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.
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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.
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.
The Valencian Government stops Catalan Television broadcasts in Valencia
For many Catalan speakers in Valencia, the measure is a clear attack against their linguistic rights. The Valencian Government created a law foreseeing harsh fines per every day of emissions. The Spanish Supreme Court is to decide on the matter, but meanwhile the emissions had to stop yesterday after 25 years of broadcasting.
The retail group Inditex that owns Zara will invest €190 millions in Catalonia
The multinational clothing company Inditex has announced the expansion of its logistics centre in Tordera (North of Barcelona coast), which will create 500 direct jobs. According to the company, the centre will become the largest and most modern clothing distribution centre in Europe. Inditex CEO announced the decision after a meeting with the Catalan President.
The Catalan chef Santi Santamaria, with 7 Michelin stars, dies at 53
Santamaria was at his Singapore restaurant when he died. The actual causes of the death are still unknown, but the family talks about a heart attack. Santamaria was a defender of the Catalan traditional cuisine. He had two restaurants close to Barcelona and one in Madrid, Toledo, Dubai, and Singapore. He was the first Catalan chef to get three Michelin Stars for his main restaurant, ‘El Racó de Can Fabes’.
The former Spanish Ambassador to NATO will represent Catalonia in Brussels
The Spanish diplomat Juan Prat will become the next Catalan Delegate to the European Union, representing the Catalan Government’s interests in Brussels. Prat was the Spanish Ambassador to The Netherlands and used to be the Ambassador to NATO with former PM José Maria Aznar. He also served as the European Commission’s Director General for External Relations. Besides, Barroso and Mas will meet on the 3rd of March.
Ryanair cancels 28% of its routes from Girona airport
The low-cost airline Ryanair is cutting 28% of its routes from Girona airport and not replacing them with routes from other Catalan airpots. Although Ryanair promised to stay in Girona a few months ago, now the Irish airline company has accused the current Catalan Government of not respecting their agreement, for which it was receiving public subsidies. The Government is surprised by the decision and has reminded Ryanair of its current obligations.
Education halts the introduction of laptops in classrooms
The Catalan Minister for Education said that not all the 40,000 students that were meant to start the laptop programme at the next academic course will be able to do so. Although the main reason is due to the economic cutbacks, the Minister said that the are also pending teaching evaluations regarding the use of laptops.
'Pa Negre', shot entirely in Catalan, wins the Spanish Oscars
The Catalan movie 'Pa Negre', directed by Agustí Villaronga and filmed entirely in Catalan, is a huge hit at the Goya Awards taking home 9 awards out of 14 nominations, including the awards for the best film, the best director, and 4 of the 6 acting awards. The movie pictures the dark years after the Spanish Civil War in Catalonia.
Catalan fruit fosters its internationalisation in Berlin
The Catalan Minister for Agriculture Josep Maria Pelegrí visited Berlin this week to greet the 23 Catalan companies that were exhibiting at the Fruit Logistica fair in Berlin. Catalonia has a significant fruit production industry and it exports fruit all over Europe.
The Catalan wine giant Torres increased its turnover by 11.5% in 2010 but profits are “minimal”
The well-known Catalan wine brand Torres that is available in supermarkets all over Europe exported 72% of its production in 2010. The company registered a turn-over of 205 million euros, 11.5% more than in 2009.
The Catalan surrealist painter Salvador Dalí has a record-breaking week at London auction houses
At an auction this week at the Sotheby Art Auction House in London, a Salvador Dalí painting was sold for no less than 16 million euros setting a world record for the Catalan artist and for any Surrealist work of art in the world.
The Catalan President rejects raising taxes and states that a 10% budget cut is enough
Artur Mas, the President of the Catalan Government answered the Spanish Vice President for Economy, who yesterday suggested that he should raise taxes. He also wants to stop the debate about which percentage of the public expenditure should be cut, after the insistence from Madrid to go beyond the 10%. The Advisory Council for the Economic Recovery met today for the first time. Mas also announced a Catalan summit on economic recovery scheduled for the 25th of March.