Spain seeks legal action against Catalan independence bid

September 07, 2017

MADRID (AP) — Spain's government is asking the country's constitutional court to suspend a bid by regional leaders in Catalonia to hold an Oct. 1 referendum on independence from Spain, the prime minister announced Thursday.

Amid deep political tensions, Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy said the vote is illegal and poses an attack against Spain's and Catalonia's institutional order. "That's something that the government and the courts can't allow," Rajoy said in a televised address following an urgent meeting of his cabinet. "There won't be a self-determination referendum because that would be taking away from other Spaniards the right to decide their future."

Spain's constitutional court has previously ruled that a referendum can only be called with the approval of the central authorities. The pro-independence coalition in power in Catalonia, a wealthy region in northeastern Spain, claims it has the democratic mandate to deliver on a promise to seek independence and that the universal right to self-determination overrules Spain's laws.

Regional president Carles Puigdemont signed the decree for the Oct. 1 vote late Wednesday. "Patriotic unities that go beyond the rights of citizens don't have a place in today's Europe," Puigdemont said, adding that Catalonia belongs to "the world that looks forward" by holding the referendum.

Rajoy is trying to strike a delicate balance between tamping down the secessionist defiance yet staying away from dramatic measures that would further inflame anti-Spanish sentiments, such as suspending Catalonia's autonomous powers or declaring a state of emergency, which could bring the military to the mix.

His conservative government has not disclosed what other possible measures are in the pipeline, but it has vowed to trigger actions in a "proportional" way and "with serenity." "The Constitution can be modified but through the rules and channels established, never through disobedience," Rajoy said Thursday.

The state prosecutor, meanwhile, announced plans Thursday for lawsuits accusing Catalan officials involved in the possible referendum of disobedience, abuse of power and embezzlement, among other charges.

One lawsuit seeks to punish members of Catalonia's parliament who allowed a debate and a vote on the legal framework of the Oct. 1 referendum. A separate lawsuit was aimed at Puigdemont and other executive branch members of the Catalan government who signed the referendum decree.

Chief state prosecutor Jose Manuel Maza said prosecutors and police forces in Catalonia have been told to investigate and stop any actions taken to celebrate the referendum. Businesses who print tickets for the ballot, produce commercials to advertise it or provide ballot services to the Catalan government could also be legally liable.

He said the measures were aimed at "guaranteeing the constitutional coexistence framework" in Spain. Although much of the blame for the institutional crisis has been put on the pro-independence bloc in the Catalan parliament, Rajoy's conservative government is being targeted by other political parties for letting the situation get this far.

The Catalonia region, which is centered on Barcelona, generates a fifth of Spain's gross domestic product. It self-governs in several important areas, such as police, health and education. But key areas such as taxes, foreign affairs and most infrastructures are in the hands of the Spanish government. Both Catalan and Spanish are spoken in the region of 7.5 million people, and many Catalans feel strongly about their cultural heritage and traditions.

The pro-independence bloc has argued that full control would benefit Catalonia. The idea gained support amid the high unemployment and harsh austerity measures that came as a result of Spain's 2008-2013 financial crisis.

A return to solid growth has weakened public backing for independence, however. Catalan leaders have pledged to proclaim a new republic within 48 hours if the "yes" side wins the referendum, regardless of turnout.

Catalonia independence bid: Can any side emerge as winner?

September 07, 2017

MADRID (AP) — Authorities in Catalonia pledge they will hold a binding referendum Oct. 1 on whether the powerful region in Spain's northeast should break away from the rest of the country. The Spanish government says the referendum violates the country's constitution and vows it won't take place. Whatever happens on the day, no one seems set to win without heavy losses.

Here's a look at how the situation has come about:

WHAT IS CATALONIA?

Catalonia is one of Spain's 17 autonomous regions. Its capital is the dynamic, touristic and cultural Mediterranean port city of Barcelona.

The region has 7.5 million inhabitants and is one of Spain's main economic powerhouses, generating a fifth of the country's 1.1 trillion-euro economy ($1.31 trillion). It has its own language, which was suppressed during the 1939-1975 dictatorship of Gen. Francisco Franco, and cultural traditions. It is also home to one of the world's greatest soccer teams, FC Barcelona.

The region runs its own police and has considerable powers in health and education. Key areas such as taxes, foreign affairs, defense, ports, airports and trains, however, are in the hands of the Spanish government.

WHEN DID THE INDEPENDENCE PUSH START?

While many Catalans have long stressed the region's differences from the rest of Spain, the current push for independence began in earnest 2010 when Spain's Constitutional Court struck down key parts of a groundbreaking charter that would have granted Catalonia greater autonomy and recognized it as a nation within Spain.

The court's rejection was felt bitterly in the region and has since driven hundreds of thousands of residents out onto the streets every Sept. 11, a Catalan holiday, to demand independence.

Spain's 2008-2013 financial crisis and resulting harsh austerity measures generated more support for secession, with many Catalans feeling they could do better on their own.

WHAT DO CATALANS THINK?

Residents in Catalonia have been nearly evenly divided over independence, although the vast majority believes they should be able to hold a binding referendum. In recent months, especially with the national and regional economies thriving again, polls indicate support for secession is on the wane, although it would probably be a close call.

The region's first attempts to hold a non-binding referendum in 2014 were blocked by the Constitutional Court. The Catalan government went ahead and staged an unofficial poll. About 2.3 million Catalans — less than half of those eligible — voted, with 80 percent favoring independence.

Regional elections in 2015 returned a slim majority of pro-independence lawmakers, who took this as a mandate to push ahead with the independence drive. They pledge they will proclaim a new republic within 48 hours of the ballot if a "yes" vote wins the new referendum, regardless of turnout.

ARE BOTH SIDES TALKING?

Talks between the two sides have been virtually nonexistent with Spain saying it can't discuss a referendum unless the constitution is changed, and inviting Catalonia to work on changing it, while the Catalan government says its right to self-determination must be respected first before talks can proceed.

Catalonia wants a referendum like those permitted in Scotland and Quebec, but Spain's constitution stipulates that only the national government can call referendums on sovereignty and that all Spaniards must be allowed to vote.

So far, it's been a game of chicken with the Catalan government making preparations and the Spanish government legally challenging every move and blocking almost all. Several officials, including former regional chief Artur Mas, have been convicted and others face possible trial for disobeying court rulings on the past and planned referendums.

CAN CATALONIA SURVIVE WITHOUT SPAIN?

The likelihood is that both Spain and Catalonia would suffer considerably if they parted ways without agreement. But Catalonia's fate would also depend on outside reaction.

So far, no country or international body has expressed any appetite for Catalan independence. The European Union, fearful that it could stir other regional nationalists to follow suit, says Catalonia would have to reapply for EU membership, something that Spain could block.

