Compared to 2009, real estate sales increased by 21.4% in Catalonia. The Catalan market’s activity triples the Spanish average. However, forecasts for 2011 are no so optimistic due to the VAT increase and the end of the fiscal deduction for purchasing houses and flats.
Three Catalan movies compete in various categories at the Berlinale film festival. In addition, during the 10 days of festival, 13 Catalan movies are screened to the public in the German capital.
Custo Barcelona and Toni Francesc are on show this week in New York. Their latest fashion creations for the next Winter-Fall season are being modelled along side work from 100 designers from all over the world as part of the famous New York Fashion Week.
La Masia-Centre de Formació Oriol Tort, the new FC Barcelona's sports residence in the midst of the Ciutat Esportiva, will be finished by next June and the building will be up and working for next season.
According to the new German Chamber of Commerce Managing Director in Spain, the Central European country could promise young Catalans not only training and competitive salaries but also job stability. He also explains which are the obstacles in his view that stop German investments in Spain and Catalonia.
‘The Selected Stories of Mercè Rodoreda’ is the book’s title. It is the second English translation of this Catalan author from the second half of the 20th century.
The Catalan Government’s initiative received the support of its own group (CiU) as well as votes from the opposition: the Catalan Socialist Party (PSC), the Catalan People’s Party (PPC) and the Left-Wing Catalan Independence Party (ERC). The Catalan Minister for Economy Andreu Mas-Colell explained the details of the legal initiative that was passed via an urgency procedure. The initial amount will be of 2,613 million euros.
The Catalan airline Pyrenair postponed all flights that were connecting Lleida and Vigo. For the moment, they will continue operating between Lleida-Alguaire airport and Madrid and will replace the previous flight with a new one to and from A Coruña.
A year after setting up, the CNAG (National Centre for Genome Analysis) is the second most important DNA centre in Europe. It is located in Scientific Park of Barcelona and each day processes 100 Gigabytes of information, stored a 1.2 Petabyte supercomputer.
Pep Guardiola’s time at Barça has been marked by some amazing football displays, constant triumphs and a flood of titles. He is the man who has managed Barça to so many records.
The figure represents approximately 40% of the Catalan Government’s deficit in 2010. Barcelona’s Chamber of Commerce maintains a growth forecast of 0.8% for the Catalan economy in 2011.
The Spanish Parliament approved a motion to start decentralising the airport model. The motion relates to the two main airports: Madrid and Barcelona. The Autonomous Communities, local administrations and the private sector would have a say in the management of the main airports.
After yesterday’s meeting with Spanish Prime Minister Zapatero and the Catalan President, nine Autonomous Communities are protesting and accusing Zapatero of giving privileges to Catalonia. The Catalan Government rejects these accusations recalling that all the discussed transfers were pending issues that had already been agreed on. The new debt will be used to re-finance previous debt and reduce the deficit. This evening, the Spanish Ministry of Economy clarified that Catalonia’s authorisation will be applicable to all the Communities with an approved viability plan.
Roser Capdevila created the 'The Triplets' in 1983 based on her own three daughters. The stories of the three sisters have been published all around the world and the author has decided to offer the original paintings to the Catalan Library.
FC Barcelona and Josep Guardiola reach an agreement to renew the coach’s contract. The current contract was expiring at the end of this 2011 June. The club announces the agreement, to be signed in a few days.