The northwestern Catalan airport, Andorra - La Seu d'Urgell, located in the Pyrenees, will now offer regular year-round flights to Palma de Mallorca, as announced by the Andorran government. Authorities decided to resume this connection from September until 2026 following the "success" of last season's pilot scheme, which saw an average occupancy rate of 70%. During the winter season, 2,594 passengers traveled on the route, with the occupancy rate peaking at 94% in February. Spain's Iberia Regional airline, Air Nostrum, will operate the flights between the two airports starting on September 28. The flights will run on different days depending on the season: on Fridays and Sundays between November and March, and on Saturdays and Tuesdays between September and October. The airport already offers weekly direct flights between La Seu d'Urgell and Madrid on Fridays and Sundays. The current contract for this route ends at the end of the year, but a new public tender has been organized to extend the service through 2026. In 2024, approximately 4,500 people traveled to Madrid from the Andorra-La Seu d'Urgell Airport, with an average occupancy rate of 52%. Get the day's biggest stories right to your phone schedule and how to watch liveWorld cup titles will be won and rapids will be conquered during the final canoe slalom world cup race of the season Find out how to follow all the action from the Parc Olímpic del Segre there’s still six world cup titles left to be awarded during the final weekend of whitewater paddling this summer at the 2024 ICF Canoe Slalom World Cup La Seu from 19-22 September With its characteristically steep drops and natural design the Parc Olímpic del Segre in La Seu d’Urgell Spain will provide the ideal conditions for a dramatic conclusion to the 2024 ICF Canoe Slalom World Cup Through the next four days, expect tense runs, razor-thin margins and thrilling races as the world’s best canoe slalom athletes go head-to-head one final time this season. Read on to find out more about the 2024 ICF Canoe Slalom World Cup La Seu, including the schedule, key athletes to follow and how to watch canoe slalom live from the Parc Olímpic del Segre. Australia’s Jessica Fox will return to the ICF Canoe Slalom World Cup for the first time since she won a pair of gold medals in the women’s kayak single and canoe single events at the Olympic Games Paris 2024 The four-time olympian has managed to maintain her lead in the women’s canoe single standings despite skipping the fourth world cup event in Ivrea Germany’s Nele Bayn will enter the final World Cup weekend as her closest challenger but Fox will be heavily favored to win the title after finishing no worse than second place in the three World Cups she entered this season need to chart a more challenging path to the title in the women’s kayak single event where she enters the final World Cup race of the season third in the World Cup rankings Fox and Funk have averaged better scores throughout the season each missing one World Cup to give Vuitton the edge as the 20-year-old already proved she could beat both Fox and Funk this season claiming victory over the pair at the 2024 ICF Canoe Slalom World Cup Prague who won a bronze medal in the event at Paris 2024 Noemie Fox**,** who took the gold in Paris attempting to improve her fifth place ranking and win her first World Cup race of the season with only a few points separating Woods and Kneblova the battle for the World Cup title will ultimately be decided on the water at the Parc Olímpic del Segre Picture by Justin Setterfield/Getty Images 2024Elena Lilik (GER) competes in kayak cross at the Olympic Games Paris 2024 France’s Nicolas Gestin will make his highly anticipated return to World Cup competition at the 2024 ICF Canoe Slalom World Cup La Seu Benus controls the rankings by a thin margin over Slovenia’s teenage phenom Ziga Lin Hocevar who’s struggled to find his way back to the podium since winning the first World Cup race of the year in Augsberg creating a high stakes battle for the title The men’s kayak single event is a little more straightforward with France’s Anatole Delassus holding a strong lead over his nearest rivals in the rankings Czechia’s duo of Jakub Krejci and Vit Prindis will be eager to 'rock the boat' during the final world cup of the season All three will look to improve their standings and add a final accolade to their growing resumes While there is plenty to fight set to go down in the men’s canoe single and kayak single events it is perhaps the men’s kayak cross where paddlers have the most to gain - or lose - during the final World Cup of the season Brazil’s Pedro Goncalves leads the rankings by a single point over France’s Mathurin Madore with the pair positioned for an epic duel at the Parc Olímpic del Segre ExclusiveHighlightsBest of Barcelona 1992When the Olympic Games in Barcelona were opened with a spectacular ceremony in 1992 the face of the world had changed: The Soviet Union no longer existed Yugoslavia was divided into several republics and South Africa was taking part in the Games for the first time since 1960 Re-live the exciting Barcelona Games in this highlight video a scenic five-stage road trip that takes in fine-dining experiences A road trip through Catalonia allows visitors to take in Romanesque architecture breathtaking natural parks and world-class vineyards.Photograph by Rafa PérezByEsme FoxNovember 11 2024From the craggy peaks of its mountainous interior to the pristine beaches of its coastal shores It's a diversity that is reflected in the gastronomic offerings of this northeastern Spanish region which include everything from fresh seafood and award-winning wines to traditional liquors and hearty alpine cuisine a specially designed circular road trip that aims to offer travellers an overview of the region’s best cuisine depending on your interests and time constraints but for the ultimate gastronomic Grand Tour experience Then, resume your journey west to the city of Valls, where the Castell Museum of Catalonia gives an insight into the area's famous castells human towers that have been declared a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity a cross between a spring onion and a leek that’s delicious chargrilled and eaten with an almond and red pepper sauce called romesco Visit on the last Sunday in January for Valls’ Calçotada Festival which marks the beginning of the calçot season End this first stage of your road trip in the historic city of Tarragona or the nearby town of Reus, birthplace of the architect Antoni Gaudí. Those who choose to rest up in Reus can round off a day’s driving with a visit to the Museu del Vermut a restaurant and museum dedicated to vermouth Photographs by Rafa PérezSection 2: Tarragona to LleidaFrom Reus, travel north west to Priorat, another of Catalonia’s undulating wine regions and one recognised internationally for its delicious, full-bodied reds. Make a stop at the Scala Dei winery housed in parts of the ancient Scala Dei priory to learn more about its production and enjoy tastings short-grain rice grown in the Delta de l'Ebre is highly uniform in its appearance and efficiently absorbs flavours when cooked making it an ideal option for paella-style dishes.Photograph by Catalan Tourist BoardSection 3: Lleida to Seu d’UrgellWander past Lleida's Gothic-Romanesque cathedral to reach one of the city’s covered markets where you can browse colourful local produce including olive oil or one of the region's pears — both of which have been awarded a Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) label traditionally served roasted a la llauna — on a metal sheet placed directly over the embers of a fire a dramatic gorge where rock walls rise 1640ft either side of an incredible cobalt river follow the road up to overnight in the historic village of La Pobla de Segur several rustic restaurants serve specialities such as fresh river trout first-rate cured sausages and grilled Pyrenean meats Round off your meal by sampling a shot of traditional ratafia drive north towards Aigüestortes i Estany de Sant Maurici rivers and streams flow between rocky mountain peaks and verdant green pastures Stretch your legs on the park's many hiking or biking routes or continue straight onto the village of La Seu d’Urgell In the nearby villages of Olot or Santa Pau stop to lunch on volcanic cuisine that features pork wild boar and the famous mongetes beans that thrive in the fertile soil of the area As you weave further up the Costa Brava, you'll pass apple orchards, fishing ports and picturesque botanical gardens. But be sure to make a final food-focused pit stop in the medieval town of Vic — known for its delicious sausages — before making your way back to Barcelona. Urgell Archbishop Joan-Enric Vives i Sicília, left, and Coadjutor Bishop-elect Josep-Lluís Serrano Pentinat attend a press conference on July 12, 2024. Screenshot from @BisbatUrgell YouTube channel.The Holy See press office announced July 12 that Msgr an official at the Vatican Secretariat of State would serve as coadjutor alongside the Urgell diocese’s current head Serrano will become the Bishop of Urgell and co-prince of Andorra when the pope accepts the resignation of Vives Vives himself was initially appointed as a coadjutor bishop in 2001 succeeding Archbishop Joan Martí i Alanis as Bishop of Urgell two years later serves around 212,000 Catholics from its base in La Seu d’Urgell a prosperous microstate with a population of 80,000 people nestled between France and Spain in the Pyrenees mountains two heads of state — the Bishop of Urgell and the President of France (currently Emmanuel Macron) — who are styled as co-princes Andorra’s 1993 constitution defines the country as a sovereign parliamentary democracy But it says that the co-princes are “the symbol and guarantee of the permanence and continuity of Andorra as well as of its independence and the maintenance of the spirit of parity in the traditional balanced relation with the neighboring states.”  