Spain’s Constitutional Court on Wednesday revoked a resolution by
Catalonia’s parliament that declared the start of a secession process in
the wealthy northeastern region.
The motion, passed last month, calls on Catalonia’s regional assembly to
start drafting laws within 30 days to create a separate social security
system and treasury, with a view to completing independence in 18
months.
It also declares that the parliament of Catalonia is “sovereign” and not
subject to decisions made by Spanish institutions.
Conservative Prime Minister Rajoy immediately filed suit at the
Constitutional Court, which temporarily suspended the resolution last
month while it considered legal arguments.
In a ruling shared by all 11 judges, the Court on Wednesday ruled the
motion “violates constitutional norms” which “affirm the unity of the
Spanish nation.”
Rajoy hailed the decision.
“For the majority of Spaniards, who believe in Spain, in national
sovereignty, this pleases us greatly,” he said.
The ruling comes just two days before the official start of campaigning
for general elections.
The December 20 vote will see a stiff challenge to Rajoy’s Popular
Party from two new parties on the left and right as well as from the main
opposition Socialists.
The Popular Party is presenting itself as the guarantor of national unity
and of Spain’s economic recovery, after the country in 2014 came out of
five years of recession or zero-growth.
The pro-independence camp won an absolute majority in Catalonia’s
135-seat regional assembly for the first time in local elections in
September but got only 48 percent of the popular vote.
Catalan leaders elected in September have vowed to ignore the rulings of
the Constitutional Court.
While they banded together to pass the secession resolution, pro-
independence parties still have not agreed on the formation of a new
Catalan government two months after the election.
Polls show that most Catalans support a referendum on independence,
but are divided over breaking away from Spain.
Opposition to Catalan independence stands at 48.2 percent while 46.6
percent are in favour, according to a Centre for Opinion Studies poll
published Wednesday.
That is virtually unchanged from October when the polling firm found
47.8 percent of Catalans opposed independence while 46.7 percent were
in favour.
Catalonia, a northeastern region of 7.5 million people which represents
nearly a fifth of Spain’s economic output, already enjoys a large degree
of autonomy in education, health and policing.
But it is insisting on even greater autonomy, particularly where taxation
is concerned, estimating that it gives more to the central government
than it receives.
A 2010 decision by Spain’s Constitutional Court to water down a 2006
statute giving the region more powers has added to pressure for
secession.

A 50-year-old woman who fears that the passing of her youth and beauty
means the end of everything that “sparkles” in life has been granted
permission to die by the court of protection.
In a highly unusual judgment published this week, King’s College
Hospital NHS Trust has been told that the unnamed woman has the
capacity to make up her own mind and is entitled to refuse the life-saving
kidney dialysis treatment she requires.
The decision includes a detailed account of the lifestyle of C, as the
woman is known, describing her as “impulsive”, “self-centred”, heavy
drinking and four times married.
But the judge, Mr Justice MacDonald, explained that the principle was
the same for any patient. “The right to refuse treatment extends to
declining treatment that would, if administered, save the life of the
patient,” he said in his court of protection decision.
“This position reflects the value that society places on personal
autonomy in matters of medical treatment and the very long established
right of the patient to choose to accept or refuse medical treatment from
his or her doctor.
“Where a patient refuses life-saving medical treatment the court is only
entitled to intervene in circumstances where the court is satisfied that the
patient does not have the mental capacity to decide whether or not to
accept or refuse such treatment.” Intervention, he said, was not required
in this case.
MacDonald continued: “C is a person to whom the epithet ‘conventional’
will never be applied … C has led a life characterised by impulsive and
self-centred decision-making without guilt or regret. [She] has had four
marriages and a number of affairs and has, it is said, spent the money of
her husbands and lovers recklessly before moving on when things got
difficult or the money ran out.
“She has, by their account, been an entirely reluctant and at times
completely indifferent mother to her three caring daughters. Her
consumption of alcohol has been excessive and, at times, out of control
… In particular, it is clear that during her life C has placed a significant
premium on youth and beauty and on living a life that, in C’s words,
‘sparkles’.”
Having been diagnosed with Bosom  cancer, she had taken an overdose
with alcohol. She did not die but caused herself such extensive kidney
damage that she required dialysis – which she now refused to undergo.

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A bill seeking a two-year jail term for any person who
makes false allegation or publishes any statement or
petition in the newspaper,radio or medium of whatever
description against another person,institutions of
government or any public office holder, passed second
reading in the Senate on Wednesday.
The bill also prescribed that anybody or group of persons
who send any false text message or post false message on
the social media against another person shall be jailed for
two years upon conviction by the law court.
The bill,tagged: “A Bill for an Act to Prohibit frivolous
Petitions and other Matters Connected therewith”,
sponsored by Senator Ibn Na’Allah, APC, Kebbi South,
compels petitioners to accompany their petitions with
sworn court affidavit, failure of which attracts a six- month
imprisonment upon conviction.
But the bill provides for an option of N4 million for
persons convicted of false newspaper,radio and television
statements and N2 million for offenders of false phone
text messages or messages on
facebook,twitter,instagram,or whatsApp.
“Where any person in order to circumvent this law makes
any allegation and or publish any statement,petition in
any paper,radio,or any medium of whatever description,
with malicious intent to discredit or set the public against
any person or group of persons, institutions of
government,he shall be guilty of an offence and upon
conviction,shall be liable to an imprisonment term of two
years or a fine of N4,000,000.00”,the bill specified.
On the social media,the bill read: “Where any person
through text message,tweets, whatsApp or through any
social media post any abusive statement knowing same to
be false with intent to set the public against any person
and group of persons, an institution of government or
such other bodies established by law shall be guilty of an
offence and upon conviction,shall be liable to an

