BARCELONA: Catalonia’s secessionist politicians have admitted that the region’s independence declaration failed and recriminations have started to fly.
Five days after the Catalan parliament proclaimed a break away from Spain, the new republic’s civil servants were working directly for the central government which imposed direct rule without finding any resistance, as had initially been feared.
Catalonia’s deposed, separatist leader Carles Puigdemont had traveled to Brussels where he told independence supporters to prepare for “a long stretch” and said it would be better to “slow down” the independence process rather than risk unrest.
He also accepted the “challenge” of Catalan elections on December 21 as called by Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy to “restore normality” after he imposed temporary direct rule on the semi-autonomous region in a bid to stop secession.
“The independence movement hasn’t slowed down, it’s stopped,” retorted a Spanish government source in Barcelona, who refused to be named.
Santi Vila, who was Puigdemont’s regional business minister until last week when he resigned after the Catalan leader decided against calling snap elections — an option some felt could have eased the crisis — accused his former colleagues Tuesday of naivety.
He said Catalonia hadn’t been ready to function as an independent republic.
“Where’s the control over the territory, the control of ports, airports, the management of transport?” he asked.
“We lacked the necessary political intelligence,” he admitted on Catalonia’s Rac1 radio, but denied having misled independence supporters.
“But it’s true that I have government colleagues who displayed a level of naivety that is surprising at their age.”
Vila put his name forward to lead his Catalan European Democratic Party (PDeCAT) — also Puigdemont’s party — into the elections.
PDeCAT is part of the separatist coalition that ruled Catalonia until the regional government was axed by Madrid on Friday, along with leftist nationalist ERC, whose leader Oriol Junqueras was vice president and the region’s economic czar.
After having encouraged Puigdemont to take the final step toward a unilateral declaration of independence, ERC said it would take part in the regional election.
“We’re champions of democracy, no democrat can compete with us,” Junqueras told Catalonia’s TV3 television Monday.
For its part, the small far-left CUP party, an ally of Puigdemont, asked for time Tuesday to “reflect on what happened, because we’ve seen the limits of institutional mechanisms.”
The independence movement sought EU support after scenes of brutal police repression during an outlawed independence referendum on October 1 and the detention of two high-profile separatist civil leaders suspected of sedition — in vain.
PDeCAT spokeswoman Marta Pascal summed up her impression of the current situation as “crikey, what happened here?,” pointing to the fact there had been no international recognition or that Catalonia’s regional police force were now following Madrid’s orders.
Over the past years, as it built up its independence drive, the Catalan government had sought the help of advisers to craft a new republic and make it a reality.
One such advisory grouping was the National Transition Advisory Council, which put together a “white paper” on independence.
In that paper, it had specifically warned that the success of a unilateral proclamation would depend on whether the new republic could effectively be governed.
Sandra Leon, a political analyst who teaches at England’s York University, said that far from focusing on a new republic, Catalan separatists were now looking ahead to the elections.
“Everyone is going to try and elaborate a tale of what happened in a way that will be most beneficial to them,” she said.
“There was a declaration of independence in which many people had placed their expectations and all of a sudden, days after it happened, there is no clear script.”
Former Catalan president Jose Montilla, a Socialist and rival of the nationalists, on Tuesday accused them of having lied.
They “have deceived people, they have messed with them, they sold them something they knew was a lie, wasn’t possible,” he told Catalan television.
“Why don’t they face the consequences? Where are the representatives of the Catalan republic now?,” he asked.
Rifts, recriminations among Catalonia’s separatists
Rifts, recriminations among Catalonia’s separatists

Russia destroys 55 Ukrainian drones overnight, one person injured

- The full damage of the attack on Russia were not immediately known
- Ukraine has launched multiple air strikes on Lipetsk
One person was injured as a result of Ukraine’s overnight drone attack on the city of Yelets in Russia’s southwestern region of Lipetsk, regional governor Igor Artamonov said early on Tuesday.
“A UAV (unmanned aerial vehicle) crashed in an industrial zone. One person was injured and is receiving all necessary medical assistance,” Artamonov said on the Telegram messaging app.
The Russian defense ministry said on Telegram that its units destroyed 55 Ukrainian drones overnight over five Russian regions and the Black Sea, including three over the Lipetsk region.
The full damage of the attack on Russia were not immediately known. There was no immediate comment from Ukraine about the attack.
Both sides deny targeting civilians in their strikes during the war that Russia launched against Ukraine more than three years ago. But thousands of civilians have died in the conflict, the vast majority of them Ukrainian.
Ukraine has launched multiple air strikes on Lipetsk, a strategically important region with an air base that is the chief training center for the Russian Aerospace Forces.
Australia and China call for more dialogue, cooperation at leaders’ meeting

