Following repeated damage to aging infrastructure, the Axarquia Commonwealth is moving forward with two large-scale projects aimed at modernizing the region’s water supply network. The investment, which totals nearly €20 million, will be partially funded by the Junta de Andalucía and the Málaga Provincial Council.

In November 2024, a severe storm (DANA) caused serious flooding in Benamargosa, damaging the water supply to several towns, including Cutar, El Borge, Almachar, and Comares. A more recent fault in the valley of the Benamargosa River highlighted ongoing issues caused by outdated piping.

“These are ambitious plans that would improve connections to several municipalities in the region,” said Jorge Martín, president of the Axarquia Commonwealth. The first project will lay a new, wider pipeline between El Trapiche (Velez-Malaga) and Comares, improving supply to Colmenar and Riogordo.

A second project has the goal to reach Moclinejo and El Valdes, addressing similar problems in the Benagalbon River area. The objective is to increase water flow during high-demand summer months, with 300 mm-wide piping planned.

The revised route could also benefit other towns, such as Periana and La Viñuela. Recently, both have struggled with summer shortages. “These are two separate projects, one estimated at €10.5 million and the other at just under €9 million,” explained Martín.

He added that Axaragua, the local water company, cannot bear the cost alone and is relying on public funding. No timeline has been confirmed yet.

Read here more news from Axarquia.

There’s another wild weekend lined up at the Cazbah Live Lounge in Mijas with reviving 70s and 80s rock classics, one of the greatest punk rock bands on the coast, and a night of classic burlesque for the senses.

On Thursday, April 24, free of charge, Laura Killeny brings her mix of 70s and 80s rock classics from Suzi Quatro, U2, Fleetwood Mac, and loads more to get you on the dancefloor.

On Friday, April 25, a rare chance to see the most fun rock’n’punk sounds from this paper’s favourites, Killer Rockets, full of all your indie, rock, and pure energy rock-outs.

Then, on Saturday, April 26, one of the Cazbah crowd’s favourites – the Circus Magnifique night, with Cazbah’s excellent in-house performers – and a mind-blowing night that will leave the audience with their jaws gaping once more. This one will set you back €15 but is well worth the show.

As usual, tables can be booked by calling 602 535 710. Each evening kicks off at 9pm, and all will book out fast, so get your reservations in quick.

The Cazbah Live Lounge is located on Avenida de Rota Torrenueva, Mijas.

Gladiators fought animals in the cold wet North of England, in York.

And the ground-breaking discovery which gives a grisly insight into Roman Empirical History, was made by an academic from Maynooth University.
Tim Thompson, Professor of Anthropology at Maynooth University, forensically analysed a bone from a Roman cemetery outside York. What he found were bite marks made by the incisors of a large carnivore. Thompson said it “is evidence of a bite mark from a large carnivore like a lion.”
This find completes a missing historical link, as although we have historical depictions and classical literature that detail these events, this is the first ever physical evidence of it. And it proves gladiators fought tooth and nail against large meat-eaters.

The find is globally significant

Thompson said this find has global significance: “This is quite exciting because this is the first time that we have had physical evidence of gladiators fighting in the Roman period in the world.”
The grave site where the crucial pelvic bone was discovered held 20 gladiators and was unearthed by chance when construction on the site found remains.
The site itself is proof that Roman sports and culture travelled far from Italy itself. Thompson said:
“That sense of spectacle and arena activities was prevalent across the Roman Empire and that was, in a way, how the Roman Empire was able to create cultural connectivity between the provinces.”
But it also shows that smaller arenas could be found throughout the Roman Empire and that exotic animal transport occurred on a grand scale.

Exotic animals definitely made their mark

The team, which worked using forensics to pinpoint what sorts of animals the gladiators of the far North of the Roman Empire were fighting, had to reach out to zoos to compare the marks left by cheetahs, lions and other animals on their food, to the findings on a pelvis from thousands of years ago.
The Maynooth University professor said “It’s always fantastic when you’re discovering something genuinely unique and to be able to offer that to the academic community.”

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