Catalonia Today's blog

Ban on Bullfighting to be Debated in Parliamant

2009-12-16T14:48:00.001+01:00

Current legislation in Catalonia bans cruelty to animals with the notable exception of bullfighting. On Friday 18th December this matter will be debated in Parliament after 180,000 signatures were collected across Catalonia to demand the end to this practice.

The 11 members of the promoting commission of this Popular Initiative will be present in the Parliament; one speaking from the podium in favour of the change in the Law in a 15 minute speech. This will be followed by 15 minute speeches from Members of Parliament from the three parties (the Popular Party, the Citizens’ Party and Socialist Party of Catalonia) who wish to scrap the whole initiative.
Finally, representatives of the CiU, ERC and ICV parties (Convergencia i Unió, Esquerra Republicana de Catalunya and Iniciativa Verds) will explain their reasons for not requesting any amendments.

Catalonia's Dignity

2009-11-27T08:59:00.000+01:00

In an unprecedented move, all the Catalan newspapers have joined together to issue the same statement on their front covers about the legal decision pending on the future of Catalonia.
Almost three years have passed while the Constitutional Tribunal has dragged its collective feet in reaching a decision on the Catalan Estatut, the central document defining Catalonia's status and relationship with the Spanish state.
First published in 2006 and thrice democratically approved: first by voters through a referendum; secondly by Parliament and thirdly by the Head of State King Juan Carlos, the law has been batted back and forth to the point that serious doubts have been raised as to the validity of the process. It will be the first time since the restoration of democracy in 1977 that a tribunal will make a decision on a law that has been fundamentally approved by voters. Expectation is high.
One of the main causes of concern has been the the membership of the tribunal itself Out of the twelve judges that make up the tribunal, only ten are allowed to decide upon the official outcome as one (Pablo Pérez Tremps) has been disenfranchised after a deliberate move to influence the balance of the debate, and another (Roberto García-Calvo) died. Out of the ten judges able to vote, four remain in office despite losing their mandate as a consequence of the sordid disagreement between the government and the opposition over the renewal of an entity recently named by José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero as the 'Heart of Democracy'. A heart with hardened valves and no more than half of its parts neither free or able to reach an independent decision. This is the make up of the cassation court about to make a decision on Catalonia's Estatut.
The definition of Catalonia as a nation forms the opening part of the the Estatut. Matters of language and jurisdiction are central to the issue and have been cause of a constant friction which many people consider can only be cured through radical surgery: amputation of the Spanish state.
The Catalan press expressed concern that Catalonia has reached a cross roads and an important decision has to made about future direction. They reiterated the feeling that for too long Catalonia has been depicted by others as the thorn in the side of a strong unified Spain and underlined the annoyance caused by the continuous lack of respect shown towards its institutions, economic infrastructure, language and cultural traditions. They also pointed out that, despite this negative treatment, Catalonia has continued to make a huge contribution to the finances of the Spanish state while receiving little fiscal benefit in return.
An important part of the concluding part of this joint declaration was a warning that nobody should underestimate the determination of the Catalan people to have a satisfactory outcome to this judicial process: 'Nobody who knows Catalonia would doubt that a recognition of its identity, improvement in its self-government, a just financial agreement and marked improvement in infrastructures are, and will continue to be, pursued with due political and social vigour.'

200 waiters wanted

2009-10-06T09:44:00.002+02:00

"Wanted 150 waiters and 50 room maid for four and five star hotels". Temporary employment agency Adecco noted the recovery of employment in the catering sector in Barcelona with a job offer that has registered only in very specific points of the year, mainly during the month of December, when the companies make the Christmas dinner. In this case, the offer is also to cover peak work, "but ensures the continuity of the worker in one of the hotels that are associated, because now the templates are very fair and encouraged the activity", says a spokesman for Adecco.

Cyrille Gossard signs for two more years with the Catalans Dragons

2009-07-31T22:18:00.002+02:00

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.”

Concerts represent 87% of the Catalan music industry business

2009-07-14T11:13:00.006+02:00

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.

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

2009-07-10T09:45:00.004+02:00

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.

Ryanair receives half of the complaints against airlines

2009-07-06T10:02:00.004+02:00

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.

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

2009-07-03T09:47:00.003+02:00

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.

MACBA offers four summer concerts in the context of the Nights of MACBA

2009-06-30T11:46:00.006+02:00

The Museum of Contemporary Art of Barcelona (MACBA) offers the opportunity to visit and experience its exhibitions in a different format: MACBA has extended its opening time to midnight every Thursday and Friday until the 18th of September. There will be a reduced price for tickets of 3,50 Euros for visting the whole museum, as well as many guided tours included in the entrance fee. In addition, in this context the MACBA is going to present the cycle of summer concerts Post-rock? throughout July, which is part of the programm of the concerts of the Festival Grec 2009. On the other hand one of the terraces on the 1st floor of the museum will be turned into the summer bar, with the same opening time, but remaining open until the 24th of September.

2.000 people demonstrate against gene-modified products

2009-06-29T10:30:00.003+02:00

Yesterday 2.ooo people demonstrated in Barcelona against the cultivation of gene-modified products and demanded an advance concerning the application of a law to stop the cultivation of transgenic products in Catalonia, opposed by the PSC, CIU and PP. With the slogan "Democracy, health and good food" the demonstration moved from Plaza Cataluña to the Parliament, where they had to face a confrontation with the police trying to stop them. The cook Santi Santamaria, who headed the demonstration, read a manifest from professionals of the gastronomy, alimentation and health sector, claiming the need of a model for agricultural food based on an organic and artisan local production that is eco-friendly and respects the varieties and distinct culture.

Ceremony in honour of Narcís Monturiol in the Catalan Parliament

2009-06-26T12:03:00.002+02:00

Today a ceremony in honour of Narcís Monturiol will take place in the Catalan Parliament to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the first dive of the submarine Ictineu. Amongst others Sr. Joan Manel Tresserras i Gaju, Minister of Culture and Media and Sr. Ernest Benach i Pascual, President of the Catalan Parliament will take part in the ceremony, as well as representatives from important institutions like the Institute Ictineu, the Catalan Centre for Submarine Research and the Institut d'Estudis Catalans IEC. On June 28th 150 years ago at the port of Barcelona, for the first time a submarine dived into the ocean and sailed without incidents.

Playwright Pau Miró completes trilogy about wild animals

2009-06-25T11:34:00.004+02:00

The playwright and director Pau Miró has successfully completed his trilogy about wild animals. His recent creation called "giraffe" will be performed during the Festival Grec in Barcelona from 2 to 5th of July. Within one year Miró has initiated three plays and has completed the trilogy that takes place in a laundry in the district of Raval where the characters identify with wild animals. The play is set in the fifties and deals with the limitations of the Franquismo. It shows how the characters turn to a silent fantasy to get over their frustration.

Safe celebration of Sant Joan with less firecrackers

2009-06-23T14:06:00.002+02:00

The main objective of the governmental campaign this year is to avoid minors to encounter with powerful pyrotechnic articles. Last year 269 people in Catalonia have been injured in the night of Sant Joan, the majority of them were minors who had launched firecrackers that were prohibited for their age. The campaign of this years celebration of Sant Joan therefore wants to sensibilize the points of sale and the parents to the high danger of the powerful pyrotechnic articles and that they may only be launched by people older than eighteen years. To raise the peoples awareness of the danger of firework, about ten thousand placards have been distributed among schools and youth centres, district offices and points of sale throughout Catalonia. These placards contain general advices how to avoid accidents with pyrotechnic articles.

