A sign of regional power The Mossos d’Esquadra (its full, official name is the Policia de la Generalitat de Catalunya) was created in the early 1980s, as part of an arrangement to grant Catalonia greater regional autonomy. Its powers were broadened in the mid-1990s to take on almost all major policing duties in Catalonia except … Read more
Looking out onto the beach of Platja d’Aro, Josep has tears in his eyes. “I used to play and swim here as a kid, when the beach was twice as big,” the 48-year-old teacher says. Today, the main beach in the popular Catalonian holiday resort on Spain’s Costa Brava coastline is some 50 metres (164 … Read more
ONE of Europe’s most well-known attractions is giving away free tickets worth a little under £30 this month. La Sagrada Familia, in Barcelona, is handing out a whopping 20,000 tickets to the public, allowing them to enter the stunning basilica free of charge. Alamy One of Europe’s most famous tourist attractions is due to be … Read more
Austen Peters’ film village Bolanle Austin-Peters Filmmaker Bolanle Austen-Peters unveiled her film village, BAP Productions Film Village, in Epe, Lagos State, on her social media handles during the week. The 55-year-old stated that the film village, which covered over 10,000 acres of land with rolling hills and huts, was open for commercial purposes – including … Read more
Opposition leader Alberto Núñez Feijóo said Sánchez was responsible for the “unbearable humiliation” of the Puigdemont escape fiasco. Feijóo called on the prime minister to fire his Interior Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska and intelligence chief Margarita Robles. “Faced with this farce, the government cannot continue on vacation laughing at the Spanish people,” Feijóo said. But that’s … Read more
Puigdemont chose to return on the day that the Catalan parliament was voting on Socialist Salvador Illa becoming the region’s new president. “I wanted to be present during the investiture session and be able to exercise my right to speak and vote,” Puigdemont said in a video shared on X on Saturday. The former regional … Read more
Puigdemont’s lawyer, Gonzalo Boye, also spoke to RAC1 on Friday and said that the former regional president had left Spain, but he did not give further details on his whereabouts. Spain’s interior ministry had not replied to a request for comment at the time of publication. Puigdemont, the former Catalan president and figurehead of the … Read more
The former Catalan president announced his intention to return to Barcelona on Wednesday, saying he intended to be back in Barcelona for a vote on Socialist Salvador Illa becoming regional president, which would put an end to 14 years of separatist governments. Puigdemont intends to march to the Catalan parliament accompanied by his supporters. Police … Read more
That is … until now? On Wednesday, he made his big plan to reenter Spain public, saying that he has to be at the vote in parliament. Police have reacted by mobilizing to search the sewers and have even sealed off the Barcelona Zoo from the parliament grounds, which are normally connected. Take our quiz … Read more
Although Illa fell short of a governing majority, last week he secured the support of the Republican Left of Catalonia, a pro-independence party that was once allied with Puigdemont but which broke ties with him due to his constant attacks on their leaders. In exchange for Republican Left votes, Illa has promised to attempt to … Read more
