THE PALACE THAT MORPHED (PAINFULLY, NOT WITHOUT BULLET WOUNDS) FROM “CATHEDRAL” TO THE WONDERFUL WORLD OF MONET »
Madrid is a historic and historical capital city prodigiously dotted with peerless landmarks. One of these is the Palacio de Comunicaciones.which went from a bustling hub of Spain's sprawling postal network to a white elephant that nobody knew what to do with. Eventually, it became the seat of the government of the nation's capital and a cultural center too that currently exhibits Monet's impressionist masterpieces. Almost any event, great or small, that has something to do with life in contemporary Madrid happens at CentroCentro: concerts, movies, conferences, guided tourist tours, company presentations, art exhibitions public and private ceremonies. . .
THE EUROPEAN CAPITAL OF CULTURE: THE WHY, WHICH AND HOW OF IT »
The concept of the European Capital of Culture puts culture at the heart of European cities. It highlights the richness and diversity of cultures in Europe and celebrates the cultural features that Europeans share. To date, more than 60 cities across the EU and beyond have been designated European Capital of Culture four of which were Spanish cities.
THE SPANISH PRESIDENCY OF THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION SPLASHES ICONIC MONUMENTS WITH ALLEGORICAL BLUE »
Spanish buildings light up in blue, the color of the flag of the European Union, to celebrate Spain’s presidency of the EU Council. Spain is terrribly enthused and the European Commission is only too happy to fall under the spell of the irrepressible enthusiasm.
SPECIAL TWO-PART SERIES ON ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE: (1) AI AND ITS IMPACT ON THE EU and US WORKFORCES »
AI is important because it has the potential to help humans become better at completing cognitive tasks, and to automate tasks that are currently difficult or impossible for humans to do. But AI’s control of information include privacy violations, creating anti-competitive environments, and behavioral manipulation by machine learning techniques that enable companies to exploit consumer biases vulnerabilities . This poses several challenges for policymakers.
UKRAINE, EVER FIRMER FOOTHOLD IN THE EUROPEAN UNION! »
On 23 June 2022, the European Parliament called for immediately granting Ukraine the status of a candidate for EU membership. The European Council granted Ukraine the status of a candidate for accession to the EU that same day. Today, with Ukraine’ s entry into the EU’s Connecting Europe Facility programme, the beleaguered country is that much closer to integration into the Single Market.
THE FREE EUROPEAN HEALTH INSURANCE CARDS: TRAVEL WITHOUT CARE! »
Summer is coming to an end. But travel and tourism remain uppermost in the minds of Europeans whose wanderlust seems insatiable after the lockdowns of the pandemic. A card in time saves nine hassles during vacations beyond national borders. Therefore, Spaniards and their European brethren had better be aware that there’s such a thing as the European Health Insurance Card which entitles travelers to public health assistance in the country they’re visiting. Get full info if you don't have it already!
HOW TO HAVE A HEALTHY COST-FREE TRAVEL: “GET AN EHI CARD,” SAYS EU »
The EHIC, available free of charge, confirms that a person is entitled to receive medical treatment that becomes necessary on a temporary stay abroad from the host country's public healthcare system on the same terms and at the same cost as nationals of that country. The card is issued for free by their national health insurance provider in the home country.
THE EU BATTLECRY: SAVE FUEL NOW OR RISK FREEZING IN WINTER! »
"The European Union faces the risk of further gas supply cuts from Russia, due to the Kremlin's weaponisation of gas exports, with almost half of our Member States already affected by reduced deliveries. Taking action now can reduce both the risk and the costs for Europe in case of further or full disruption, strengthening European energy resilience." Accordingly, the European Commission has proposed a gas-demand reduction plan to prepare EU for supply cuts.
THE CIRCULAR ECONOMY AND THE RIGHT TO TAP WATER »
A new law in Spain obliges bars and restaurants to serve water from the tap free of charge. They should make unbottled water available in such a way that it becomes a regular feature of the eateries. Why? It's the (circular ) economy, stupid!
HR/VP JOSEP BORRELL: HOW HIS MIND WORKS »
Josep Borrell: "Many voices are warning of the recession that the war against Ukraine could cause. The war against Ukraine has been accompanied by a sharp rise in inflation which is leading to significant increases in interest rates. We have also observed in recent weeks a rapid fall in share prices on financial markets and a spectacular loss of value on cryptocurrencies. This could trigger a new financial crisis. But faced with bleak economic outlook, we should avoid false solutions. We must keep trade open, as trade barriers would only worsen affordability and have an asymmetrical impact on the poor. We should help stimulate local production. . ."