Privalia increases staff with 110 employees, 50 of them in Barcelona

2009-06-22T10:12:00.005+02:00

This year, the internet sales label Privalia will increase their staff with 100 employees. Currently the company employs 150 people in Barcelona, 30 in Milan (Italy) and 30 in Sao Paolo (Brasil). Privalia has specialised in selling fashion and sportswear but they are receiving many offers for selling other things that have been affected by the crisis, like cars or apartments. With a market share of 34 % an 1,5 million clients in Spain, Brasil and Italy, Privalia is the leading company of the club of private purchases in Spain. At the end of the year, the staff in Barcelona will comprise 200 people and the company will move to a bigger building due to space limitation.

Guitar festival starts with series of concerts in the area of Girona

2009-06-18T11:47:00.005+02:00

The VI. Girona Guitar Festival directed by Josep Manzano will start today with a free concert by Maurizio di Fulvio Trio in the Casa de Cultura of Girona. Most of the concerts will take place in different locations around the Costa Brava such as Begur, Tossa de Mar and Palamós from July to August. For the first time the festival will be divided into three sets of concerts. One part will take place in the old town of Girona, another in the church of Santa Maria de Fenals, and finally there will be three concerts in the Casa de Cultura in Llança. There will be international artists performing, as well as important Catalan guitarists.

Campgrounds in the area of Girona confront 10% less bookings

2009-06-08T09:59:00.011+02:00

The bookings for campgrounds in the area of Girona are delayed in regard to other seasons and the camping sector assumes 10% less bookings on average compared to the last year. The association of camping advised the campgrounds not to react with a reduction of prices, as this could affect the quality of the complete offer of campgrounds, which is among the most recognized in Europe. There are 144 campgrounds in the area of Girona and 40 % of them are first class.

Zapatero and Montilla stage reconciliation after one year of alienation

2009-06-05T13:32:00.008+02:00

The Spanish president José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero promises to maintain a just financing for Catalunya and calls to defeat the right wing party in the elections of 7th June. After one year of alienation, above all because of the default of financing, José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero and José Montilla yesterday staged the reconciliation at the final convention of the campaign of the Catalan Socialists in the facilities of Mar Bella in front of 5.000 people. All this took place prior to the European elections to defeat the PP, that shows an advantage in the surveys. Zapatero assured Montilla of working "shoulder to shoulder" and guaranteed him their support in the upcoming parliamentary elections in Catalunya.

Tomb of famous pharao Tutankamón comes to Barcelona

2009-06-04T13:32:00.009+02:00

Tutankamón, the tomb and its treasures. Thats the name of the exhibition that will open for the public in the Maritime Museum of Barcelona this saturday. The exhibition, produced and organized in Germany, recreates the tomb of the most famous pharao of Ancient Egypt, Tutankamón. Almost one hundred Egyptian artisans have worked on rebuilding the pharao with every detail. The exhibition will open its doors in Barcelona until the 6th of September, continuing its unstoppable international circuit with already thousands of visitors in towns like Zurich or Munich. People have the opportunity to experience the sensational discovery of the tomb by the English archeologist Howard Carter in 1922.

Renting an apartment is 19% cheaper due to the decline of sales and more offers

2009-06-02T09:35:00.006+02:00

The price of homes for sale continues to fall but shows signs of stabilisation in some communities. The current difficulty to sell apartments has caused that a great part of the stock is offered for rent with a loss of the rental prices of 19% in the area of Girona within the last half of the year. According to the last study of market prices of the Association of Promoters and Constructors Girona and Real Estate Agents, the development of homes for sale also shows a general decline, although in some towns like Blanes or Roses a stabilisation emerges. All this is related to a drop of demand due to the economic crisis. Regarding the rental prices of the two-bedroom apartments, the largest price drop was detected in Lloret with 14,9 %, whereas referring to homes with three bedrooms, Roses is the town with the most significant decline (19%).

Festival of dance collects money for an NGO working with disadvantaged Christians in Egypt

2009-06-01T10:09:00.003+02:00

A festival of classical Egyptian Dance, organized for the second year in Barcelona, yesterday offered a variety of captivating melodies, colors and festive rhythms. The aim of the festival organized by the association Aida Danza Oriental is to collect money for a NGO south of Cairo to provide socially disadvantaged Christians. The assistance of the NGO is mainly for economical and health demands, as the population has to face a big threat by hepatitis C. In the first year of the festival 2.000 euros have been collected, an amount they would like to achieve as well this year.

Primavera Sound launches its most intense and exultant edition

2009-05-29T09:46:00.008+02:00

Yesterday The vaselinas and Yo La Tengo opened the ninth edition of the Primavera Sound festival, where 130 groups will go on stage until Saturday. The six locations in the Forum Park already attracted 20.000 visitors on the first day and thousands more are being expected this weekend. The Primavera Sound festival in Barcelona, together with the Sonar, is the most famous festival of rock, pop and electric music in Catalunya. This year people even received free plugs for the ears as a remedy to listen to the famous rock group My bloody Valentine, known for its great passion for the noise.

Neighbours promote a commemorative plaque for Catalan poet and literary critic Manent

2009-05-28T13:30:00.010+02:00

The people living in the district of Raval campaigned for the placement of a commemorative plaque dedicated to the poet, literary critic and translator Marià Manent on the façade of the house where he was born and had lived the early years of his life. Yesterday the revelation of the plaque took place within the scope of his family, neighbours and friends, announced the delegate of culture of the city of Barcelona, Jordi Martí. Roser Manent, the daughter of Marià Manent said that it was an honour to see, that even twenty years after his death her father was still remembered.

Catalans make more claims for loans and fees because of the crisis

2009-05-28T09:49:00.008+02:00

In the first quarter of 2009, the number of requests for loans to the Agencia Catalana de Consumo (ACC) has increased up to 42%. In 2008 the number of inquiries had already increased by 51%. Especially the information technology has to face a great amount of complaints, as 43% of last years complaints were in the sector of telephony and internet. Jordi Anguera, director of the ACC claimed yesterday, that 2008 has been a difficult year, as all indicators related to consumption have fallen. He said that people have changed their consumer behaviour and are more aware and demanding.

Catalan government to give $ 500 for buying vehicles that cost up to 49.000

2009-05-27T11:26:00.006+02:00

Yesterday the government passed the Catalan plan for the direct aid to the purchase of a new, low-polluting car. The Catalans will receive discounts of 2.000 euros for the purchase of a vehicle up to 30.000 euros with the aim to limit the CO2 emissions. For purchasing a vehicle up to 49.000 euros with higher emissions, people will receive $ 500. The condition to obtain the discount is to scrap a more polluting vehicle with more than 250.000 kilometers or older than 10 years. The principal aim is to induce people to purchase low-polluting cars to sustainably reduce the CO2 emissions.

Festival Tàrraco Viva claims the biggest audience of the first weekend since its beginnings

2009-05-26T12:13:00.009+02:00

The roman festival Tàrraco Viva started with the biggest audience on the first weekend since the first edition. Not only citizens from Tarragona visited the festival, but the organisation of Tàrraco Viva could also claim an increasing number of visitors from other parts of Catalunya and from other european countries. The festival represents the former life and history of the romans, as well as its customs and literature. Magí Seritjol, the coordinator of the festival, explained that in the future the organistaion would like to attract even more people from european countries.

