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The Centre-Right Catalan Nationalist Coalition ‘CiU’, which runs the Catalan Government, is close to reaching an agreement with the Conservative People’s Party (PP) on this year’s budget. They have been negotiating over the past number of weeks, but the PP has insisted on modifying two of CiU’s new measures: the tourist tax and the drug prescription fee. They have subsequently agreed to postpone the tourist tax until November 2012 and Barcelona will have a different fee. In addition, they have decided to exclude people with low incomes from paying the drug prescription fee.

FC Barcelona Manager, Pep Guardiola, believes that the Spanish Cup match against Valencia this Wednesday will be “very demanding,” and that the “players need match ready” in order to get to the final. On the players that are dealing with minor fitness issues, he said, “Xavi is OK, Alexis is getting there and Busquets’ fitness is the most doubtful”

Mientras duermes’ (‘While you sleep’), filmed by Catalan Jaume Balagueró, was the winner of the night, with 6 awards. The hot favourite ‘Eva’, by Catalan director Kike Maíllo, followed it with 5 prizes. Catalan filmmaker Pere Portabella was given the Honorific Gaudí award for his cinematographic career.

The Irish low-cost airline has announced six new destinations from Barcelona El Prat Airport, as well as an increased frequency of flights on several existing routes. Ryanair has decided to occupy part of the market share left by Spanair after it went bankrupt 10 days ago. Furthermore, Ryanair’s President Michael O’Leary, replied to Spanair workers unions, who complained about the poor working conditions offered by the Irish company to hire them. “Nobody is obliged to work for Ryanair”, he said.

Barça wins “the Oscars of sports”. FC Barcelona beat out the Dallas Mavericks, the Red Bull Formula 1 team, the All Blacks, the English national cricket side and the Japanese women’s national football side to win the Laureus World Team of the Year award. Messi and Abidal were also nominated. This award, which gives FC Barcelona worldwide recognition, will be added to FC Barcelona’s athletic and social achievements.

The Catalan artist was considered one of the world’s main painters and sculptors in the 20th century. Antoni Tàpies, whose works are on show in contemporary art museums all over the world, was one of the main representatives of the Art Informel and Symbolism movements. Family sources confirmed Tàpies’ death in his Barcelona home, after a long illness.

Spanish multinational telecommunications company Telefónica will offer Internet access through optical fibre to every home in Barcelona before the summer. The company’s General Director in Catalonia, Kim Faura, has also explained that Telefónica has hired 1,300 people to carry out the operation.

‘Eva’, by Catalan director Kike Maíllo and casting German-Catalan actor Daniel Brühl, is the hot favourite after receiving 16 nominations. The Gaudí Awards gather directors, actors, producers and other leading names from the filmmaking world from Catalonia, Spain and worldwide. A total of 29 productions have been nominated, within 22 categories.

Barça overcame freezing temperatures and an injury to Busquets to beat Real Sociedad 2-1 at the Camp Nou. Tello and Messi scored for the FC Barcelona. The Catalans continue their race to overtake Real Madrid topping the Spanish League.

The Catalan Government has announced the deficit for last year was 3.29%, short of the 2.66% target set by Barcelona. The Catalan Minister for the Economy, Andreu Mas-Colell, has praised citizens for having tightened their purse strings, and says Catalonia is on track to meet is 1.3% deficit objective in 2012

The Catalan artist’s work is yet again the main attraction of a major UK exhibition. After the success of the painting retrospective at Tate Modern in 2011, Yorkshire Sculpture Park will stage the first major exhibition of Miró’s sculptures in the country in the spring. Also, some of the most exquisite work of the artist will be on sale next week in Christie’s and Sotheby’s, with record prices expected.

Almost all of Catalonia was covered in a blanket of snow on Thursday morning. The Siberian cold front affecting the entire European continent arrived in Catalonia midweek. All emergency services have been put on alert, but no major incidences have occurred. However, almost 900 schools were forced to close their doors at noon on Thursday and school transport in some counties has been suspended on Friday as a precautionary measure.

The Spanish Government has signed 23 bilateral agreements with other countries that fix Madrid Barajas as the only airport in Spain where their flights can operate. This discriminates against Barcelona El Prat Airport by not permitting it to have international and intercontinental connections. The European Parliament has unanimously approved an amendment presented by a Liberal Catalan Nationalist MEP from CiU.

From the 2nd to the 11th of February, Barcelona is at the centre of the thriller novel. The Carvalho Prize will be given to Greek writer Petros Màrkaris and tribute paid to the recently-deceased head of the Antifraud Office of Catalonia, David Martínez Madero.

The President of the Catalan Government, Artur Mas, has offered Spain’s Prime Minister, Mariano Rajoy; cooperation regards Spain’s structural reforms, such as the Labour Market reform. Mas has not put prior conditions on the table, but only wants to “be able to talk about a new fiscal agreement between Catalonia and Spain”. He said he understands that this is not an “urgent priority for Rajoy”, but it is a “crucial issue” for Catalonia and “an opportunity” for Spain. Mas stressed that his cooperation would not be indefinite, and would have to be renewed in the future. The Catalan President told FAZ about a possible “federation” or “confederation” between Catalonia and Spain.