Following a march of over 1.5 million people calling for Catalonia’s independence from Spain earlier this, the autonomous region’s Parliament has backed a referendum on its independence. This is despite the Spanish constitution stating that secession was forbidden, sparking a crisis in the country. Ricard González, former Washington correspondent for El Mundo and the Catalan magazine El Temps and Jaume Clotet, novelist and former political editor of the Catalan newspaper Avui, have written in the New York Times on the recently sparked Catalonian quest for independence, arguing why independence for the region “has never made more sense”. See extracts below. Read the full piece here . “History can follow a capricious path, sometimes meandering slowly for decades only to accelerate abruptly and take a vertiginous turn. The immediate cause of Catalonia’s sudden outbreak of secessionist fever is so-called fiscal looting.” “But money isn’t the only cause of secessionist sentiment. We Catalans have long been attached to our distinct identity and never accepted the loss of national sovereignty after being defeated by the Spanish monarchy in 1714. For three centuries, Catalonia has striven to regain its independence. Most attempts to establish a state were put down by force.” “ At the core of Catalonia’s unique identity is the Catalan language, which is distinct from Spanish. Since the re-establishment of Spain’s democracy in 1977 and Catalonia’s autonomy in 1979, Catalan has been revived in the region’s schools. However, a recent ruling by Spain’s Constitutional Court threatens this policy. To most Catalans, our language is a red line. If the current system of autonomy can’t guarantee protection of it, independence is the only solution. ”

Hundreds of Libyans surrendered their weapons to the new Libyan Army at the weekend, following public outcry at armed militia. See here for report in The Times. The amnesty, which took place in Tripoli and Benghazi, entered those taking part into a free prize draw with the opportunity to win items including a Hyundai hatchback, flat screen televisions and iPads. Small arms, ammunition and heavy weapons, including Kalashnikovs, anti-aircraft guns, rocket-propelled grenades were all handed over as a military marching band and pop music played in the background.

The United States implored Rwanda to publicly denounce Congolese rebels, who have seized vast areas of the Democratic Republic of Congo’s East. The appeal outlined the United States’ frustration over the Rwandan’s alleged role in propping up the M23 Congolese rebel movement, which has also resulted in the slashing of aid by donor countries to Rwanda. Though Rwanda has consistently denied supporting the M23 rebels, it is yet to publicly condemn the movement. Emphasising the importance of denouncing the Congolese rebels, the US Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs, Johnnie Carson,...

Kenyan warships attacked the Somali port of Kismaya on Saturday night, despite al Shabaab rebels stating that they were abandoning the city, reported residents. According to al Shabaab, two children were killed, and several others wounded. In a statement, the Kenyan military spokesperson, Col. Cyrus Oguna, denied this, and argued that the rebels said they had abandoned the town to lure the Kenyan troops into a trap. Speaking to Reuters, Oguna said , "The troops are consolidating and making plans to expand into the southern part of the city," "A lot of caution must be exercised here. We don't...