New wine route through Empordà and Catalunya Nord to be opened in 2012

2009-05-26T09:33:00.008+02:00

The wine route of the Catalan Pyrenees. This is going to be the name of the new touristic location that will be released in 2012. The idea of developing a wine route now has a specific date, as introduced officially by the Minister for Innovation, Universities and Enterprise, Josep Huguet. The project will be started this year and has the aim to link the two territories through their wine resource, heritage and historical landscape.

The price and employment of 4 and 5 star hotels in Barcelona will fall to 26%

2009-05-25T17:31:00.006+02:00

As an effect of the recession of the touristic activities in big cities all over the world, the price and employment of the 4 and 5 star hotels in Barcelona will fall about 26% on average, according to Jones Lang, consultant of the LaSalle Hotels. The negative trend of the year 2008 will intensify even more and the hotel market will have to absorb about 3.600 rooms in the Catalan capital, of which 47% will be 5 star establishments.

Montjüic Castle: make peace, not war.

2009-05-25T08:46:00.004+02:00

Barcelona yesterday wrote another chapter in its history and finally closed the military museum opened by the dictator Franco 47 yars ago, in the Castle of Montjuïc, from where the city of Barcelona were bombed so many times in the past. Music and chocolate made a festive note to a crowded but not massive act. Yerterday was the last of three days of open doors of the castle and hundreds of people, including tourists, citizens of Barcelona and other towns in Catalonia, did not want to miss this appointment with the history of the city and the country.

Carsharing services grow fast in Barcelona

2009-05-11T09:48:00.004+02:00

The number of subscribers to the multi-car service has increased by 326% in the past two years. The crisis seems to be the main cause of the CarSharing boom, a kind of Bicing for cars that has won fans since its kick-off, in 2004. The service is available in Barcelona, Sabadell, Granollers and Sant Cugat del Valles, but they are thinking on extending it to other populations. This formula is fairly standard in some countries. In Switzerland, for example, is visible in all the cities and now has about 70,000 users.

Reus' airport will have a new railway station with a TGV direct link

2009-05-08T09:26:00.004+02:00

Spanish minister José Blanco announced a new railway station in the south of the airport of Reus, linked with the great central station of Tarragona, with a planned investment of 62 million. The station will be located between the runways at the airport and the road T-11, along with access to the AP-7.

A yellow wave to welcome the Tour de France in Barcelona

2009-04-28T09:10:00.002+02:00

A human yellow wave will accompany the Tour de France in Barcelona, in the last 13 miles to the sixth stage, which will start in Girona. This is one of the many initiatives included in the program of activities prepared by the City Council, seeking a successful citizen participation. "We want Barcelona to always remember the Tour" said the mayor, Jordi Hereu.
To create the effect of a wave yellow, the colour of the Tour, the Council will provide cardboards and flags among the fans. "We want the cyclist to realize that they arrived in the city," added the delegate of Sports Pere Alcober. Yellow will also be on public transport during the Tour's days.

The building of the new marine zoo starts in Barcelona

2009-04-22T14:03:00.005+02:00

The bulldozers began yesterday to draw the surplus lands of the place on which the future marine zoo will be rised in Barcelona. It was the starting step of a reform of the City Zoo, that should allow to shift part of the zoo's collection from the Parc de la CiutadellaThe City Council is planning to spend in 2009 15 off the total 200 million Euros to create a new marine zoo and update the current one.

Seventy years against the Catalan culture

2009-04-20T09:03:00.002+02:00

Seventy years ago Franco's troops occupied Catalonia and began a dark period for the Catalan culture and language. This was remembered yesterday more than 500 people who attended the event sponsored by the Commissió de la Dignitat, the Associació d'Escriptors en Llengua Catalana (AELC) and the Associació d'Actors i Directors de Llengua Catalana (AADPC).

Catalan public libraries hit new record: 20 million users

2009-04-17T10:03:00.002+02:00

Never such as access to knowledge was so widespread. Public libraries are becoming not only centres or access to knowledge and culture (through consultation and lending of books and audiovisuals, and free internet access), but also hotspots of social gathering of different generations of Catalans and newcomers. In Catalonia, the 333 public libraries jumped last year for the first time the barrier of 20 million users. The Catalan minister of Culture, Joan Manuel Tresserras, admitted yesterday that the economic crisis may be one of the reasons behind the increasing number if users, but also insisted on the "improvement and modernization" of these facilities.

New green points in Barcelona

2009-04-14T08:35:00.002+02:00

This month, Barcelona will have five more green point in the districts of Les Corts (Jardins Bacardí) Nou Barris (the square of Basses de la Peira) Sarria-Sant Gervasi (in Frederic Soler square), Eixample (Jardins Montserrat) and Robbie Keane (Dante-Lletres street). The green points are facilities for small reusable, recyclable materials or special waste collection. These new green points will be added to the existing network of the city, which already has 12 collection sites.

Vueling airlines to fire 100 workers

2009-03-30T09:16:00.002+02:00

Vueling announced the supression of the aircraft maintenance department, firing more than 100 people after the merger with the other low-cost airline Clickair. Maintenance duties will be transferret to Iberia, the main shareholder of the new merged company.
The aircraft maintenance department employed about 90 people in Barcelona, 15 in Madrid and 6 in Sevilla.

The cheaper the better

2009-03-27T09:21:00.002+01:00

Two shirts for 30 euros, an apron for 8 or a shirt for 15 are some of the reduced prices displayed yesterday at the street fair promoted by Cor Eixample, the association of merchants and professionals of the right side of the Eixample. An exhibition that took out the Rector Oliveras street with huge offers from 25 shopkeepers, as a way to fight against the crisis that seems to be affecting everyone. Elisabet Prat, Cor Eixample manager, said that the customers are 'very happy': 'Many have said that we should do this more often. »

Barcelona is hungry

2009-03-26T09:02:00.002+01:00

Soup kitchens and parishes that distribute food to needy people are facing a huge increase in the demand. The Food Bank Organization, which supply food products to over 500 organizations, warns that the beneficiaries increased 25% this year, an unprecedented leap. In addition, the profile of the users of the dining and charitable organizations is changing. Months ago, they were mostly immigrants. Now, they are more middle-aged natives, who have lost their jobs as a result of the crisis and not have enough income to cover their basic needs.
(Photo: Oriol Duran. A long queue in Pompeia parish)

Ryanair says NO to Barcelona's airport

2009-03-25T08:25:00.003+01:00

Ryanair has no intention to open an operational base at Barcelona's El Prat airport, because of the high taxes imposed by the spanish airports authority, Aena. said yesterday in a press conference the chairman of Ryanair , Michael O'Leary. Based on Ryanair's own data, Barcelona could lose this year to 6 million passengers due to the crisis, a situation that the presence of the low-cost company would help to avoid. O'Leary confirmed the strong commitment with Girona and Reus airports and the strong role of the company in this situation. "We love the crisis," he said.

Fundació Dalí, against Hollywood films about the genius

2009-03-24T08:55:00.002+01:00

In front of the accumulation of film projects on the life of Salvador Dalí, Fundació Gala-Salvador Dalí warned the US film industry that "there are red lines that must be respected", in words of the manager of the foundation, Joan Manuel Sevillano. The foundation has authorized only the single film already filmed and ready to be unveiled, Little Ashes, in which Paul Morrison explores the relationship between the writer Federico Garcia Lorca and Dali. "There are things in the film we do not like, but the foundation is not a censor, and at least you can see the intention to be minimally rigorous", something that the foundation does not appreciate in projects like the one led by Al Pacino and Antonio Banderas. Yesterday, the foundation presented the report of 2008 and three new acquisitions.