- Australia has pursued a China policy of ‘cooperate where we can, disagree where we must’ under Albanese
- Australia’s exports to China, its largest trading partner, span agriculture and energy but are dominated by iron ore
BEIJING: China is ready to work with Australia to deepen bilateral ties, President Xi Jinping said during a meeting with Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese on Tuesday in Beijing.
The meeting between the two leaders comes as China tries to capitalize on US President Donald Trump’s sweeping trade tariffs by presenting itself as a stable and reliable partner. Chinese officials have expressed interest in expanding a decade-old free trade deal and cooperating in artificial intelligence.
China was willing to “promote further development in the China-Australia relationship,” Xi said in remarks at the start of the meeting.
Australia valued its ties to China, its largest trading partner, and welcomed “progress on cooperation” under the free trade deal, Albanese said in response, adding that Australia’s national interest would guide Canberra’s approach to the relationship.
“Dialogue needs to be at the center of our relationship,” the prime minister said. “I welcome the opportunity to set out Australia’s views and interests and our thinking on how we can maintain peace, security, stability and prosperity in our region.”
Albanese is expected to meet Chinese Premier Li Qiang later on Tuesday. He has previously said resources trade, energy transition and security tensions would be key topics for discussions in Beijing.
Australia, which regards the United States its major security ally, has pursued a China policy of “cooperate where we can, disagree where we must” under Albanese.
In the run-up to the visit, China signaled repeatedly it was open to deeper cooperation. On Tuesday, the state-owned China Daily newspaper published a glowing opinion piece about the visit and said it showed countries with different political systems could still cooperate.
However, any cooperation is likely to be constrained by long-standing Australian concerns around China’s military build-up and the jailing of Australian writer Yang Hengjun.
Beijing has also separately criticized Canberra’s increased screening of foreign investment in critical minerals and Albanese’s pledge to return a Chinese-leased port to Australian ownership.
Australia’s exports to China, its largest trading partner, span agriculture and energy but are dominated by iron ore, and Albanese has traveled with executives from mining giants Rio Tinto, BHP, and Fortescue, who met Chinese steel industry officials on Monday, at the start of the six-day visit.
Bran Black, CEO of the Business Council of Australia, said Australia’s Bluescope Steel would also be at Tuesday’s business roundtable, along with China’s electric vehicle giant BYD, Chinese banking executives, Baosteel and state-run food group COFCO.
“First and foremost we use fixtures such as this to send a signal that business-to-business engagement should be welcomed and encouraged,” Black said on Tuesday.
Heavy rains and flash flooding sweep across US’s Northeast

- Flash flood watches and warnings were in place in parts of New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania and surrounding areas
- In New York City, some subway service was suspended while other lines were running with severe delays due to flooding
NEW YORK: Heavy rain swept across parts of the US Northeast on Monday night, inundating sections of New York and New Jersey with flash flooding that stranded vehicles in roadways, closed subway lines and led to the declaration of a state of emergency.
Flash flood watches and warnings were in place in parts of New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania and surrounding areas as downpours moved through the region.
New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy declared a state of emergency due to flash flooding and heavy rainfall, advising people to stay indoors and avoid unnecessary travel. A video posted to social media by CBS showed flood waters bring a major roadway in Scotch Plains, New Jersey, to a standstill, stranding buses.
Some buses and trains in New Jersey were delayed due to flooding.
In New York City, some subway service was suspended while other lines were running with severe delays due to flooding, according to the Metropolitan Transportation Authority. New York’s emergency services agency wrote on the social platform X that parts of the city and mid-Hudson were getting hit with flash floods.
Video posted on social media appears to show water flooding down into a Manhattan subway station, submerging the platform, while passengers inside a train watch. Another photo appears to show passengers standing on a train’s seats to avoid the water beginning to soak the floor.
Parts of major thoroughfares in New York, such as the northbound lanes of the Saw Mill River Parkway and the Cross Bronx Expressway, were temporarily closed due to flooding and at least one downed tree.
Officials in New York’s Westchester County were working to rescue people whose vehicles were submerged in water, according to Carolyn Fortino, a spokesperson for the county executive.
“At this time, residents are still strongly advised to avoid all travel unless fleeing an area that is subject to flooding, or under an evacuation order,” she said in an email.
A flood warning was also issued for Staten Island, which had seen about 10.2 to 15.2 centimeters (4 to 6 inches) of rain, according to NYC’s emergency notification system.
Mount Joy, in southeastern Pennsylvania, declared a disaster emergency as more than 17.8 centimeters (7 inches) of rain fell in less than five hours Monday, according to the Fire Department Mount Joy. Some people reported over 1.5 meters (5 feet) of water in their homes and emergency responders made 16 water rescues, although no injuries were reported.
“The declaration enables us to access additional resources to support residents and accelerate recovery efforts,” Borough Emergency Management Coordinator Philip Colvin said in a statement.
By Monday evening, the rainfall had lessened and water in Mount Joy had started to recede.
In Metuchen, New Jersey, about 54.7 kilometers (34 miles) southwest of New York City, Mayor Jonathan M. Busch, wrote on Facebook that the borough was significantly flooded, but by Monday evening water levels had already receded.
“It looks like the worst of the storm is behind us and thankfully, everyone is safe,” he said.
German court to rule on claim against Berlin over US strikes in Yemen

