Good morning!
The Spanish economy is growing above the European average, but the Spanish do not notice it. Salaries do not grow at the rate of inflation and our purchasing power is lower today than in 2007. Low salaries are related to the low productivity of the economy. Not even a year of record tourism will reverse this situation.
Economy. The purchasing power of Spaniards is today 1.3% lower than in 2007. It is not only that salaries grow below inflation, but that productivity is so low that the strategy to increase GDP has been devalue them.
Tourism. Spain continues to have one of its great economic drivers in the sun and beach. Tourism represents almost 12% of GDP. 2023 closed with a record of 84 million tourists. With the expectation of an even better 2024, large hotel chains are betting on luxury.
Policy. The Amnesty law continues to be the protagonist of the PP-PSOE battle within the framework of the Galician pre-campaign. Within the PSOE, the criticism of La Mancha president García-Page has led to him being reprimanded. The PP insists that it will use all judicial resources to stop it, although it doubts that the Constitutional Court will be neutral.
France. Farmers take to the streets to demand another production model, with more public aid, that allows them to live with more dignity. Similar protests have occurred in Germany, Poland and Romania. The EU launches a dialogue to achieve food security. It will not be easy, but it is necessary, as expert Louise Fresco warns.
Ukraine. Yesterday a Russian military transport plane crashed over Belgorod, near the Ukrainian border. On board were 65 Ukrainian prisoners of war. Russia claims Ukraine shot it down, but has not provided any evidence.
Barcelona. The biomedical research ecosystem of the metropolitan area is the best in Europe. The decision of the English pharmaceutical company AstraZeneca to set up shop in the Estel building in Barcelona confirms this. It will create a thousand jobs.
Education. Teachers are not sufficiently prepared to teach mathematics, according to a study published yesterday. It is not that they do not know the subject, but that they lack didactic preparation to teach it well.
Eduardo Mendoza, writer. “We Barcelonans are already like the Indians of the reserve… and that's fine with me.” Read it here.
Soccer. Yesterday in Bilbao, Athelitc and Barça played a classic Cup match that the Basques won in extra time (4-2) thanks to a great performance by the Williams brothers. Mallorca beat Girona 3-2.
Kitchen. Matchsticks are 180 years old. They were a crucial invention to light fireplaces and stoves more easily.
Television. Actress Sofía Vergara, famous for the series Modern Family, returns to the small screen at the helm of another series. In Griselda she plays a Colombian drug trafficker.
Vincent Debiais, professor of medieval art. “I turned off the light, I lit the candles… and the Virgin advanced towards us!” She read it here.
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