The regional government tells voters that pragmatism will bring Catalonia back into the EU and that it will only be a matter of time until the international community accepts it as a new state.

The economic impact is virtually impossible to estimate. Catalonia has a gross domestic product of about 215 billion euros ($256 billion), the largest of the Spanish regions, greater than Greece's, similar to Finland's and close to those of Ireland and Denmark but many of its goods are supplied by the Spanish state. Spain in return relies on Catalonia's industrial products and export facilities.

WHAT WILL HAPPEN NEXT?

Barring some unforeseen occurrence, it seems likely the Catalan government will try to hold some sort of a vote.

If turnout is massive, pressure will be on the Spanish government to make some sort of conciliatory gesture. Spain, meanwhile, shows no sign of being lenient, although it is unlikely to use force to stop the vote as that would generate negative international attention and could be used by Catalan independence supporters as evidence of what they claim is Spain's authoritarian stance.

Spain's constitutional court on Thursday began to consider a government appeal to bar the Oct. 1 vote.

Catalonia officially sets independence vote for Oct. 1

September 07, 2017

MADRID (AP) — Voters in Spain's prosperous Catalonia region will be asked to choose in less than a month if they want to secede from Spain, the region's pro-independence ruling government announced Wednesday in a move that puts it in open defiance of central authorities in Madrid.

Regional President Carles Puigdemont signed a decree that officially calls for a "self-determination referendum of Catalonia" to be held on Oct. 1. His entire cabinet, which includes politicians from various pro-independence parties, also approved the document to dilute responsibility in case of prosecution.

The referendum clashes with the Spanish Constitution, which only gives national authorities the right to call such a vote. But Catalonia's pro-independence lawmakers approved a bill earlier Wednesday that is meant to provide a legal justification for the independence vote.

"The concept of a state and patriotic unities that go beyond the rights of citizens don't have a place in today's Europe," Puigdemont said. "Catalonia belongs to this world that looks forward, and that's why it will decide its own future on the 1st of October."

A central government official told The Associated Press that Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy has urged the country's top legal consultative body to review the bill. The official said Madrid is expected to challenge the law in the country's Constitutional Court on Thursday. The source asked not to be named in line with internal protocols.

Catalonia's renewed push for secession has opened one of Spain's deepest political and institutional crises of recent years. Although much of the blame has been put on the pro-independence bloc in the regional parliament, Rajoy's conservative government has been criticized for letting the situation get this far.

Puigdemont's government claims it has a democratic mandate to seek a binding independence referendum based on the universal right to self-determination. However, approval for the referendum law came after more than 11 hours of heated debate.

The support of 72 pro-independence lawmakers was enough to pass the measure, but 52 opposition members of parliament walked out in protest before the voting started. Eleven lawmakers abstained from voting.

The parliamentary debate in Barcelona saw tensions flare when the regional body's top speaker, Carme Forcadell, announced that a vote on the bill would proceed before the legislation had undergone the customary legal vetting. The vote had not appeared on the day's agenda until the very last minute.

Spain's public prosecutor announced it was readying legal paperwork to sue the speakers, including Forcadell, for disobeying previous Constitutional Court orders and for abusing power. Ines Arrimadas, the leader of Ciudadanos (Citizens) —the main opposition party in Catalonia— also announced that she would seek parliamentary support for a no-confidence vote against Puigdemont in an effort to force new regional elections.

Spain's deputy prime minister made a televised appearance amid the chaos and numerous pauses in the meeting to announce that Rajoy's government was urging the Constitutional Court to take punitive measures against those who allowed the bill to be debated.

Soraya Saenz de Santamaria said Catalonia's parliament was holding a "fake debate" that she dubbed as an "embarrassing show" and "a kick to democracy, to Catalans and to political decency." The Spanish government is trying to strike a delicate balance between offsetting the secessionist defiance and staying away from more dramatic measures that would further inflame anti-Spanish sentiments, such as suspending Catalonia's autonomous powers or declaring a state of emergency that would bring the army into the mix.

In a show of political unity at the national level, the leaders of the Socialists and the business-friendly Ciudadanos party held conversations with Rajoy on Wednesday. Both leaders had separate meetings scheduled with the prime minister on Thursday.

The Catalonia region centered on Barcelona generates a fifth of Spain's gross domestic product. It self-governs in several important areas, such as police, health and education. But key areas such as taxes, foreign affairs and most infrastructures are in the hands of the Spanish government.

Both Catalan and Spanish are spoken in the region of 7.5 million people, and many Catalans feel strongly about their cultural heritage and traditions. The pro-independence bloc has argued that full control would benefit Catalonia, an idea that gained support in times of high unemployment and harsh austerity measures as a result of Spain's 2008-2013 financial crisis.

The return to solid growth has weakened public backing for independence, although polls show that almost eight out of 10 Catalans want to have the right to vote. But a referendum in defiance of Spain's rule of law, without the blessing of central authorities, has inflamed controversy. Catalan leaders have pledged to proclaim a new republic within 48 hours if the "yes" side wins the referendum, regardless of turnout.

Former Catalan leader Artur Mas said pushing ahead with the referendum was justified because a pro-independence coalition won the 2015 regional election. "The referendum is what we have to do because we have the mandate of the peoples of Catalonia," Mas said.

Mas is the highest-ranking among Catalan politicians suspended from office and fined by the country's Supreme Court for organizing a non-binding vote on independence in 2014. The "yes" vote to break away from Spain won at the time amid a low turnout by voters.

Catalan parliament paves the way for independence vote

September 06, 2017

MADRID (AP) — Catalan lawmakers were voting Wednesday on a bill that will allow regional authorities to officially call an Oct. 1 referendum on a split from Spain, making concrete a years-long defiance of central authorities, who insist the referendum as illegal.

In an effort to rein in one of the country's deepest political crises in recent years, Spain's conservative government threatened to challenge the Catalan parliament's decision to allow the vote at the country's top court. The public prosecutor's office also said it was preparing a lawsuit to punish the Catalan speakers' committee for disobeying previous court orders and for abusing power.

The plenary session in Barcelona saw tensions flare when the regional parliament's top speaker, Carme Forcadell, announced that the vote on the bill will go ahead without the customary vetting of a legal committee.

The so-called "referendum bill" was included at the last minute in Wednesday's agenda. It was likely to be passed by a pro-independence majority later in the day, paving the way for plans for the ballot to be formalized.

The pro-independence coalition ruling Catalonia, where a strong Catalan identity is built around its own language and traditions, says the bill will legitimize a binding vote on breaking away from Spain based on the right to self-determination.

The Spanish government, however, considers that the referendum violates the country's constitution because only the central authorities can make such a call. Spain's constitutional court has previously ruled that any step taken toward a referendum on secession would be illegal. Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy on Wednesday urged the court to take punitive measures against the Catalan legislative body's committee of speakers, including Forcadell.

