On FPF #101, I discuss the Catalan independence vote. 90% of people who were able to vote, voted for independence. The Spanish police brutally cracked down on people trying to vote. Catalans have responded with massive peaceful protesters.

Articles

• The US ordered 15 Cuban diplomats to leave the country. The US also withdrew 60% of US diplomats from Cuba. [Link]
• The US voted against a ban on the death penalty being made illegal as a punishment for homosexuality. [Link]
• General Mattis told the Senate Armed Services Committee that the US should stay in the Iran nuclear deal.
• John McCain criticized the Trump administration for not being transparent enough about its Afghanistan policy. [Link]
• Mattis said about 3,000 US troops in Afghanistan will be in combat roles. [Link]
• Catalans protested and were on strike against police abuse for a second day. [Link]
• Catalonia’s president said Catalonia would declare independence from Spain within a few days. [Link]
• Iraqi Kurds will have parliamentary and presidential elections on November 1. [Link]
• US warships will now travel with their Automatic Identification System turned on. The AIS alerts other ships in the area on the size and speed of a ship to prevent coalitions. [Link]
• The White House confirms that they are unwilling to engage in talks with North Korea. [Link]
• Justin Raimondo argues the Catalan independence vote revealed the true nature of government. [Link]
• The Catalan President has submitted the results of the referendum to the Catalan Parliment. The president is also seeking international mediation to help with a peaceful split from Spain. The Spanish government is refusing to acknowledge the referendum happened and refusing to negotiate with Catalonia. [Link]
• On Monday, Catalans took to the streets to protest the brutal police crackdown on the Catalan independence vote. [Link]
• An American soldier was killed and another was injured in Iraq. [Link]
• Iran has deployed tanks and artillery to the border they share with Iraqi Kurdistan. [Link]
• The Trump administration has set a cap of 45,000 refugees to be admitted to the US in 2018. [Link]
• The Trump administration is urging Congress to renew and make permanent some sections of the Foreign Intelligence Survalience Act. [Link]
• Senators McCain and Lee have introduced a bill to permanently exempt Puerto Rico from the Jones Act. [Link]
• Julian Borger explains why the CIA is not helping Donald Trump to undermine the Iran nuclear deal. [Link]
• Trump Tweeted that Secretary of State Rex Tillerson was wasting his time trying to negotiate with North Korea. [Link]
• Catalans held their independence referendum in spite of a brutal crackdown by Spanish police. Police were filmed beating and abusing peaceful voters. Police beat elderly women and firefighters attempting to protect voters. In total, 844 Catalans were injured yesterday. Police seized some ballot boxes and closed some polling stations. 90% of Catalans voted for independence. [Link]
• The Spanish government will do everything possible to stop Catalonia from declaring independence. [Link]
• A US missile malfunctioned and killed several civilians near Kabul Afghanistan. [Link]
• Senator Bob Corker said the US was likely to have ground troops in Afghanistan for the next decade. [Link]
• Rex Tillerson issues a statement saying the US does not recognize the Iraqi Kurdish independence vote. [Link]
• A Turkish soldier was killed fighting the PKK in Iraq. Three PKK militants were also killed in the fighting. [Link]

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