Hunger Strike
A jailed Catalan separatist leader on hunger strike for two weeks has been hospitalised in the prison where he is held on rebellion charges.
Jordi Turull, former spokesman for the regional Catalan government of Carles Puigdemont, began a hunger strike on December 1 in prison north of Barcelona.
Turull and other Catalan leaders are in custody pending a trial on charges ranging from sedition to rebellion after they attempted to break away from Spain last year by staging a referendum.
Current Catalan president Quim Torra has stepped up his separatist rhetoric after his own government was weakened by a wave of strikes by doctors and teachers and by protests by radical separatists.
Submarine Spat
SPAIN has caused outrage by shadowing a Royal Navy submarine as it left Gibraltar.
HMS Talent slipped away from its mooring on Friday afternoon for a secret mission but was followed by a Spanish vessel in clear breach of maritime regulations.
A Royal Navy boat was sent out to make sure the Spanish ship stayed away.
Earlier this year HMS Talent, a nuclear sub, was involved in another incident after a Royal Navy vessel fired a warning shot when a Spanish coast guard vessel got too close.
The sub was reportedly departing Gibraltar after having its Tomahawk missile stores replenished.
Investment
The Government has given the green light to the investment over of 7,3 billion euros in the renewal of armaments for the next few years.
The three approved plans contemplate the construction of 5 frigates as well as the manufacture of 348 armoured vehicles the modernization of Eurofigher fighter-bombers.
Animal Rights Protest
Animal rights activists stripped naked and covered themselves in fake blood in Barcelona yesterday in a protest against the use of fur and leather.
Dozens of activists lay naked in the Plaza Catalunya square, one of Barcelona’s main shopping and tourism destinations.
The protest was organised by the Spanish branch of animal rights group Anima Naturalis.
Torrevieja Arrests
Five British men, including one wanted on an international warrant, have been arrested in the Torrevieja area on suspicion of being part of a major drug distribution network
The Guardia Civil in Alicante dismantled a criminal organisation which distributed marijuana to exclusively English speaking customers.
The arrests took place in Guardamar del Segura, Los Montesinos and Rojales, with four men, all said to be British nationals, arrested during the search of homes.
The men have been remanded in custody pending a trial, as well as the man who was the subject of the international arrest warrant.
During the operation, 250 marijuana plants were seized, along with a pistol with ammunition,2 vehicles and a boat.