The constitution notes that the co-princes can together exercise the power to pardon They can also ask for preliminary judgments on the constitutionality of proposed laws Other powers can only be accessed together with the head of Andorra’s government, currently Xavier Espot Zamora, who congratulated Serrano on his appointment July 12 The jointly exercised powers include calling for elections or referendums Both co-princes act through personal representatives. Archbishop Vives is represented by the Spanish priest Fr. Josep Maria Mauri i Prior. Macron’s representative is senior civil servant Patrick Strzoda The Bishop of Urgell has important ceremonial functions. For example, Vives represented Andorra at the funeral of Britain’s Queen Elizabeth II in 2022 The new coadjutor bishop-elect was born in Tivissa,  in the autonomous Spanish region of Catalonia He was ordained in 2002 as a priest of the Diocese of Tortosa After training at the Pontifical Ecclesiastical Academy he served as secretary at nunciatures in Mozambique before arriving at the Secretariat at State which oversees the Holy See’s relations with other states Since 2019, Serrano has served as counselor of the nunciature in the Secretariat of State’s Section for General Affairs. He has also worked until now as special secretary to Archbishop Edgar Peña Parra the second-ranking figure at the Secretariat of State after Parolin He served briefly in 2019 as a director of London 60 SA Limited a company created and owned by the Secretariat of State to manage the luxury property whose purchase led to the sprawling Vatican financial trial The Secretariat of State posted a photo on its social media account July 12 showing Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin announcing Serrano’s appointment. A map highlighting in red the Diocese of Urgell which covers part of Spain and the whole of Andorra Ansunando via Wikimedia (CC BY-SA 4.0).The 47-year-old coadjutor bishop-elect’s diplomatic background could be useful given the unique requirements of serving as the Bishop of Urgell Although the Church-state arrangement in Andorra has endured for centuries A flurry of reports in 2018 suggested that Archbishop Vives might have to abdicate if the principality legalized abortion, likely prompting a constitutional crisis. But the crisis was averted and abortion remains illegal in all cases As Vives neared the typical episcopal retirement age of 75, there was speculation in the Catalan media about whether the Vatican would mark his departure by creating a separate diocese of Andorra as a prelude to possibly eliminating the co-prince arrangement In a message to his future diocese Serrano said: “I thank the good God for this call and I put myself at your disposal and at the service of those who most need God's affection and always together with Archbishop Joan-Enric helping him in the pastoral care of the diocese as well as maintaining his good relations with public institutions.” Welcoming Serrano’s appointment, Vives said: “Now we will work in communion, complementarily, we will live together and we will communicate things and criteria to better serve the diocese and the principality of Andorra.”  “This is what I learned to do with Archbishop Joan Martí when I arrived in La Seu d’Urgell in 2001, and this is what we will try to do now with Bishop Josep-Lluís, counting on the collaboration of the priests and deacons, the consecrated people and the lay men and women of the diocese.” ReplyShare2 replies2 more comments...LatestNo posts Pope Francis appointed Friday a coadjutor bishop of Urgell, a diocese in Spain whose leader is also co-prince of the tiny neighboring principality of Andorra. Urgell Archbishop Joan-Enric Vives i Sic\u00EDlia, left, and Coadjutor Bishop-elect Josep-Llu\u00EDs Serrano Pentinat attend a press conference on July 12, 2024. Screenshot from @BisbatUrgell YouTube channel.The Holy See press office announced July 12 that Msgr would serve as coadjutor alongside the Urgell diocese\u2019s current head Archbishop Joan-Enric Vives i Sic\u00EDlia succeeding Archbishop Joan Mart\u00ED i Alanis as Bishop of Urgell two years later serves around 212,000 Catholics from its base in La Seu d\u2019Urgell nestled between France and Spain in the Pyrenees mountains.  two heads of state \u2014 the Bishop of Urgell and the President of France (currently Emmanuel Macron) \u2014 who are styled as co-princes Subscribe now Andorra\u2019s 1993 constitution defines the country as a sovereign parliamentary democracy But it says that the co-princes are \u201Cthe symbol and guarantee of the permanence and continuity of Andorra as well as of its independence and the maintenance of the spirit of parity in the traditional balanced relation with the neighboring states.\u201D  Other powers can only be accessed together with the head of Andorra\u2019s government, currently Xavier Espot Zamora, who congratulated Serrano on his appointment July 12 Both co-princes act through personal representatives. Archbishop Vives is represented by the Spanish priest Fr. Josep Maria Mauri i Prior. Macron\u2019s representative is senior civil servant Patrick Strzoda The Bishop of Urgell has important ceremonial functions. For example, Vives represented Andorra at the funeral of Britain\u2019s Queen Elizabeth II in 2022 The new coadjutor bishop-elect was born in Tivissa,  in the autonomous Spanish region of Catalonia the Vatican\u2019s diplomatic school in Rome which oversees the Holy See\u2019s relations with other states Since 2019, Serrano has served as counselor of the nunciature in the Secretariat of State\u2019s Section for General Affairs. He has also worked until now as special secretary to Archbishop Edgar Pe\u00F1a Parra the second-ranking figure at the Secretariat of State after Parolin.  He served briefly in 2019 as a director of London 60 SA Limited a company created and owned by the Secretariat of State to manage the luxury property whose purchase led to the sprawling Vatican financial trial.  The Secretariat of State posted a photo on its social media account July 12 showing Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin announcing Serrano\u2019s appointment. Ansunando via Wikimedia (CC BY-SA 4.0).The 47-year-old coadjutor bishop-elect\u2019s diplomatic background could be useful given the unique requirements of serving as the Bishop of Urgell.   A flurry of reports in 2018 suggested that Archbishop Vives might have to abdicate if the principality legalized abortion, likely prompting a constitutional crisis. But the crisis was averted and abortion remains illegal in all cases.  As Vives neared the typical episcopal retirement age of 75, there was speculation in the Catalan media about whether the Vatican would mark his departure by creating a separate diocese of Andorra as a prelude to possibly eliminating the co-prince arrangement.  In a message to his future diocese Serrano said: \u201CI thank the good God for this call as well as maintaining his good relations with public institutions.\u201D Welcoming Serrano\u2019s appointment, Vives said: \u201CNow we will work in communion we will live together and we will communicate things and criteria to better serve the diocese and the principality of Andorra.\u201D  \u201CThis is what I learned to do with Archbishop Joan Mart\u00ED when I arrived in La Seu d\u2019Urgell in 2001 and this is what we will try to do now with Bishop Josep-Llu\u00EDs counting on the collaboration of the priests and deacons the consecrated people and the lay men and women of the diocese.