- “The German government must put an end to the use of this base — otherwise the government is making itself complicit in the deaths of innocent civilians,” said Andreas Schueller, program director for international crimes at the NGO
BERLIN: Germany’s constitutional court will rule Tuesday in a years-long legal saga over whether Berlin can be held partly responsible for US drone attacks on Yemen due to signals sent through the Ramstein air base.
The case is being brought by two Yemeni men, Ahmed and Khalid bin Ali Jaber, who lost members of their family in a US drone strike on the village of Khashamir in 2012.
The survivors say they were there for a wedding of a male family member and eating dinner when they heard the buzz of a drone and then the boom of missile attacks that claimed multiple lives.
A ruling in favor of the plaintiffs could have groundbreaking implications regarding Germany’s responsibility toward third countries in international conflicts.
The two men, supported by the Berlin-based European Center for Constitutional and Human Rights (ECCHR), argue that Germany is partly responsible for the attack because the strike was aided by signals relayed from the Ramstein base in the west of the country.
“Without the data that flows through Ramstein, the US cannot fly its combat drones in Yemen,” according to the ECCHR.
“The German government must put an end to the use of this base — otherwise the government is making itself complicit in the deaths of innocent civilians,” said Andreas Schueller, program director for international crimes at the NGO.
The plaintiffs first took their case to court in 2014, arguing that Germany had a responsibility to ensure the US military was respecting international law in using the Ramstein base.
The case was initially thrown out, before the higher administrative court in Muenster ruled in favor of the plaintiffs in 2019.
However, the government appealed and a higher court overturned the decision in 2020, arguing that German diplomatic efforts were enough to ensure Washington was adhering to international law.
In a hearing scheduled for 0800 GMT, the constitutional court must now decide what conditions are necessary for those affected abroad to sue the German state for the protection of their right to life, according to the ECCHR.
This includes whether data transmission alone is enough of a connection to German territory for Germany to be held responsible.
Ahead of the latest proceedings, which opened in December 2024, the German defense ministry said Berlin was “in an ongoing and trusting dialogue” with the United States about its activities at Ramstein.
The government has repeatedly obtained assurances that drones are not launched, controlled or commanded from Germany and that US forces are acting lawfully, the ministry said.
Japan warns of China’s military moves as biggest strategic challenge

- China’s increasing dispatch of aircraft carriers in the Pacific underscores the country’s attempt to advance its sea power in distant waters, the report said
TOKYO: Japan raised strong caution against China’s rapid acceleration of military activity in extensive areas from around its southwestern coasts to the Pacific, describing the moves as the biggest strategic challenge.
China’s growing joint operations with Russia also pose serious security concerns to Japan, along with increasing tension around Taiwan and threats coming from North Korea, the Defense Ministry said in an annual military report submitted to Cabinet on Tuesday.
“The international society is in a new crisis era as it faces the biggest challenges since the end of World War II,” the report said, citing significant changes to the global power balance while raising concern about an escalation of the China-US rivalry.
The security threats are concentrated in the Indo-Pacific, where Japan is located, and could get worse in the future, report says.
Japan has accelerated its military buildup on southwestern islands in recent years, preparing to deploy long-distance cruise missiles, as it worries about a conflict in Taiwan, which China claims as its territory to be annexed by force if necessary. Taiwan launched 10-day annual live-fire military exercises last week intended to guard against Chinese threats to invade. Japan tested a short-range, surface-to-ship missile at home earlier last month.
Chinese warships’ advance into the Pacific has steadily increased, with the frequency of their passage off southwestern Japan tripling in the past three years, including in waters between Taiwan and its neighboring Japanese island of Yonaguni, the 534-page report said.
The report comes days after Japan demanded China stop flying its fighter jets abnormally close to Japanese intelligence-gathering aircraft, which it said was happening repeatedly and could cause a collision. Beijing, in return, accused Japan of flying near Chinese airspace for spying purposes.
Two earlier close encounters in June occurred over the Pacific Ocean, where Japan spotted two Chinese aircraft carriers operating together for the first time.
China’s increasing dispatch of aircraft carriers in the Pacific underscores the country’s attempt to advance its sea power in distant waters, the report said. It said China’s frequent dispatch of bombers for long distance flights in the Pacific by more sophisticated flight routes and fleet organization is seen as Beijing’s attempt to show off its presence around Japan and to further advance its operational capability.
The Defense Ministry noted two cases last year — a Chinese warplane’s brief violation of Japanese airspace over waters off islands near Nagasaki and an aircraft carrier’s entry into a zone just outside of Japan’s territorial waters further southwest in the Nansei island chain.
With US President Donald Trump focusing on the strengthening of the US economy and security, Japan and other US allies face expectations to play a greater role for peace and stability in the region, the report said.
North Korea poses “an increasingly serious and imminent threat” for Japan’s security, the report said, noting the North’s development of missiles carrying nuclear warheads into the Japanese territory and solid-fuel ICBM that can reach the US mainland.
Russia maintains active military operations around Japan and violated the country’s airspace in September, the report added, saying its increasing strategic cooperation with China has posed “strong concern” for Japan’s security.