https://feeds.thelocal.com/ Read the latest news and views from Spain in English en-us news@thelocal.com (TheLocal) webmaster@thelocal.com (TheLocal) TheLocal RSS Feed Foreigners moving to Barcelona often ask whether they should learn Spanish or Catalan in preparation for living in the city. https://www.thelocal.es/20241028/is-it-more-important-to-learn-spanish-or-catalan-if-you-live-in-barcelona Mon, 28 Oct 2024 10:17:43 +0100 is-it-more-important-to-learn-spanish-or-catalan-if-you-live-in-barcelona The parliament in the tiny Pyrenean principality of Andorra on Thursday passed a law setting a minimum Catalan language requirement for foreign residents. https://www.thelocal.es/20240426/spains-tiny-neighbour-andorra-imposes-language-requirement-on-foreigners Fri, 26 Apr 2024 11:43:11 +0200 spains-tiny-neighbour-andorra-imposes-language-requirement-on-foreigners Even if you speak Spanish, if you're living in Catalonia, it's a good idea to learn some Catalan too. Here are some basic phrases you need to get by. https://www.thelocal.es/20210226/the-essential-catalan-phrases-you-need-in-catalonia Fri, 26 Feb 2021 12:08:24 +0100 the-essential-catalan-phrases-you-need-in-catalonia Spain's electoral board ordered Friday that Catalan separatist president Quim Torra be disqualified from being a member of Catalonia's regional parliament, meaning he would lose his presidential post. https://www.thelocal.es/20200104/spain-electoral-board-disqualifies-catalan-president-from-office Sat, 04 Jan 2020 10:17:42 +0100 spain-electoral-board-disqualifies-catalan-president-from-office Some 3,000 police officers and private security agents will be deployed for the rescheduled 'Clasico' between Barcelona and Real Madrid next week, local officials said Friday, amid renewed fears of unrest around the fixture. https://www.thelocal.es/20191214/3000-police-and-security-for-rescheduled-clasico Sat, 14 Dec 2019 09:48:09 +0100 3000-police-and-security-for-rescheduled-clasico The separatist president of Catalonia will be tried for disobedience after he refused to remove symbols of his movement from public buildings, the Spanish region's high court said Friday. https://www.thelocal.es/20190713/catalonian-president-to-face-trial-for-disobedience Sat, 13 Jul 2019 10:59:12 +0200 catalonian-president-to-face-trial-for-disobedience Thousands of Catalan separatists took to the streets of the Spanish capital Saturday to denounce the prosecution of 12 of their leaders, on trial for their part in the failed 2017 independence bid. https://www.thelocal.es/20190317/catalan-separatists-protest-in-madrid-against-trial Sun, 17 Mar 2019 09:35:51 +0100 catalan-separatists-protest-in-madrid-against-trial Around 200,000 people marched through Barcelona on Saturday against the high-profile trial of Catalan separatist leaders that started this week, which they dismissed as a farce. https://www.thelocal.es/20190217/200000-protest-in-barcelona-against-separatist-trial Sun, 17 Feb 2019 11:32:31 +0100 200000-protest-in-barcelona-against-separatist-trial Tens of thousands of people waving Spanish flags joined a rally on Sunday in Madrid called by right-wing and far-right parties against Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez over his negotiations with Catalan separatists. https://www.thelocal.es/20190210/45000-join-protest-against-pms-catalan-talks Sun, 10 Feb 2019 15:15:10 +0100 45000-join-protest-against-pms-catalan-talks For Catalan separatists, the trial of 12 of their leaders in Madrid next week is intensely personal, as AFP's Daniel Bosque explains. https://www.thelocal.es/20190209/catalan-separatists-they-are-judging-all-of-us Sat, 09 Feb 2019 12:59:20 +0100 catalan-separatists-they-are-judging-all-of-us A jailed Catalan separatist leader on hunger strike for two weeks has been hospitalised in the prison where he is held on rebellion charges, his doctor said on Friday. https://www.thelocal.es/20181215/catalan-leader-on-hunger-strike-taken-to-hospital-doctor Sat, 15 Dec 2018 10:15:59 +0100 catalan-leader-on-hunger-strike-taken-to-hospital-doctor Catalonia's separatist president Quim Torra called on Saturday for talks with Spain's new prime minister as the Catalan regional executive was sworn in at an emotional ceremony full of pro-independence symbolism. https://www.thelocal.es/20180602/catalan-president-calls-for-talks-with-spains-new-pm Sat, 02 Jun 2018 15:46:17 +0200 catalan-president-calls-for-talks-with-spains-new-pm Catalan separatists, meeting in Berlin, vowed on Saturday to attempt once again to get their leader-in-exile Carles Puigdemont reinstalled as president of the Spanish region while adding that they don't want to hold fresh elections. https://www.thelocal.es/20180506/catalan-separatists-to-try-again-to-elect-puigdemont Sun, 06 May 2018 11:36:32 +0200 catalan-separatists-to-try-again-to-elect-puigdemont Hundreds of Catalan independence supporters marched in Berlin on Sunday to demand the release of ex-regional president Carles Puigdemont, who was arrested in Germany last week and faces extradition to Spain on rebellion charges. https://www.thelocal.es/20180401/hundreds-rally-in-berlin-calling-for-puigdemonts-release Sun, 01 Apr 2018 16:17:26 +0200 hundreds-rally-in-berlin-calling-for-puigdemonts-release Jailed and exiled figures from Catalonia's separatist movement feature prominently in party lists unveiled by the region's pro-independence factions, ahead of elections called for December 21st. https://www.thelocal.es/20171118/sacked-catalan-leaders-get-pride-of-place-in-electoral-lists Sat, 18 Nov 2017 15:40:44 +0100 sacked-catalan-leaders-get-pride-of-place-in-electoral-lists Sales and bookings in shops and hotels in one of Barcelona's most popular neighbourhoods dipped by up to 30 percent last month amid the region's independence crisis, an industry representative said on Thursday. https://www.thelocal.es/20171117/catalonia-crisis-hits-business-in-barcelonas-busy-shopping-district Fri, 17 Nov 2017 09:55:16 +0100 catalonia-crisis-hits-business-in-barcelonas-busy-shopping-district Spain braced for more protests on Saturday despite tentative signs that the sides may be seeking to defuse the crisis after Madrid offered a first apology to Catalans injured by police during their outlawed independence vote. https://www.thelocal.es/20171007/spain-braces-for-more-protests-in-catalonia-crisis Sat, 07 Oct 2017 10:56:42 +0200 spain-braces-for-more-protests-in-catalonia-crisis Hundreds of people started gathering at polling stations in Catalonia early on Sunday to vote in an independence referendum banned by Madrid, according to AFP reporters on the ground. https://www.thelocal.es/20171001/hundreds-gather-at-catalan-polling-stations-to-vote Sun, 01 Oct 2017 10:11:37 +0200 hundreds-gather-at-catalan-polling-stations-to-vote The Spanish government has filed an appeal with the country's constitutional court against a reform passed by the Catalan parliament to fast-track bills through the regional parliament, Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy said on Friday. https://www.thelocal.es/20170729/spain-files-legal-challenge-to-catalan-referendum-move Sat, 29 Jul 2017 13:05:17 +0200 spain-files-legal-challenge-to-catalan-referendum-move The Spanish Congress voted on Thursday to reject the Catalan regional government's request to allow an independence referendum, planned for October 1st. https://www.thelocal.es/20170622/spanish-congress-says-no-to-catalan-independence-vote Thu, 22 Jun 2017 17:05:23 +0200 spanish-congress-says-no-to-catalan-independence-vote