Christmas has been tinged with mourning in Palestine and also in Ukraine, the scene of two wars that are a great challenge for Europe and that indicate the difficulties with which 2024 will start.
Palestine. Yesterday was a day of intense Israeli bombing of Gaza. Netanyahu visited the strip and reiterated that the war will be long. Although it may seem difficult, things are getting worse there. Christmas was very bitter in the Christian communities of Palestine.
Europe. The war in Ukraine, now with the front frozen, will define the future of Europe. Support, until now unquestionable, is breaking down, especially in countries where the extreme right triumphs. The rise of extremism forces the EU to abandon decision-making by consensus. Not doing so means being hostage to radicalism.
Russia. Navalny’s lawyers finally found him yesterday. They hadn’t heard from his client for three weeks. The main opponent of Putin’s regime reappeared in a prison in northern Russia.
Polarization. The ideological division has conditioned many Christmas meals. However, maintaining friendships with people who see the world differently than ours is essential to reduce tension and mend an increasingly fragmented society.
Spain. The PSOE, the PP and Vox applaud King Felipe’s Christmas speech. They believe his defense of the Constitution is very adequate. President Aragonés, however, regrets that he did not open up to Catalonia, while in Sumar they criticize that he did not make reference to social problems and did not mention the tragedy in Gaza
Climate crisis. Several municipalities on the Costa Daurada and the Ebro delta, in Tarragona, dismantle the boardwalks. They do not have the budget to repair them after each storm and prefer to remove the urban constructions inland to give more space to the sea and the beach.
Mortgages. The rise in interest rates has doubled the number of mortgages that are renegotiated. The banks have so far shown much greater flexibility than the Government, which designed a plan to protect people with the most difficulties in meeting their mortgages, but which has not yet started.
Ridley Scott, film director
“Out of bad things come good stories to tell.” Read it here.
Shows. The circus is reinvented in spaces far from the traditional tents. The transition is difficult, but also inevitable if you want to combine spectacle with sustainability.
Soccer. FC Barcelona awaits the arrival of Vitor Roque, the young Brazilian striker who must be the solution to the scoring drought. He is the 39th Brazilian to play for Barça. Brazil is the country that has contributed the most foreign players to the team.
Cinema. Kaurismäki premieres Fallen Leaves, a love story in precarious times, where happiness and sadness never seem to be where you expect them. The film, almost entirely shot in one sequence shot, without prior rehearsals with the actors, reaches a very high level of authenticity.
Niki Segnit, gastronome
“We English like to eat well, but not pay for it.” Read it here.
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