\u201D A Spanish mountaineer has disappeared and another eight have been rescued this Tuesday as a result of an avalanche on the highest mountain in Armenia three firefighters and six hikers from a mountaineering group who had left La Seu d’Urgell (Lleida) were surprised by an avalanche Eight of the affected were rescued and the ninth was missing “Thanks to the collaboration with the Armenian authorities eight of the nine mountaineers have been rescued,” declared the Minister of Foreign Affairs Seven of those rescued are hospitalized and out of danger and the eighth is “perfectly well,” he added Seven of those rescued are hospitalized and out of danger and the eighth is “perfectly well” and is collaborating in the location of the missing person “We hope to be able to locate the ninth Spanish mountaineer as soon as possible,” he added The minister also stated that the Spanish diplomatic branch in Yerevan and the Consulate General in Moscow quickly contacted the Armenian authorities after learning the news which was announced by the Rescue Service of the Armenian Ministry of the Interior and he sincerely thanked “our Armenian friends for their collaboration.” “The consular emergency unit of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has been mobilized to provide all support to our citizens,” Albares reported through social networks The Diplomat in Spain is the reference digital newspaper for diplomats and companies that want to be well informed © 2024 The Diplomat in Spain Please enter your username or email address to reset your password © 2024 The Diplomat in Spain. The Covid-19 pandemic was a challenging time for businesses, forcing many to close. But as lockdown restrictions were lifted, new business ideas became a reality.  Pere Roca's family always kept chickens in the garden. When lockdown ended, the young farmer decided to start selling eggs in his Pyrenean hometown of La Seu d'Urgell, in northern Catalonia, close to the border with Andorra.   The business began with Roca going door-to-door to local shops to sell his free-range eggs, a strategy that quickly expanded both his customer base and his farm, growing it to 350 hens within a year.  The 28-year-old told the Catalan News Agency (ACN), that his main priority has always been to maintain the high quality of the product.   "I'm not looking to turn my farm into a macro-farm," Roca says. "The aim of my farm is to keep the quality for my buyers. If one day the demand is higher, we'll see what happens."  The eggs are sold within 24 hours of being laid, ensuring they reach customers as fresh as possible.  More than 15 businesses and restaurants in the small town of La Seu d'Urgell buy eggs from Roca and have helped to grow the farm to 800 animals.   Roca's financial goal is to have an income after making sure that all expenses are covered, rather than expanding the company to make it a large enterprise. One of the difficulties he says he has faced is excess bureaucracy, which, more than once, has made him consider whether it was worth continuing with the project.  He claims that paperwork takes a long time and is excessively complicated, including a lot of regulations.   One thing Roca likes about his job is the flexibility in his working hours, although the hens have to follow routines and he has to adapt to their rhythms.   "I have always liked nature, being in open spaces, and hens are animals that are quite easy to handle," Roca said.  Visma-Lease A Bike claim first and second on summit finish Already second on stage 1, Vos went one better on the 95.7 kilometre mountainous stage between La Seu d’Urgell and the first category ascent of La Molina, ousting previous leader Ally Woolaston (AG Insurance-Soudal) from the top spot on GC in the process Vos teammate’ Riejanne Markus finished in second place with Katrine Aalerud (Uno-X Mobility) in third Vos now looks certain to claim the overall victory on Sunday’s final "The plan was for Fem [Van Empel] and Femke [De Vries] to make the race hard from the start of the final climb I looked around and saw that we were all still there At that moment I thought: now I'll give it a shot It's very special to win a stage in this way." A group of 12 riders broke away before the race reached the first of the day’s two major mountain challenges But AG Insurance-Soudal firm control early on the stage ensured the race reached the foot of the final ascent to La Molina with the main peloton still intact On the notoriously irregular ascent to the Pyrenean ski station containing several steep ramps and segments of downhill Visma-Lease A Bike made it clear they were keen to make the running with early attacks by Fem Van Empel and  Maud Oudeman.  Vos herself attacked in person seven kilometres from the line and never looked back forging her way alone to the finish for victory number 254 of her career The triple World Champion now has the leader’s jersey too with a lead of 1:00 on teammate Markus and 1:08 on Aalerud "We will definitely defend the jersey," Vos said "Tomorrow there are still some hills on the programme but it's a totally different stage to today I think a lot of teams still want some action Results powered by FirstCycling Alasdair FotheringhamSocial Links NavigationAlasdair Fotheringham has been reporting on cycling since 1991 He has covered every Tour de France since 1992 bar one as well as numerous other bike races of all shapes and sizes ranging from the Olympic Games in 2008 to the now sadly defunct Subida a Urkiola hill climb in Spain he has also written for The Independent,  The Guardian,  ProCycling the UK’s leading provider of navigation services This number will increase to 13 in the coming months when the company commences service provision in the Murcia Region International Airport where the company will oversee air traffic control duties Air traffic control handles the final landing and initial take-off stages of flights as well as the movement of airplanes on the ground The airport is currently designed to handle some 5 million passengers per year In this context the balance for the first six months of 2018 reveals very positive results for FerroNATS the air navigation service provider having commenced operations in three airports during this period More specifically, in April the company began offering flight information services (AFIS) in Cordoba Airport These services offer information on aeroplanes vehicles and people in and around the airport To this we can add the handling of control tower operations in the Lleida-Alguaire and Andorra-La Seu d’Urgell Airports both of which are part of the public company Aeroports de Catalunya which in turn is owned by the local government HEAD OF EXTERNAL COMMUNICATION AND INSTITUTIONAL RELATIONS EXTERNAL COMMUNICATION AND MEDIA RELATIONS HEAD OF US CORPORATE COMMUNICATIONS AND BRAND Ferrovial Airports participated this week in the XXXIII edition of ACI World General Assembly the leading event in the aviation sector organized annually by Airports Council International ACI The conference.. The New Terminal One NTO a consortium of labor operating and financial partners building the new world class terminal at John F Kennedy International Airport JFK has announced a new.. The New Terminal One NTO a privately financed 9 5 billion consortium led by Ferrovial Carlyle JLC and Ullico is excited to announce four key hires supporting the design development.. Can try another term or browse the main menu to find what you are looking for I am primarily an academic and previously worked as a university professor with extensive experience in transport economics having actively participated in debates on Spanish and Catalan transport infrastructure policies the opportunity arose to transition from a research and theoretical field into a public management role as President of Aeroports de Catalunya I strongly believe that if you are invited to practice what you preach it is essential to not refuse the opportunity so in February this year I joined the Catalan airports operator The two publicly owned airports have very different roles although it does offer commercial passenger services (primarily to the Balearic islands) There are also several flight training academies at Lleida Andorra-La Seu is a mountain airport and serves as the main gateway to Andorra and the Catalan Pyrenees offering an attractive option for private aviation and currently operating a regular service to Madrid we also manage an aerodrome in la Cerdanya highly professional and versatile team at our airports to oversee day-to-day operations Each airport is managed by an Airport Director which allows me to focus on more strategic issues and the management of central services in Barcelona our role extends beyond airport management to include the promotion of air transportation in Catalonia including airports managed by other operators and including Barcelona We are also increasingly involved in the management of a 24-hour heliport network which is essential in facilitating emergency helicopter services catering for firefighters The design of the terminal building was inspired by the natural surroundings of the airport particularly the mountainous landscape of the Pyrenees The architecture sought to create a building that would blend in with the surrounding landscape and reflect the region’s cultural heritage It aims to create a harmonious relationship between the airport and its natural surroundings It is an exceptional airport in a stunning location in