Matthew Bennett Matthew Bennett
Learn Spanish online. Think about life and British & Spanish business, law, politics & culture. Translator, teacher, blogger. Running, reading, wine. Read more about me and my blog...
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Welcome to my blog! I write about culture, law, business and politics in the UK and Spain, as well as the Spanish and English languages, English-Spanish translation and Spanglish Lex – my project to help you learn more English and Spanish online.

Is Catalonia a nation or a nationality, or is Spain the only nation in Spain?

Is Catalonia a nation or is Spain the only nation in, well, Spain? The Spanish right has a clear idea of the right answer; some Catalans and Spanish socialists think they have a different one. Spain’s Constitutional Court will soon tell us what it thinks and attempt to set the rules for the ‘what is Spain’ debate.

Will body scanners at UK airports stop suicide bombers?

Several Spanish newspapers ran stories yesterday about Gordon Brown ordering a review of airport security and announcing a special Yemen Terrorism Day alongside the What To Do With Afghanistan Day on January 28.

Spain’s soaring youth unemployment rate

The New York Times has published an article on Spain’s soaring youth unemployment rate, which it says has increased from 17.5% three years ago to 42.9% this year. That would means that the recession has more than doubled the number of young people on the dole in Spain.

Interview with Edward Hugh about the Spanish Economy

Edward Hugh is an independent economist based in Barcelona. He is also a prolific blogger and is frequently quoted in the English-speaking financial press as a reliable source on what’s going on in Spain as the recession continues to unfold.

Interview with Aurora Humarán, chairwoman of AIPTI and Aleph Translations

My first ever Sunday interview podcast. Expect this to be a regular – indeed weekly – feature on my blog. Today’s Sunday interview is with Aurora Humarán, the owner of the Aleph translation agency in Buenos Aires and since September 30 this year also founding chairwoman of the AIPTI .

Take photos on British streets and risk arrest for terrorism

Alarming news from the Ministry of Love. Random, innocent photographers are being arrested for taking photographs of normal, innocent things like churches and fish and chip shops.

Who cares about the Royal Navy shooting up a Spanish flag off Gibraltar?

So the Royal Navy shot up a buoy which was or wasn’t flying a red and yellow Spanish flag five miles off the coast of Gibraltar a couple of weeks ago. Who cares?

Scottish independence referendum: historical right or anachronism?

The leader of the Scottish government has decided to try and hold a referendum on Scottish independence in November 2010 but he will probably not receive much political or public support.

How will a confusing BA-Iberia merger benefit passengers?

Have you got your head around how the BA-Iberia merger will benefit passengers yet? The FT has profiled chief executive Willie Walsh, who more or less seems a little bit clearer, perhaps, about all the confusion.

Economist tries realism as Zapatero refuses to cure Spanish economy

If you were a doctor, what medication would you prescribe for the Spanish economy? Zapatero has a springlike dream but almost everyone else in Spain faces a menacing reality. The Economist offers a harsh diagnosis.