July

The summer of Covid.

Infections in Catalonia hit a record daily high, the Olympics get underway in Tokyo, Germany is hit by freak floods, and Sánchez declares there will never be a referendum

The. of Covid. July / summer Foto: J. LOSADA.

1. As the Delta variant took hold around the globe, countries experienced new waves of infections from the virus, and Catalonia was no exception, registering a new daily high on July 2. Tourism was badly hit by travel restrictions and a new curfew and limits on gatherings were re-introduced later in the month.

2. The Tokyo Olympics got underway despite fear of Covid-19 contagion in the Olympic Village. The opening ceremony was held without an audience and with only a limited parade by athletes. In other sports news, Italy beat England at Wembley to win the Euros and a Messi-led Argentina beat Brazil 1-0 in the Maracaná to win the Copa America.

3. More than a hundred people died and dozens were missing after unprecedented floods overwhelmed western Germany. Rivers “of historical dimensions” washed away houses, entire neighbourhoods, bridges and roads in the regions of North Rhine-Westphalia and Rhineland-Palatinate.

4. After receiving new Catalan President Pere Aragonés at his official residence, La Moncloa, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez announced that there will never be a referendum on the independence of Catalonia. ERC reacted by noting he said the same thing about pardons for the political prisoners.

July

Holidays at home

Holidays at home.

The July issue of the magazine highlighted places to visit in Catalonia this summer, given the restrictions on foreign travel. We also had an interview with Greenpeace head David Sandoval and items on the Olympics and Picasso’s work as a jeweller.