the middle of the mountains and it typically enjoys better weather conditions than other mountain airports which is only 30 minutes away and which is home to a plethora of high-end shops It also serves as a gateway to some of the best winter sports resorts in Europe Meanwhile La Seu d’Urgell itself is home to the only Romanesque Cathedral in Catalonia Private aviation customers value the efficiency of landing close to Andorra and the ability to benefit from a flexible efficient service which is key when they have tight time schedules to stick to it offers a gateway to the rest of the world We are now working towards achieving the six levels of certification by the Airport Carbon Accreditation Andorra-La Seu d’Urgell Airport has identified different carbon reduction initiatives with the aim of achieving the carbon reduction target outlined in the Level 2 of the Airport Carbon Accreditation such as purchasing green electricity and the replacement of the current lighting with LED lights In Lleida – Alguaire Airport we are working to reduce Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions at all levels through various measures including: replacing all auxiliary machinery with equipment powered by renewable energy sources; expanding existing photovoltaic plants; exploring opportunities with green hydrogen and sustainable energy solutions to attract innovative aviation projects willing to test in our facilities we are drafting a new framework accounting for the GHG generation of the different operations we are working to become an airport leader in the provision of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) as we hope to announce exciting news in this space soon we aim to consolidate the transition of the airport towards an industrial hub with a focus on maintenance we are also collaborating with entrepreneurial and emerging companies to explore new and innovative technologies This includes working with companies developing engines for rockets as we look to make our mark in the space exploration industry Urban air mobility – primarily with drone testing – is another area we’re exploring and we remain committed to investigating opportunities for renewable energy sources such as green hydrogen and SAF and providing a testbed for other companies to trial their technologies in a live airport environment We aim to promote new scheduled flights and attract companies interested in leasing the only two remaining spaces for hangars that we currently have available I am excited about the opportunities that air transportation and airports can create and how they can contribute to the welfare of our citizens and the competitiveness of our firms I never forget that everything we plan or do must contribute to the region served by our airports creating opportunities that would not exist without our efforts it is essential to be aware of the challenges we face such as climate change and therefore the need to ensure our infrastructure is at operating as efficiently as possible Lleida-Alguaire was originally conceived as a commercial airport in 2008 but failed The reorientation of this airport as an industrial technological and training hub is an exciting transition and will ensure the airport is an incubator of creativity and applied research across the aviation sector Not only will this add significant value to our existing MRO and training services it will also make a great socioeconomic contribution to the region it serves For more customer interviews, please click here. The body of a Catalan hiker killed in an avalanche in Armenia on Tuesday has been found by rescue teams, according to the Rescue Service of the Armenian Ministry of the Interior. The victim is a resident of Sant Joan de les Abadesses, in northern Catalonia, who was buried by an avalanche on the northern summit of Mount Aragats, an extinct volcano with an altitude of over 4,000 meters. He was there with eight other Catalans, seven of whom were injured and hospitalized, while one was unharmed and cooperated with authorities to locate the deceased hiker. According to the same sources, the search tasks began at 6 am local time and the body was located shortly after 10. Spain's foreign affairs minister José Manuel Albares announced that one of the rescued was already out of hospital. The Aragatsotn regional crisis management center received a call about the accident just before 12:30 pm, according to Armenia's Ministry of Internal Affairs.  Firefighters, rescue teams, and emergency responders were deployed to the site, successfully rescuing eight climbers. A ninth climber was missing. The rescued mountaineers have suffered varying degrees of injuries. In statements to the media,  Albares explained that of the eight rescued climbers, seven had to be hospitalized, but their lives were not in danger. The eighth was unharmed and collaborated with authorities to locate the ninth climber. "It is thanks to this prompt intervention that we did not have to regret more victims," Albares told journalists from Spain's Congress on Wednesday morning. Meanwhile, the mayor of La Seu d'Urgell, Joan Barrera, explained that, of the eight injured, five or six are residents of La Seu d'Urgell or nearby municipalities. In addition to the two GRAE members there is also another volunteer firefighter from Montferrer park. Barrera specified that the injured were evacuated to hospital after 4 pm, four with serious injuries and the rest were minor injuries. The injuries include fractures, head trauma and hypothermia. The prognosis for all of them is favorable, according to the mayor. Finally, the mayor said that the La Seu d'Urgell Council has made itself available to the relatives of the climbers involved in this "shocking" event. Sources from the Unió Excursionista Urgellenca, based in La Seu d’Urgell, a town close to the Andorran border, told ACN that at least four of their members were caught in the avalanche and suffered fractures. Spain's Ministry of Foreign Affairs is closely monitoring the situation through its diplomatic representation in Armenia. It is mobilizing its Consular Emergency Unit, a division of the Spanish Ministry of Foreign Affairs responsible for assisting Spanish citizens abroad in crisis situations.  The ministry is in constant communication with the Embassy of Armenia in Spain, the Catalan government, and the Spanish government's delegation in Catalonia. Catalan interior minister Núria Parlon confirmed on X that three of those rescued are part of the Catalan firefighters' brigade. She also thanked Armenian rescue teams and offered her support to family members. La Seu D’Urgell airport which serves the Principality of Andorra situated in the Pyrenees mountains between Spain and France has resumed commercial operations as of Sunday the airfield was reopened to general aviation in 2010 before attaining commercial certification in January of this year As such, La Seu d'Urgell-based travel agency Regina has chartered an ATR72-500 from Swiftair (WT, Madrid Barajas) to offer flights to Madrid Barajas and Palma de Mallorca on July 18 and 25 Air Andorra (La Seu D’Urgell) has also expressed an interest in serving the airport located just 12km from the Andorran border Get started with a ch-aviation subscription unrestricted access to all of ch-aviation's news and data for 14 days Upgrade to our Data and News Subscriptions Aviation Intelligence for your everyday use We offer a comprehensive aviation industry database utilised by various entities such as operators it was common to hear cardinals described as “princes of the Church.”  But the term seemed to fall out of fashion after 2017, when Francis firmly told new cardinals that Jesus had not called them “to become ‘princes’ of the Church.” Archbishop Joan Enric Vives i Sicília Screenshot from Bisbat Urgell YouTube channel.And yet there is one Church leader who is accurately described as a prince — or a “co-prince” — Archbishop Joan Enric Vives i Sicília The Urgell diocese, mostly in the autonomous Spanish region of Catalonia, also includes Andorra, the tiny principality nestled in the mountains between France and Spain. The prosperous micro-country has, by law, two heads of state — the Bishop of Urgell and the President of France — who are known as co-princes. But with Archbishop Vives nearing the customary retirement age of 75, speculation is now growing that the Catholic Church’s last remaining example of a “prince-bishop” could be consigned to history. So why does Andorra have a Catholic churchman as a head of state? And what’s behind the recent chatter about his status? The Pillar takes a look. A map showing Andorra’s location in Europe. Bosonic dressing via Wikimedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Why does Andorra have a prince-bishop?To appreciate just how minuscule Andorra is, consider that it would fit almost seven times into Rhode Island has a population of around 80,000 people — 20,000 fewer than Davenport Around 92% of Andorrans are said to be Catholic Tradition holds that the territory of Andorra was formed in 805 A.D. by the Holy Roman Emperor Charlemagne. It was ruled by the counts of Urgell until it was transferred to the Catholic Diocese of Urgell. An agreement in 1278 established that the bishops of Urgell and the counts of Foix would exercise joint sovereignty over the territory Other prince-bishops — prelates who exercised not only spiritual but also civil authority within a principality — existed within the Holy Roman Empire But they faded with the empire’s dissolution in 1806 In 1951, the Vatican issued the decree Attentis dispositionibus which prohibited bishops from using civil titles in their letters While the move was seen as erasing the last vestiges of prince-bishops in Andorra the Bishop of Urgell retained his status perhaps because the position was seen as integral to the country’s identity But the office has faced challenges from other quarters. In a bizarre episode in the early 1930s, a Russian adventurer named Boris Skossyreff claimed that he was the true monarch of Andorra. His attempt to establish himself as King Boris I of Andorra reportedly culminated with a declaration of war on the Bishop of Urgell.  