2022: The Year in Review – July

Saturday 31st December 2022 · Mike Smith
Source: Original

The World in July

England triumph in the UEFA Women’s Euro 2022 final held at Wembley Stadium in London, the first major tournament win for the hosts since 1966. Former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe was assassinated whilst giving a speech. The first operational image from the James Webb Space Telescope was published. A series of heatwaves hit Europe, causing more than 53,000 deaths, record high temperatures and travel disruption. The European Central Bank raised its key interest rate to zero, the first increase in 11 years. The World Health Organisation declared the recent monkeypox outbreak as a Public Health Emergency of International Concern after the number of reported cases exceeds 17,000 in 75 countries. Novak Djokovic won Wimbledon 2022.

In Spain, extreme temperatures caused drought conditions and forest fires across the country as the thermometer reached in the high-40s in southern Spain and the northern areas experienced unusually hot weather. Prim Minister Pedro Sanchez called on workers in the public and private sector to stop wearing ties in a bid to help people remain cool. Inflation rose to 10.8%, its highest level for 38 years, as the economic fallout from the war in Ukraine continued to bite. In response, Prime Minister announced a €30 billion package to help households and businesses cope with the growing cost of living crisis which included subsidies at the petrol pump and reduced IVA of electricity. In another high profile tax fraud case, it was reported that Colombian singer Shakira could face eight years behind bars if she is convicted of failing to pay €14.5 million in taxes between 2012 and 2014; she had denied all charges, claiming that she was not living in Spain during that time.

In the UK, the number of pubs in England and Wales dropped to below 40,000, the lowest level on record. A series of high-profile resignations led to Prime Minister Boris Johnson announcing his resignation; a leadership election began with Rishi Sunack, Sajid Javid, Jeremy Hunt and Liz Truss amongst those bidding for the position. The pound slid to a two-year low against the dollar. Labour leader Kier Starmer and deputy Angela Rayner were cleared in the ‘Beergate’ investigation. A series of strikes greatly affected the UK rail network. The temperature reached 40.3°c in Coningsby, Lincolnshire, the first time a temperature above 40°c was recorded in the UK. Inflation climbed to 9.4%. Rebekah Vardy lost her libel case against Coleen Rooney.

Xàbia in July

01: The Repsol Guide published a list of recommended bars for enjoying the hot summer months, including four located in Xàbia.

04: Nine companies submitted bids for the contract to renovate the public street lighting network in the Tosalet estate, a project that the town hall was obliged to carry out by court order after a long-standing demand from the estate’s resident association.

05: Mayor José Chulvi met with the Subdelegate of the Government, Araceli Poblador, to address the safety issues caused by irregular parking along the CV-742 Carretera del Portitxol each summer, a problem that had increased since a barrier was installed to control access to the popular cove of La Barraca-Portitxol to prevent overcrowding.

06: Mayor José Chulvi released a statement on his Facebook page in response to the growing criticism on social media. “The “professional haters” have no logic or reason and those who spread “hoaxes” do not even bother to verify if it is true, nor to repair the evil when they realize that the news they have spread was all lies.”

13: The Teulada-Gata de Gorgos stretch of Línea 9 (Benidorm-Dénia) of TRAM D’Alacant was re-opened by the Generalitat Valenciana. The improvement works on this section, together with those being carried out on the final stretch to Dénia, a total of 17 kilometres, have cost more than 30 million euros.

14: It was reported that a total of seven consultancy companies had presented bids to Xàbia Council to develop a Strategic Tourism Plan that will allow the local council to focus on a policy to convert the municipality into a Smart Tourist Destination in accordance with the criteria of the Valencian Tourism Agency and thus be able to qualify for European funding.

14: It was reported that UTE Parque Jávea had requested another modification to the original project contract to reform Parque Reina Sofia in Thiviers in which it had agreed to execute the work within an agree price and deadline. Work should have been completed by April 6th.

15: The Asociación Cala de la Granadella has expressed its gratitude to Xàbia Council, local police, the Alicante Provincial Council and the Valencian regional government for having responded to many of their demands. “There is [still] a lot of work to do and we have to continue working together,” they add, however.

15: JaveaCompany reported that Achill Bar and Dancefloor would be re-opening its doors after winning an appeal against the decision to force the closure of three of its premises on the Punta del Arenal due to apparent irregularities in the licensing identified by the Valencian Anti-Fraud Agency.

16: The colour and noise of the Moros i Cristians de Xàbia finally returned to the streets of the port. It had been a long break but the energy and drive had not been lost as the filaes gathered together to participate in the official presentation of the fiestas on Saturday evening.

26: Xàbia Council confirmed that the Arenal beach would be closed to bathing from today Tuesday 26th July until further notice after the detection of a microbiological spill identified during the latest analysis carried out by the Bathing Water Quality Control Programme.

27: With just over a month to go until the start of the 2022/23 season, CD Jávea’s continued existence was in danger after the entire management board resigned over the lack of financial support, a very worrying situation for one of the region’s oldest football clubs which recently celebrated its 80th anniversary.

28: The growing uncivil use of Punto Verdes, which suffer daily from waste being dumped outside the containers and where utensils, furniture and other materials are also dumped instead of being taken to the EcoParque, led to a reappraisal of the management of these points and the eventual decision to fence them off.