Wednesday's parliamentary session was an "embarrassing show" and "a kick to democracy, to Catalans and to political decency," said Deputy Prime Minister Soraya Saenz de Santamaria. Rajoy has vowed to use all legal measures at hand to ensure the vote doesn't take place and has ordered his cabinet to be ready to challenge the constitutionality of the bill if it ends up being passed.

"We are defending the rule of law in Spain and democracy in Catalonia," his deputy, Saenz de Santamaria, said in a televised press conference that was hastily convened. The Spanish government is trying to strike a delicate balance between offsetting the secessionist defiance and staying away from more dramatic measures that would further inflame anti-Spanish sentiments, such as suspending Catalonia's autonomous powers or declaring a state of emergency that would bring the army into the mix.

The vote is also not recognized by most of the political opposition at the national level. The leaders of the Socialists and the business-friendly Ciudadanos party declared support for the conservative government in fighting the vote.

Home to 7.5 million, the prosperous Catalonia region centered on Barcelona generates a fifth of Spain's gross domestic product and enjoys ample self-government, running its own police and with considerable powers in health and education. But key areas such as taxes, foreign affairs and most infrastructures are in the hands of the Spanish government.

The pro-independence block has argued that full control would benefit Catalonia, an idea that grew in support in times of high unemployment and harsh austerity measures as a result of Spain's 2008-2013 financial crisis. The return to solid growth has weakened public backing for independence, although polls show that almost eight out of 10 Catalans want to have the right to vote.

But a referendum in defiance of Spain's rule of law, without the blessing of central authorities, has inflamed controversy. If the vote takes place and there is a victory for the "yes" side, Catalan leaders have pledged to proclaim a new republic within 48 hours, regardless of turnout.

Former Catalan leader Artur Mas said that pushing ahead with the referendum was justified because a pro-independence coalition won the 2015 regional election. "The referendum is what we have to do because we have the mandate of the peoples of Catalonia," he said.

Mas is the highest-ranking among Catalan politicians suspended from office and fined by the country's Supreme Court for organizing a non-binding vote on independence in 2014. The "yes" vote to breaking away from Spain won at the time amid a low turnout by voters.

Attack victims came from around world to celebrate Barcelona

August 21, 2017

BARCELONA, Spain (AP) — The victims of last week's attacks in Barcelona and a nearby resort town came from around the world and across generations, the latest a Spaniard who was stabbed to death by one of the attackers.

They are among 15 people killed and more than 120 others wounded in Barcelona and the nearby town of Cambrils on Thursday and Friday. The dead and injured represented nearly three dozen countries, places where loved ones are in mourning or experiencing a new kinship with the people of Spain.

Here are some details about the victims:

Pau Perez, 34, Spain.

Perez was parking his car in Barcelona when the alleged Barcelona van attack driver attacked and stabbed him while fleeing police after mowing down dozens of people on La Ramblas.

The attacker then dumped Perez' in the back seat and drove away, later crashing through a police barrier and injuring an officer before ditching the vehicle containing the body in a town outside the Catalan capital.

The confirmation Monday ended days of uncertainty over Perez's exact fate, although it seems police had already told his family and neighbors in hometown Vilafranca de Penedes he was dead, without giving the full details during investigations.

Spanish media said Perez was an NGO worker and keen football fan.

The town Twitter account announced it deeply lamented his death, declaring three days mourning.

Julian Cadman, 7, Australia and Britain

The British and Australian governments and Catalan emergency services announced the death of 7-year-old Julian Cadman on Sunday. The boy, a dual citizen of Australia and Britain, had been missing since the attack that seriously injured his mother.

Julian and his mother, Jom Cadman, were in Barcelona for a family wedding and enjoying the sights when a van sped down the Las Ramblas promenade targeting pedestrians. His mother, a 43-year-old from the Philippines who had been living in Australia, was hospitalized.

"He was so energetic, funny and cheeky, always bringing a smile to our faces," the child's family said in a statement released by the Australian department for foreign affairs after his death was announced.

On Friday, Julian's grandfather posted an appeal on Facebook with Julian's photo asking for help finding him. The Australian prime minister asked people to pray for him, and the British prime minister said the government was urgently looking into his situation.

The family statement extended sympathy to others coping with losses and thanked all those who helped search for Julian, saying, "Your kindness was incredible during a difficult time."

"We are so blessed to have had him in our lives and will remember his smiles and hold his memory dear to our hearts.

Pepita Codina, 75, Spain

Pepita Codina is being honored with a makeshift memorial in Hipolit de Voldrega, her hometown of 3,000 people near Barcelona.

Mayor Xavier Vilamala said on Twitter he was "very sad and distressed" by the news of her death.

Local media reported that Codina's daughter, Elisabet, was injured in the attack, but is currently out of danger at Hospital del Marin Barcelona.

Neighbor Enriqueta Ordeig described Codina as a "very good woman" who moved to the town when her husband retired, according to the El Pais newspaper.

Granddaughter and grandmother, 20 and 74, Portugal

The two were in Barcelona to celebrate the grandmother's birthday when they were caught up in the horror on Las Ramblas, according to Portuguese media reports.

They had arrived in the city for a week's vacation just a few hours before they were killed, Jose Luis Carneiro, a Lisbon official, told reporters.

The older woman was reported dead Friday, while the younger woman was initially reported as missing before finally being identified Saturday. Those hours left her parents in a painful limbo, Carneiro said.

The parents are "broken-hearted," Carneiro said. "Firstly, because they were caught by surprise by the death of the man's mother and then spent hours not knowing what had happened to their daughter."

The victims' names were not released.

Bruno Gulotta, 35, Italy

A father from Legnano in northern Italy is being praised as a hero who protected his children during an attack in Barcelona.

One of his Gulotta's work colleagues, Pino Bruno, told the Italian news agency ANSA that he saved the life of his two young children — Alessandro, 6, and Aria, 7 months — by throwing himself between them and the van that mowed people down.

Bruno said he spoke to Gulotta's wife, Martina, and she told him her husband had been holding the 6-year-old's hand on the tourist-thronged avenue in Barcelona when "the van appeared suddenly."

"Everyone knelt down, instinctively, as if to protect themselves," Bruno said, adding that Gulotta put himself in front of his children and was fatally struck.

Gulotta was a sales manager for Tom's Hardware Italia, an online publication about technology. "Rest in peace, Bruno, and protect your loved ones from up high," read one tribute on the company's website.

Carmen Lopardo, 80, Italy

Lopardo, apparently the oldest person to die in the attack, was among three Italians killed in Barcelona, according to Italy's foreign ministry.

In a statement, it said Lopardo was killed in the "vile terrorist attack in Barcelona," without providing details.