Barcelona will adapt all its bus stops for disabled people

2009-03-10T09:23:00.002+01:00

In Barcelona there are 2,135 bus stops, of which only 335, ie 16%, are adapted for people with reduced mobility. Having achieved a bus fleet 100% accessible, the removal of architectural barriers at the bus stops is one of the major matters pending in the City of Barcelona. For this reason the Council has decided to dedicate 3.7 million euros from the State funds for local investment. The action must be completed by the end of the year, which means 39 adapted stops each week.

Tarraagona wants to improve its Roman heritage

2009-03-09T16:33:00.003+01:00

The tourism competitiveness' plan for Roman Tarraco is starting the engine. Four months before its official launch, the ambitious initiative was presented, with the support of the Spanish State and the Generalitat. The Catalan government will fund 4.2 million euros over the next three years to the project, to will create a ring of towns with Roman heritage -Tarragona, Constantí, Altafulla and Roda de Berà, and consolidate the area as a main destination of cultural tourism in the Mediterranean. Among the proposals, there is the creation of a Tourist Center to reinforce the Roman Tarraco heritage worldwide.

Barcelona, city of entrepreneurs

2009-03-05T08:34:00.002+01:00

The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) believes that Barcelona is a world reference as an example of the fast economic transformation of a declining industrial city, which has managed to become "a dynamic economy with a world-class reputation.". The international organization puts the Catalan capital as a model to follow in the first in a series of meetings that will bring to Toronto, Cape Town, London and Glasgow, among others, in order to open a process of reflection on the local role and the role of local authorities in speeding up the economic recovery of cities. In October, they will be back in Barcelona to present the conclusions of the tour.
The organization presented yesterday in Barcelona a study that analyzed the policies of the city in the promotion of entrepreneurship and noted that the city has no outstanding weaknesses, but the need to increase the scale of their actions. Greg Clark, who is chairman of the Local Development Forum of the OECD, explained yesterday that Barcelona has managed to successfully develop its economy, but now another approach is needed. The focus should be put in the diversification of sectors (as has been done so far, where in fields such as fashion, design and food), now perhaps in areas where innovation and creativity are leaders.

Barcelona, a virtual city

2009-03-04T08:52:00.005+01:00

Barcelona will be a virtual city in a year, literally. The City Council yesterday presented the draft of the Barcelona 3D project, which will allow to visit the Catalan capital with a click, thanks to a digital reconstruction in three dimensions to be consulted from the municipal website. The Council is developing the project thanks to an agreement with the Fundació Barcelona Media. In a first phase, which must be completed within a year, 120,000 buildings in the city will be digitally rendered. 250 buildings will receive special treatment, to make them accesible with extra details, even froom the inside. In a second phase, for which there is no timetable, the street furniture will be added. (Picture: A virtual image of a street of El Born neighborhood)

El Corte Ingles to open in Tarragona in 2010

2009-02-25T07:34:00.003+01:00

"El Corte Ingles" obtained permission to build a new mall on a car park lot from the City Council of Tarragona. The company and the council continue to negotiate the final project of the building, because right now there are still differences of opinion. The company has extended the deadline and expects to open in the first half of 2010. (Photo: the place where the new mall will be builded)

El Punt newspaper celebrates its 30th anniversary with an all-new website

2009-02-24T08:32:00.001+01:00

"Independent, Catalan, local and democratic", was El Punt's motto 30 years ago, and it still is. In a world where information is increasingly global and universal, the leading newspaper in Catalan believes that local information is what readers want. El Punt celebrates the anniversary updating and improving its digital edition featuring one web page for each of the municipalities in Catalonia. On paper, El Punt already has seven daily editions around Catalonia, and two weekly editions in French Catalonia and Valencia. Since today, its digital edition is already in every city and town of Catalonia.

The new Passeig de Sant Joan in Barcelona to eliminate two lanes of traffic

2009-02-20T08:53:00.002+01:00

The new Passeig de San Juan will have two fewer lanes of traffic for cars -one in each direction, widen the pavements are 4.5 meters, and will become a real boulevard. This is the project presented yesterday by the district of Eixample. Now begins a process of consultation with residents and organizations. Works are set to begin before the end of this year. The first works will be between the Arc de Triomphe and Tetuan square. The reform will cost 3.5 million euros and will be ready at the end of 2010.

Susi is depressed

2009-02-19T08:59:00.000+01:00

The elephant Susi has no interaction with anything around it. Hardly moves. Doesn't eat anything thrown by the visitors to the zoo, either a rubber ball or a cut of ham. According to experts, these symptoms reveal that Susi is in depression, anxiety and boredom.
Susi, who was born in the wild in Africa 36 years ago, lives since 2002 in the zoo of Barcelona in an area of just over 1,000 m² and since last year is alone. His only companion, the elephant Alice, died in February 2008. Alice was the dominant female. An important role for elephants, because their social organization is matriarchal.
To be in a healthy environment, Susi should live with other elephants in a semi-open space of at least 20,000 sq. m., according to the recommendations of the European Association of Zoos and Aquariums.
The association Libera has begun collecting signatures for releasing Susi from Barcelona's Zoo. The Born Free Foundation joined the campaign to save Susi. Elephants in zoos are living fewer years, have few children and are affected by psychological disorders, as explained yesterday the biologist and spokesman for Born Free Foundation Daniel Turner.

Ciutat Vella district in Barcelona has closed 474 illegal tourist apartments in 10 months

2009-02-18T16:41:00.005+01:00

In the last ten months, the District of Ciutat Vella in Barcelona closed 474 tourist apartments operating illegally. This means 33% of all 1,396 apartments for tourists existing in Ciutat Vella (Old Quartet). 683 apartments were legalized. Rita Gonzalez, Councilor of the Ciutat Vella, said that the regulatory actions will not stop here. (Photo: Oriol Duran).

Barcelona starts today the demolition of the fascist monument to Primo de Rivera

2009-02-17T09:04:00.002+01:00

Today begins the demolition of the monument to José Antonio Primo de Rivera, founder of the Falange fascist movement, at the confluence of the avenue Diagonal with Josep Tarradellas. This is one of the last remaining vestiges of the fascist regime in Barcelona. The monument was inaugurated in 1964, to commemorate the 30th anniversary of the Falange Española. During the early years of democracy it became a normal concentration of local fascists. In 1981 fascist symbols were dropped, but the structure was mantained.

Brussels cuts down Segarra-Garrigues channel

2009-02-16T10:22:00.004+01:00

More than 18,000 farmers from the Segarra-Garrigues area are called to demonstrate today in Barcelona. Farmers are shocked by the decision from the European Union to cut substantially the irrigated area to be created by the new channel, because the project does not protect the birds of the zone. According to them, the cut makes the huge project something failed and unworkable. The Government is negotiating with Brussels in order to get a compromise that would allow both the irrigation and the protection of birds.
The Segarra-Garrigues canal is to open the gates early this March, to bring to life the territory's largest transformation ever planned in Catalonia. Following similar projects in Israel and other Middle Eastern countries, provides a wide turn arid region of about 100,000 hectares of dry land in an irrigated area, with more intensive farming and new economic activities in what is now one of the most depressed areas of the country. The transformation will take place through a channel of 85 kilometers length, taking water from the river Segre.
The current project, under construction, expected to 26,000 acres could not be watered because they have been declared as specially protected areas for birds. The European Commission, however, has decided that it is not enough and has added more than 20,000 hectares. This would reduce the area of irrigation to 54,000 hectares, half of the total area.