The bishop sought help from the Spanish authorities and members of the country’s Civil Guard arrested Skossyreff, who continued to pursue improbable adventures until his death in Germany in 1989. Boris Skossyreff, who proclaimed himself ‘Boris I, Prince of the Valleys of Andorra ... Sovereign of Andorra and Defender of the Faith.’ Public domain. Leave a comment Andorra’s 1993 constitution defined the country as a sovereign parliamentary democracy But it also confirmed the historic arrangement in which the bishop and the French president (seen as the count of Foix’s successor) are co-princes and joint heads of state “The Co-princes are the symbol and guarantee of the permanence and continuity of Andorra as well as of its independence and the maintenance of the spirit of parity in the traditional balanced relation with the neighboring states,” the constitution says The constitution carefully outlines the scope of the co-princes’ powers It says that they can together exercise the power to pardon as well as asking for preliminary judgments on the constitutionality of proposed laws Other powers can only be accessed together with the head of Andorra’s government (currently Xavier Espot Zamora) These include calling for elections or referendums Both co-princes act through personal representatives. The Bishop of Urgell is represented by the Spanish priest Fr. Josep Maria Mauri i Prior. French President Emmanuel Macron’s representative is senior civil servant Patrick Strzoda. Archbishop Joan Enric Vives i Sicília receives Jan Versteeg, Dutch ambassador to Andorra, at the episcopal palace in La Seu d’Urgell on March 13, 2023. Screenshot from Bisbat Urgell YouTube channel.Share The Pillar The recent upsurge in media interest in Andorra’s prince-bishop seems to be driven by three factors The first is that Archbishop Vives will turn 75 on July 24 next year and will be expected to submit his resignation to Pope Francis in line with canon law The pope could ask Vives to remain in post for several more years but the approaching milestone is prompting the media to ask questions about the Diocese of Urgell’s future The second factor is that the pope is due to meet with Andorra’s other co-prince There is no indication that Andorra will be on the agenda but it could always crop up given that it’s an area of common interest The third factor is that Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin visited Andorra earlier this month. He was there for the 150th anniversary celebrations of the proclamation of Our Lady of Meritxell as Andorra’s patron saint But a visit by the Holy See’s top diplomat inevitably focused attention on the Vatican’s view of Andorra’s unique political structure La Valira, a Catalan online newspaper, ran a headline Sept 6 saying: “The Vatican plans to create a diocese proper in Andorra as a first step to extinguish the co-principality.” It cited what it said was a well-informed blog claiming that the Vatican had decided that a co-principality was a “feudal anachronism” and had drawn up plans to eliminate it gradually while respecting the constitution and the French president’s prerogatives “The first step would be the creation of a diocese of Andorra, which would be segregated from that of Urgell and which would depend directly on the Vatican,” it said, citing the precedent of the Archdiocese of Monaco in 1887. Ansunando via Wikimedia (CC BY-SA 4.0).The Church would then be steadily disentangled from state affairs adding that lurking in the background was “the problem of abortion and the constant pressure the Andorran government is under to decriminalize it.”  It argued that this was “a problem that the Holy See intends to avoid” by ensuring that the bishop of Urgell cannot be put in the position where he is asked to sanction a change in the law Abortion is is illegal in all cases in Andorra A flurry of reports in 2018 suggested that Vives would have to abdicate if the principality legalized abortion But the La Valira article did not convince Pius Pujadas Lladó a writer for the Catalan newspaper El Punt Avui The Vatican could have decided that the constitutional arrangement was anachronistic at any point between the French Revolution and 1993, he wrote When Andorra has become a democratic state with a constitution and separation of powers the alleged news from La Valira can only be a trial balloon or a warning,” he went on “It turns out that the current prince-bishop Maybe there are nerves at Palau [the Bishop of Urgell’s residence] Parolin directly addressed the tensions around the decriminalization of abortion during his trip At a joint press conference with Andorra’s head of government the cardinal described abortion as a “very delicate and complex” issue that needed to be addressed with constant dialogue the editor of the German Catholic news website katholisch.de noted that Parolin also sought to quash speculation that the Vatican wanted to overhaul the Church’s position in Andorra “Parolin was not averse to the idea of ​​providing Archbishop Vives, who is approaching the age limit, with a coadjutor archbishop with the right to succession — this is how Vives had also come into office [in 2001],” Neumann wrote “Parolin was supported by Prime Minister Xavier Espot who also floated the idea of ​​a new coadjutor archbishop: The speculation about a diocese of Andorra’s own did not correspond to reality and his government would never have pursued such goals.” These points were confirmed by both the Andorran government’s account of the press conference and local media reports.  So, Neumann concluded, barring a sudden collapse in Church-state relations over abortion, the world’s last prince-bishop is likely to be followed by… another last prince-bishop. And Andorra will continue to occupy its unique place in the Catholic world.  It shows what fascinating forms of states can still exist No wonder people accuse President Macron of lordly airs when he really is a Prince but not a member of any French royal family What a biopic you could make out of the life of this glorious rogue Boris Skossyreff https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boris_Skossyreff My favourite Prince-Bishop is Wolf Dietrich von Raitenau of Salzburg He does illustrate some of the possible problems of wearing Church and civil hats at the same time He had a mistress and fifteen kids and built the Mirabell Palace for them He already had a splendid official Residenz as Archbishop but plainly it would not do to move the family there you cannot get into the Mirabell as it is occupied by the local government officials Why can't they rent a boring office block and charge the public for guided tours and talks I can recommend the Residenz which is open https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wolf_Dietrich_von_Raitenau While in todays world its appropriate that secular and ecclesial powers are separate, I think it is good that this "special case" of Andorra seems set to continue with its Prince-Bishop. Things move on, but there is always a place for traditional social structures - look at the affection many people still have for European Monarchies, for example. ReplyShare2 more comments...LatestNo posts it was common to hear cardinals described as \u201Cprinces of the Church.\u201D  But the term seemed to fall out of fashion after 2017, when Francis firmly told new cardinals that Jesus had not called them \u201Cto become \u2018princes\u2019 of the Church.