🚫 *Social media ban for under-16s* 📱 Spain will prohibit social media use for under-16s, PM Pedro Sánchez announced on Tuesday. The initiative aims to "protect minors and strengthen control over social media." 🔒 It will require digital platforms to implement "effective age-verification systems" and take stronger action to prevent abuse. ⚖️ The new law will also classify the manipulation of algorithms and the amplification of illegal content as criminal offences. Read more ➡️ https://bit.ly/4rNYOQP

📅 *Automatic TIE appointments* 💻 The chaos surrounding TIE appointments in Catalonia may finally be nearing a solution. 🛂 On Friday, the Spanish Government Delegation in Catalonia launched a new pilot programme in L’Hospitalet de Llobregat that will automatically assign appointments for obtaining the TIE. ⏰ Under the new system, once applicants receive their residence permit, they will automatically be sent -via email or SMS- the date, time, and police station for their TIE appointment, without having to book it themselves. Read more ➡️ https://bit.ly/4rHS6f9

*🇺🇸 Fleeing from Trump* 🗣️ "Neither of us nor my daughter felt safe living in the US during a second Trump administration," Chrys and Benjamin Gorman told Catalan News. They fled Oregon on the West Coast a few days before Inauguration Day on January 20, 2025 ✈️ The Gorman family decided to leave the United States after Trump won the election in November 2024. "We immediately had to sell everything we own, sell our home, our cars…" Benjamin Gorman explained during an interview with this media outlet Read more ➡️ https://bit.ly/4jHvCI4

🏴 *Núcleo Nacional lands in Catalonia* 🖼️ A portrait of Hitler hangs in their offices, “book clubs” where members read manuals used for indoctrinating Hitler Youth, and references to the Nazi leader as a "bloke with a lot of knowledge." 🔥 These are some of the most shocking aspects of Núcleo Nacional, a Spanish extremist organization founded in late 2024 during protests against the Spanish PM's deal with pro-independence parties over the amnesty law. ⚔️ The group is ultranationalist and far-right, with openly xenophobic, racist, and anti-democratic rhetoric. 📍 Yesterday, they opened their headquarters in Catalonia, in Sentmenat, 30 km from Barcelona, amid police tension, as over 300 protesters gathered to oppose them. Read more ➡️ https://bit.ly/4pwKdYc

👑 The *Three Wise Men* have once again filled the streets of Catalonia with excitement, this year battling off the threat of cold and rain, and in snowy conditions in parts of the territory. According to the Barcelona city council, around *600,000 people* took to the streets to welcome Their Majesties in the Catalan capital alone. ✨ The public was surprised by a procession dedicated to the *Tour de France*, which kicks off in the Catalan capital this year, which included various circus performers and 12 cyclists doing acrobatic choreography. Two new floats were also debuted in the Barcelona parade, one for *King Balthazar*, which featured live music and giant djembe drums, and the Toy float, shaped like a colourful train, inspired by classic toys. 🎁 After picking up the key to the city from mayor Jaume Collboni earlier in the afternoon, Melchior, Gaspar, and Balthazar toured the city, accompanied by a troupe of 1,300 people, and distributed seven tons of candy. Overnight, they left *presents* in houses for children to wake up to. Read more ➡️ https://bit.ly/44ZZeKO

*✈️ Bomb threat flight* 🛑 A Turkish Airlines flight from Istanbul to Barcelona made an emergency landing after a passenger set up a Wi-Fi hotspot with a network name containing a *bomb threat* 🚨 Authorities confirmed that a *French fighter jet* was cleared to enter Spanish airspace to escort the aircraft as a precaution 👮‍♂️ Passengers were evacuated safely while the Guardia Civil and Mossos carried out *security checks*, and airport operations continued without disruption 🔗 Read more ➡️ https://bit.ly/4byIfTK

🚂 *Rodalies' fatal crash* 📎 One person has died and 37 have been left injured after a *train collided* with a retaining wall that fell on the track in Gelida, just outside Barcelona. Of the injured, five are in a serious condition, six suffered less serious injuries 🚫 The entire Rodalies de Catalunya rail service is *fully suspended* , with no trains running, while infrastructure operators Adif verify the "safety" of the entire infrastructure after storm Harry 🗣️ Meanwhile, train drivers have *called for a strike* after the various railway accidents, while commuters are "desperate" to arrive to their destinations as they were unaware that the service was suspended Read more ➡️ https://bit.ly/4sNWc6A

*🩸 Brits give blood* 💉 Catalonia's annual blood donation marathon, running from January 8–17, aims to collect *10,000 donations* to replenish supplies depleted over Christmas. 🇬🇧 This year, a *new group* can join the effort: people who lived in the United Kingdom for more than 12 months between 1980 and 1996, previously excluded from donating blood in Spain. ❤️ "Sometimes as an immigrant here, you can struggle to feel that you're giving something back to the community, but this is a really easy way to *give back*," said Tess Humphrys, giving blood for the first time. 🔗 Read more ➡️ https://bit.ly/3LHrDPi

🍿 *What's on this weekend?* 🧅 *Valls calçotada* ➡ World's biggest calçot festival 🍻 *Sant Antoni Festa Major* ➡ Popular culture, 10k race, beer festival, and Tres Tombs among activities 🎭 *Marina Abramovic in Liceu* ➡ Balkan Erotic Epic ⚽ *Olympic Stadium Open Day* ➡ Visit Montjuïc Olympic Stadium free 🎸 *Hinds in Apolo* ➡ Live music Friday night 🎼 *Ukulele workshop* ➡ Beginner classes in the Music Museum 🎥 *Kinosaure* ➡ Children's cinema 🖼️ *Fet al Born* ➡ Craft workshops in Born 🔗 And more! ➡ https://bit.ly/49cTBLN

🚆 *Record year for public transport* 🚌 The Transports Metropolitans de Barcelona (TMB) network, which operates Barcelona’s metro and bus services, closed the year with a historic total of 700.5 million journeys, an increase of 2.4% compared to 2024. 🚇 The metro network recorded nearly 480 million validations, its highest figure to date, while bus services also set a new record with 220.6 million validations. 📅 Sant Jordi's Day, on April 23, also marked a historic milestone, becoming the busiest working day ever for the TMB network, with 2.6 million journeys. Read more ➡️ https://bit.ly/4aSRwWG