tariff rose to about €92, from €86 in September.
Urda crash: 69 dead and what is known about the failures
The death toll from the collision of an AVE and an Iryo train near Urda (Toledo) has risen to 69. Investigators are examining why, in the 23 minutes after the main safety system failed, the AVE moved on and hit the stationary Iryo.
Euribor ends October at 3.239%: mortgages still dearer
The 12-month Euribor averaged 3.239% in October, a fraction lower than September and the first dip after three months of rises. A year ago it stood at 2.187%, so mortgages reviewed in October are getting dearer.
DGT expects 5.34 million road trips for All Saints
The DGT traffic authority’s special operation starts on Friday 30 October at 15:00 and in the Valencian Community runs until midnight on Sunday 1 November. The worst congestion is expected on Friday from 16:00 to 22:00.
Alicante sets €10 ticket for major Las Cigarreras shows
Alicante’s council, meeting on 29 October amid mourning for the Urda crash victims, set prices for the major exhibitions at Las Cigarreras: €10, reduced €5, free on Tuesdays 17:00–20:00 and Sundays 10:00–14:00.
Torrevieja cancels cultural events during official mourning
Torrevieja’s Municipal Institute of Culture “Joaquín Chapaprieta” has joined the three days of official mourning after the Urda train crash and cancelled all its events from 29 October, including a Saul Jazz Band concert and the play “Don Juan Tenorio”. Tickets bought online will be refunded automatically.
Russian strike on Dnipro station kills at least 14
According to regional authorities, a Russian jet-powered drone hit a platform at Dnipro station where the Dnipro–Zaporizhzhia passenger train was standing: at least 14 dead and 10 injured. Zelensky called on the US, EU and G7 for new sanctions.
Renfe train drivers strike on 29 October despite the crash
The train drivers’ union Semaf has kept its 24-hour strike on Thursday 29 October at all Renfe group companies. Minimum services: 73% of AVE and long-distance trains, 65% of regional trains, and on commuter lines 75% at peak times and 50% the rest of the day. Renfe advises against non-essential travel.
From the US, Flávio Bolsonaro calls himself president-elect
Flávio Bolsonaro, who lost Brazil’s election, has called himself the “true president-elect” from Miami and then the “leader of Brazil”, alleging fraud without evidence. Lula was re-elected with 52% of the vote against 48%. Bolsonaro left via Argentina after a judge ordered him to hand in his passports in a money-laundering investigation.
ECB holds rates: deposit rate stays at 2.50%
On 29 October the European Central Bank left rates unchanged: the deposit rate at 2.50% and the main rate at 2.65%, a pause after rises in June and September. Christine Lagarde announced she will leave the ECB in February 2027.
Namibia: rangers with smartphones protect lions and livestock
In the Kunene region of north-west Namibia, the community programme Lion Rangers has been helping farmers and lions live side by side since 2018. Rangers combine traditional tracking skills with smartphones, camera traps and GPS collars to give early warning of lions and reduce conflict.
Why Torrevieja looks the way it does — a Tairix column
Why does Torrevieja have almost no old town, houses wall to wall and few parks? We look at the facts: the 1829 earthquake, a salt town between the sea and the lagoons, a 9.5-fold growth in fifty years driven by holiday homes — and what is changing now.
Ouigo train from Murcia and Alicante stuck in a tunnel near Madrid
On the morning of 29 October, Ouigo train 6775 from Murcia to Madrid and Valladolid, which calls at Elche and Alicante, stopped in a tunnel near Aranjuez after snagging the overhead line, according to Ouigo. No one was hurt, but passengers spent hours without lights or air conditioning; at 13:45 they left on another train to Madrid. Trains to Alicante were up to almost four hours late that day.
Sardinia: family dinners out, without phones
From 1 November, 15 restaurants in Sardinia are trying “A tavola senza schermi” (“At the table without screens”) for a month. Parents and children can choose to put their phones in a basket and get a set of games in return.
Orihuela: plan for a 2.2 million m² business park
Orihuela’s council meeting on 29 October was due to consider the initial plan for a park for agri-food industry, renewable energy and logistics: about 2.2 million m² north of the town, alongside the A-7.
US Federal Reserve holds rates at 3.75–4%
The US Federal Reserve has kept its rate in the 3.75–4% range. The decision was not unanimous: two committee members voted for a 0.25-point rise. Fed chair Kevin Warsh said monetary policy is “starting to work”; markets expect a rise in December.