50 new hotels to open in Barcelona in 2009 and 2010

2009-02-12T09:37:00.003+01:00

The capital of Catalonia will open between 2009 and 2010 more than fifty new hotels, which will provide 5,600 extra rooms, 3,700 of them in four and five-star establishments.
In the last fifteen years, Barcelona has risen from 155 hotels to 315, with 29,500 room available, according to data provided by Turisme de Barcelona.
The real estate consulting firm Christie + Co brings into question the ability of Barcelona to absorb the new hotels projected for 2009 and 2010, although admitting that "the development of new hotels will continue, but some projects may be canceled because of the current economic crisis". Mar Vila, from Esade Business School, believes that the city does have enough factors to continue to grow both in number of hotels and in number of rooms . "I don't know if any of these projects will fall by the wayside or is poorly defined, but the city will go on growing. Barcelona has a powerful brand and is working on the right path", she says. "But only an increase in numbers was not always accompanied by a growth in revenue and profitability of the hotels, and there are already establishments that are losing money, and this is critical," she concludes.

Serrat joins the celebrations for the Centennial of the Palau de la Música Catalana

2009-02-11T08:54:00.003+01:00

Joan Manuel Serrat offered yesterday the first of his two recitals in the Palau de la Musica Catalana, both sold out the tickets months in advance and scheduled for the 100th anniversary of the building by Modernist architect Domènech i Montaner. Serrat will travel to Chile and Argentina and will return to Catalonia in March with more concerts of his tour "100 x 100 Serrat".
Six of our readers enjoyed the show, invited by Catalonia Today, one of the sponsors of the Centennial celebrations.

Barcelona will have a trade fair to buy and sell innovative projects

2009-02-10T10:49:00.002+01:00

The Mayor of Barcelona. Jordi Hereu, presented yesterday one of his planned actions against the crisis: focusing on innovation and the emerging economic sectors. Jordi Hereu introduced the launch of an unprecedented conference in June to meet in the Catalan capital some 2,500 executives from large companies with leading creators of projects in the fields of telecommunications, renewable energy and biotechnology. The meeting, called Hit Barcelona, aims to become a world reference. (Photo: Mayor Hereu arrives to Fira de Barcelona to present the new fair, with its president, Josep Lluís Bonet).

Chinese culture invades Barcelona

2009-02-09T09:08:00.003+01:00

The Cotxeres de Sants facilities in Barcelona welcomed yesterday the Xinafest festival, organized by Orígens cultural association, aiming to bring toghether Chinese and Catalan cultures. Throughout the day there were lectures, workshops and demonstrations who gave a touch of color to the festival.

Mayor Hereu defends Barcelona's model in London

2009-02-06T13:56:00.002+01:00

"It is the cohesion, gentlemen." The mayor of Barcelona, Jordi Hereu, adapted the well-known phrase 'It's the economy, stupid ", to synthesize in London how Barcelona is facing the crisis, with the same values of civic participation and complicity between the government and the citizens who have ordered the development of the Capital of Catalonia in the last 30 years. Hereu insisted that the current transformation is more powerful than the changes made because of the 1992 Olympic Games. After all, "the Barcelona of today is closer to 2020 than 1992," recalled the mayor, who boasts a lead Barcelona which turned out to be a city of small things without giving up the big projects of a great city.
Hereu said all this in a lecture at the London School of Echonomics after visiting the works of the 2012 Games, where he recommended to his hosts that the Olympic facilities need to be "linked to the city's main strategy" and to be "very aware of the post-Olympic stage". The mayor also took the opportunity to support the candidature of Madrid for the 2016 Games, and before returning to Barcelona, he inaugurated a new Consolat de Mar in the British capital. It is the fourth of these commercial offices, after the Deputy Mayor, Jordi William Carnes yesterday inaugurated the third in Paris.

Minister Maragall wants to change the schools calendar

2009-02-05T09:09:00.003+01:00

Advance one week the beggining of the school year, and set seven days of vacation in February, dates and variables adjusted for Easter. This is the new proposal the Catalan Minister of Education, Ernest Maragall, presented the School Council of Catalonia and was greeted by political parties, unions and parents with concerns to consider the "hasty" and "inappropriate." For Maragall, the changes would improve teaching and a more rational application of the school calendar.

The proposal stems from a report by a committee of experts based on the school calendars of other countries (the majority are spread over the holidays throughout the year) and changes the balance of Easter, Winter and Summer holidays. maintaining the 176 days of classes. According to Maragall, the change should not pose any problem because the teachers would continue back at the beginning of September, having been in June to prepare the classes.

Can Fargas finally belongs to the people of Horta

2009-02-04T09:48:00.002+01:00

The large masia Can Fargas is already public property after the City Council has paid five million euros for its expropriation. Neighbors and politicians "took ownership" of the house yesterday, in a ceremony full of symbolism meant to the final ten years of litigation, demonstrations and some clashes. With a total area of about 5,000 square meters, the building will be converted into a music school, while its gardens will be open to the public. According to municipal sources, the proposed facility will have about 400 studentsand more than 20 teachers.

Javier Fesser's Camino tops Goya awards

2009-02-02T15:22:00.005+01:00

Javier Fesser's Camino, a haunting drama about the Catholic group Opus Dei's influence on a terminally ill girl, dominated the 23rd Goya Awards last Sunday in Madrid. Camino won a prize in six of the seven categories in which it was competing, including best film, best director and best actress.The movie portrays the last months in the life of an 11-year-old girl (new actress Nerea Camacho) educated strictly in line with the dogmas of Opus Dei.
Carme Elias won best actress award in the role of her religious mother.
Puerto Rican Benicio del Toro won the best actor award for his interpretation of revolutionary Ernesto Guevara in Steven Soderbergh's Che, el argentino (Che the Argentine).
Main awards inculde: besta ctor for Benicio del Toro in Che, el argentino; best supporting actress for Penelope Cruz in Vicky Cristina Barcelona and best European film for 4 months, 3 weeks and 2 days by Romanian director Cristian Mungiu.

Spanish judges jailed 115 islamic people, but only nine got a sentence since 2002

2009-02-02T10:42:00.004+01:00

Police operations against Islamic terrorism made in Catalonia since 2002 have led to at least 115 arrests, mainly focused in the metropolitan area of Barcelona, in those kernels, such as Santa Coloma de Gramenet, Badalona, and the Raval district of Barcelona, where there is more concentration of people of Islamic origin. Seventy of the detainees are awaiting trial (fifty with provisional freedom and twenty in jail), and thirty were acquitted of terrorism-related root gihadista because the police investigation provided no evidence against them. Nine were convicted of collaborating or belonging to terrorist organization. Another of the detainees was prosecuted and convicted in Morocco.

President Companys' fascist sentence not to be nullified

2009-01-31T14:58:00.005+01:00

The Spanish government announced yesterday that drafted the statement of recognition and restoration of the honour of the Catalan president Lluís Companys, executed by Franco in 1940. The President of the Generalitat, Jose Montilla, and Joan Saura had this "step forward" for the planned law of historical memory. For ERC, however, is a "farce" because it has no legal validity. In fact the execution decision from the Fascist Spanish illegal government still have all its legal force.

