January

Sixth wave of Covid hits

Coronavirus still dominates the news at the start of 2022, while NATO responds to Russia over Ukraine and fears are raised over the Catalan coastline

1. As the Catalan minister for science and innovation, Diana Morant, announced good test results for a future vaccine against the Omicron variant, the sixth wave of Covid peaked and left schools struggling to find supply teachers, while the night curfew and Covid certificates in restaurants came to an end.

2. NATO released a statement to say it will not attack Russia if it invades Ukraine, as the West began sending arms to the country in light of Moscow’s threats and a potential Russian invasion, with Belarus president Alexander Lukashenko claiming they will join Russia and oppose forces to the West and South.

3. Two years on from storm Glòria, environmental experts warned that the regression of the Catalan coast was endangering infrastructure, ecosystems and one of the country’s most important economic assets. In 2019, 90% of the 19.4 million foreign visitors to Catalonia stayed on the coast.

4. Some 3,300 castellers (members of human towers clubs) attended a meeting of 28 clubs in Valls at the end of January. The spectacular gala was part of the Decennial Festivals 2021+1, the macro-festival that has adorned the Alt Camp capital every first year of the decade since 1981.

The dangers of tech addiction

The dangers of tech addiction.

We began the year with a report on widespread concern over teenage addiction to technology, as the consequences of continuous lockdowns combined with modern apps mean face-to-face encounters have largely been replaced by virtual contact.