\u201D Archbishop Joan Enric Vives i Sic\u00EDlia there is one Church leader who is accurately described as a prince \u2014 or a \u201Cco-prince\u201D \u2014 Archbishop Joan Enric Vives i Sic\u00EDlia The Urgell diocese, mostly in the autonomous Spanish region of Catalonia, also includes Andorra, the tiny principality nestled in the mountains between France and Spain. The prosperous micro-country has, by law, two heads of state \u2014 the Bishop of Urgell and the President of France \u2014 who are known as co-princes. But with Archbishop Vives nearing the customary retirement age of 75, speculation is now growing that the Catholic Church\u2019s last remaining example of a \u201Cprince-bishop\u201D could be consigned to history. So why does Andorra have a Catholic churchman as a head of state? And what\u2019s behind the recent chatter about his status? The Pillar takes a look. A map showing Andorra\u2019s location in Europe. Bosonic dressing via Wikimedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Why does Andorra have a prince-bishop?To appreciate just how minuscule Andorra is, consider that it would fit almost seven times into Rhode Island has a population of around 80,000 people \u2014 20,000 fewer than Davenport Around 92% of Andorrans are said to be Catholic Tradition holds that the territory of Andorra was formed in 805 A.D. by the Holy Roman Emperor Charlemagne. It was ruled by the counts of Urgell until it was transferred to the Catholic Diocese of Urgell. An agreement in 1278 established that the bishops of Urgell and the counts of Foix would exercise joint sovereignty over the territory.  Other prince-bishops \u2014 prelates who exercised not only spiritual but also civil authority within a principality \u2014 existed within the Holy Roman Empire But they faded with the empire\u2019s dissolution in 1806.  In 1951, the Vatican issued the decree Attentis dispositionibus perhaps because the position was seen as integral to the country\u2019s identity.  But the office has faced challenges from other quarters. In a bizarre episode in the early 1930s, a Russian adventurer named Boris Skossyreff claimed that he was the true monarch of Andorra. His attempt to establish himself as King Boris I of Andorra reportedly culminated with a declaration of war on the Bishop of Urgell.  The bishop sought help from the Spanish authorities and members of the country\u2019s Civil Guard arrested Skossyreff, who continued to pursue improbable adventures until his death in Germany in 1989. Boris Skossyreff, who proclaimed himself \u2018Boris I, Prince of the Valleys of Andorra ... Sovereign of Andorra and Defender of the Faith.\u2019 Public domain. Leave a comment Andorra\u2019s 1993 constitution defined the country as a sovereign parliamentary democracy But it also confirmed the historic arrangement in which the bishop and the French president (seen as the count of Foix\u2019s successor) are co-princes and joint heads of state \u201CThe Co-princes are the symbol and guarantee of the permanence and continuity of Andorra as well as of its independence and the maintenance of the spirit of parity in the traditional balanced relation with the neighboring states,\u201D the constitution says The constitution carefully outlines the scope of the co-princes\u2019 powers Other powers can only be accessed together with the head of Andorra\u2019s government (currently Xavier Espot Zamora) Both co-princes act through personal representatives. The Bishop of Urgell is represented by the Spanish priest Fr. Josep Maria Mauri i Prior. French President Emmanuel Macron\u2019s representative is senior civil servant Patrick Strzoda. Archbishop Joan Enric Vives i Sic\u00EDlia receives Jan Versteeg, Dutch ambassador to Andorra, at the episcopal palace in La Seu d\u2019Urgell on March 13, 2023. Screenshot from Bisbat Urgell YouTube channel.Share The Pillar The recent upsurge in media interest in Andorra\u2019s prince-bishop seems to be driven by three factors.  The first is that Archbishop Vives will turn 75 on July 24 next year and will be expected to submit his resignation to Pope Francis in line with canon law but the approaching milestone is prompting the media to ask questions about the Diocese of Urgell\u2019s future The second factor is that the pope is due to meet with Andorra\u2019s other co-prince but it could always crop up given that it\u2019s an area of common interest The third factor is that Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin visited Andorra earlier this month. He was there for the 150th anniversary celebrations of the proclamation of Our Lady of Meritxell as Andorra\u2019s patron saint But a visit by the Holy See\u2019s top diplomat inevitably focused attention on the Vatican\u2019s view of Andorra\u2019s unique political structure La Valira, a Catalan online newspaper, ran a headline Sept 6 saying: \u201CThe Vatican plans to create a diocese proper in Andorra as a first step to extinguish the co-principality.\u201D It cited what it said was a well-informed blog claiming that the Vatican had decided that a co-principality was a \u201Cfeudal anachronism\u201D and had drawn up plans to eliminate it gradually while respecting the constitution and the French president\u2019s prerogatives \u201CThe first step would be the creation of a diocese of Andorra, which would be segregated from that of Urgell and which would depend directly on the Vatican,\u201D it said, citing the precedent of the Archdiocese of Monaco in 1887. adding that lurking in the background was \u201Cthe problem of abortion and the constant pressure the Andorran government is under to decriminalize it.\u201D  It argued that this was \u201Ca problem that the Holy See intends to avoid\u201D by ensuring that the bishop of Urgell cannot be put in the position where he is asked to sanction a change in the law.  Abortion is is illegal in all cases in Andorra likely prompting a constitutional crisis.  But the La Valira article did not convince Pius Pujadas Llad\u00F3 a writer for the Catalan newspaper El Punt Avui.  The Vatican could have decided that the constitutional arrangement was anachronistic at any point between the French Revolution and 1993, he wrote the alleged news from La Valira can only be a trial balloon or a warning,\u201D he went on \u201CIt turns out that the current prince-bishop Maybe there are nerves at Palau [the Bishop of Urgell\u2019s residence] Parolin directly addressed the tensions around the decriminalization of abortion during his trip.  At a joint press conference with Andorra\u2019s head of government the cardinal described abortion as a \u201Cvery delicate and complex\u201D issue that needed to be addressed with constant dialogue noted that Parolin also sought to quash speculation that the Vatican wanted to overhaul the Church\u2019s position in Andorra \u201CParolin was not averse to the idea of \u200B\u200Bproviding Archbishop Vives, who is approaching the age limit, with a coadjutor archbishop with the right to succession \u2014 this is how Vives had also come into office [in 2001],\u201D Neumann wrote \u201CParolin was supported by Prime Minister Xavier Espot who also floated the idea of \u200B\u200Ba new coadjutor archbishop: The speculation about a diocese of Andorra\u2019s own did not correspond to reality and his government would never have pursued such goals.\u201D These points were confirmed by both the Andorran government\u2019s account of the press conference and local media reports.  barring a sudden collapse in Church-state relations over abortion the world\u2019s last prince-bishop is likely to be followed by\u2026 another last prince-bishop And Andorra will continue to occupy its unique place in the Catholic world.  A Catalan climber has died, seven were injured, and one escaped unharmed after being hit by an avalanche on the northern summit of Mount Aragats, an extinct volcano over 4,000 meters high, in Armenia.  At least two of the affected individuals are firefighters from the Special Action Group (GRAE) of La Seu d'Urgell park in the Pyrenees, while a third is believed to be a volunteer firefighter.   