News | 2 November

Spanish prosecutor seeks secessionist leaders’ arrest +++ New York attacker charged with terrorism

Spanish prosecutor seeks secessionist leaders’ arrest +++ New York attacker charged with terrorism +++ Myanmar leader makes first visit to Rakhine +++ Russia backs Iran nuclear accord +++ UK, Israel mark Balfour Declaration +++ British defence secretary resigns over harassment +++ The weather

3. Dezember 2017, 02:00

News | 2 November 2017

Joanna King

Spanish prosecutor seeks secessionist leaders’ arrest

Spain’s state prosecutor has asked judges at the National Court in Madrid to jail eight of Catalonia’s secessionist leaders, pending an investigation into their roles in the region’s declaration of independence. The former members of Catalonia’s deposed government have appeared before the court to face possible charges of rebellion, sedition and misuse of public funds. The dismissed Catalan president Carles Puigdemont, and four of his former cabinet members refused to appear before the court and remain in Brussels. Puigdemont’s Belgian lawyer says he will cooperate with Spanish justice, from abroad. His refusal to obey the summons could trigger a warrant for his arrest and extradition. A parallel Supreme Court session for six Catalan MPs has been suspended for a week at the request of their lawyers.

New York attacker charged with terrorism

United States president Donald Trump has called for the death penalty for an Uzbek immigrant accused of driving a truck down a bike path in New York City on Tuesday, killing eight people. New York deputy attorney general Joon Kim says the accused, Sayfullo Saipov, told investigators he had been inspired by the Islamic State terror group: “Saipov allegedly admitted that he was inspired to commit the attack by the ISIS videos he watched and he’d been planning this attack for two months.” Saipov has been charged with terrorism offences.

Myanmar leader makes first visit to Rakhine

Myanmar’s de-facto leader Aung San Suu Kyi has made her first visit to Rakhine state, since more than half a million Rohingya Muslims fled to Bangladesh. They have accused Myanmar’s security forces of a campaign of violence, including killings, rape and burning their villages. Suu Kyi’s government continues to refuse international aid groups full access to the affected area in Rakhine.

Russia backs Iran nuclear accord

Russian President Vladimir Putin has strongly backed Iran and its nuclear deal with world powers, following talks in Teheran. Putin said Russia opposed any unilateral change to the accord, after US President Donald Trump refused to re-certify it.

UK, Israel mark Balfour Declaration

British prime minister Theresa May and her Israeli counterpart Benjamin Netanyahu meet in London today to mark the centenary of the Balfour declaration, in which Britain during World War One endorsed the establishment of a Jewish homeland in the Middle East. Netanyahu has hailed the declaration as a milestone in the creation of the Israeli state. Palestinian leaders are calling for an apology from Britain over the pledge, which they see as a cause of their dispossession, and say London has ignored the part of the declaration on protecting the rights of non-Jewish communities in Palestine.

British defence secretary resigns over harassment

Britain’s defence secretary, Michael Falloon has resigned, over his personal conduct, amid a growing scandal about sexual harassment at Westminster. Fallon said his behaviour in the past may have fallen short of the standards expected.