A good read on how the new Spanish king could impact Catalonia’s aspirations for independence.
Lega Nord remains committed to an independent Padania.
BBC on the other Europeans with their eyes on Edinburgh. Related: Scotland gets its own internet domain, with the catchy name dot-scot.
Peter Singer on Scotland and Catalonia:
The EU is also unlikely to accept Scotland or Catalonia as a member if the UK or Spain rejects their claims to independence. Indeed, European Commission President José Manuel Barroso has said that the EU may reject Scotland and Catalonia’s applications, or at least delay them considerably, even if the UK and Spain do accept their independence. And, without EU membership, it is hard to imagine that a majority of people in Scotland or Catalonia would take the plunge into economic uncertainty that independence would bring.
The role of a referendum in a region seeking to secede can therefore only be a form of persuasion aimed at the government of the existing state. A large turnout showing a clear majority for independence would be a way to say: See how strongly we feel about this issue. We are so dissatisfied with the status quo that most of us now favour secession. If you want us to stay, you need to address the grievances that have caused a majority of us to want to leave.
Discovery Channel News has a spot on Iraq, Scotland, and Ukraine: “What do people of a region need in order to secede?”
BBC covers the Muslim Seleka rebels in the northern Central African Republic, who are calling for a new state:
The New America Foundation, which is running stuff at Vox of course, on why Singapore should probably be crushed:
For these and other reasons, we are sanguine about Singapore’s transition to a liberal democracy with a far more redistributive state. Our optimism stands in stark contrast to the government’s fears about how increased democratic pressures here will make Singapore less governable, impede quick and enlightened decision making by elites who know better, and increase the likelihood of policies being made for short-term or populist reasons.
We think such fears are mostly misplaced. The contest in Singapore is less about basic political rights and freedoms. But neither is it just over “bread and butter” issues. Rather, it is a post-modern debate over people’s ability to determine what constitutes achievement and well-being.
Three Irish republicans reportedly linked to the Real IRA denied entry into Canada.
Tasmanians are getting sick of being kicked around.