News reports said Lopardo was an Italian who had immigrated to Argentina in 1950 and was visiting Barcelona.

Silvina Alejandra Pereyra, 40, Argentina and Spain

Argentina's Foreign Ministry says Pereyra, an Argentine-Spanish dual citizen who resided in Barcelona for the last 10 years, is among those who died.

It says in a statement that her death was confirmed through family members living in Bolivia after a cousin identified her body at a morgue in Barcelona.

The Argentine government expressed its deep regret over the pain caused to Pereyra's family and friends and said its diplomatic missions in Barcelona and Madrid are working to assist.

Francisco Lopez Rodriguez, 57, and Javier Martinez, 3, Spain

Francisco Lopez Rodriguez was killed with his 3-year-old grand-nephew, Javier Martinez, while walking along Las Ramblas.

Lopez was accompanied by his wife, Roser — who is recovering from her wounds in a hospital — her niece and the niece's two children, one of them Javier.

"He was a lovely man, kind and charitable" and always telling jokes, said 81-year-old Natalia Moreno Perez from Lopez's native Lanteira, a town of 700 inhabitants outside Granada in southern Spain.

Lopez left the town with his family in the 1960s to seek work and was a metal worker living in Rubi, a migrant town of 75,000 people northwest of Barcelona.

"We are a broken family," niece Raquel Baron Lopez posted on Twitter.

Luca Russo, 25, Italy

One of Italy's three victims in the Barcelona van attack is being mourned as a brilliant young engineer dragged to his death before his girlfriend's eyes.

A determined Luca Russo, 25, already had a job in electronic engineering, no easy feat in Italy, where youth unemployment runs stubbornly high.

"We were investing in him. We wanted to make him grow professionally," the Italian news agency ANSA quoted Stefano Facchinello, one of the partners in the Padua-area company where Russo had worked for a year, as saying.

The girlfriend, Marta Scomazzon, who was hospitalized with a fractured foot and elbow, told an aunt that "we were walking together, then the van came on top of us."

Ana Maria Suarez, Spain

The Spanish royal family sent condolences to Ana Maria Suarez's family via Twitter after she died in the attack in the resort town of Cambrils.

According to local media, the 67-year-old woman was originally from the city of Zaragoza, and was on vacation with her family. Suarez's husband and one of her sisters were injured and being treated at a hospital.

They had just eaten dinner and were celebrating the husband's 69th birthday, walking in the crowded port area of Cambrils, when a van drove down a path hours after the Barcelona attack, according to El Mundo newspaper.

Suarez is the only civilian to have been killed in Cambrils, where five attackers wearing fake explosives belts were shot to death by police.

Jared Tucker, 42, United States

California resident Jared Tucker, 42, and his wife were ending their European vacation in Barcelona after visiting Paris and Venice, and were on their way to a beach when they decided to stop at a cafe on Las Ramblas.

Shortly after her husband left to use the restroom, "all mayhem broke out," Heidi Nunes-Tucker told NBC News. Later, she learned that he was among those killed in the truck attack in Barcelona, the only known American fatality.

Nunes-Tucker, 40, called her husband "truly the love of my life" and says she's struggling to make sense of the violence.

Tucker's father, Daniel Tucker, said the couple had saved for the vacation to celebrate their one-year wedding anniversary.

Jared Tucker, who worked with his father in a family business remodeling swimming pools, had "a magnetic personality, and people loved him," his father told The Associated Press. He liked to fish, play golf and other sports, and leaves behind three daughters.

Secretary of State Rex Tillerson expressed condolences to the victim's family.

Elke Vanbockrijck, Belgium

Vanbockrijck was at the KFC Heur Tongeren soccer club "nearly every day" ferrying her 10- and 14-year-old boys back and forth to training and matches, said team president Arnould Partoens.

The family was on vacation in Barcelona. The boys and their father, a policeman, were unhurt, he said.

Team vice president Herwig Dessers said coaches and players would stand in silence to remember her over the next few days "and talk to the children about what happened."

A picture of Vanbockrijck now rests on the bar inside the clubhouse.

Ian Moore Wilson, 53, Canada

Ian Moore Wilson's daughter Fiona described him as an adventurous traveler and "much-loved husband, father, brother and grandfather."

The Vancouver police department issued a statement from Fiona, a staff sergeant in the force, saying that Wilson had been killed and his wife, Valerie, had been injured in the attack.

Fiona Wilson and the Vancouver police thanked the emergency workers and others who helped her father in his final moments and got medical assistance for her mother.

"In the midst of this tragedy, my dad would want those around him to focus on the extraordinary acts of human kindness that our family has experienced over the past several days, and that is exactly what we intend to do," she wrote.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said four other Canadians were injured in the extremist attacks.

Ciaran Giles in Madrid, Danica Kirka in London; Barry Hatton and Helena Alves in Lisbon, Portugal; Jocelyn Gecker in Walnut Creek, California; Lorne Cook in Brussels, Nicole Winfield in Rome, Kristen Gelineau in Sydney, and Jennifer Peltz in New York contributed.

Barcelona residents protest unchecked growth of mass tourism

August 12, 2017

BARCELONA, Spain (AP) — Around a hundred Barcelona residents gathered on Saturday along the Spanish city's beach to protest the unchecked growth of mass tourism to the popular vacation destination. They argue that the influx of tourists has increased the price of rents, thereby driving longtime residents out of the city center, and driven a spike in rowdy behavior by party-seeking foreigners.

Many of the protestors from the city's waterfront neighborhood of Barceloneta wore yellow T-shirts bearing the slogan "Barceloneta isn't for sale" in Catalan. Some staked homemade signs in the sand, including a large one that read in English "We Don't Want Tourists In Our Buildings. This Is Not A Beach Resort."

As Barcelona hits its peak tourist season this month, its beach has become overrun by sunbathers. One man remained asleep on a towel while Saturday's protestors rallied just a few meters (yards) away. The protest was organized by a local residents' group under the theme "Recover the beach for everyone!"

Barcelona's town hall has responded to the tourist influx by trying to curb the growth of apartments that rented to tourists via on-line platforms like Airbnb. Tension regarding the effects of tourism on the quality of life for locals has helped lead to an outbreak in vandalism against mass tourism in Barcelona and other parts of Spain. Radical leftists groups have stopped a sight-seeing bus tour, sabotaged rental bikes often used by tourists, and painted graffiti messages of "Tourist Go Home" on buildings across the city.

Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy has criticized the far-left groups, saying their protest against a tourism sector that accounts of 11 percent of the country's gross domestic product was "senseless."

"I never imagined I would have to defend the tourism sector. This truly is something unheard of," Rajoy told a business meeting of a large hotel chain on Wednesday. Lured by its mix of sunny weather, Mediterranean cuisine and culture, as well as affordable prices, Spain, a country of 46 million, received 75.3 million tourists in 2016.

