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The President of the European Commission José Manuel Barroso met with the President of the Catalan Government Artur Mas in Brussels. Barroso recognised the Catalan Government's efforts to reduce public deficit. Mas emphasised the importance of making Catalan an official EU language. Mas was accompanied by the Christian-Democrat Josep Antoni Duran i Lleida and the new Catalan Delegate to the European Union, Joan Prat.

The Catalan multinational car components company Ficosa increased its sales in the US and Mexico by 20%. Ficosa is also expanding its Viladecavalls plant in the South of Barcelona to turn it into an international technological centre. The Catalan company will have more than 28% of the North-American market share of car mirrors.

The new drug, called ‘Eribulin’, improves the survival rate of patients with a metastasis from breast cancer by 20%. The drug has been developed by a multinational team lead by staff from Barcelona’s Vall d’Hebron Hospital. The study has been published in the reference medical journal ‘The Lancet’.

Following a medical examination this morning, Barça's coach Josep Guardiola has been diagnosed with a herniated disc. The Barça manager will be treated with drugs and epidural injections, and his hospital discharge will depend on how successful that is.

Scott Sage (UK Investor): "Barcelona has been our focal point in Spain". A group of companies from the Catalan capital attended a meeting with investors in the United Kingdom.

After tonight’s result at Mestalla (0-1) FC Barcelona broke another all-time record. They have gone 20 consecutive league games without defeat since losing 2-1 at Atlético Madrid last season.

Barça have won three hugely important points in Valencia thanks to a Messi goal in the 76th minute. The team made a huge effort and hardly gave the opposition a chance as they extended their lead in the league table to ten points.

CatalunyaCaixa won 109.1 million euros in 2010, 1.1% less than in 2009. The second Catalan savings bank is the result from the merger of Caixa Catalunya, Caixa Tarragona and Caixa Manresa. The resulting savings bank currently has 6.9% of core capital, far from the needed 10% by next September. The savings bank already announced its plans to become a regular bank.

The Catalan Health Minister, Boi Ruiz, announced today that waiting lists will increase - with the exception of “life or death” situations. Hospitals will see their budget in health treatments and explorations decrease by 2%. In addition, the construction of new hospitals and health centres will also be put on stand by.

The ‘Fundació Mona (‘Monkey Foundation’), in Riudellots de la Selva, is unique in Spain in rescuing primates illegally introduced from Africa. It celebrated its 10 years.

Maria Busqué decided to move to Berlin so that she could live off a musician's income, something she found almost impossible in Catalonia. This is a story from the new Catalan emigration.

602,611 people were unemployed at the end of February in Catalonia, which is 2.2% more than at the end of January.

Barça go to Mestalla tonight (22.00h CET) for the first of a series of tough away matches. Xavi and Alves are back after missing the Mallorca game, and Guardiola will also travel.

With the aim of fostering vocational training in Catalonia, the Catalan Government approved a decree to modify it today. All students will have to learn foreign languages. Combining studies and a job will be easier. Programmes’ curriculum will be adapted to sector needs and student requirements.

Spain saw 2010 end with 9.24% of public deficit; 4.97% corresponds to the Spanish Government, 3.39% to the autonomous communities and 0.64% to the local administrations. According to the Spanish Government, half of the autonomous communities saw the year come to an end far away from the objective of 2.4% - Catalonia included. The Catalan Government emphasised that the Spanish Government cut down the revenues of the autonomous communities.