Toledo train crash: 69 dead
On the morning of 28 October near Urda (Toledo), a Renfe AVE train with 393 passengers ran into the back of a stationary Iryo train carrying 147. According to the Castilla-La Mancha government, as of 30 October 69 people have died, more than a hundred were injured and about 50 remain in hospital. A preliminary estimate by the state accident investigation body AITAT puts the impact speed at 160–200 km/h. The Madrid–Andalusia high-speed line is closed and no reopening date has been given.
Madrid–Andalusia trains: refunds and passenger rights
The Madrid–Andalusia high-speed line is closed indefinitely. Renfe has suspended ticket sales on the southern corridor until 13 December, Iryo until 9 November and Ouigo until 2 November. Under EU rules, passengers on cancelled trains can get a full refund or change the date free of charge; they are asked not to go to stations to do so.
Airbnb gives 10 cents per booking to house people in crisis
Airbnb now sends 10 cents from every home booking to its nonprofit Airbnb.org, which provides free housing to people who have lost their homes. Guests and hosts pay nothing extra; the goal is $500 million over five years.
Torrevieja presents its Immaculate Conception festivities
The council and parish have presented the poster and religious programme of the festivities for Torrevieja’s patron, the Immaculate Conception. Amparo Cos Boj will give the opening speech (pregón) on 15 November at 12:45 in the Inmaculada church; the highlights are the flower offering on 5 December and the solemn procession on 8 December.
EU ministers agree the basis of farm policy after 2027
After 12 hours of talks, agriculture ministers of all 27 EU countries unanimously reached a partial agreement on the rules for Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) payments after 2027. Spain’s minister Luis Planas says the CAP has been kept a truly European policy. The text still has to be negotiated with the European Parliament from January 2027, and its funding depends on EU leaders.
Alicante hands over building for San Gabriel health centre
Alicante’s local government board approved handing the regional Health Department a 1,963 m² former supermarket on Calle Pedreguer, bought by the council in 2024, for a new San Gabriel health centre.
Alicante to upgrade the Teulada street market area
Alicante’s council executive has approved the first phase of works around the Mercadillo de Teulada street market: €457,990 and four months for pavements, parking, pedestrian areas, street furniture and road markings.
Alicante to stabilise the Benacantil slope below the castle
Alicante council has approved a €5.56m project to protect against rockfalls on the Benacantil slope below Santa Bárbara castle. The work will take 14 months; emergency work costing €1.5m has been under way there since September 2025.
London: Oxford Street goes car-free
On 26 October almost a kilometre of London’s most famous shopping street, from Orchard Street to Great Portland Street, was closed to cars, buses, taxis, bikes and scooters. Around half a million people visit it every day.
Enrique Vila-Matas wins Spain’s National Prize for Letters
The Ministry of Culture has awarded the 2026 National Prize for Letters, worth €50,000, to the Barcelona-born writer Enrique Vila-Matas. The jury praised his decisive influence on contemporary fiction and his formal originality; his work has been translated into about 30 languages.
Israel: Likud first, but no bloc has a majority
Exit polls from Israel’s three main TV channels put Netanyahu’s Likud ahead, but the opposition bloc on 52–53 seats against 50 for the prime minister’s camp. Neither side reaches a majority, and Arab parties could hold the balance. These are preliminary exit-poll figures.
Farmers’ tractor protest in Madrid on 28 October
The farm organisations ASAJA, COAG and Unión de Uniones have called thousands of farmers and around 500 tractors to protest in Madrid on Wednesday 28 October under the slogan “Feeding people has to pay a living”. They want cheaper, stable-taxed farm diesel, a separate and sufficient CAP budget for 2028–2034 and fair contracts when costs rise.
25 areas hit by DANA Adam declared disaster zones
The Council of Ministers declared 25 areas in nine regions seriously affected by emergencies between 13 September and 20 October, including the DANA Adam storm centred on La Safor, the Marina Alta and the Balearic Islands. The declaration is the first step towards additional state aid.
Bundibugyo Ebola strain passes 10,000 cases
The Bundibugyo Ebola outbreak in DR Congo has passed 10,000 confirmed cases with 4,887 deaths recorded, and patients have been reported in Nigeria and Kenya. The African Union’s health agency is convening health ministers and the WHO is racing to find a vaccine.