Montjuïc's funicular closed for maintenance

2009-01-30T18:27:00.002+01:00

The funicular and cable car to Montjuïc close service to the public from next Monday until 20 February, both days inclusive, to carry out maintenance tasks. During this period, in which the infrastructure can not serve, will be a special bus service between the stops of Paral·lel and Montjuïc Park, which have the same schedule as the cable car, from two quarters of eight in the morning to eight o'clock in the evening. PHOTO: ORIOL DURAN

The Mayor of Barcelona wants the State to guarantee Nissan loans

2009-01-29T11:37:00.002+01:00

Barcelona's Mayor Jordi Hereu endorsed yesterday that the state guarantee Nissan loans, as had the Catalan minister of Labour, Mar Serna. The Japanese multinational company announced last week that requires the backing of the executive to achieve the money needed to ensure the continuity of the plant in Barcelona beyond 2012, and yesterday the Mayor insisted that the automotive industry is key to Barcelona and Catalonia. As it is, also insisted Hereu, the retail trade, threatened by the European directive that eliminates the restrictions to open malls in Catalonia.

The Olympic Stadium in Barcelona to be updated

2009-01-28T17:16:00.002+01:00

Any strategic plan on the Lluís Companys stadium is, right now, eclipsed by the conclusion of the next European Athletics Championships. It will be the first competition of its kind being held in the state, and since the council is very important to your organization. An event of this nature, which has a strong media coverage, forced to make a general renovation to the Estadi Olímpic. 17 million euros will be spent to, among others, refer to the dressing rooms to enable new media and modernize the markers. The project, in short, tries to make a more functional facility built in 1929. (Photo:Oriol Duran)

Salamanca private documents return to Catalonia

2008-12-24T11:31:00.004+01:00

The first private documents taken from Catalonia by Franco's nationalist forces in 1940, and kept in the Archivo General de la Guerra Civil Espanyola in Salamanca, returned to Catalonia's National Archive last Monday. The documents include 120 books, 75 of which were part of the private library of the writer, historian and politician Antoni Rovira i Virgili.
The rest of the documents, inlcluding private documents of political parties and various associations, are set to return to Catalonia in 2009.
More than 300,000 files and 1,000 photographs were taken by Franco's nationalist forces in 1940. Catalonian officials have campaigned for the return of the documents for more than 20 years.

Catalan investors buy a part of Spanair

2008-12-22T16:34:00.007+01:00

The tourism group Consorci de Turisme de Barcelona and Catalana d'Iniciatives, a private equity group, will buy a part of Spanair, announced the Scandinavian airline operator SAS AB. The Stockholm-based company said it had signed an initial agreement with the Catalan investors. A final agreement is expected by January 31, SAS said. SAS has been trying to sell Spanair, Spain's second-largest airline after Iberia, for more than a year as the carrier struggles to turn a profit amid tough competition and a slumping Spanish economy.

House prices lowest in 50 years

2008-12-10T15:22:00.003+01:00

New property prices are set to drop to their lowest level in almost 50 years, recent studies warn. Real estate experts are now predicting a drastic drop in residential construction next year, meaning that only 150,000 homes will be built in the whole of Spain, which is the fewest since 1960. This situation will certainly have a negative effect on employment as well. Studies say that one million people working in the real estate and construction businesses are likely to lose their jobs next year.

Pottery fair in Quart

2008-12-05T12:26:00.004+01:00

The village of Quart, near Girona, has become popular for its first-quality pottery. 43 potters and ceramists from all the corners of Catalonia will gather at the 19th annual Fira Mercat de la terrissa catalana from December 6-8. Visitors to the fair will have the opportunity to see the different traditional techniques used by locals to make various kinds of pottery, such as rakú, or just practise their skills with the clay. Declared an area of artesanal interest, Quart has known how to use its geographical location (the village is located in an area with an extremely clayey ground) to build a long tradition in pottery -making. Quart is especially famous for the black ceramics, the terrissa negra.

Ever-green fir trees at Espinelves Christmas fair

2008-12-05T11:47:00.004+01:00

What would be Christmas without a tree? For all those in love with the festive season, Espinelves (Osona)celebrates the traditional Fira del Avet, its annual fir tree festival, from December 6-14. Espinelves has become famous for this rural Christmas fair, over 25 years old. Visitors can choose from a myriad of fir trees, as well as Christmas decorations and crafts, exhibitions and street shows. http://www.espinelves.com/

Plastic bag controversy goes on

2008-12-05T10:48:00.006+01:00

The three members of the Catalan government don't seem to agree on the hot issue of plastic bags. While ICV-EUIA goes for the elimination of the bags, the other members of the government propose to charge customers for plastic shopping bags beginning with next year. The three left-wing parties need time to clear their thoughts and have given themselves six months to take a mutual decision. A special commission including government experts in environment, businesses, customers and other groups will be created to help them reduce the use of the environmental-damaging plastic bags. The deadline is June 2009.

Explosion in Gavà

2008-12-04T17:27:00.004+01:00

A gas explosion injured 24 people, 16 of them seriously, and killed a 60 year-old woman in a block of flats near Barcelona in northeast Catalonia on Wednesday. An accumulation of gas in the lower part of the three-storey block in the town of Gava could have set off the explosion, the spokeswoman for the interior ministry of the Catalan government said. The blast happened around 3am and at least four children were among the injured.The building was almost completely destroyed by the blast and a subsequent fire. Around 50 people living in neighbouring blocks of flats had been evacuated as a precaution.

Joan Baptista Humet dies aged 58

2008-12-03T10:17:00.004+01:00

Catalan singer-songwriter Joan Baptista Humet died Monday in Barcelona of stomach cancer, aged 58. Humet's songs, such as Que No Soy Yo , Terciopelo, and Gemma, among others, put to music the difficult years of Spanish transition, and became instant hits. Soon after, his songs Busco una Flor, Hojas, Clara, Hay que Vivir and Terciopelo, turned him into one of the most symbolic singer-songwriters of the 1980s.

El Punt newspaper celebrates the fifth anniversary of its Barcelona's edition

2008-11-30T14:45:00.003+01:00

Five years ago, November the 30th, El Punt published the first issue of its Barcelona`s edition. It was the opening of a new era for the newspaper, a milestone in the company's mission of achieving a Nation-wide Catalan newspaper. El Punt Barcelona was the result of months of preparatory works from a large team of journalists. Five years later, El Punt is the country's #1 newspaper written in Catalan by circulation and by readers.

Brown worried about plunged retail sales in UK

2008-11-29T22:43:00.004+01:00

Another front in his war against the crisis worries PM Gordon Brown, as British retail sales plunged in November at their joint-fastest pace since records began 25 years ago while a growing number of Britons predicted prices would fall, not rise, next year. Lending rates on dollar loans between banks rose for the second day running yesterday amid ongoing funding concerns despite the rescue of Citigroup Inc. earlier in the week. The rate on three-month loans in dollars — known as the London Interbank Offered Rate, or Libor — rose over 0.01 percentage points to 2.22 percent, according to the British Bankers’ Association.

