Part of our regular round ups of Sitges news, Catalonia news and Spain news that you may have missed, with links to the original articles. Our focus is on news of interest to the international community.
Sitges News
In Sitges, the town hall reports that it has restored the memorial to GK Chesterton, the British writer of the Father Brown novels; literary critic; Christian apologist; and philosopher. Chesterton twice spent time in Sitges, and the plaque on the seafront says he honoured the Sitges springtimes with his noble presence.
On a more sombre note, elespanol carries an article on the sad passing of well-known Catalan actress Daniela Costa, who lived in Sant Pere de Ribes and has died of cancer aged 42.
Planta Doce reports that the Catalan government has invested €350k in extending and improving Sitges’ public health clinic, the CAP. There will be 6 new consultation areas, including nutrition, physiotherapy and psychology, as well as an additional paediatric consultation area.
The townhall also reports on the campaign by animal protection centre CAAD Penedes-Garraf to promote the adoption or fostering of dogs and cats, as they have many more than they can take care of. The animals are delivered vaccinated, neutered and de-wormed, so all they need is a loving home. If you are only able to foster, the minimum period is 1 month.
Chess.com reports on the Chessable Sunway Sitges chess tournament which has just taken place in the town, which was won by Indian grandmaster Abhimanyu Puranik. Meanwhile, ferugby.es has an article about the new women’s rugby team for Sitges, Iberians Sitges.
Elsewhere, foodretail.es features an article on the new Esclat supermarket which has opened in our town (in la Plana), which offers charging points in its car park, and take-away pizza & roast chicken, among other items.
Finally, elespanol.com reports that the most expensive street in Catalonia is in Sitges (including a photo which is definitely not the street in question, and probably not even in Sitges) whilst el mon has an update on the corruption case engulfing the town hall. On this latter subject, there are now 15 members of the townhall who are listed as defendants, and they are being summoned to court in Vilanova at the beginning of February. The case centres on alleged embezzlement and corrupt awarding of government subsidies.
Catalonia News
The Guardian has a very seasonal photo gallery of Caganers, the defecating figurines that are a Christmas tradition in Catalonia and can be found in nativity scenes across the region. The figurines, along with their piles of excrement, are thought to be connected with the idea of prosperity (through fertilising the land). However, they also serve to remind everyone (including the high profile people that are usually represented) that we are all human. Nothing brings a president or a celebrity back down to earth like seeing him/herself in a public nativity scene, bare-bottomed and engaging in the morning movement!
Talking of Catalan president Pere Aragones, he’s written an article carried by the Financial Times, in which he sets out his case for Catalonia pursuing what he calls its right to a referendum on independence from Spain. Meanwhile, AP News carries a story on Spanish president Pedro Sánchez’s recent visit to Barcelona, where he claimed that his amnesty for separatists was paying dividends, despite his conservative opposition’s claims that it will merely encourage more separatism. The two presidents reached several agreements during the visit, although Sánchez’s response to the idea of a referendum was a firm ‘no’. Back in Madrid, many people are not happy with the proposed amnesty, as reported by France24.
In travel news, Barcelona Secreta reports on the Nightjet, a high speed night sleeper train that will link Barcelona with major European cities, and is slated for the end of 2024.
Elsewhere, the Irish Times reports on the forthcoming vote by the Catalan government which would restrict Airbnb type properties to 10 per 100 inhabitants, meaning that across the whole region, some 28,000 would have to close. Sitges is currently not over this limit, although towns with pressures on accommodation (like Sitges) may be able to impose further limits in future.
Spain News
Many papers carried stories about the claims of Jaime del Burgo, who alleges he had love affairs with Queen Letizia of Spain both before and after her marriage to current King Felipe. In between all this, he also married and divorced her sister! Such scandals are probably best perused in papers like the Daily Mail.
Sticking with the UK’s esteemed newspapers, the Daily Express reports that the 90 day rule for Britons wishing to visit Spain may soon be scrapped, since Spanish politicians are following the example of their French counterparts in this regard. Good news, in particular, for non-resident homeowners.
Elsewhere, cointelegraph reports on a 56% surge in registered crypto firms in Spain in 2023, whilst spacenews makes the case that Spain’s new space agency is a bigger deal than it seems.
On the subject of immigration, The Guardian carries an opinion piece by María Ramírez, who claims that Spanish people see immigration as a benefit, and are not crying ‘stop the boats’ as they are in the UK. The European Conservative, on the other hand, has an article about the alleged tyranny of Spain’s Islamic past, which claims that the Spanish birth rate has been falling for years, whilst mass immigration continues apace.
Finally, the Financial Times has an entertaining piece on the differences between the Spanish and the Portuguese, whilst euronews reports that the Spanish passport is now the world’s most powerful.
Merry Christmas!
A very merry Christmas and a Happy New Year from Sitges English Speakers! Thank you for your support as we continue to build this resource for our community.
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