€201m for 2,500 affordable rental homes
The Council of Ministers approved a royal decree granting €201m in subsidies for private developers to build 2,500 affordable rental homes in about 30 projects (Málaga, Seville, Valencia, Cantabria, Guadalajara and others). Rent will not exceed 30% of household income, contracts can run up to 75 years and the public company Casa 47 will set access conditions.
European Commission proposes a stronger Frontex
The European Commission has presented proposals to expand the border agency Frontex, with permanent contingents on the EU’s external borders, a rapid-response capacity for crises and digitalised procedures for returning migrants. The proposals still need approval from EU countries and the European Parliament.
Labour survey: unemployment up to 10.2%, record employment
According to INE’s third-quarter labour force survey (EPA), unemployment rose three tenths to 10.2%, with 95,900 more unemployed people, although the total fell by 21,900 over the year. Employment grew by 73,600 to a record 22.85 million, driven largely by foreign workers.
Israel election: record midday turnout
In the first election since 7 October, more than 7.3 million voters are deciding Netanyahu’s future, and midday turnout was the highest since 1973. The opposition led by Gadi Eisenkot is seeking an alternative majority.
Alicante: extra buses and security for All Saints’ Day
Until 1 November, bus line 4 to the cemetery runs every 14 minutes and the special line from Plaza de España every half hour, more often at the weekend; on 31 October and 1 November a free minibus links the cemetery gates from 8:00 to 14:50. More than 200 police and civil protection staff are deployed, and on 1 November the cemetery is open from 8:00 to 18:00.
La Mata: almost 15,000 m² of streets being resurfaced
Torrevieja council has started resurfacing 14,886 m² in La Mata: Calle Perseo, Avenida de Inglaterra and the streets Adriano, Puerto Romano and Vía Augusta. Work is due to finish on 30 October and is part of the €6.37m municipal contract for resurfacing and pedestrian accessibility.
Free tool helps young men take responsibility for sexual harm
Six months after launch, thousands of young men have used Vibe Check, a free online tool from the organisation SafeBae. Exercises based on cognitive behavioural therapy help them reflect on their behaviour, learn about boundaries and how to apologise, offering an alternative to the manosphere.
Torrevieja: bus lines 1 and 2 to run to the centre without changing
From 2 November, urban bus lines 1 and 2 will no longer end at the hospital but continue to Avenida Doctor Gregorio Marañón, so residents of Los Altos, Punta Prima, Rocío del Mar, Los Balcones and Lago Jardín can reach the centre without changing. Line 2 returns to Avenida de la Asunción and Avenida de Torrevieja, and line 8 gets a new coastal route to La Mata.
The Netherlands pledges up to $500m for tropical forests
The Dutch government plans to invest up to $500 million over 10 years in the Tropical Forest Forever Facility. The fund will pay countries that keep their tropical forests standing about $4 per hectare a year.
Home mortgages in August: up 2.3%, average rate 3.08%
According to INE, 33,841 home mortgages were registered in August, 2.3% more than a year earlier. The average amount rose 7.7% to €181,285 and the average rate on new home mortgages was 3.08%. The figures are provisional.
Industrial prices up 18.3% year on year in September
INE says the annual rate of the industrial price index rose 5.1 points in September to 18.3%, with prices up 4.0% on the month. The figures are provisional.
Lula wins Brazil’s run-off
Lula da Silva won the run-off with 51.8% of the vote against 48.2% for Bolsonaro, the first time in Brazil’s history a candidate has won after losing the first round. Stronger support in big cities such as São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro and Salvador was decisive.
Registered home sales up 3.4% in August
INE says 162,007 property transfers were registered in August, 4.4% more than a year earlier, and registered home sales rose 3.4% on August 2025. The figures are provisional.
Oregon Zoo sea otters play basketball with pumpkins
Three rescued sea otters, Juno, Lincoln and Uni Sushi, are shooting mini pumpkins through a hoop instead of a ball for Halloween. Oregon Zoo in Portland posted the video on 24 October.
Torrevieja police seize almost two tonnes of illegal street goods
Torrevieja’s Local Police have seized about 5,000 items from unlicensed street selling in 2026, mostly on the seafront: almost two tonnes worth over €100,000. This week 1,550 kg of goods were destroyed.
Torreta Florida: full redevelopment project put out to tender
Torrevieja Town Hall has opened a tender to draft a full redevelopment project for the Torreta Florida area (sector 10-A of the La Torreta Partial Plan) on both sides of the Vía Verde. The project costs €80,000 including VAT and must be completed within four months of signing.
