Catalonia’s regional government has announced it will hold a referendum on separating from Spain on October 1. The Spanish government, which sees the vote as illegal, has said it will block the referendum. Source Deutsche Welle
Sweden’s government and Public Health Agency confirmed that it will definitely go ahead with the fourth and penultimate stage of its re-opening plan next week, with a firm warning for unvaccinated people. Source The Local
China sent 24 fighter jets toward Taiwan in a large display of force Thursday, after the self-governing island announced its intention to join an 11-nation Pacific trade group that China has also applied to join. Source Military.com
France’s defence minister has warned Mali that hiring paramilitaries from Russian private-security firm Wagner would isolate the country internationally, during a visit to the Sahel state. Florence Parly told reporters on Monday that if Mali hired the firm, at a time when international partners fighting jihadism in the Sahel “had never been so numerous, such a choice would be that of isolation”. Source France24
