In this handout image released by La Moncloa, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez addresses journalists during a press conference on January 28, 2025 at La Moncloa Palace in Madrid. Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez today said his minority leftist government had struck a deal with Catalan separatists to pass social measures including aid for flood victims. The fragile coalition depends on the fickle support of Junts per Catalunya (Together for Catalonia), led by Spain’s most wanted fugitive Carles Puigdemont, to pass legislation. Its seven MPs helped to torpedo a similar package of measures last week with the conservative and far-right opposition, raising doubts about the viability of the government. (Photo by Jose Manuel ALVAREZ / LA MONCLOA / AFP)
This was the remark of Kristalina Georgieva, who has just started her second five-year term as managing director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), on Thursday, before the IMF and the World Bank’s annual gathering of financial leaders in Washington next week.
Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) Undersecretary for Integrated Sciences Carlos Primo David during a forum organized by the Chamber of Mines of the Philippines (COMP) said the DENR rolled out a digital application process in three regions of the country.
Madrid, Spain — Spanish unemployment fell last year to its lowest level since the 2008 global financial crisis as the tourism-driven service sector performed strongly, official data showed on Tuesday.
The jobless rate in the European Union’s fourth-largest economy at the end of 2024 was 10.61 percent, down from 11.76 percent the previous year, the National Statistics Institute said.
Article continues after this advertisementA buoyant economy added 468,100 jobs in the last 12 months to reach a total of 21.8 million, the highest level ever registered.
FEATURED STORIES BUSINESS BIZ BUZZ: For Gokongwei airline, no Beijing flights for now BUSINESS Maharlika open to buying Chinese stake in NGCP BUSINESS 3 tycoons’ Batangas liquefied natural gas venture all setREAD: Spain announces new measures to tackle housing crisis
A dynamic service sector slashed unemployment by 100,000 during 2024, a year in which the world’s second most-visited country received a record 94 million tourists.
Article continues after this advertisementThe key sector represents around 13 percent of an economy which is clocking growth rates far outstripping its EU peers, providing vital political capital for the minority left-wing government.
Article continues after this advertisement“Fewer women out of work, less temporary work and more quality employment,” Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez celebrated on X.
Article continues after this advertisementThe Bank of Spain has predicted growth of 3.1 percent for 2024, in contrast with the 0.8 percent forecast for the eurozone by the European Central Bank.
The 2008 financial crisis and the collapse of a housing market bubble triggered soaring unemployment that peaked at around 27 percent in early 2013.
go jackpot slot Article continues after this advertisementSpain’s recovery then suffered the shock of the Covid-19 pandemic that drove joblessness above 16 percent before bouncing back with the return of international travel and labour reforms.
Yet the unemployment figures remain one of the highest in the eurozone. The government aims to bring it down to around eight percent by 2027, which it says represents full employment in Spain.
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