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The Catalan President says that he will not work with the conservative PP after the Spanish general election if the party “crosses the red line” and tries to push a language agenda which puts at risk the current Catalan educational system. The leader of the PP in Catalonia, Alicia Sánchez Camacho, says Mas should accept the Courts ruling that have obliged the Government to offer Spanish as well as Catalan as a language of instruction at school.

The European Clubs Association has singled out Barça for its success both on and off the pitch in 2011. Awards are presented in recognition of good results, the encouragement of a healthy attitude towards sport, good business practice and strong connections between members

The airport is the largest in Catalonia and one of the most important in Europe. The requirement for competing companies is extensive experience in airport management and significant financial stability

Despite the financial crisis, visitors have increased by an average of 9.3% compared to the same period from January to August last year

Production this year is expected to exceed last year by 15%. The traditional pressing of the first grapes, held in Palamós, officially opened the harvest

The President urges institutions and citizens to defend the Catalan education system, which has been put at risk following a court order obliging the Government to include Spanish as a school language of instruction. Meanwhile, the Catalan Minister for Education, Irene Rigau, warns that on the 2nd of November the government “will not separate pupils by language”

Amongst the numerous acts, a special tribute, sponsored by Alice Cooper and Amanda Lear, was paid to the painter Salvador Dalí. The festival was held in the town of Figures, in northeast Catalonia. It is the best year that the festival has experienced.

The Catalan Supreme Court of Justice issues a court order giving the Catalan Government 2 months to change the current school model and include Spanish as a school language of instruction. The Government will appeal. Teacher unions and the main parent associations back the current model. Currently, Catalan is the language used and Spanish is taught in school but only as a subject. For the Catalan Government, the court decision breaks a model praised by international organisations, which guarantees social cohesion and the knowledge of both languages by all pupils.

The Constitutional amendment limiting public deficit in Spain has been only approved with the votes from the PSOE and the PP at the Spanish Parliament. Four parties decided to quit the plenary room at the moment of the voting, whilst the Catalan moderate nationalists and the Basque moderate nationalists stayed but decided not to vote. They complained about the way the Spanish Socialist Party (PSOE) and the People’s Party (PP) have negotiated and agreed on the second constitutional reform without the input of the other parties.

The CNA went to the streets to ask tourists what they thought of some of the traditions that live on here. Tourists appear unaware of Catalan culture suggesting that it is not sufficiently promoted internationally.

Tàrrega, close to Lleida in Western Catalonia, will become the capital of the performing arts from the 8th to the 11th September, during which time the public can enjoy 261 performers. The fair is a mixture of a street festival and professional fair.

A total of 584,648 people have ended up on the Public Employment Service of Catalonia (SOC) list of registered unemployed, representing an increase of 13,779 people, 2.41% more in relation to in July this year.

The Catalan Government is reducing public deficit and cutting public spending by 10% this year. All areas are affected, including healthcare, which is one of the departments with a smaller percentage budget reduction. Last August, 25 community health centres (CAP) reduced their opening hours, closing their emergency room during nights and weekends as they were scarcely used; as of this September, another 21 centres in a similar situation have been added to the list. Citizens have been camping in some CAPs to protest about the decision.

“It means that we are not wanted, we are excluded, we are ignored” stated Artur Mas, President of the Catalan Government and leader of the Centre-Right Catalan Nationalist Coalition (CiU). It was the first time he has spoken on the Constitutional amendment limiting the public deficit that has been agreed on only between the PSOE and the PP. The CiU has protested against reforming the Constitution solely on the basis of the agreement of only two parties. Members of the PP and the PSOE have been trying to convince the CiU to support what both parties had previously agreed, and PM Zapatero (from the PSOE) asked the CiU to show some “moderation”.

The National Art Museum of Catalonia (MNAC) has the greatest collection of Romanesque Art of the world. Highlights from the Alt Urgell series include the altarpiece of St. Michael and St. Peter.