What began as a drug bust for the Spanish police turned into a hostage situation after a suspected cocaine smuggler killed a member of his own crew and held the others hostage on a boat from South America en route to Spain in the middle of the Atlantic, the interior ministry said on Wednesday (Feb 14).&nbsp;

<h2>What happened?</h2>

The Spanish police were conducting an operation following a tipoff about a vessel carrying 2.3 tonnes of cocaine from South America to Spain, in what the ministry described as the “mothership” named Sea Paradise.&nbsp;

The drugs were supposed to be transferred from the Panama-flagged ship to a smaller vessel before heading to the Canary Islands. However, as the police prepared to intercept the “mothership”, officers learned about the hostage situation that had unfolded.&nbsp;

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The Spanish police scrambled to get to the vessel at an undisclosed location in the Atlantic after they found out that “one member of the tugboat crew, of Serbian origin, had kidnapped the rest of the crew” said the interior ministry in a statement, adding that the priority was now protecting those who were being held hostage.&nbsp;

In order to take control of the vessel, the person who kidnapped the crew had reportedly fatally shot one of the men and thrown his body into the sea. Less than 12 hours later the police arrived near the vessel and what followed was hours of negotiations with the hostage taker on the high seas.&nbsp;

The kidnapper ended up surrendering his weapon and freed the crew “who feared for their lives,” said the statement. The incident occurred in November, but was kept under judicial secrecy until an investigation was completed, said Spain’s interior ministry, on Wednesday.&nbsp;

The vessel was brought to Tenerife where the officials found 2.3 tonnes of cocaine in a “very difficult-to-access compartment” divided into bundles and attached to lights and water bottles so that the drugs could float in the water until it was collected.&nbsp;

The high-stakes operation led to the arrest of everyone on the ship, and the seizure of 2.3 tonnes of cocaine, as well as some electronic and satellite equipment, said the interior ministry.&nbsp;

<h2>One of the largest intercepts</h2>

The statement about the incident in November was also released just a few days after Spanish police seized eight tonnes of cocaine in one of its largest intercepts ever.&nbsp;

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On Monday (Feb 12), Spain’s finance ministry said that the police had seized eight tonnes of cocaine hidden in a fake power generator in the southern port of Algeciras.&nbsp;

The haul of cocaine was inside a metal structure which was being transported from Suriname to Panama and then onwards to Algeciras, but was intercepted before making its way to Leixoes in Portugal.&nbsp;

The metal structure and the route were carefully chosen by the smugglers to avoid detection, said the Spanish officials. However, the customs agents said they had forced open the metal structure after detecting a “large amount of merchandise perfectly stacked in pallets,” which practically filled the container. &nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies) 
&nbsp;

What began as a drug bust for the Spanish police turned into a hostage situation after a suspected cocaine smuggler killed a member of his own crew and held the others hostage on a boat from South America en route to Spain in the middle of the Atlantic, the interior ministry said on Wednesday (Feb 14).

What began as a drug bust for the Spanish police turned into a hostage situation after a suspected cocaine smuggler killed a member of his own crew and held the others hostage on a boat from South America en route to Spain in the middle of the Atlantic, the interior ministry said on Wednesday (Feb 14). What happened? The Spanish police were conducting an operation following a tipoff about a vessel carrying 2.3 tonnes of cocaine from South America to Spain, in what the ministry described as the “mothership” named Sea Paradise. The drugs were supposed to be transferred from the Panama-flagged ship to a smaller vessel before heading to the Canary Islands. However, as the police prepared to intercept the “mothership”, officers learned about the hostage situation that had unfolded. Also Read | Indonesia election: Defence minister Prabowo Subianto claims victory in first round The Spanish police scrambled to get to the vessel at an undisclosed location in the Atlantic after they found out that “one member of the tugboat crew, of Serbian origin, had kidnapped the rest of the crew” said the interior ministry in a statement, adding that the priority was now protecting those who were being held hostage. In order to take control of the vessel, the person who kidnapped the crew had reportedly fatally shot one of the men and thrown his body into the sea. Less than 12 hours later the police arrived near the vessel and what followed was hours of negotiations with the hostage taker on the high seas. The kidnapper ended up surrendering his weapon and freed the crew “who feared for their lives,” said the statement. The incident occurred in November, but was kept under judicial secrecy until an investigation was completed, said Spain’s interior ministry, on Wednesday. The vessel was brought to Tenerife where the officials found 2.3 tonnes of cocaine in a “very difficult-to-access compartment” divided into bundles and attached to lights and water bottles so that the drugs could float in the water until it was collected. The high-stakes operation led to the arrest of everyone on the ship, and the seizure of 2.3 tonnes of cocaine, as well as some electronic and satellite equipment, said the interior ministry. One of the largest intercepts The statement about the incident in November was also released just a few days after Spanish police seized eight tonnes of cocaine in one of its largest intercepts ever. ALSO READ | US probes deadly strikes in Gaza and reported use of white phosphorus in Lebanon: Report On Monday (Feb 12), Spain’s finance ministry said that the police had seized eight tonnes of cocaine hidden in a fake power generator in the southern port of Algeciras. The haul of cocaine was inside a metal structure which was being transported from Suriname to Panama and then onwards to Algeciras, but was intercepted before making its way to Leixoes in Portugal. The metal structure and the route were carefully chosen by the smugglers to avoid detection, said the Spanish officials. However, the customs agents said they had forced open the metal structure after detecting a “large amount of merchandise perfectly stacked in pallets,” which practically filled the container. (With inputs from agencies)

