Cyrille Gossard signs for two more years with the Catalans Dragons

Rubgy League Catalans Dragons international second row Cyrille Gossard signs today a two more years contract with the club. “I’m delighted to extend my contract with the club for the two following seasons. I’m looking forward to another two successful years with the Catalans”, said Gossard.

Sebastien Munoz, footbal manager of the Catalans, added that “it is a fantastic signing for us. Cyrille became an important player in the squad and among the forwards. It’s a great player on and off the field. Last season was difficult for him with a long term injury but he’s back now to his best. I’m sure he will play to his full potential the two next seasons. It’s a great french player.”

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Concerts represent 87% of the Catalan music industry business

Live music has turned out to be the motor of the Catalan music industry, according to the Annual Conclusion of Music and Entertainment by the Group Enderrock. Last year the promoters and concert halls of Catalonia have collected seven times more money than the record labels. With a billing of about 150 millions of euros in 2008, the companies that have dedicated themselves to live music concentrate 87% of the business volume of music in Catalonia. According to Joan Roselló, president of the Association of Representatives, Promoters and Managers of Catalonia (ARC), 13 million people have been attending the 22.000 concerts last year, an amount that beats the audience of Barça, Español, the theater and dance altogehter.

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Settlement of offices increases in June, but rental prices drop about 10%

The settlement of offices in Barcelona has increased during the second quarter of the year, just when the rental prices in the principal zone of the city are dropping constantly up to 10% since the beginning of the year. Jordi Toboso, general director of the consultancy Jones Lang LaSalle in Catalonia, who has initiated the study, explained on Wednesday that money is beginning to reappear in the market and that something is moving forward. In addition, foreign companies have entered the market again, settling down in Barcelona and opening new offices.

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Ryanair receives half of the complaints against airlines

The low fare airline Ryanair has received half of the general complaints against airlines from the Catalan consumers . From January to April, the Catalan Agency of Consumption (ACC) had to face 700 complaints against airlines, 50% of them against Ryanair. Due to the general rise of complaints, the ACC has initiated a campaign of inspection of journeys contracted via internet. The director of ACC, Jordi Anguera explained that the campaign was initiated due to the fact that the sector of air transportation received the second most complaints last year, only the telephony had to face more. Most of the problems reported by the users were delays and cancellation of flights, problems with luggage and the collection of hidden fees and taxes.

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Residents of Sun Village appeal for help to avoid the demolition of their houses

The 42 owners of the houses of Sun Village in Palau-Saverdera ask the institutions for help to avoid the demolition of their homes. At a press conference in Girona on Wednesday, the president of the Neighbours Community of Sun Village Hans van Schaick and the spokesman Juan Manuel García Ortega expressed their worries about the future of their homes. The Federal Court of Justice of Catalonia has forced the council of Palau- Saverdera to destroy the houses of Sun Village until Octobre. In September 2001 the Council of Palau-Saverdera granted the licence to build the houses of Sun Village but at the end of the same year, a resident of the locality brought an action against this building licence, claiming that the houses overtopped the maximum height permitted. In September 2006 the Federal Court of Justice decreed a decision annulling the building licence and ordering the demolition of Sun Village.

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