Xavi: "I’ll be ready for València"
Xavi Hernandez downplayed the seriousness of the injury that will keep him sidelined for between 7 and 10 days. The midfielder hopes to be available for next Wednesday's match with València.
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The Catalan President asks Morocco to give an autonomous regime to Western Sahara
Artur Mas, the President of the Catalan Government, met with the “State Minister” of the Moroccan Government, Mohamed El-Yazghi, who acts as a deputy prime minister. Mas recommended that Morocco build a pseudo-federal model, as was done in Spain, giving the Western Sahara some degree of autonomy.
The Catalan President asks the foreign consular corps for help to put Catalonia on the world map
“We are not a peripheral region of the Iberian Peninsular, we are Mediterranean people very committed to Europe”, stated Artur Mas, President of the Catalan Government. Mas met with all the consular corps in Barcelona, which is one of the four non-capital cities with the most consulates in the world.
Catalan airline Vueling made 46 million euros of net profit in 2010
Despite volcanic ash clouds and air traffic controllers’ strikes The Catalan airline increased its net profit by 66% in comparison with 2009. In 2011, the company plans to increase by 15% its number of flights and passengers.
Abertis splits its activity into two different companies
One company will run the highway, airports and telecommunications business; another company will control the parking and logistic services. Shareholder distribution will not be changed. Abertis is a Catalan transport and communication services multinational, present in many countries.
Gerard Piqué becomes the new face of Mango
The FC Barcelona football player Gerard Piqué and the Catalan retail company announced the news today. Piqué will represent the brand for the next two seasons. In doing so, Mango plans to promote its male clothing section.
FC Barcelona and Guardiola sign the new contract
This morning, FC Barcelona President Sandro Rosell and Pep Guardiola signed the contract that will guarantee the services of the FC Barcelona manager until June 30, 2012.
Gas Natural Fenosa makes a net profit of 1,201 million euros in 2010
The net profit for last year illustrates a 0.5% increase in relation to the 2009. The Catalan multinational’s activities in Latin America grew by 30.4%. The energy giant is confident it will reach an agreement with the Algerian company Sonatrach on a pending issue on natural gas price adjustments.
The insurance group VidaCaixa makes 249 million euros of net profit in 2010
The insurance group of the Catalan savings bank ‘la Caixa’ earned 19,5% more than in 2009. The acquisition of Adeslas is a positive result for the VidaCaixa Grup.
The Spanish Government will formally ask to restore Pau Casals’ anthem for the United Nations
The Catalan violoncello player and composer Pau Casals was asked in 1971 to create an anthem for the United Nations by the former Secretary General. However, after Pau Casals death and the change of UN Secretary General, the anthem was never played again. The Spanish Parliament’s Culture Commission came to an unanimous motion to ask the Spanish Government to push for the restoration of the United Nations official anthem.
The Catalan Finance Minister affirms that the savings bank reform will not affect their social work
Andreu Mas-Colell, the Catalan Minister for Economy, reflected on the issue at a ceremony, where savings bank La Caixa and Catalan universities were giving away up to new 20 grants for research projects. The objective is to prevent a possible brain drain in Catalonia. Mas-Colell said that once the sector reforms were accomplished, the financial entities would get more freedom.
Chef Ferran Adrià will facilitate a course at Harvard for the next five years
The famous Catalan chef Ferran Adria was speaking at the Gastronomic Forum in Girona today. He said he would not be participating in conference for the next three years as he will be concentrating on his own brand new foundation. The Gastronomic Forum is a leading congress on cuisine that brings 30,000 people from all the world together.
Franco's symbols are still visible in some streets in Catalonia
More than 30 years after the end of the fascist dictatorship of Francisco Franco, some towns have yet to remove the symbols that celebrated the victory of the general back in 1939. In Tortosa, the council is following procedures to change the name of a neighbourhood that refers to the day that the fascists conquered the town.
Barça shows winners’ character (2-1)
Barça had to dig deep to overcome Athletic Bilbao at the Nou Camp tonight. An early David Villa opener and a 77th minute Messi goal gave them the win which reinforces their position at the top of the table.
The culinary world bids farewell to Santi Santamaria in his native Sant Celoni
The top Catalan chef Santi Santamaria, who has 7 Michelin stars, died from a heart attack in Singapore on Wednesday. His remains arrived today in his native town of Sant Celoni (45 minutes North from Barcelona). The chefs Ferran Adrià, Juan Mari Arzak, Sergi Arola, Pedro Subijana, among others, attended the good-bye ceremony.