Catalan crisis: Thousands rally in Madrid, urge jailing of deposed leader

"Prison for Puigdemont," shouted thousands of people in central Madrid, gathered under a giant Spanish flag on Saturday in anger at Catalonia's unilateral declaration of independence under secessionist leader Carles Puigdemont.

As music blared from giant speakers -- from British band Coldplay to Spanish singer Manolo Escobar's "Y viva Espana" ("And long live Spain" in Spanish) -- pro-unity protesters banded together on the square.

Unhappy with Catalonia's secession bid, many also directed anger at Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy, whom they accuse of having been too soft on the region's separatist leaders.

"It is a disgrace what happened in Catalonia, and it's a disgrace what happened after," said Carlos Fernandez, a 41- year-old mining engineer.

On Friday, the Catalan parliament declared unilateral independence.

Rajoy replied by axing Puigdemont and his executive, dissolving parliament, and calling snap December 21 regional elections to quash what he termed an "escalation of disobedience."

"Nothing is going to change in two months," said Fernandez of Rajoy's intervention, "it's just prolonging the problem."

Sitting on a concrete ledge clutching a large red and yellow national flag, he said he was disappointed at the low pro-unity turnout.
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Spain crisis: Independent Catalonia wakes up under Madrid's control

Catalonia woke up on Saturday under the direct control of Madrid as the Spanish prime minister took drastic measures to quash secession, deposing the region's leaders and dissolving its parliament hours after lawmakers declared independence.

In a dramatic escalation of a political crisis that has stoked alarm in Europe and sent shockwaves through Spain, Mariano Rajoy also decided to call snap Catalan elections on December 21 to "restore normality" to a region in turmoil.

All eyes this weekend will be on whether Catalonia's separatist executive willingly steps down and independence supporters carry out their threat of peaceful resistance to Madrid's takeover.

In the Spanish capital, protesters were due to hit the streets today against Catalonia's declaration of independence, which while lacking any legal basis has caused strife in a region deeply divided on whether to split from Spain.

On Friday in Barcelona and other Catalan cities, thousands celebrated their regional parliament's motion for independence, which passed with 70 votes for, 10 against and two absentions in a 135-seat chamber that anti-secession MPs had deserted in protest.

Demonstrators in Barcelona broke out in ecstatic shouts of: "Independence!" as the result was announced, while separatist MPs cheered, clapped and embraced before breaking out in the Catalan anthem.
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Catalonia crisis: US comes out in support for unified Spain

White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders has reiterated the United States' stand for a unified Spain.

When asked about any comment on the secession of Catalonia and Spain at a press briefing, the Press Secretary said, "I'm not aware of any phone calls today, but we certainly echo the State Department and again reiterate our support for a unified Spain."

Yesterday, Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy dissolved Catalan Parliament to impose direct ruler over it and called for a new regional election on December 21, according to media reports.

This came hours after the Catalonia parliament voted to declare independence from Spain and proclaimed to be a republic.

Prime Minister Rajoy called for maintaining calm and said the rule of law would be restored in Catalonia, which is gripped in political crisis since the last three years.

Reports further said that the Catalan declaration was celebrated by a large number of independence supporters, who gathered outside the regional parliament in Barcelona, shouting "Liberty" in Catalan, as the independence vote went through.

In the vote, boycotted by the opposition, 70 approved in favour of the motion declaring independence while 10 voted against it.

This major development comes just weeks after the Catalan independence referendum of 2017, which was declared illegal, where 92 percent of the people voted backing independence.
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In a polarised Spain, what does it mean to be Spanish?

“Fracture” is the word of the day in Spain, where the Catalonia region's bid for independence and the Spanish government's response are not only pushing the country into uncharted political territory but also sowing the seeds of hate.

Many are warning that the crisis is giving rise to an “us versus them” mentality that is dangerously inaccurate in its simplism and uncomfortably familiar for a country that only four decades ago was under a fascist dictatorship.

If you don't support the October 1 independence referendum, which was suspended by Spain's Constitutional Court and deemed illegal by the central government, you must be anti-Catalan. If you don't applaud the actions of the central government, including the police violence against Catalan voters, you must be anti-Spain. Spanish is the only acceptable language, or Catalan is. There is only one Spanish identity and one Catalan identity. All or nothing.

Messages like these abound. But is the situation truly so binary, and Spain so uniform? Judging by the popularity of one woman's Facebook post about what it means to be Spanish, the answer is no.

In a viral missive, Laura Moreno de Lara describes a Spain that not only celebrates the many distinct cultures, customs and languages contained within, but defines itself by that diversity. A country not of disdain and violence, but of solidarity and love.
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Spain's third largest bank to exit Catalonia over voting tensions

Spain's third largest bank will move its headquarters from Catalonia due to increased tensions post voting on an independence referendum.

