Stories for October 21st 2017

Saturday, October 21st 2017 - 18:32 UTC
Rajoy asks Senate to remove Catalonia leadership and call regional elections

The Spanish government moved decisively Saturday to use a previously untapped constitutional power so it can take control of Catalonia and derail the independence movement led by separatist politicians in the prosperous industrial region.
Saturday, October 21st 2017 - 18:00 UTC
Autopsy shows body found is missing Santiago Maldonado and has no signs of violence

The corpse found in Chubut River, in Argentine Patagonia, is Santiago Maldonado, it was confirmed late Friday by family members who recognized his body tattoos. Santiago lived in El Bolsón, a paradise for hippies in middle of Patagonia, precisely tattooing or living of small handicrafts in close contact with the Mapuche indigenous people who are in conflict with landowners and in recurrent clashes with security forces.
Saturday, October 21st 2017 - 10:12 UTC
UK and EU agree to protect Ireland's Good Friday Agreement and Common Travel Area

Prime minister Theresa May has repeated that the unique circumstances of North Ireland will require a specific Brexit solution. “It is vital that joint work on the peace process is not affected in any way, it is too important for that,” said PM May in Brussels after a meeting of EU leaders.
Saturday, October 21st 2017 - 10:08 UTC
Theresa May Brexit efforts receive strong boost from Angela Merkel

German Chancellor Angela Merkel gave Theresa May a Brexit boost as EU leaders gathered for a summit in Brussels, saying there were “encouraging” signs that talks on the future UK/EU trade relationship could begin as early as December.
Saturday, October 21st 2017 - 08:09 UTC
King insists Catalonia “is and will remain” in Spain. Rajoy planning a general election next January

In his second intervention in the secession crisis, Spain's King Felipe VI has said Catalonia “is and will remain” an essential part of the country. He told an awards ceremony in the northern city of Oviedo that the Catalan government was causing a rift and Spain would solve the problem through democratic institutions.
Saturday, October 21st 2017 - 08:03 UTC
Catalonia customers withdrawing symbolic sums of money from banks leaving the region

Bank customers in Catalonia are withdrawing symbolic amounts of money from financial institutions that have moved their official headquarters to other locations in Spain amid a political crisis over the region’s independence bid.
Saturday, October 21st 2017 - 07:30 UTC
Uruguay government announces presence of hydrocarbons in an exploratory well

The Uruguayan government announced on Friday the presence of hydrocarbons in the north west of the country, in the framework of exploratory drilling by US based Schuepbach Energy. The discovery took place in the county of Paysandu, some 400kms north of the capital Montevideo.
Saturday, October 21st 2017 - 07:05 UTC
Family confirm body recovered in Argentine Patagonia is that of missing activist

The body recovered from a river bed in southern Argentina is that of a missing activist who disappeared two months ago during a police operation, his brother confirmed on Friday. Santiago Maldonado, a 28-year-old tattoo artist, was last seen being detained by paramilitary police as they moved to disperse a protest march by the Mapuche indigenous group in the Patagonia Chubut province, on August first.