Drug bust takes dramatic turn after Spanish police rescue alleged smuggler’s crew taken hostage

In pics | Biggest protest in Spain against Catalan amnesty law draws 170,000

Spanish police arrested seven people Tuesday over two incidents of racial abuse targeting Real Madrid's Brazilian star Vinicius Junior, including one this weekend that sparked an international outcry.

Spain's football league, La Liga, has been engulfed in a racism scandal after the 22-year-old forward was subjected to racist taunts during Sunday's 1-0 defeat at Valencia and later sent off.

The player has been taunted by opposition fans since he joined Real in 2018 but the latest incident has kicked up a storm over whether Spain is doing enough to stamp out racism in football.

Early on Tuesday, police confirmed arresting three youths in Valencia for "insults and gestures with racist overtones" towards the player that amounted to "an alleged hate crime" during Sunday's match.

The game was held up for several minutes and the referee wrote in his post-match report that shouts of "monkey" had been directed at Vinicius.

Police said the investigation remained open to identify further suspects.

In a statement, Valencia confirmed three fans had been arrested, reiterating its "strongest condemnation against racism and violence" and saying the club was acting against those involved "by banning them for life from our stadium".

Also Tuesday, Madrid police arrested another four men suspected of hanging an effigy wearing a Real Madrid shirt with Vinicius' number on it from a bridge in January.

The dummy was hung by the neck from a highway bridge near Real Madrid's training ground on January 26 ahead of their match against Atletico Madrid.

Above it was a banner in Atletico's red and white reading: "Madrid hates Real".

<h2>'Take drastic measures'</h2>

Government spokeswoman Isabel Rodriquez welcomed the arrests, saying they showed Spanish authorities had "zero tolerance" for racism in sports.

"We must clearly say we are anti-racists, Spain fights these behaviours, condemns them and does everything to eliminate them," she added.

The Brazilian government has formally protested to the Spanish ambassador and will lodge an official complaint with authorities in Madrid.

Brazil "deeply regrets that no effective measures have yet been taken to prevent the recurrence of these racist acts," it said in a statement.

Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti said Sunday's incident showed FIFA's racism protocol in football was "obsolete".

Referee Ricardo de Burgos Bengoetxea activated the racism protocol after Vinicius squared off with fans, singling out one supporter whom he accused of abuse.&nbsp;

But Ancelotti said the protocol should have been "applied when the team bus reached the stadium, because the insults started there".

"It's a moment to take drastic measures. Institutions have chances, above all now, to take radical measures on this important subject," he added.

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<h2>'Bring more light'</h2>

Vinicius was sent off later in Sunday's game for hitting Valencia's Hugo Duro after the referee watched VAR footage of a brawl between the two teams.&nbsp;

Spain's refereeing committee on Tuesday sidelined official Ignacio Iglesias Villanueva for his upcoming matches after his involvement in awarding Vinicius a red card against Valencia.&nbsp;

During the match, Iglesias Villanueva was in charge of VAR but the video he showed the referee did not include footage of Duro grabbing the Brazilian around the neck before the incident -- which would also have been a red card offence.

