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A new study by the Catalan savings bank corrects and improves the previous economic forecast. It is now believed that in 2011, Catalonia will grow at a 1.1% annual rate, and at 1.6% in 2012. However, without the public sector budget cuts, the Catalan economy will grow at 2% this 2011. The export sector has reached historical maximums, and will lead economic growth. However, economic growth in 2011 will not be translated into an improvement in employment.

The private school will follow the British curriculum so, that when the students finish high school, they will be able to attend any public or private university either in Spain or in the United Kingdom. It is the latest addition to a series of international schools in Catalonia, which infuse an international and intercultural perspective into their teaching programmes, or they directly follow a curriculum from another country.

The website ‘Xplore Health’ is an educational tool for secondary school students. It aims to improve the understanding of biomedical science, as well as “inspire future researchers”. It is a European Commission project, led by Barcelona Science Park (from the University of Barcelona) and involving research centres and science museums from across the EU.

FC Barcelona has announced an agreement with Pedro Rodríguez to extend his present contract for one more season. The new contract will expire in June 30th 2016. His buy-out clause has been increased from 90 to 150 million euros. He has scored 45 goals in the last two seasons.

FC Barcelona announced that the Catalan Andreu Fontàs will be playing with the first team in the 2011/12 season. His buy-out clause will be automatically raised to 30 million euros. He is another player from Barça’s junior teams that reaches the club’s main squad.

The Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development’s Senior Economist for Spain thinks that the Catalan Government’s budget cuts are going “in the right direction”. He also denied that the Autonomous Communities’ deficit puts Spain solvency’s at risk.

The unemployment rate decreased for the third consecutive month. However, last June the reduction was inferior to that experienced in June 2010. June is traditionally a good month for employment figures, because of the high number of tourism-related new contracts.

The European Museum of Art houses 20th and 21st Century figurative paintings and sculptures from all over the world. It is located in Barcelona’s Palau Gomis, next to the Picasso Museum. The MEAM belongs to a private institution and aims at becoming a reference within European figurative art’s landscape.

FC Barcelona’s coaching directorate has always defended the need to prioritise home grown talent and give the youngsters a chance to shine. Last week, the old Masia building closed, as a new and larger one has been built in Barça’s Sporting City. Besides, the contract extension for Thiago Alcántara is the latest example of this policy.

A similar change happened in Girona Town Hall, where Carles Puigdemont, also from CiU, also became the first non-Socialist Mayor in the last 32 years, since the restoration of democracy. Barcelona and Girona Town Halls were constituted later than all the rest because of appeals regarding the electoral vote and the number of elected councillors. These two Mayoral offices consolidate CiU’s hegemony in Catalonia, after last May's municipal elections and after last November's Catalan Parliament elections.

The new bank becomes Spain’s third financial institution for its stock exchange value and the ninth in the Ibex-35 Spanish index. CaixaBank is the result of Barcelona-based savings bank La Caixa’s transformation into a private bank in order to strengthen its structure and position in the market, after the sector restructuration. The day CaixaBank was listed for the first time on the stock exchange, the rating agency Moody’s improved CaixaBank’s appreciation. However, after an initial increase CaixaBank’s value dropped by 1.1%. It is the first Spanish savings bank that concludes its transformation and trade on the stock exchange.

Over the last few years, surfing has emerged as a major sporting activity in Catalonia. Currently, there are approximately 7,000 Catalan surfers and this number is set to rise in the near future. New technologies, affordable equipment and an increase in surfing courses offered in Catalonia are the keys to the surfing boom.

Catalonia’s National Museum of Art (MNAC) hosts the most important collection of Romanesque art in the world. It displays works from the 11th, 12th and 13th centuries, and some mural painting ensembles that are unique. After half a year of intense renovation, the Romanesque collection is on show again, with a new narrative.

Jean-Pierre Filiu, expert in Islamic terrorism expert, tells ACN that the death of the Al-Qaeda leader should weaken the organisation and provoke a short circuit between their three main connected branches: the Maghreb, Iraq and Yemen.

Gamelab is organised in Barcelona for the first time and it will take place in the Catalan capital at least until 2015. It is the video game fair of Spain, which is the sixth market in the world. The trade fair contributes to consolidate Barcelona as a technology capital.