Catalonia
The government yesterday said it rejected any ultimatum from Catalonia on moving towards self- determination and remained focused on having a wide-ranging dialogue with the region to resolve a secession crisis.
Catalan regional head Quim Torra had threatened earlier to withdraw parliamentary support for Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez if he did not agree within a month on a self-determination mechanism.
“We don’t accept ultimatums,” the government’s spokeswoman told journalists at a news conference.
“Self-government yes but independence no,” she added.
Meanwhile
The Catalan parliament voted yesterday to reject a Spanish Supreme Court ruling that suspended former Catalan leader Carles Puigdemont and five other pro-independence politicians from public office, marking a new stand off with Madrid.
The assembly also backed a motion allowing all six parliament members, who have either fled Spain or are in jail, to delegate their voting rights to a party member.
In July, Spain’s Supreme Court effectively stripped Puigdemont and the other separatist politicians of their public duties due to their role in organising an independence referendum on Oct 1 last year.
Jihadists
Police have dismantled a jihadist recruitment ring which operated in 17 prisons and included two men convicted over the deadly 2004 Madrid train bombings.
The members are suspected of links to the Islamic State group, also known as Daesh.
Police have questioned 25 prisoners who are “accused of being part of a group close to Daesh which was dedicated to radicalising other prisoners,” the interior ministry said.
Most were Moroccans, or Spanish nationals of Moroccan origin. One was a Danish national and the rest were Spanish nationals.
The ring sought to unite prisoners jailed for terrorist crimes in a so-called “Prison Front”.
International studies show that prison radicalisation is a problem in various countries including Britain and the United States.
New Flights
RYANAIR has announced a record 36 new routes between Spain and Europe.
The new connections will be in place for next summer with the majority being between Spain and the UK.
There are 11 new routes to and from Great Britain, including Malaga to London Southend Exeter and Luton and Sevilla to Edinburgh and Bristol.
In total, it will offer more than 600 routes between Spain and Europe.