Free buses to Torrevieja cemetery, 30 Oct–1 Nov
For All Saints’ Day, Torrevieja runs free buses to the municipal cemetery from six stops on 30 and 31 October and 1 November: departures at 10:00, 11:15, 12:30, 14:00, 16:00 and 17:15, returning at 10:45, 12:00, 13:15, 15:30, 16:45 and 18:00. Local police will control access to the Torrevieja and La Mata cemeteries.
Torrevieja street lighting: new four-year contract
Maintenance of all Torrevieja’s street lighting for four years has been awarded to SICE for €3,022,515.72 including VAT (about €755,600 a year). Emergencies must be handled within an hour and ordinary faults generally within 48 hours.
Alicante postpones Bono Comercio 2026 over a cyber-security alert
Alicante council and the Chamber of Commerce have temporarily postponed the Bono Comercio 2026 campaign and taken its website and platform offline after an international alert about two critical PHP vulnerabilities. In-person sales of the Bono Sénior for over-65s, planned for 26–30 October, are also postponed until a new date.
Good news of the week: islands, basic income and seabirds
A study of 28 atolls found that bringing back seabirds and native plants helps islands grow and cope with rising seas, with reefs around seabird-rich islands growing up to 2.5 times faster. In the Peruvian Amazon, a two-year basic income trial cut food insecurity from 73% to 26%.
Halloween skeletons raise over $1m for children with cancer
Skeletons for St. Jude, started in 2020 by Jeff Robertson from North Carolina, this year brings together 625 homes across the US. Owners decorate their yards with skeletons and collect donations for St. Jude children’s cancer hospital, with more than a million dollars raised so far.
Torrevieja’s 2027 budget tops €200m for the first time
The draft 2027 budget is €200,198,787, 6.64% more than in 2026, with over €47m for investment in infrastructure and public spaces. Spending rises for local police, waste collection, street cleaning, parks and social services, while rent aid for young people and €2m for participatory budgets are kept.
Torrevieja Town Hall ranks first for transparency in the region
In the index of the independent DYNTRA platform, Torrevieja Town Hall met 157 of 184 transparency indicators (85.33%): first in the Valencian Community and seventh in Spain. The town previously ranked 167th nationally.
Malaria vaccine price to fall 40%, to €5.50 a dose
UNICEF, backed by Gavi, has agreed a price cut of about 40% for the RTS,S vaccine. Savings of around $50 million in 2027–2029 will allow up to a million more children to be fully vaccinated.
Ghana: the farmers protecting the Atewa forest
Cocoa farmer Susana Afrifa Ankrah and other community leaders take part in a scheme that rewards local people for protecting the tropical forest of the Atewa Range in south-eastern Ghana. The forest brings cooler air, rain, fish and medicinal plants, and helps communities cope with a changing climate.
Kenya commits $160m to protect 17 million hectares
Thamani Asili, Swahili for “the value of nature”, was launched in Tsavo West National Park: $160 million over 10 years. Half comes from the Kenyan government and half from partners including The Nature Conservancy and Enduring Earth.
Alicante: new El Pino y Ruaya district with 2,500 homes
Alicante council has started the approval process for a new district, El Pino y Ruaya, in the north of the city by Avenida de Denia: 2,500 homes, an area for businesses and services and a 340,000 m² park, Lomas del Pino. The Generalitat must first carry out a strategic environmental and territorial assessment.
Solar farms as havens for wildlife
With the UK set to almost double its solar capacity by 2030, a new certification scheme encourages developers to create meadows, hedgerows and habitats alongside the panels. Well-designed and managed solar farms can become refuges for wildlife.
Torrevieja: 37.6 km of storm drains against flooding
Water company Agamed’s 2025 report lists 37.6 km of stormwater pipes and 64,738 m³ of storage across nine zones. A new flood park in Aguas Nuevas, costing over €1 million, is due to open soon, and all treated wastewater is reused for irrigation.
Average income per person in Spain rose 6.1%
INE’s household income distribution atlas for 2024 puts average net income per person at €15,948, up 6.1% on the previous year. Pozuelo de Alarcón, Matadepera and Boadilla del Monte top the list of municipalities with more than 2,000 residents.
Alicante moves to speed up building licences
The council presented its plan to speed up licensing to the architects’ association: more planning-enforcement staff and two outside contracts, one to simplify procedures and draft a new ordinance, the other for technical studies. The meeting also covered the structural master plan, which foresees about 45,000 homes.