Firefighters, rescue teams, and emergency responders were deployed to the site, successfully rescuing eight climbers. A ninth climber is missing. The rescued mountaineers have suffered varying degrees of injuries. In statements to the media, Spain's Minister of Foreign Affairs, José Manuel Albares, explained that of the eight rescued climbers, seven are hospitalized but their lives are not in danger. The eighth was unharmed and is collaborating with the authorities to try to locate the ninth climber. Meanwhile, the mayor of La Seu d'Urgell, Joan Barrera, explained that, of the eight injured, five or six are residents of La Seu d'Urgell or nearby municipalities. In addition to the two GRAE members there is also another volunteer firefighter from Montferrer park. Barrera specified that the injured were evacuated to hospital after 4 pm, four with serious injuries and the rest are minor injuries. The injuries include fractures, head trauma and hypothermia. The prognosis for all of them is favorable, according to the mayor. Sources from the Unió Excursionista Urgellenca, based in La Seu d’Urgell, a town close to the Andorran border, told ACN that at least four of their members were caught in the avalanche and suffered fractures. Catalan interior minister Núria Parlon confirmed on 𝕏 that three of those rescued are part of the Catalan firefighters' brigade. She also thanked Armenian rescue teams and offered her support to family members. v1.1.0. Copyright © 2025. Powered by EBANTIC. All rights reserved. Vives is one of the Pyrenean microstate's two co-princes – the other being French president Emmanuel Macron – and has repeatedly positioned himself against legalizing abortion, with the Vatican threatening to force him to step down if the procedure is ever permitted in the country. Arran filmed two of its members spray painting 'La por canviarà de bàndol' ('Fear will change sides') on the side of the building, in reference to what the group has described as "the church's violence towards women." Arran also blames Vives for the total ban on abortion in Andorra that forces those who can afford it to travel to Catalonia or France for the procedure. The latest official figures show that 107 Andorran women had abortions at public hospitals in Catalonia in 2017, and there are no known figures for those who had them at private clinics or at both public and private hospitals in France. In late November, Andorra announced that it would begin providing a new sexual and reproductive health information service in 2020 in which women seeking abortions will be advised on their options outside of the country, although critics fear it may actually be used to pressure women into carrying their unwanted pregnancies to term. A United Nations Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women report published in November also stated that the situation for Andorran women who wanted to have abortions was "worrisome." First published: February 27, 2023 12:31 PM 'Liber iudicum', or 'Llibre dels Jutges' in Catalan ('Book of Judges', in English) has been revealed as the oldest book to have been written fully in Catalan. The document, a fragment of which is preserved in the Urgell bishopric archives, is now believed to have been copied between 1060 and 1080, around a century before what was believed until now. This book is a complilation of laws that came into force in 654 during the Visigoth era and was in force until the 13th century. A romanesque church in Organyà, a town near La Seu d'Urgell, where the document lies, is probably the place where 'Liber iudicum' was written.  These are the main conclusions of a report presented of Monday by its authors, Jesús Alturo and Tània Alaix, both professors at UAB university, who have analyzed thousands of manuscripts in archives and libraries in Catalonia, Spain, France, Italy and the Vatican. Both experts, who have published a book with all of their findings, 'Lletres que parlen,' believe that a priest called Traver Radolf in Santa Maria d'Organyà church had translated the document from Latin so that judge Albertí d'Organyà could use it. "We have analyzed these documents from a paleographic and philological point of view," said Alaix to the press on Monday. "All of them are translations from texts from unknown authors." According to them, 'Homilies d'Organyà', a religious document once believed to be the oldest fully in Catalan, is in fact the second oldest one, and was written circa 1220, and not at the end of the 12th century as initially believed. It was written in the same church near the Pyrenees and Andorra and the original piece lies in Biblioteca de Catalonia library, with a copy in Organyà. Their research has also found evidence that Old Catalan was already shaping during the 4th century, and not between 7th and 8th century as believed until now. For instance, they found documents written by Saint Pacian, a bishop of Barcelona who lived in the second half of the 4th century with some expressions that are no longer standard Latin but transitioning to Catalan. Phrases and words such as 'si te placet' ('si et plau', in modern Catalan, or 'please', in English), 'subinde' ('sovint', or 'often'), and 'ceruulus' ('cérvol' or 'deer') is evidence they found in the texts of the priest. Routes to and from Marseille, Madrid, and Palma de Mallorca inaugurated on Friday ACN | La Seu d'Urgell in the north of Catalonia near the Andorran border has inaugurated new commercial routes to Marseille landed on Friday morning from the French city in what was a test to see if the airport will be able to operate commercial flights with more regularity in the future The return flight to Marseille had 13 people on board The flights were organized by the company Viatges Regina expressed his pleasure with the implementation of the new routes stating that they “demonstrate how it is possible to fly at this airport.” He also emphasized that despite the difficulties to operate commercial flights on a regular basis until Spain has approved the approach system The manager of Viatges Regina is also pleased with today's events "I have a dream to one day see a plane from London land here and to bring London to withing two hours from Andorra and the snow of the Pyrenees is very important for us," he said.  mostly hosting general aviation flights rather it was closed to commercial flights in 1984 and was used solely by private planes until 2008 The Catalan government bought it and got to work redeveloping it and reopening it to commercial flights.  Its short runway limits the size of aircraft and destination distances the airport wants to increase the regularity of commercial flights flying to and from the facility Women seeking to terminate their pregnancy in Catalonia can now take abortion pills up to week 14 of gestation as was announced by the Catalan health department on Wednesday women could only take abortion pills until week 9 after which they had to opt for surgical termination health authorities hope to provide them with more care options The announcement coincided with International Safe Abortion Day and while the government celebrates the new protocol Catalan health minister Josep Maria Argimon acknowledged more needs to be done to help women who wish to terminate a pregnancy the vast majority of these improvements must center around access to medical centers providing this kind of treatment one of the most concerning problems since 2010 when the public care system began offering this treatment which was legalized in Spain in 1985 There are still notable disparities between Barcelona and other especially rural areas where more doctors are conscientious objectors Argimon explained that in the last months the number of medical centers where women can terminate a pregnancy has increased and Tortosa can undergo surgical abortions in these cities and Vielha can now request an abortion pill proximity to health centers where this service is provided "is much higher in Catalonia than in other parts of Spain," the health minister said before adding that it "does not mean we cannot improve a lot." the treatment will continue to be offered in primary health care centers until the ninth week of gestation and in hospitals until the 14th week 57% of women who had an abortion before the 10th week of pregnancy took an abortion pill When the abortion was done in the 10th week of gestation Abortion is illegal in the Pyrenean microstate of Andorra located between Catalonia and France The territory’s 1993 Constitution states that it “recognizes the right to life and fully protects it in its different phases,” while the 2005 Penal Code speaks of “crimes against prenatal life” and establishes that women that have abortions can be arrested while doctors can face up to 3-year sentences and be disqualified for up to five years Because abortion is illegal in the country, many women who are able to take off time from work and fund their expenses end up traveling to Catalan and French hospitals to have the procedure done.  