New school plans

THE Valencian government has authorised the creation of a Secondary Education Institute (IES) in the Gran Alacant area of Santa Pola with a capacity for 1,120 school places .

The IES Gran Alacant, will be built because of a split into two of the current school of the IES Cap de l'Aljub in the same town.

According to educational planning studies carried out by the Ministry of Education, it was considered that in order to meet the educational needs of the area, it was advisable to create a secondary school where ESO and Baccalaureate are taught.

The new institute will be located on Carrer Muntanya and will have 24 classrooms for Compulsory Secondary Education, eight for Baccalaureate and four for Vocational Training, with a total of 720 ESO school places, 280 Baccalaureate and 120 Vocational Training.

IN the past, the common summer sight of bare­chested individuals or those in swimwear on Spain's coastal promenades often extended to the streets of towns, leading to a backlash among local authorities. Many municipalities subsequently passed legislation to fine those choosing to go barechested or wear swimwear away from the beachfront.

In 2018, Marbella modified its regulations to prohibit "torsonudism" in public spaces, considering it a minor infraction for reasons of aesthetics and hygiene. Fines for such actions range from €300 to

€750.

Other cities like Malaga, Alicante, Barcelona, Salou, and Palma de Mallorca have followed suit with similar rules and fines. In Barcelona, going shirtless away from the beach area can result in fines from €120 to €500. In Palma de Mallorca, the lack of proper clothing throughout the city can lead to sanctions between €100 and €200.

The most recent city to impose these prohibitions is Granada, where wearing inappropriate attire at hen/stag parties could incur penalties of up to €750. These regulations reflect a broader trend in Spain towards ensuring prop­ er attire in public spaces, particularly away from beaches and swimming areas. The rules have been instituted for

ON a historic day in Verín, Ourense, Álvaro Rúa, a 32year­old bagpiper from Vilela, achieved an incredible feat. He recently shattered the Guinness World Record by playing the longest note ever heard, with a wind instrument, on his Galician bagpipes, according to a national news outlet.

Surpassing the previous record of 1 minute and 23 seconds set by an Indian horn player, Álvaro held a stable sound at a minimum of 80 decibels for an astonishing 13 minutes, 26 seconds, and 95 hundredths.

Álvaro's passion for the bagpipes began at the age of seven when he started his musical journey at the Verín School of Traditional Music. Driven by his love for instruments, he further honed his skills by enrolling in the Vigo Music Conservatory in Pontevedra.