More are expected for this year, after the number of arriving tourists increased by 12 percent in the first six months.

Brazil's top court favors indigenous groups in land dispute

August 17, 2017

RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) — Brazil's top court ruled Wednesday against a state that sought federal compensation for lands used to create three indigenous reserves, delivering a landmark decision seen as a defeat for groups trying to limit native land claims.

Mato Grosso, a large Brazilian state on the border with Bolivia, had argued the reserves were created in the 1960s on state lands. In an 8-0 decision, the Supreme Federal Tribunal disagreed, saying the land was owned by the federal government and it had the right to hand over the territory to the indigenous communities.

Sonia Guajajara, an indigenous leader from the northern state of Maranhao, called the ruling a "great conquest in a time when rights are being rolled back." Her comment alluded to claims by indigenous communities that their way of life has increasingly come under fire during the administration of President Michel Temer.

Last month, Temer signed a recommendation to block the demarcation of any land on which indigenous people were not living by 1988, the year of Brazil's latest constitution. Indigenous advocates rejected the proposal, arguing that many native communities had been violently forced from their lands before that date. They accuse Temer of signing the recommendation to cater to the interests of the powerful agribusiness bloc in Congress who he depends on to stay in power.

"It is conceivable that he will try to promote another similar measure" for the same reason, said Cleber Buzatto, spokesman for the Indigenous Missionary Council. There are more than 700 requests for the demarcation of indigenous land pending and Temer has not signed one of them during his 16 months in power.

Italy quake rocks resort island of Ischia, at least 1 dead

August 22, 2017

ROME (AP) — An earthquake rattled the Italian resort island of Ischia at the peak of tourist season Monday night, killing at least one person and trapping a half dozen others under collapsed homes. Police said all but one of the people known to be trapped were responding to rescuers and were expected to be extracted alive, including three children. One person, however, wasn't responding, raising worries the death toll could increase, said Giovanni Salerno of the financial police.

Italy's national volcanology institute said the temblor struck a few minutes before 9 p.m., just as many people were having dinner. The hardest-hit area was Casamicciola, on the northern part of the island.

There was great discrepancy in the magnitude reported: Italy's national vulcanology agency put the initial magnitude at 3.6, though it later revised it to a 4.0 sustained magnitude. It put the epicenter in the waters just off the island and a depth of 5 kilometers (3 miles). The U.S. Geological Survey and the European-Mediterranean Seismological Center gave it a 4.3 magnitude, with a depth of 10 kilometers (6 miles).

While such discrepancies and revisions are common, Italian officials complained that the Italian agency's initial low 3.6-magnitude greatly underestimated the power of the temblor. At least one hotel and parts of a hospital were evacuated. A doctor at the Rizzoli hospital, Roberto Allocca, told Sky TG24 that some 26 people were being treated for minor injuries at a makeshift emergency room set up on the hospital grounds. He said the situation was calm and under control.

Salerno confirmed one woman was killed by falling masonry from a church. At least three people were extracted from the rubble alive, the civil protection said, adding that the island had sustained at least 14 aftershocks.

Civil protection crews, already on the island in force to fight the forest fires that have been ravaging southern Italy, were checking the status of the buildings that suffered damage. Other rescue crews, as well as dogs trained to search for people under rubble, were arriving on ferries from the mainland.

Together with the nearby island of Capri, Ischia is a favorite island getaway for the European jet set, famed in particular for its thermal waters. Casamicciola was the epicenter of an 1883 earthquake that killed more than 2,000 people.

The quake came just two days shy of the one-year anniversary of a powerful 6.2-magnitude earthquake that devastated several towns in central Italy. That temblor last Aug. 24 killed more than 250 people in Amatrice and beyond and set off a months-long series of powerful aftershocks that emptied many towns and hamlets of their people.

Hungary asks EU to help pay for anti-migrant border fence

September 01, 2017

BUDAPEST, Hungary (AP) — Hungary's prime minister has asked the European Union to pay for half of the cost of anti-migrant fences it built on its southern borders, or about 440 million euros ($523 million).

In a letter dated Thursday to European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker, Prime Minister Viktor Orban said the fences erected in 2015 on the borders with Serbia and Croatia have practically eliminated the migrant flow through Hungary, guarding more than just his country.

The move comes days before Europe's top court is expected to reject an appeal by Hungary and Slovakia against an EU agreement obliging them to take in refugees from Greece and Italy. "With the construction of the fence, training and placing 3,000 border hunters into active service, our country is protecting not only itself but entire Europe against the flood of illegal migrants," Orban said in the letter. "I hope that, in the spirit of European solidarity, we can rightly expect that the European Commission ... will reimburse half of our extraordinary border protection expenses in the foreseeable future."

But European Commission spokesman Alexander Winterstein encouraged Hungary to put in a formal application to use funds already earmarked in the 2014-2020 EU budget. "We are not financing the construction of fences or barriers at external borders. We do support border management measures at external borders. This can be surveillance measures. This can be border control equipment. But fences, we do not finance," Winterstein said Friday. "We won't change" our stance on that.

The border hunter corps was set up within the police force a year ago and its officers dedicated to border protection duties and guarding the fence. Hungarian soldiers have also been aiding police in the tasks.

Orban said Europe needed to show solidarity with Hungary's border protection efforts, not just with Greece and Italy, the countries which have received the brunt of the migration influx. EU leaders have criticized Hungary for failing to show solidarity because it refuses to take in any asylum-seekers sought to be relocated from Greece and Italy until their asylum requests are decided.

"Solidarity is a two-way street and all member states should be ready to contribute. This is not some sort of a la carte menu where you pick one dish, for example border management, while refusing another dish, like compliance with relocation decisions," Winterstein said.

Orban's demand comes less than a week before the European Court of Justice is scheduled to rule on a legal challenge to the relocation scheme by his government and Slovakia. A top legal adviser recommended in July that the appeal by Hungary and Slovakia be rejected next Wednesday.

The European Commission has also launched its own legal action against Hungary, plus the Czech Republic and Poland, for failing to respect their commitment to take in refugees. Orban's government has promoted a "Let's Stop Brussels" billboard and publicity campaign rejecting the EU's migration policies. Last year, over 98 percent of participating voters said the EU shouldn't settle anyone in Hungary without the consent of the Hungarian parliament, but the referendum was invalid because of low voter turnout.

As Orban and other government officials earlier made it a point of pride that Hungary had paid for nearly all the costs of the fences and their maintenance with local funds, the change of heart could also let Orban generate another conflict with the EU, should it reject the "reasonable" request for reimbursement.

Lorne Cook contributed to this report from Brussels.