Official figures from 2017 show that 107 Andorran women had abortions at public hospitals in Catalonia, but there are no known figures of how many had the procedure done at private hospitals or in France in both public and private clinics. We would like to personalise your experience with ch-aviation Could you please tell us a bit more about yourself located in Spain 11kms from the Andorran border set to re-open to commercial and business traffic later this year By year-end, the company also plans to acquire an ATR72 for planned Madrid Barajas to Girona flights Air Andorra is backed by a group of aviation experts and entrepreneurs with experience in the setting up of airlines in countries such as Spain The CEO of the company is Jorge Soriano while the Vice President is Heloisa Oliveira The start-up will operate out of La Seu D’Urgell airport which, while used by the principality of Andorra, is actually located in Spain. There it will compete with another start-up - Air Andorra (La Seu D’Urgell) - which has been in the process of initiating operations for the past three years but with no success thus far. The two have already met in court after Air Andorra filed an objection against Andorra Airlines' name. The former accuses the latter of infringing its commercial rights by using a similar name. The case is currently ongoing. Get full, unrestricted access to all of ch-aviation's news and data for 14 days. We would like to personalise your experience with ch-aviation. Could you please tell us a bit more about yourself? We offer a comprehensive aviation industry database utilised by various entities such as operators, airports, FBO's, charter brokers, aircraft finance, lease and trading, OEMs, MROs, technical suppliers, technology providers and many more. © 1998-2025 ch-aviation GmbH. All rights reserved. Helicopter offers service 365 days a year from Andorra-La Seu d'Urgell Airport and Tírvia heliport medically-staffed rescue helicopter based in the Pyrenees since June 11 has already carried out 50 operations The BELL429 model is based at Andorra-La Seu d'Urgell Airport during the week bank holidays and vacation periods operates out of Tírvia heliport This means it provides a service 365 days a year in the High Pyrenees and Aran region On days deemed high risk there will be three helicopters operating in Catalonia The helicopter based in the Pyrenees is joined by one in Sabadell (20km from Barcelona) and one in Olot Many areas of the Pyrenees frequented by hikers climbers and others are hours on foot from the nearest road access meaning air rescue is the only feasible option in the event of an injury or emergency The doctor who travels on the helicopter is aware of mountain rescue techniques and specialized in care for people with injuries which require immediate attention at the scene from Catalonia public Medical Emergencies Systems (SEM) Since a new model of medical rescue was implemented last year at Sabadell airport 600 rescues have been carried out with a doctor onboard their presence has been decisive in saving the lives of these patients Minor disruptions as authorities issue alert for severe weather ACN | Barcelona The snow covered some northern parts of Catalonia on Wednesday The authorities issued an alarm for snow for Wednesday in the counties closer to the Pyrenees while another alert for high winds has also been issued in the south some 23 minor roads mostly near the Pyrenees have been affected by the weather conditions with some restrictions for lorries and obligation to use snow chains Some 500 students were unable to reach school in central Catalonia because school buses could not drive them Yet there were no major disruptions in the areas with several weather conditions and the snow did not reach Barcelona's metro area registered 28cm of snow until noon on Wednesday Other county capitals also got some snowfalls This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks The action you just performed triggered the security solution There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page Young Summerhill woman Caoimhe O'Ferrall is on a journey and she knows where she wants to go - and the Japanese city is right up there at the top of the list for next year's Olympics O’Ferrall - who is one of Ireland's top women performers in the C1 canoe slalom discipline at both u-23 and senior levels - hopes to represent her country in the biggest sporting extravaganza on the globe - and to do that she has had to embark on a lengthy journey that has contained a considerable number of stop-offs; some scheduled Last month the 21-year-old passed a significant milestone on that journey when in a competition in La Seu d'Urgell in sunny Spain she qualified for the Irish u-23 and senior teams for the Senior World Championships in September They also will be held in La Seu D'Urgell.  That was always a big target because it's at the World Championships she has a chance to reach the standard required to earn a place in Tokyo - and take another step It's a journey that has already taken O'Ferrall to various locations around Europe Locations such as La Seu d'Urgell and Nottingham where she combines her studies in Fine Art at the local Trent University with training using top class facilities Then there was her trip to Prague last May to take part in the u-23 and Junior European Championships.  “Ah Prague,” she adds the 'ah' signifying something something very significant that happened in that famous city by the Danube a year ago.  “That was a not a good day,” she explains “My coach and I were driving to training to a Saturday morning in the city When following the road around a bend we were hit in the side of the van and flipped on our side.  “The driver who hit us was drunk and high at the time People had to climb onto the top of the van to help us out of the van At first everything seemed fine with O'Ferrall and she could be forgiven for thinking that luck was on her side had come through a very traumatic experience unscathed was true to a point but there was still a significant fall-out from the accident.  “We had no serious injuries at the time but later in the season I developed delayed whiplash and struggled with my shoulders and back for the whole season but I tried to race the best I could “After some time we thought there was something wrong so we went to get an MRI and then went to the Leinster Clinic in Maynooth I got some work done and was told it was classic delayed whiplash That is not something you don't want to hear when you have the u-23 and Junior European championships in Bratislava Only because I have a sports scholarship at my university was I able to get physio support and gym support and all that has helped to balance out my damaged shoulders and back For that I am grateful.” O'Ferrall's journey back to fitness has been sometimes painful but she has got there with her inner drive fuelling her comeback Knocked off course she's got back on track - and continued on her journey.  O'Ferrall grew up in Summerhill and attended primary school in Kilcock and Mount Sackville Secondary School She is one of five in her family with three older brothers and one younger sister Then there is her mother Elizabeth and father David who  always encouraged their  youngsters to develop their sporting interests That was crucial in fostering Caoimhe's canoeing career.  “My Mam was involved in canoeing until she fractured a disc in her back which meant she could not paddle anymore She used to coach us in canoe polo down on the Canal in Kilcock We were involved with Kilcock canoe polo club for years On thing about my parents have always done is drive us everywhere canoeing camps across Europe or training and even races All these sports brought us together as a family and I am grateful for that.”  Encouraged by family members O'Ferrall developed a liking then a love for canoeing - and she has stayed with it Caoimhe O'Ferrall has travelled far in pursuit of her dream.  She is now the only member of her family to compete in canoeing at a competitive level It doesn't help that there are no real facilities for her sport in Ireland; no proper funding either.  Yet O'Ferrall works hard to hone her skills It's about graft and application - and a deep-rooted will to win her drive partly demonstrated in the way her day's training often starts at 6am if not before.  “I train twice a day The number of hours I do really depends on what session I am doing It might be on the water or off the water such as in the gym two to three gym sessions and a run or two a week Depending on how high in intensity the week is,” she adds.  “I am lucky as I can study what I want to study alongside paddling at good facilities at the white-water centre in Holme Pierrepont (a country park close to  Nottingham).”  Her hard work has paid off too in the Senior World Championships in London she was placed 28th in the heats At junior level O'Ferrall has won both gold and silver in C1 in the European Canoe Association Cup races In 2016 she won the Alsace Regional Championships in France which resulted in her being promoted to the top division in France in N1 -  an they are just some of her successes.  There is a price to pay in achieving such triumphs It can be all very expensive financially for a start and for that she is grateful for the unstinting support of her parents “My biggest challenge would be missing home Missing the support system of my family and helping me when I need to get something done quickly No questions asked.  “You don't need to beg someone to help you when it is your family You ask and it is always a yes,” she adds Such backing has helped Caoimhe O'Ferrall greatly on her journey It's a journey with many twists and turns but along the way she has achieved some significant dreams too and right up there has been the chance to represent her country - “my wee little country of Ireland” - is how she puts it Now there's the bigger target; the ultimate destination - Tokyo 2020 If she doesn't get there she will have the consolation of knowing she gave it everything And at 21 - as Mick Jagger might sing - time is on her side Meath Chronicle is part of Celtic Media Group which includes: The Anglo Celt Westmeath Examiner and Westmeath Independent| © 2021 Meath Chronicle and Celtic Media Group