Slovenia, with a 10% child poverty rate and a 31% reduction since 2014, leads UNICEF's EU/OECD report on child poverty. The report highlights the importance of cash benefits, labor market reforms, and social protection in reducing child poverty. Slovenia's high minimum wage and free kindergarten are noted as contributing factors to its success. The report also discusses the negative impacts of prolonged poverty on children's emotional and behavioral health, education, and employment prospects. In the EU, children of migrants and those from vulnerable groups face higher poverty rates. Despite a 6 million reduction in child poverty from 2014 to 2021 in the EU and OECD countries, experts believe more can be done to address the issue.

Germany's national railway company Deutsche Bahn reported record sales for long-distance transport, leading to the addition of new routes across Europe. The European Union aims to double high-speed rail travel by 2030. However, a Greenpeace study found that flying is often cheaper than train travel, which contradicts the goal of promoting more sustainable modes of transportation. Railway engineer Erik Stiegemann and analyst Bernhard Knierim highlighted the comfort and energy efficiency of train travel, but acknowledged the cost barrier that still leads many to choose flying.

Rory Armstrong explores the rising popularity of manga in Spain, highlighting the record-breaking attendance at the Barcelona Manga Festival and the increase in manga publications since the pandemic. The article discusses the economic impact of manga in Japan and the growth of the Spanish market, noting the lack of sales figures but using the number of new releases as an indicator. The 'Big 3' publishers, Planeta, Norma, and Ivrea, dominate the market, but there's a rise in medium and small publishers. The article also touches on the cultural resonance of manga, with insights from Spanish manga artist Kenny Ruiz, who attributes the genre's appeal to its focus on universal emotions.

The article discusses the concept of 'tactical urbanism' and its implications for the future city model of Barcelona. Tactical urbanism refers to small-scale, temporary changes to the urban environment, typically aimed at improving local neighborhoods and city spaces. The article explores how this approach can lead to more sustainable and people-friendly cities. It considers the potential benefits and challenges of implementing such a model in Barcelona, and how it could transform the urban landscape by prioritizing the needs of residents and the environment over traditional, car-centric city planning.

A Catalan radio play titled 'Escapism and dime novels' has found success in Ireland, resonating with the country's history of censorship and imprisonment. The creator, Freixes, who has a diverse background in film, illustration, and writing, wrote the play in English and initially faced rejection from local producers. However, RTÉ in Ireland showed interest and recorded the drama in Dublin, hiring actors with Hispanic origins to maintain a foreign accent. Freixes, who also wrote 'El inconsciente de María Gil' for RNE and serves as the official illustrator for the Sitges Film Festival, emphasizes the imaginative power of radio and the differences in quality between Spanish and English-speaking radio productions. RTÉ will promote the play with a special program 'In the wings: Escapism and dime novels' and will broadcast it online, making it accessible in Catalonia.