Volunteers saw a river as a salmon would — and set out to save it
In Somerset, 18 volunteers in a University of the West of England study assessed threats to the River Tone from the viewpoint of a salmon, deer, otter or earthworm. The community has since drafted a 30-year plan to restore the river.
Orange rain warning for the south of the province on 18 October
The Valencian emergencies agency issued an orange warning for Sunday from 00:00 to 10:00, with AEMET forecasting storms of up to 50 l/m² in an hour. Torrevieja council advised avoiding unnecessary travel; urban buses kept running.
Alicante awards €340,000 to 56 social projects
The council has provisionally approved grants for non-profit associations of up to €10,000 and up to 80% of each project’s cost. The money covers disability, homelessness, older people, family support and addiction.
Good news of the week: poverty, EVs and a cleaner Thames
Positive News rounded up the week: extreme poverty in Indonesia has fallen by almost 83% over four decades (Our World in Data), and Ember recorded EV sales records in 49 of the 56 countries it tracks.
Services turnover up 5.5% in August
According to provisional INE data, the market-services turnover index rose 5.5% year on year in August 2026, seasonally and calendar adjusted.
Alicante approves Bono Comercio 2026: local shopping at half price
Alicante residents over 18 can buy up to €400 of vouchers for half the price. Sales: over-65s in person on 26–30 October, under-30s online on 28–30 October, everyone else online on 2–6 November. Vouchers must be spent by 26 November at over 600 participating shops.
Renovated sports courts open in La Mata, Cabo Cervera and Los Balcones
Torrevieja invested €640,211 in three courts: new surfaces, fencing, accessible entrances and LED floodlights for evening play. They are open to the public.
Torrevieja opens a municipal housing office
The new Oficina Municipal de Vivienda on Calle Caballero de Rodas (corner of Clemente Gosálvez) advises on public housing and rental aid. It will also take applications for the 2026 municipal youth rental aid, which the council plans to announce before the end of the year.
In Ukraine, a repair festival moves underground
In Chornomorsk, organisers moved their repair festival into an underground shelter after strikes destroyed the college that hosted their repair cafés. Ahead of International Repair Day on 17 October, it offered help fixing bikes, electronics and clothes.
Torrevieja to hold its first municipal health fair
More than 30 hospital, pharmacy, association and emergency-service stands will gather at the International Auditorium on 29 October. The daytime programme is mainly for students; the public session runs from 17:30 to 21:30, with a free evening talk requiring an invitation.
UN warns of food-crisis risk from blocked fertiliser shipments
Reuters reports a UN official’s warning that parts of Asia and Africa could miss a planting season unless a safe fertiliser route through the Strait of Hormuz is activated within weeks. The mechanism has not started and depends on a US-Iran agreement, so this is a conditional risk assessment, not a report that the crisis has already occurred.
Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2026 winners announced
Positive News reports that the Natural History Museum competition received a record 65,403 entries from 121 countries and territories. Federico Veronesi won the overall award for a black-and-white image of a female elephant carrying her dead calf; the winners’ exhibition opens on 16 October.
September rent-update reference index is 2.54%
INE published September’s IRAV at an annual 2.54%. The institute says the index acts as a reference ceiling for annual updates to housing leases signed after 26 May 2023; its application depends on the date and terms of each contract.
29 November election: key dates published
The Interior Ministry has set out the timetable for the early general election: campaigning runs from 13 to 27 November, voting is on 29 November, and the new chambers are due to convene on 23 December. INE says 38,728,356 people are eligible to vote.
Spanish inflation reached 4.9% in September
INE says annual CPI rose to 4.9%, 0.6 percentage points above August. Core inflation was 3.1%, while the headline index increased 0.3% month on month.
Kyiv strike kills two and injures 21
Reuters, citing city and Ukrainian officials, reports that ballistic missiles hit an apartment block and a thermal power plant. Two people were killed and 21 injured; operational figures may still change.
Council of Ministers approves changes to legal-aid rules
The government says it approved a royal decree providing immediate assistance to some vulnerable groups, revising duty-lawyer compensation and adding compensation for out-of-court settlements. A separate publication of the text in the BOE had not been confirmed at the time of checking.
Alicante nearly doubles the collection of rubble and bulky waste
The city says it collected 12,509 tonnes of rubble, bulky items and garden waste from January through July, 87% more than a year earlier. It attributes the increase to larger collection crews and a second recycling centre; this is collection volume, not a measure of waste generation.