Greek firefighters close to containing wildfire near Athens

August 16, 2017

ATHENS, Greece (AP) — Greece's fire department says it's close to containing a wildfire that is burning north of Athens for a fourth day. Army bulldozers are being used to set up firebreaks around the Kalamos area, about 45 kilometers (28 miles) north of Athens, before an expected pickup in winds later Wednesday.

Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras visited fire-damaged areas by helicopter, while more than 300 firefighters remained deployed there, supported by five water-dropping planes and six helicopters. No serious injuries have been reported since the fire broke out Sunday. The Fire Service hasn't issued a damage estimate, but the blaze is believed to have gutted or damaged several dozen homes.

Wildfires also continued in the Peloponnese in southern Greece and on the western island of Zakynthos.

German election: Merkel, Schulz gear up for TV showdown

September 02, 2017

BERLIN (AP) — German Chancellor Angela Merkel and her center-left rival, Martin Schulz, are preparing for their only televised debate before the Sept. 24 election following a campaign that so far has lacked a head-to-head showdown between the two leading candidates.

Merkel, who heads Germany's center-right Christian Democrats, has stepped up her campaigning in recent weeks as she seeks a fourth term leading Europe's biggest economy. She has highlighted the country's prosperity and sought to address conservative fears with a tougher line on policing and immigration.

In an interview published Saturday, Merkel said she wants to continue police checks introduced at Germany's borders as a temporary measure in September 2015, a procedure the European Union says runs contrary to the bloc's passport-free travel rules.

Merkel, 63, told daily newspaper Rheinische Post she's confident the EU's executive arm has "an open ear for our arguments" to extend the controls beyond their Nov. 11 expiration date. They began amid an influx of asylum-seekers that critics partly blame on the chancellor's welcoming approach to refugees.

Germany's Social Democratic Party unexpectedly nominated Schulz, 61, in January to challenge Merkel. He has been free to campaign full-time since he left his post as president of the European Parliament, the EU's legislative body.

But Schulz has refrained from making sustained attacks on Merkel's leadership, focusing instead on issues of social justice and pledging to get rid of U.S. nuclear weapons stationed in Germany. In an interview published Saturday by daily newspaper Bild, Schulz said he wasn't nervous about Sunday's debate, which will be broadcast live by four of Germany's main television stations.

The former bookseller, whose highest elected position in Germany was as mayor of the small western town of Wuerselen, acknowledged that his party had suffered two "very, very difficult defeats" in recent regional elections. He insisted that the national contest could swing his way because many voters are still undecided.

A poll published Friday by public broadcaster ZDF put the Social Democrats with 22 percent support compared to 39 percent for Merkel's bloc. The survey of 1,309 German voters had a margin of error of up to 3 percentage points.

The parties are currently in a coalition at the national level.

Merkel emphasizes German prosperity, security at rally

August 12, 2017

BERLIN (AP) — German Chancellor Angela Merkel opened the final phase of her election campaign Saturday with a focus on her record, emphasizing the economic growth and prosperity achieved during her dozen years at the helm as she seeks a fourth term.

Merkel told a rally organized by her Christian Democratic Union party in the western city of Dortmund that unemployment has dropped to a post-reunification low since she first was elected chancellor in 2005.

She told the crowd she hoped to achieve full employment — a rate below 3 percent — by 2025. The rate hit as high as 12.6 percent in early 2005 and was most recently at 5.6 percent in July. "Those are really excellent figures," Merkel said, going on to note that government and industry must not be complacent because technology is changing the way the economy functions.

"On one hand, Germany stacks up well, but on the other hand we live in a time of change, a time of uncertainty," she said. Singling out the damage done to the "Made in Germany" label with Volkswagen's diesel cheating scandal, Merkel said honesty in business was a prerequisite going forward.

"The way things were swept under the rug or where loopholes in emissions tests were massively exploited to the point they were unrecognizable, that destroys trust," she told the crowd. In addition to Volkswagen, Germany is home to Mercedes, BMW and other top brands.

Merkel emphasized the need for the auto industry to develop cleaner technologies, but also sought to allay widespread fears that older diesel cars could be banned from the streets. A "transition phase" would be better than a ban, she said.

The government could help provide the infrastructure to support vehicles run by alternative power sources, but innovation was up to the automakers, she said. "The question of whether the German automobile industry has recognized these signs of the times will decide their future, and with it hundreds of thousands of jobs," she said.

Merkel, however, rejected outright an idea floated by her main challenger, Social Democrat Martin Schulz, who suggested in an interview Friday that there should be a Europe-wide quota instituted for electric cars.

Merkel said such a quota could harm the development of other alternative technologies and she didn't think the idea "has been thought through." A defining moment of Merkel's tenure as chancellor was the decision in 2015 to open Germany's doors to 890,000 migrants seeking asylum and economic opportunities. She pledged Friday not to avoid immigration as a topic on the campaign trail, but did not mention the controversial issue in her Dortmund speech.

Merkel's conservative bloc currently enjoys a lead of more than 15 percent over its main competition, the Social Democrats, leading up to the Sept. 24 election. Most polls put support for Merkel's bloc at about 40 percent compared to about 23 percent for the SPD.

The two parties currently govern together in a so-called "grand coalition." The SPD's slumping popularity figures and recent gains by Merkel's bloc, which also includes the Bavaria-only Christian Social Union, have led many to speculate that she might be able to form a new coalition with the pro-business Free Democrats or another smaller party.

Merkel urged members of her party to keep up the pressure over the next six weeks. "We need to advocate, we need to fight and we need to stand up for our ideas," she said. Campaign posters for Merkel's Christian Democratic Union have highlighted the country's economic prosperity, with slogans such as "For a Germany in which we live well and happily," and "For good work and good pay." Other themes include "More respect for families," and "Security and order."

At Saturday's rally, Merkel cited another campaign slogan: "Strengthening Europe means strengthening Germany." "For us, the greatest security and the greatest peace project is the European Union," she told the cheering crowd.

France's Macron in Romania for talks on 'posted workers'

August 24, 2017

BUCHAREST, Romania (AP) — French President Emmanuel Macron arrived in Romania Thursday, the second leg of his trip to Central Europe where he will raise concerns over so-called "posted workers" — cheap labor from Eastern Europe posted temporarily to more prosperous European countries.

Amid tight security, Macron headed for talks with President Klaus Iohannis at the Cotroceni presidential palace and he will later have lunch with Premier Mihai Tudose and other officials. "Posted workers" from Eastern European nations including Romania and Poland continue to pay into the tax and social security systems of their home countries, allowing employers to hire them for less than in Western countries where welfare costs are higher. The majority work in construction, but many also work as welders, electricians or carers for the elderly.

Macron wants to require companies to pay posted and local workers the same salaries and limit postings abroad to up to one year. Posted workers account for about 1 percent of the EU's total workforce, but they are perceived as pricing out local workers in Western Europe, putting downward pressure on wages and exacerbating inequalities in wealth.