Catalan novelist Juan Marsé, Premi Cervantes

2008-11-28T16:08:00.004+01:00

The Catalan author Juan Marsé, the writer who best portrayed Barcelona's post-war period, won the Cervantes literary award, the Spanish-speaking world's highest literary honor. The prize, considered a Nobel for literature in Spanish, worth 125,000 euros, has been awarded to Marsé for the body of his entore work focusing on the hardships of life in post-civil war Spain. The author of Últimas tardes con Teresa was born in Barcelona in 1933. Last year the Cervantes prize went to Argentine poet Juan Gelman. Previous winners include Jorge Luis Borges, Mario Vargas Llosa and Carlos Fuentes.

Plastic bags to be banned in Catalonia

2008-11-28T15:01:00.003+01:00

Catalonia's regional government is set to approve legislation that will ban all shops and supermarkets to give out plastic bags for free. From January next year, customers will have to pay for each plastic bag or bring their own shopping bag from home. This measure is meant to raise people's awareness on protecting the environment and follows the example of other coountries in Europe and the U.S.

Festival del Mil.lenni kicks off in Barcelona

2008-11-26T15:34:00.002+01:00

From December 16 to April 27, the 10th festival Mil.lenni will be offering around thirty concerts in Barcelona. Venues include the Palau de la Música, Auditori, Auditori del Fòrum and Gran Teatre del Liceu. The festival boasts a long list of Catalan artists including Raimon, Antonia Font, Jarabe de Palo, Josep Carreras, Manu Guix, Nena Daconte, Roger Mas and La Locomotora Negra, among others. Other highlights include Michael Nyman, Enrique Morente, Paco Ibáñez, Noa, Goran Bregovic and Ainhoa Arteta. Mil.lenni will also bring Sara Baras and Josep Carreras, who will be singing together for the first time in Barcelona. The festival kicks off with the Gotan Project and closes with Pasión Vega, in a show specially designed for the Gran Teatre del Liceu.

Three Mossos d'Esquadra sentenced to jail for torturing innocent immigrant

2008-11-26T12:53:00.008+01:00

Barcelona's Audiència (High Court) has sentenced to six-and-a-half years in jail to three members of the Mossos d'Esquadra (Catalan police) who tortured and threatened a Romanian man they confused with a thief in July 2006. On July 27, 2006, the Mossos d'Esquadra went to Lucian Paduraru's home, five days after a woman had identified him, although expressing her doubt, as the man who had robbed and assaulted her. According to the prosecutor in the case and eye witnesses, the officers beat Lucian Paduraru all over his body, and verbally abused him, threatened him and put a gun in his mouth to force him to confess. They also abused his girlfiend who was three months pregnant at the time. In recent years the Mossos d'Esquadra been the object of various allegations of police brutality and mistreatment. At present the three men are free and still working as police officers.

EU has its own Stimulus Package

2008-11-25T23:31:00.003+01:00

Today the European Commission is presenting a huge stimulis plan to meet the looming economic downturn, with more than 130 billion euros in initiatives.

President José Manuel Durao Barroso said the plan is based on a "groundwork coordinated measures by member states, which are tailored to each specific situation."

German Chancellor Angela Merkel approved injetions of capital in Europe's biggest economy of 32 billion euros over the next two years.

British Prime Minister Gordon Brown wants to lower its VAT from 17.5 to 15 per cent, starting next month, and even wants lower rates in some instances, such as restaurant bills.

All governments in Europe are facing the same challenge of preparing anti-crisis plans. Most choose from a menu that includes public works expenditures, tax cuts, monetary handouts, benefits for the families and other measures that can be applied fast.

Former Royal Navy officer accused of murder in Barcelona

2008-11-24T17:28:00.002+01:00

A former Royal Navy officer has appeared in court in Catalonia accused of murdering a Scottish man in Barcelona last october. The body of Derek Cowan, 46, was discovered in his Catalonian apartment on 8 October. The Mossos d'Esquadra described his death as "violent".
William Madley, also 46, from Huddersfield, Yorkshire, was arrested by Mossos in Barcelona at the weekend after a five week search. He was sent to the city's Model prison to await trail after appearing before an investigating judge at a closed door hearing.
Mr Cowan's body was found at his apartment in the upmarket Eixample neighbourhood. The discovery was made by a German business associate of Mr Cowan, Andreas Langweider. Mr Madley is reported to have served in the Royal Navy aboard a nuclear submarine at Faslane for four years during the late 1980s and early 1990s. Police in Barcelona would not give any details of how Mr Madley was traced and arrested.

Prison population to hit 10,000

2008-07-28T17:29:00.001+02:00

If the current growth trends hold steady, Catalonia's prison
population will exceed 10,000 by the end of 2008.
Currently, Catalonia's prisons are holding 9,845 inmates, according to
a study by the Departament de Justícia, up 4.78% since the end of
2007. The population of Catalonia increased 1.06% in that same period.
Of the total, 22.7% are in preventative custody awaiting trail, the
highest proportion in a decade. (Full story in printed edition).

Fewer tourists leave more cash

2008-07-28T17:28:00.003+02:00

Despite an endless stream of worrying news about the economy,
Barcelona's tourism industry is still having its cake and eating it
too.
While in the first five months of 2008 the Catalan capital saw the
first decrease in tourists seen in a long, long time, the tourists who
are coming are spending more money. At last, the elusive hunt for the
"quality tourist" seems to have born fruit, although it is at least
partly due to the global economic slump that keeps some tourists at
home. (Full story in printed edition).

Interviews with statues

2008-07-28T17:28:00.001+02:00

The human statues on Les Rambles are a longtime fixture of the city's
premier tourist thoroughfare. Residents often stride by without giving
a second look, but they are out there everyday, plying their curious
trade. What is it like to embody Julius Caesar or Che Guevara, a
Japanese World War II infantryman or an enormously fat lady? How do
they prepare, what do they think about and do they get bored? These
are some of the questions we asked the four human statues below. (Full
story in printed edition).

Neighbourhood renovation plan

2008-07-28T17:27:00.001+02:00

Some €99 million from the Generalitat and a further €99 million from
municipal authorities around Catalonia have been earmarked for
renovation projects in 22 local areas for 2008, in line with the Llei
de barris, passed in 2004. (Full story in printed edition).

Beijing 2008: Catalan talent infiltrates Spain

2008-07-28T17:26:00.001+02:00

There is no doubt that Catalonia has always acted as a hothouse for
domestic basketball talent. In recent years, however, the number of
home-grown players produced has been phenomenal. Even a glance at the
make-up of Spain's national squads reveals the dominance of Catalan
basketball players, with eight of the 15 players called up for
national duty in Beijing coming from Catalonia and a further eight
currently in the national reserve team. (Full story in printed
edition).

Platform, by Martí Gironell: Mandela and the role of sport

2008-07-28T17:25:00.001+02:00

Now that all the fuss over Spain's victory in Euro 2008 has died down,
I would like to talk about football. To be specific, about football
and Nelson Mandela. At the end of June, while Vienna was hosting the
Euro 2008 final, a concert was held in tribute to the South African
leader in London. Specifically, it was a concert to celebrate
Mandela's upcoming 90th birthday on July 18. I don't know if Mandela
asked for a television in order not to miss the Euro 2008 final, but
it is well-known that he is a keen football fan who defends the game
as a way of positively changing the lives of millions of people, many
of whom to be found in his long-suffering country. (Full story in
printed edition).

