Barcelona has an image as primarily a tourist city. This is the perception of most foreign professionals and entrepreneurs who have chosen the Catalan capital to work and live. This perception means that efforts are needed to improve its standing as a place to do business or research, explained Mercè Conesa, CEO of Barcelona Global, at the presentation of theInternational Talent Monitor 2025A study commissioned by the Barcelona Global association reveals that 62.9% of respondents perceive Barcelona as a tourist city, while only 7.2% see it as innovative and 2% as sustainable. This survey, conducted every two years, captures the pulse and trends in how international talent perceives the city. The analysis, supported by Banco Sabadell and the consulting firm Gaps, shows that international residents recommend "rebalancing the city's global narrative." 64.7% advise focusing more on technology and innovation; 57.7% on sustainability and climate; and 48.1% on creative industries, culture, and ecosystems such as life sciences to strengthen "a brand that projects Barcelona as the knowledge capital of Southern Europe," explained Oriol Molas, co-founder and CEO of Gaps.

The story of Jeffrey Epstein is not just that of a pedophile who ran a prostitution ring catering to wealthy men worldwide. It is also a story of money, politics, and above all, power. Epstein used sex to buy favors and influence, but also to obtain information and increase his fortune. The American magnate, who committed suicide in 2019 in a New York prison, had a network of accomplices who procured young models and minors for him. But he was also the mastermind behind the scheme. What did the wealthy men who came to him want? He provided it and opened the doors of the island to them. Little Saint James: a paradise in the Caribbean where he invited some of the most influential people on the planet and where some of these men assaulted and raped dozens of minors.

AstraZeneca, Hipra, and Sanofi are some of the names of the laboratories that the citizens of Catalonia began to learn about as a result of the coronavirus pandemic in 2020. Since then, in just four years (between 2020 and 2024), up to 23 hubs Digital and healthcare excellence companies have established themselves in Barcelona and its metropolitan area, solidifying the Catalan capital's position as a leading hub for healthcare investment. The arrival of these companies has generated up to 5,000 new jobs and positioned Barcelona as the only Spanish city to appear in the EMEA ranking—which encompasses Europe, the Middle East, and Africa—for attracting global healthcare investment. This is one of the main conclusions drawn from the report. The Barcelona metropolis. Investing, working and living in 2025The study, presented this Tuesday by the Barcelona Chamber of Commerce, compiles data from over 80 different indicators. According to the study, which shows that the greater Barcelona area has climbed to 12th position among the capital cities attracting the most investment in healthcare, at a level very similar to Zurich, Munich, and Dublin, but still far behind London, Paris, and Cambridge, which lead the rankings. Barcelona's position improves even further, to 9th, when we look at the health technology companies subsector. More companies and a stronger position also translate into greater talent attraction, more research, and more publications. The Barcelona metropolis has established itself as the ninth European region in scientific output and the 50th in the world. In 2023 alone, more than 1,500 articles were registered, representing 25% of the total published throughout Spain. The life sciences and health sector also attracted more than 25,500 graduates (with bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degrees) in scientific fields that year. And overall, Catalonia maintains its 3rd position in Europe in the number of "highly cited" publications per million inhabitants regarding advanced therapies, only behind Switzerland and the Netherlands. During the presentation, the president of the Barcelona Chamber of Commerce, Josep Santacreu, argued that to maintain this level, Barcelona must further strengthen its overall vision. "Our future involves presenting ourselves to the world as a metropolis that is larger than just the city of Barcelona," he said. From the Barcelona Metropolitan Area (AMB), the vice president for social and economic development, Jordi Valls, emphasized the importance of public-private collaboration and asserted that the success of the health sector also brings "direct benefits" to citizens: strengthening the public health system and improving the salary structure.

76,400 euros. This is the average price up to this month at which micro-businesses and small businesses in operation are being sold for others to follow. This represents a 3.6% increase compared to last year's average and even more so compared to the 67,734 euros in 2023. This is a figure from the managers of Reempresa, the business buying and selling market created in 2011 by the Valles-based employers' association Cecot and the Self-Employment Foundation, which has been collaborating with CaixaBank for ten years.

Once the light is on, Green light for the expansion of El Prat airport Doubts arise that perhaps should have been resolved earlier. And not all of them are green, that is, environmental, which are undoubtedly also essential. The first has to do with governance. Who will manage this facility? Shouldn't economic and social stakeholders be involved in some way? And to know exactly what we're talking about, shouldn't the manager, Aena, provide financial data on each of the airports, starting with the one in the Catalan capital?

Papelería Lesseps opened its doors in 1908 on the ground floor of Casas Ramos, in Plaça de Lesseps in Barcelona. After more than a century of history, the store closes its doors for good this Friday. Pepa Beltrán has been working there for 51 years, 20 of them at the helm of the business. She is closing permanently because she is retiring and hasn't found anyone willing to take over.