Caixa Bank took the decision to move out after an order from the government in Madrid made it easier for companies to move their bases out of the area, the Independent reports.
Another bank, Sadabell, has already moved out of Catalonia and relocated to Alicante.

Caixa Bank, which approximately has 25 per cent of its global business based in Catalonia, has been a major sponsor of social and cultural programmes in the region.

On October 3, Catalans took to streets of Barcelona to condemn the violent crackdown by Spanish security forces during the referendum on independence, in which 893 people were injured.

The Catalan Government said it had earned the right to split from Spain, claiming 90 percent of those who voted in last week's poll were in favour of independence.

Catalan nationalists have always argued that the region is a separate nation with its own history, culture and language, and that it should have increased fiscal independence.

In 2006, the Spanish government backed Catalonia's calls for greater powers. But, four years later, that status was rescinded by the Constitutional Court, which ruled that while Catalan is a "nationality," Catalonia is not a nation in itself.
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Rafael Nadal beats Kevin Anderson to win 3rd US Open, 16th Grand Slam title

Spain's Rafael Nadal defeated Kevin Anderson from South Africa 6-3, 6-3, 6-4 to win his third US Open title on Sunday.

The victory gave the world number one the 16th Grand Slam title. Only his longtime rival Roger Federer has more, with 19.


.@RNadalAcademy has made this video for me!! Thanks to all the students, players, coaches and staff!! #Vamosss https://t.co/XieNlcBpMC

— Rafa Nadal (@RafaelNadal) September 11, 2017

"I've been watching you my whole life. You are one of the greatest ambassadors of our sport" - Anderson to Nadal #usopen pic.twitter.com/5sSLEJJbJe

— US Open Tennis (@usopen) September 10, 2017

Besides his triumph in New York, Nadal also won the French Open in June and has collected two major titles in the same year for the first time since 2013, when he won the last of his two US Open crowns.
Federer won the season's other two Slam trophies at the Australian Open, beating Nadal in the final, and Wimbledon, illustrating the two Grand Slam greats' enduring power.
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Michael Jordan's 1984 shoes auctioned for record $190,300

A pair of shoes worn by Michael Jordon during the 1984 gold medal winning Olympic finals was sold at an auction in the US for a whopping $ 190,373, the highest price on record for game-used sneakers.

The previous record for a pair of game-used shoes sold at an auction was $104,765, also held by the US basketball player for the ones he wore in Game 5 of the 1997 NBA Finals, known as the "Flu Game."

"The record-shattering price proves that Michael Jordan has no equal in the marketplace for game-used basketball memorabilia," Dan Imler, vice president of SCP Auctions was quoted as saying by 'ESPN'.

The size 13 dual-signed shoes are considered to be in great condition, despite the wear and tear of the game use.

The highly-coveted Converse sneakers are ultra-rare as they feature Jordan's original pre-NBA autograph form and because he signed a contract with Nike shortly after US beat Spain in the basketball finals of the 1984 Olympics held in Los Angeles, US.

The shoes are the last pair Jordan wore in a competition as an amateur, the SCP auction house said.

The white and navy blue trimmed shoes are a canvas and leather mid-top design. The navy blue Converse star logo appears on both sides and again on the upper heels.

The original white laces are present and they even include Jordan's very own navy blue orthotic inserts.

The shoes are very well-preserved with all structural and aesthetic components perfectly intact.

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Lionel Messi to marry childhood sweetheart Antone Roccuzzo on June 30

Soccer superstar Lionel Messi's Argentine hometown is preparing to host footballing and showbiz celebrities when he marries childhood sweetheart Antonella Roccuzzo this month in Latin America's wedding of the decade.

Colombian popstar Shakira, wife of Messi's Barcelona teammate Gerard Pique, has said she hopes to attend the wedding.

Media such as local Rosario newspaper La Capital also expect other current and former Barcelona stars such as Luis Suarez, Neymar, Cesc Fabregas and Xavi Hernandez to be among the invitees.

The Barcelona forward's agents confirmed in a statement that the couple will wed in Rosario on June 30, a week after Messi's 30th birthday.

The guest list, venue and party details are the subject of a swirl of rumours.

Sources in the city's cathedral contacted by AFP denied reports that Messi and Roccuzzo would have a religious wedding ceremony there.

The couple still have friends and family in the northern city, where Messi discovered his love of football -- and of his brunette future bride.

It is also where their two children were baptized -- Thiago, 4 and one-year-old Mateo, both born in Barcelona.

Some media predicted 600 guests, but La Capital said no more than 250 were expected, including 21 Barcelona players.

National newspaper Clarin said Argentine singer Karina, wife of Manchester City striker Sergio Aguero, will be a guest and also hired to sing at the wedding.

A source in the city hall told AFP it was considering security measures for the crowd of major football stars visiting.

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