Last year, the European Commission proposed new rules to regulate the issue, requiring companies to pay posted and local workers the same. But the proposals haven't won support from member states in central and eastern Europe.

Romania's National Pension House says last year some 50,000 Romanian workers were posted abroad to other EU countries.

French first lady says husband's only fault is being younger

August 16, 2017

PARIS (AP) — France's first lady says President Emmanuel Macron's only fault is "being younger than me," addressing their atypical love story in a rare interview. Brigitte Macron told France's Elle magazine that if she hadn't pursued their romance, "I would have let my life pass me by." Excerpts of the interview were released Wednesday.

The couple of about 20 years met when he was a student at the high school where she taught. Brigitte Macron now is 64, her husband 39 — an age difference about the same as Donald and Melania Trump's. Macron is facing resistance to the president's push to formalize the first lady's role. She insisted she would not take a salary and promised her official activities would be posted online "so that the French know exactly what I'm doing."

European, African leaders meet in Paris for migration talks

August 28, 2017

PARIS (AP) — The leaders of France, Germany, Italy and Spain are meeting Monday with counterparts from Libya, Niger and Chad to discuss ways to curb illegal migration across the Mediterranean Sea to European shores.

As a key transit point on the route, Libya is expected to be a focus of the discussions convened by French President Emmanuel Macron in Paris. The leader of Libya's internationally-backed government, Fayez Serraj, is representing the troubled north African country.

The leaders also plan to discuss security cooperation, and the European leaders will then hold separate talks focused on European Union matters. A top diplomatic official at the French presidency said the goal of the meeting is to produce a common "roadmap" that would define priority actions on migration routes.

One issue to be addressed is helping Libya and other countries of Africa's Sahel region to fight human smuggling. Another is developing a resettlement policy for migrants who appear to fulfill criteria for obtaining asylum, the French official said.

An idea under discussion is establishing "protection missions" in Chad and Niger that would be operated by the United Nations' refugee and migration agencies in cooperation with EU countries' domestic migration agencies. The pre-asylum centers would receive European financing.

The official, in keeping with French presidential policy, requested anonymity and would not provide details on the precise locations and procedures for the missions. Macron commented last month about establishing "hotspots" in Libya, Niger and Chad where people hoping to migrate to Europe could be screened for asylum eligibility. The comment prompted confusion, and his office later downplayed the remark.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel said ahead of the meeting that she wants more support for Libya's coast guard and a "migration partnership" with Niger to inhibit migrant smuggling. While European and African leaders were to meet in Paris, interior ministers from Libya, Chad, Niger and Mali met Monday at Rome's interior ministry Monday morning.

A joint statement after the meeting said the ministers expressed satisfaction with the Paris summit's agenda, which they said "can constitute the beginning of a new relationship between Europe and Africa."

The ministers also renewed a pledge to back peace accords among Libya's southern tribes and to stress the importance of backing Libya in the creation of a border guard force. They agreed with the aim of setting up in Niger and Chad and of improving in Libya "reception centers for irregular migrants, coherent with their own legislation, with the aim of bringing them up to international humanitarian standards."

Frances D'Emilio contributed in Rome.

London's Notting Hill Carnival honors tower fire victims

August 28, 2017

LONDON (AP) — Hundreds of thousands of people are expected at London's Notting Hill Carnival, where celebrations will pause to remember victims of the deadly Grenfell Tower fire. The Caribbean carnival, billed as Europe's biggest street party, winds through west London streets near the tower block gutted by a blaze in June that killed at least 80 people.

The carnival's floats, steel bands and sound systems will fall silent Monday afternoon to remember those who died. The two-day festival opened Sunday with the release of dozens of white doves to commemorate the victims. Participants also held a minute's silence Sunday for the fire victims.

Security has been tightened this year in the wake of vehicle and knife attacks across Europe, with steel barriers and concrete blocks around the edge of the route.

Brexodus: UK immigration falls as EU citizens leave Britain

August 24, 2017

LONDON (AP) — Net migration to Britain has fallen to a three-year low as a growing number of European Union citizens have left the country following last year's Brexit referendum. Data released Thursday by the Office for National Statistics provides evidence that the uncertainty and economic jitters caused by Britain's vote to quit the EU are deterring immigrants and sparking a "Brexodus."

The statistics office said net migration — the difference between arrivals and departures — was 246,000 in the year to March 31, a fall of 81,000 on a year earlier. More than half the change was due to a decline of 51,000 people in net migration from the EU.

A total of 122,000 EU citizens left Britain in the year to March, up 31,000 from the year before and the highest outflow in nearly a decade. There was a particularly sharp rise in departures from citizens of the "EU 8" — the eastern European nations that joined the bloc in 2004. Hundreds of thousands of Poles, Lithuanians and other eastern Europeans moved to Britain to work after 2004.

EU citizens have the right to live and work in any member state, and more than 3 million nationals of other EU countries reside in Britain. When Britain leaves the EU in March 2019, it will have the power to set restrictions on the movement of people from the EU, leaving many EU citizens uncertain about their future rights in Britain.

Nicola White, head of international migration figures at the U.K. statistics office, said the figures "indicate that the EU referendum result may be influencing people's decision to migrate into and out of the U.K., particularly EU and EU8 citizens."

"It is too early to tell if this is an indication of a long-term trend," she said. A fall in the value of the pound since last year's referendum and a slowdown in the British economy may also be making the country less attractive to migrants. The statistics agency confirmed Thursday that the economy grew by a modest 0.3 percent in the second quarter of 2017 from the previous three months, slower than any other Group of Seven economy.

Pro-EU opposition politicians and business leaders said the decline in migration was an early-warning sign, and Britain would face a shortage of workers if it severely restricted immigration after Brexit.

Matthew Percival, head of employment at the Confederation of British Industry said the loss of "vital skills" should concern everyone in Britain. But Prime Minister Theresa May's Conservative government, which has a longstanding and unmet pledge to cut net immigration below 100,000 a year, said the figures were "encouraging."

"People who come to our country to work bring significant benefits to the U.K., but there is no consent for uncontrolled immigration," said immigration minister Brandon Lewis.

Big Ben bell falls silent in London for repairs until 2021

August 21, 2017

LONDON (AP) — After more than 150 years as Britain's most famous timekeeper, London's Big Ben bell fell silent Monday for four years of repair work that will keep it quiet on all but a few special occasions.

The giant bell atop Parliament's clock tower sent a dozen deep bongs into a gray sky at noon, marking the hour as it has done almost continuously since 1859. It is not due to resume its regular duties until 2021.

Hundreds of parliamentary staff, journalists and lawmakers gathered in a courtyard under the Victorian clock tower to mark the moment, while hundreds more tourists and passers-by lined sidewalks and filled nearby Parliament Square, cellphones held aloft.

