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Spanish press review: From repression to the ‘treachery’ of Catalan police

Events in Catalonia on Sunday made for some interesting coverage in the Spanish press, with widely divided opinions on what had gone down.

Spanish press review: From repression to the 'treachery' of Catalan police
A selection of Spanish newspapers published on Oct 2nd.

The eventful day at the polls across Catalonia was covered either with a focus on police brutality against a people trying to exercise a democratic right, or by blaming Catalans for stirring up trouble.

READ ALSO: Spain's Day of Shame: How the world reacts to Catalonia crisis

Here's a look at how different newspapers in Spain covered the unfolding crisis in Catalonia.

Left-leaning El País led with: “The government impedes the illegal referendum by force.”

Some pro-Madrid papers accused the Catalan regional police of disobeying orders after clashes between federal and regional police.

Right-wing ABC chose to run a front page picture of one such clash, captioned: “The treachery of the Mossos.”

It also ran a story titled: “A failed referendum that leaves Spain damaged.”

Meanwhile conservative El Mundo reported that Catalan leader Carles Puigdemont “Will proclaim independence ‘within days',” and also ran a story with the headline: “The Mossos betrays the state.”

La Razon took the view: “Firmness in the face of a coup”.

Catalan front pages mostly featured images of riot police battling with protesters.

Periodico de Catalunya headlined: “Insurrection” and “Intolerable repression” with a photo of riot police clutching at a screaming man.

 

The Catalan language El Punt Avui ran an image of police beating up citizens with the caption: “2017.” And when the paper was unfolded it revealed a similar image dating from the uncertain period of transition in the aftermath of the death of dictator General Francisco Franco.

La Vanguardia led with: “The government represses 1-0”

Ara juxtaposed two powerful images beneath the headline “Shame and Dignity”; one of protesters standing up to police, and another of an elderly woman with a raised fist.

Even the sports press was dominated by Catalan politics.

Marca referenced the fact that Sunday's Barça game was played behind closed doors. “There is no one to applaud this Barça team,” it headlined, with a picture of FC Barcelona posing in Catalan national colors.

READ ALSO: Day of Shame: How the world reacts to Catalonia crisis

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Swiss decision to purchase US fighter jets could force second referendum

Switzerland's decision to purchase US-made fighter jets could be put to a referendum,

Swiss decision to purchase US fighter jets could force second referendum
Swiss fighter jets. Photo: JOE KLAMAR / AFP

Switzerland’s government on Wednesday backed the purchase of 36 F-35A fighter jets from Lockheed Martin to replace its fleet and five Patriot air defence units from fellow US manufacturer Raytheon.

Switzerland’s current air defence equipment will reach the end of its service life in 2030 and has been undergoing a long and hotly-contested search for replacements.

“The Federal Council is confident that these two systems are the most suitable for protecting the Swiss population from air threats in the future,” the government said in a statement.

‘No Trump fighter jets’: Swiss don’t want to buy American planes

The decision will now be put to the Swiss parliament — and also risks being challenged at the ballot box, with left-wingers and an anti-militarist group looking to garner enough signatures to trigger a public vote.

The F-35A was chosen ahead of the Airbus Eurofighter; the F/A-18 Super Hornet by Boeing; and French firm Dassault’s Rafale.

For the ground-based air defence (GBAD) system, Patriot was selected ahead of SAMP/T by France’s Eurosam.

“An evaluation has revealed that these two systems offer the highest overall benefit at the lowest overall cost,” the government statement said. Switzerland is famously neutral. However, its long-standing position is one of armed neutrality and the landlocked European country has mandatory conscription for men.

“A fleet of 36 aircraft would be large enough to cover Switzerland’s airspace protection needs over the longer term in a prolonged situation of heightened tensions,” the government said.

“The air force must be able to ensure that Swiss airspace cannot be used by foreign parties in a military conflict.” 

Long path to decision 

Switzerland began to seek replacements for its ageing fleet of fighter jets more than a decade ago, but the issue has become caught up in a political battle in the wealthy Alpine nation.

The Swiss government has long argued for the need to quickly replace its 30 or so F/A-18 Hornets, which will reach the end of their lifespan in 2030, and the F-5 Tigers, which have been in service for four decades and are not equipped for night flights.

In 2014, the country looked set to purchase 22 Gripen E fighter jets from Swedish group Saab, only to see the public vote against releasing the funds needed to go forward with the multi-billion-dollar deal.

Bern launched a new selection process four years later, and a referendum last year to release six billion Swiss francs ($6.5 billion) for the purchase of the fighters of the government’s choice squeezed through with 50.1 percent of voters in favour.

During the referendum campaign, the government warned that without a swift replacement for its fleet, “Switzerland will no longer be in a position to protect and even less defend its airspace by 2030”.

Currently, the fleet does not have the capacity to support ground troops for reconnaissance missions or to intervene against ground targets.

Meanwhile Switzerland’s current GBAD system is also old and lacks the capacity to meet the widening spectrum of modern threats.

The military currently relies on a range of Rapier and Stinger short-range missiles that have been in service since 1963.

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