INE: 7,526 companies were created in August
Provisional INE data show that new commercial companies rose 5.7% from August 2025 to 7,526. A total of 1,315 companies were dissolved in the same month, up 2.8% year on year.
El Portón social housing wins the FOPA public prize
A municipal housing building in Alicante’s old town has received FOPA’s public-choice award. The project contains 15 social-rental units for young people, including accessible flats and shared housing for young people with intellectual disabilities; the building itself was completed in 2024.
Playa de San Juan keeps its Blue Flag for 40 straight years
The city says San Juan beach is one of seven beaches worldwide to have held the quality mark continuously throughout its 40-year history. Criteria cover water quality, environmental management, safety and accessibility.
At least 12 killed in strike on Riyadh airport
Saudi authorities said more than 300 people were wounded, Reuters reported, while flights were diverted and airport operations suspended. The Houthis had not claimed responsibility for this strike; the UN and US condemned attacks on civilian infrastructure.
The week’s good news: climate, medicine and nature recovery
Positive News highlights an Australian court decision on a coal project, a small trial of a promising drug for people at risk of Parkinson’s and the recovery of New Zealand’s wētāpunga insect. The medical findings remain preliminary and need larger trials.
Torrevieja allocates more than €1.15m to UMH and UNED programmes
The local government approved agreements with Miguel Hernández University and the UNED centre in Elche to continue and expand activity at the city’s university venue. Programmes include Spanish conversation for foreign residents, education projects for children and research grants.
Alicante moves toward renovating 192 homes in Virgen del Remedio
The municipal procurement board has provisionally selected a contractor to renovate 16 entrances across six residential blocks. The project covers building systems, energy efficiency and accessibility; the final award has not yet been announced.
Alicante: electoral roll consultation on 12–19 October
The council announced a consultation period ahead of the 29 November election. Its page lists locations and hours but contains conflicting wording on correction deadlines; check the deadline for your procedure with the statistics office.
IMF warns of energy, debt and AI-boom risks
IMF chief Kristalina Georgieva warned that high energy prices, record public debt and an uneven AI investment boom threaten global growth. The fund’s new forecasts are due at next week’s annual meetings.
Major strike on Ukraine leaves at least 11 dead, officials say
Reuters, citing Ukraine’s president, reports that 70 missiles and drones were launched and that energy infrastructure was a main target. The death toll and other fast-moving details may be revised.
Scientists build the first operating nuclear clocks
Independent teams in Vienna and Beijing demonstrated two working thorium-229 devices. They do not yet beat the best atomic clocks, but could advance navigation, synchronisation and fundamental-physics research.
Torrevieja to host the doctors’ football world championship
The city announced that the World Medical Football Championship will run from 25 September to 2 October 2027. It expects 60 teams from 40 countries and more than 1,500 doctors and companions, alongside a medical symposium.
New tenancy-renewal rules start on 15 November
Royal Decree-Law 28/2026 renews a main-home tenancy after its minimum term for the same period unless either party gives timely notice, and extends the landlord’s notice period to six months. It was published on 7 October but takes effect only on 15 November 2026 and also awaits congressional validation.
Housing decree 29/2026 takes effect on 8 October
The BOE published Royal Decree-Law 29/2026 on housing’s social function and expanding affordable supply. It took effect on 8 October but still requires validation by Congress’s Permanent Deputation: it is an effective decree pending validation, not a bill.
Samburu women reshape elephant conservation
Positive News profiles Dorothy Lowakutuk and Kenya’s community-run Reteti sanctuary. It is Africa’s first Indigenous community-owned elephant sanctuary and was also among the first to employ female elephant keepers.
A London teenager combines history and environmental care
Positive News profiles 14-year-old Emmylou Vaxby, who explores Thames foreshore finds, wrote a book and organises clean-ups. Published on 5 October, the report describes work over several years.
New Los Locos promenade in Torrevieja: plans, timeline and video
Torrevieja is rebuilding the Los Locos beach promenade (Avenida Doctor Mariano Ruiz Cánovas): more than 1,100 metres of seafront will become a two-level pedestrian area with trees, children’s play areas and outdoor fitness zones. PAVASAL is carrying out the works for €8,592,352 (VAT included); the first section closed on 23 September 2026 and completion is scheduled for 1 January 2028.