Battle for Santa Mònica

2008-07-28T17:24:00.001+02:00

Local art associations are not about to accept the sudden change in
direction of Barcelona's Centre d'Art de Santa Mònica without a fight.
The various groups issued a statement demanding that "the project put
foward by [Generalitat culture minister] Joan Tresserras be stopped"
until a ruling on the decision is released by the future Arts Council
that has been proposed as a new culture authority independent of
political interference. The statement called for establishing the Arts
Council as soon as possible and holding an international selection
process to select a new director. (Full story in printed edition)

Interview: Simone Lambrects, dutch musician: That ’ol Catalan hoedown

2008-07-28T17:23:00.001+02:00

– What brought you here?
In 1998 some friends introduced me to Cesc Sans and Pere Pau Gimènez,
a tabor piper and an accordion player – the two of them specialised in
Catalan folk music. We set up a folk band named Clau de Lluna, which
was the job that convinced me to come over and make a living in
Catalonia. I first collaborated with Pep Sala for the song La Taverna
d'Old John and it came out so well that he asked me to join his Banda
del Bar. I also played with Sau, Gerard Quintana, Lluís Llach, Toni
Xuclà, Electrica Dharma... (Full story in printed edition)

Finding the magic in 3D

2008-07-28T17:22:00.001+02:00

Catalonia's renowned maker of IMAX films, Jordi Llompart, is shooting
in Barcelona this month, putting the finishing touches to Spain's
first IMAX 3D feature film, The Magic Tale.
Largely shot in Namibia, the film is based on Llompart's own novel, El
corr damunt la sorra, and tells the story of a young girl who uses her
imagination to travel through the African wilderness with a young
African boy as her guide, encountering talking animals and a number of
other magical characters. (Full story in printed edition).

Living on the edge

2008-07-28T17:20:00.001+02:00

Shanty towns are impoverished urban settlements where individuals and
families are forced to improvise their own dwellings, constructing
them out of materials such as plywood, corrugated metal and sheets of
plastic.
Grey, dirty zones without proper sanitation or public services, these
are often areas in which crime, suicide, drug use, and disease are
common. We tend to associate such illegal settlements with developing
nations, but the proximity of them to our own lives is brought home to
us in a fascinating and sobering photography exhibition at Museu
d'Història de la Ciutat in Barcelona. (Full story in printed edition)

Summer options in town

2008-07-28T17:19:00.001+02:00

While many, if not most, of Barcelona's residents will hand over their
city to the tourists over the next few weeks, for those who stay the
Catalan capital will have a healthy serving of summer cultural events
on offer. Whether it is music on the rooftop of Gaudí's Pedrera or
cinema in Montjuïc castle's moat, some of Barcelona's most emblematic
sights will provide ample compensation for the city-bound. Below is a
selection of events on offer over the summer months. (Full story in
printed edition)

Eating out can be healthy

2008-07-28T17:18:00.001+02:00

Eating out in restaurants may be convenient or a good way to do
business or to celebrate a special occasion, but it is widely accepted
that doing it too often cannot be good for you.
This theory is now to be put to the test by Amed, an initiative from
the Catalan health department. Involving local authorities,
restaurateurs' guilds and the Fundació Dieta Mediterrània, Amed is a
network of eateries that will be allowed to bear a sign on their front
doors letting customers know that healthy food is served inside. The
scheme is based on a successful pilot project carried out in
Granollers and will now be extended to Barcelona. (Full story in
printed edition)

The Last Word, by Joseph Wilson: The New Feminism

2008-07-28T17:17:00.001+02:00

Once upon a time women had to be paid (in cash, and mainly in small
bills) to swing around a pole dressed in high heels and progressively
very little else. Oh, how the times have changed. El Periódico reports
that the latest fitness fad to arrive from US gym culture to these
shores is the estriptís class. So now we have women handing over money
to dance instructors or work-out leaders to learn the lusty arts of
erotic dancing. According to Barcelona's resident expert on the art of
striptease, Chiqui Martí, this form of exercise "is a compendium of
technics designed for a woman to carry out an activity which, besides
allowing her to keep physically, as well as mentally fit, permits her
to develop a feminine means of expression unknown to her until now".
(Full story in printed edition)

Ebre battle joins the tourist map

2008-07-17T12:00:00.001+02:00

Historic battlegrounds can become symbols of peace and often they are
turned into tourist attractions. That's the case in Catalonia, too,
which is transforming its Civil War legacy into a form of cultural
tourism with a major project to revive the heritage of the Battle of
the Ebre, one of the bloodiest and most decisive periods of the
Spanish Civil War, which celebrates its 70th anniversary this year.
The Generalitat is organising a network of routes and areas of
historical memory that will allow visitors to learn, or in some cases
remember, some of the most bitter scenes of the Spanish Civil War.
(Full story in printed edition)

Mas’s last shot at Generalitat

2008-07-17T11:58:00.001+02:00

Third time lucky. Or so Convergència's (CDC) Artus Mas hopes as he has
been chosen to lead his party into the 2010 elections for the Catalan
government after being reelected as general secretary at the CDC's
15th party congress which concluded on July 13. (Full story in printed
edition)

Catalan division over migration

2008-07-17T11:57:00.001+02:00

For Spain's immigration minister, Celestino Corbacho, economic
migrants bringing family members to join them is a privilege that
should be restricted as much as possible, while for Catalonia's
Secretari per a la Immigració, Oriol Amorós, the system known as
reagrupament familiar is a right that should be supported for the sake
of community relations. Into this rift has stepped the Generalitat's
minister for Acció Social i Ciutadania, Carme Capdevila, who has sided
with Corbacho. (Full story in printed edition)

The changing face of Glòries

2008-07-17T11:55:00.001+02:00

Demolition work on one of Barcelona's most unpopular structures –the
donut-shaped, concrete square in Glòries– began on July 10, offering
hope that the local area can be redeemed and live up to its name.
(Full story in printed edition)

Generalitat’s fiscal deficit widens

2008-07-17T11:54:00.001+02:00

Catalonia's fiscal deficit with the Spanish government – the
difference between what Catalan taxpayers send to Madrid and what they
get back in the form of federal expenditures and investments – is
widening, according to a study commissioned by the Generalitat's
finance minister, Antoni Castells. (Full story in printed edition)

Platform: Catalonia and the ‘asymmetric’ state, by Genís Barnosell

2008-07-17T11:53:00.001+02:00

Those in favour of a one-size-fits-all approach to the debate on the
funding of Spain's autonomous communities say that "asymmetric
solutions" – those that are not the same for everyone – are neither
viable nor fair. Yet, Spain, because of its history, geography and
politics, is by nature "asymmetric."
A clear example of this is the Basque Country. As Lehendakari
Ibarretxe proudly declared after legislation on the economic bilateral
cooperation with Spain was passed in 2002: "Whether in the European
Union, or among federal states or those with the greatest degree of
decentralisation, there is no case like that of the autonomous
community of the Basque Country – and the neighbouring community of
Navarra – in which bodies not belonging to the state have the capacity
to regulate their entire tax system." (Full story in printed edition)

State budget doubles Catalan funding of CCCB

2008-07-17T11:51:00.001+02:00

Thanks to the municipal charter approved by the Spanish parliament in
December 2005, the culture and finance ministries have signed an
annual agreement with the Barcelona City Council on how to dole out
the yearly budget of €20 million to the city's cultural institutions.
In an appearance before the Comissió de Política Cultural on July 9,
Joan Manuel Tresserras, the Catalan culture minister, reported to
Parlament the extent of the deal that had been reached with the
Spanish government. (Full story in printed edition)