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It was another party night at the Nou Camp tonight as Barça began the second half of the season with a convincing 3-0 win over Racing, who were chasing the game from the very first minute.

According to the Publishers Association of Catalonia, the book sector made a 10% loss last year. Books in Catalan represent 26.5% of the domestic market, 1.1% more than in 2009.

A Spanish police trade union has complained to the government for not teaching Catalan to police agents. While money is being invested in simultaneous translation in the Senate, there is no way to help police stationed in Catalonia integrate socially, claims the police union CEP.

The President of the Catalan Parliament Núria de Gispert presented the Chamber’s austerity plan today. Staff will be reduced by 10% within the next 4 years, official duty cars by 50% and the scheduled enlargement plan will be put on stand by.

Josep Guardiola has warned that Racing are capable of causing Barça problems if his team fail to play with maximum concentration. The boss also commented on Alves’ and Pinto’s situation.

Catalan Víctor Perez is only 18 years old but he currently resides in Belgium where he is training to become a professional dancer. A student at one of the most prestigious dance schools in Europe run by the international renowned choreographer Anne Teresa de Keersmaeker, the youngster from Sant Cugat is one of the top 60 contemporary dancer pupils.

While Spanair recorded an 11.6% increase in passengers in 2010, Iberia lost 19.5% passengers and Air Europe 16%. The airline that is partially owned by the Catalan Government offers 59 direct destinations from Barcelona, 13 of which intercontinental.

Since the Spanish Deputy Minister for Budget threatened to intervene in Catalan budgetary affairs and in response to the recentralisation debate, the Catalan President, Artur Mas, sent a public warning to the Spanish Government and politicians in Madrid. Mas emphasised that “a point of no return” might be reached if the Spanish State puts obstacles on the Catalan Government’s financing. He also threatened that, if Spain takes action, Catalonia will react.

According to the artistic director of the festival Josep Maria Dutra "this year has the best line in the history of the festival”. The festival combines a broad international representation with a small Catalan one.

Numerous talented Catalan researchers are pioneering new research in a prestigious British university but they still cannot find a job in Catalonia.

The Catalan savings bank owed the 1.63% of the oil company Repsol. By selling all its stakes, it earned 448 million, which represents a profit of 186 million euros. The financial entity made this operation to increase its core capital, in order to be ready for the banking stress test.

The President of the Catalan Government Artur Mas said that his Cabinet would reduce the Government’s budget for 2011 by 10% in order to cut public deficit. Speaking at the Catalan Parliament today, Mas accused the Spanish Government of not having paid 1.000 million euros last year as agreed. “It is very easy to cut their own deficit by creating deficit to other administrations”, he emphasised.

Barça have qualified for the semi finals of the Copa del Rey despite losing 3-1 at Betis. All of the goals were scored in a gripping first half, with Messi on target for Barça and also missing a penalty. It’s the first time FCB have lost since September 11.

"Although there is a very high standard in Barcelona, the clients are not the same”, this is the opinion of a Catalan web developer who is currently based in Manhattan. This is his story.

In Paris, back in 2005, the death of young boys fleeing from police, spread violence and unrest across the outer suburbs. Now, in Catalonia, the accident of a 16 year-old who fell from a building while escaping police, has sent a wave of violence and vandalism across the town of Salt, forcing the deployment of more security officers in the area.