The mood was light-hearted — it is, after all, just a bell — but total silence fell as the first bong sounded. The crowd burst into cheers and applause as the last faded away, and bells at nearby Westminster Abbey pealed a noisy farewell to their neighbor.

The bell is being stilled to allow workers to carry out much-needed maintenance to the clock and clock tower without being deafened. But a handful of lawmakers have criticized the lengthy silence, calling Big Ben an important symbol of British democracy. Prime Minister Theresa May said last week that "it can't be right for Big Ben to be silent for four years."

In response to the criticism, House of Commons officials have said they will take another look at the repairs schedule once Parliament returns next month from its summer break. Labour Party lawmaker Stephen Pound said it was sad to see the silencing of "the chimes of freedom."

"You don't know what you've got till it's gone," he said. And Pound expressed skepticism that the repair work would be finished on schedule in 2021. "Dream on," he said. "Have you known any government project ever come in on time and on budget?"

Big Ben has been silenced by malfunction and for repairs before, most recently in 2007, but this stretch is by far the longest. Parliamentary officials say it will still be heard on special occasions such as New Year's Eve.

The sound of the 13.5 U.K. ton (15.1 U.S. ton, 13.7 metric ton) bell became associated with Britain around the globe through World War II radio news broadcasts. The clock tower — also commonly called Big Ben, but formally named the Elizabeth Tower after Queen Elizabeth II — is one of London's most-photographed buildings.

"Parliament and the clock tower and Big Ben are just iconic parts of London and Great Britain and so it's very exciting to be out here and see it," said Mitchell Polay, visiting one day recently from Yonkers, New York. "In the States when you think of England, that's one of the first things that pop up into your mind."

He felt there must be a way to keep Big Ben bonging. "We have an international space station," Polay said. "I'm sure they could figure out a way to make a bell ring and not damage the hearing of the workers."

During the repair work, scaffolding will obscure parts of the tower, and the clock faces will be covered at times — though at least one face will always be visible. Adam Watrobski, principal architect at the Houses of Parliament, said authorities are well aware of how much interest the bell and the tower generate.

"But you know at the end of the day all buildings have to be serviced," he said. Watrobski added that once this round of work is finished, "the building will be sound and secure for the next 60 years or so."

Kevin Scott and Caroline Spiezio contributed to this story.

UK's new flagship aircraft carrier arrives at home port

August 16, 2017

LONDON (AP) — Britain's new flagship aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth arrived at its home port in southern England on Wednesday to great fanfare as tens of thousands jammed the harbor in welcome. Sailors lined the flight deck as the 3 billion-pound ($3.87 billion) aircraft carrier arrived at Portsmouth Naval Base. The 919-foot (280-meter) vessel has been training at sea since June after setting out from Rosyth dockyard in Scotland.

Two flybys of Royal Navy helicopters added to the pageantry. A band of Royal Marines entertained the crowds, and the families of service members lined the jetty to cheer. "She is Britain's statement to the world: a demonstration of British military power and our commitment to a bigger global role," Defense Secretary Michael Fallon said. "The thousands of people across the U.K. who have played a part in building her and her sister ship, HMS Prince of Wales, should be immensely proud as our future flagship enters Portsmouth."

Fallon said in June that Russia would look at the new carrier with envy, pointing at Russia's "dilapidated" Admiral Kuznetsov carrier. Russia's defense ministry spokesman fired back, dismissing the British carrier as just a "conveniently large sea target" that should stay close to U.S. protection assets.

The carrier is the largest ever for the Royal Navy, and is built specifically for the F-35, the much heralded next generation fighter jet. The military has estimated that by 2023, it will have 24 jets on board.

New US commander takes control of anti-IS coalition

2017-09-05

DAMASCUS - The US-led coalition fighting the Islamic State group in Iraq and Syria swore in a new commanding general Tuesday, with the fight against the jihadists now in its fourth year.

Lieutenant General Paul Funk assumed command of the Operation Inherent Resolve joint task force at a ceremony on a military base in the region, officials said in a statement.

As part of a regular rotation, he took over from Lieutenant General Stephen Townsend, who had been deployed a year ago.

"The very existence of ISIS poses a threat to the civilized world and our way of life. We must defeat them, and our collective effort will defeat them," Funk said, according to the statement.

IS seized large parts of Iraq and Syria in 2014 as it sought to establish its self-declared "caliphate," but has faced a series of major defeats in recent months.

Forces backed by the coalition, which was founded in June 2014, have ousted the jihadists from Iraqi bastions such as Mosul and the extremists also have lost control of more than half of their de facto Syrian capital, Raqa.

Funk heads up the Army's III Corps, which had previously led the anti-IS coalition from September 2015 to August 2016.

Source: Middle East Online.
Link: http://www.middle-east-online.com/english/?id=84695.

Flight attendant wins discrimination case against Aeroflot

September 06, 2017

MOSCOW (AP) — A Moscow court on Wednesday ruled in favor of a flight attendant who claimed Russia's flagship airline stopped assigning her to work long-haul international flights because of her looks.

The Moscow City Court overturned a ruling by a district court that had rejected Yevgeniya Magurina's claim that she was sidelined as part of Aeroflot's drive to make its cabin crews younger and more physically attractive.

The flight attendant's lawsuit put a spotlight on how women in modern Russia still often are judged by their looks. Magurina submitted pay slips showing that she stopped receiving bonus pay that had comprised roughly 20 percent of her income after she asked for a larger-sized uniform. She says she also no longer was assigned the role of senior steward.

Magurina had requested 500,000 rubles ($8,700) in damages and for the court to rule the company's regulations on clothing sizes discriminatory. The court on Wednesday upheld her discrimination claim, but awarded the flight attendant just 5,000 rubles ($87) in damages.

Her attorney welcomed the ruling, calling it "definitely a victory." "We were not suing for money. We wanted the court to acknowledge that you cannot treat people like that," lawyer Ksenia Michaylichenko said.

Aeroflot's press office did not have immediate comment. Magurina claimed her experience was part of a broader move that affected hundreds of other flight attendants who faced pay cuts and were taken off the prestigious long-haul flights. An appeal by another Aeroflot flight attendant who came forward with a similar claim is expected to be heard later this month.

Magurina said a sympathetic manager leaked her documents showing that some 600 of Aeroflot's 7,000 cabin crew employees, most of them women, were reassigned to shorter flights without bonus pay because they were considered too "old, fat and ugly."

Aeroflot denied the claims of discrimination in court, arguing that the company had no obligation to pay bonuses. But it acknowledged its preference for slimmer cabin crews, arguing that there were objective reasons for it. Aeroflot insisted that overweight attendants could pose a safety risk by blocking emergency exits and require more costly fuel to transport.