 Following ground swell protests at
Ontisha,Anambra State and other states of the south-east
geopolitical zone staged by members of the Movement for
the Actualization of Sovereign State of Biafra, MASSOB,
and the Indigenous People of Biafra,IBOP,last
Tuesday,calling on the Federal Government to release
their detained leader, Nnamdi Kanu, the two pro-Biafra
groups, Wednesday, disassociated selves from acts of
arson and violence that culminated in the razing down of
Onitsha Central Mosque and burning of some vehicles.
This came as the Inspector General of Police,Solomon
Arase, warned that the Nigerian Police Force, NPF, will
henceforth, arrest and prosecute persons found to be
engaged in the breakdown of law and order by way of
protests,especially in the old eastern region.
It would recalled that over 40,000 members and
sympathizers of MASSOB and IPOB,had last Tuesday,shut
down commercial and business activities in the south-east
geopolitical zone in an avowed stance for the creation of
the sovereign State of Biafra hinged on perceived
injustice,marginalization and neglect meted to the people
of the region.
In a statement made available to newsmen by MASSOB
Acting Leader, Uchenna Madu which reads in part,”the
setting of Ontisha Central Mosque,vehicles ablaze and
making of burning fires which depicts violence are not
done by the members of IPOB or MASSOB under my
leadership.
“This unwarranted acts of violence are perfected by
hoodlums sponsored by agents of the Federal
Government to create impression that non violence and
peaceful pro-Biafra group have turned violent on our
agitation for Biafra. Our oppressors are no longer
comfortable. There is no evidence of terrorism in our
protest. How can we now resort to violence now that we’re
told that the presidency is about negotiating with leaders
of pro-Biafra group?

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Three women, Nkechi Obi, Patience Nwogbo and Ogechi
Njoku, were on Wednesday charged before an Ikeja Chief
Magistrates’ Court for allegedly stealing a week-old
baby. Obi, 25, Nwogbo, 58 and Njoku, 45, who all reside in
Owerri, Imo, are facing a three-count charge of
conspiracy, deprivation of liberty and child stealing.
The accused pleaded not guilty. The prosecutor, Insp.
Simon Imhonwa, told the court that the offences were
committed on Nov. 3.Imhonwa said that one of the
accused, Obi, had traveled in a commercial bus from Imo
State to Lagos State with a week-old baby that was not
hers.
He said the driver of the commercial bus suspected foul
play because the baby cried ceaselessly throughout the
journey. “The driver suspected foul play, when the
accused bearing the child failed to nurse the baby that
had been crying for hours throughout the duration of the
journey.
“He then deliberately drove the bus to a police station
where a report was made. “Obi could not, however, give a
valid reason for bringing the baby to Lagos, nor provide
information about the mother of the child,” Imhonwa
said. He said that the offences contravened Sections 270,
275 and 409 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011.
In her ruling, the Chief Magistrate, Mrs Bola Osunsanmi,
admitted each of the accused to bail in the sum of
N300,000, with two sureties each in like sum. Osunsanm
also ordered that the sureties must work in reputable
companies and show evidence of tax payments. The case
was adjourned till Jan. 25 for hearing.

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As a result of the continuing protests of pro-Biafra
agitators, Inspector-General of Police, Solomon Arase has
issued a stern warning to MASSOB and IPOB activists to
stop threatening public peace or face the full weight of the
law.
“The warning followed the observation by the Nigeria
Police Force leadership of the increasing resort to acts of
brigandage by sets of misguided individuals who
apparently are hiding under the cloak of Movement for
the Actualization of Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB)
and Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) to threaten
national security and public peace in parts of South East
geopolitical Zone and some other conterminous States”
IGP Arase said.
Speaking through a statement signed by Acting ACP Olabisi
Kolawole, the IG said, “The latest manifestation of this
threat is the attempt to blockade the Onitsha end of Niger
Bridge on 1st December, 2015, an action that caused
major hardship to innocent and law abiding motorists,
and citizens. The act also occasioned serious dislocation
of business activities”.
“The IGP notes that the increasing resort to acts of
brigandage of this nature is pointing to a clear attempt by
the brains behind these protests to test the will of security
agencies to restore order and guarantee internal
cohesion”.
“For the avoidance of doubt, the IGP further notes, the
restoration and maintenance of law and public order, and
protection of lives and property remain sacred and
statutory Mandate of the Nigeria Police”.
“This Mandate, according to him, shall be fully executed in
the overriding interests of the nation and vast majority of
citizens and residents of the South East geopolitical Zone”.
“Consequently, the IGP has directed the mobilization and
deployment of Police Mobile Force (PMF) across the
country to reinforce security in the State Commands that
MASSOB and IPOB are currently attempting to utilize