Vinicius was dismissed and will likely miss the next two or three matches, meaning he may not play again for Madrid this season.

Spanish media said Iglesias Villanueva had been sacked but the Spanish football federation would not confirm that when questioned by AFP.

There is growing anger in Brazil over the incident, with the lights on the Christ the Redeemer statue&nbsp;in Rio de Janeiro turned off for one hour in solidarity with the player.

"Black and imposing," Vinicius tweeted of the darkened statue, saying he was moved and thanking followers for their support.&nbsp;

"But I want, above all, to inspire and bring more light to our fight," he added.

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Spanish police arrested seven people Tuesday over two incidents of racial abuse targeting Real Madrid's Brazilian star Vinicius Junior, including one this weekend that sparked an international outcry.

Spanish police arrested seven people Tuesday over two incidents of racial abuse targeting Real Madrid's Brazilian star Vinicius Junior, including one this weekend that sparked an international outcry. Spain's football league, La Liga, has been engulfed in a racism scandal after the 22-year-old forward was subjected to racist taunts during Sunday's 1-0 defeat at Valencia and later sent off. The player has been taunted by opposition fans since he joined Real in 2018 but the latest incident has kicked up a storm over whether Spain is doing enough to stamp out racism in football. Early on Tuesday, police confirmed arresting three youths in Valencia for "insults and gestures with racist overtones" towards the player that amounted to "an alleged hate crime" during Sunday's match. The game was held up for several minutes and the referee wrote in his post-match report that shouts of "monkey" had been directed at Vinicius. Police said the investigation remained open to identify further suspects. In a statement, Valencia confirmed three fans had been arrested, reiterating its "strongest condemnation against racism and violence" and saying the club was acting against those involved "by banning them for life from our stadium". Also Tuesday, Madrid police arrested another four men suspected of hanging an effigy wearing a Real Madrid shirt with Vinicius' number on it from a bridge in January. The dummy was hung by the neck from a highway bridge near Real Madrid's training ground on January 26 ahead of their match against Atletico Madrid. Above it was a banner in Atletico's red and white reading: "Madrid hates Real". 'Take drastic measures' Government spokeswoman Isabel Rodriquez welcomed the arrests, saying they showed Spanish authorities had "zero tolerance" for racism in sports. "We must clearly say we are anti-racists, Spain fights these behaviours, condemns them and does everything to eliminate them," she added. The Brazilian government has formally protested to the Spanish ambassador and will lodge an official complaint with authorities in Madrid. Brazil "deeply regrets that no effective measures have yet been taken to prevent the recurrence of these racist acts," it said in a statement. Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti said Sunday's incident showed FIFA's racism protocol in football was "obsolete". Referee Ricardo de Burgos Bengoetxea activated the racism protocol after Vinicius squared off with fans, singling out one supporter whom he accused of abuse. But Ancelotti said the protocol should have been "applied when the team bus reached the stadium, because the insults started there". "It's a moment to take drastic measures. Institutions have chances, above all now, to take radical measures on this important subject," he added. ALSO READ | PCB prepares action plan of Asia Cup hybrid model as demanded by BCCI - Sources 'Bring more light' Vinicius was sent off later in Sunday's game for hitting Valencia's Hugo Duro after the referee watched VAR footage of a brawl between the two teams. Spain's refereeing committee on Tuesday sidelined official Ignacio Iglesias Villanueva for his upcoming matches after his involvement in awarding Vinicius a red card against Valencia. During the match, Iglesias Villanueva was in charge of VAR but the video he showed the referee did not include footage of Duro grabbing the Brazilian around the neck before the incident -- which would also have been a red card offence. Vinicius was dismissed and will likely miss the next two or three matches, meaning he may not play again for Madrid this season. Spanish media said Iglesias Villanueva had been sacked but the Spanish football federation would not confirm that when questioned by AFP. There is growing anger in Brazil over the incident, with the lights on the Christ the Redeemer statue in Rio de Janeiro turned off for one hour in solidarity with the player. "Black and imposing," Vinicius tweeted of the darkened statue, saying he was moved and thanking followers for their support. "But I want, above all, to inspire and bring more light to our fight," he added. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Spanish police arrest seven over Real Madrid star Vinicius Jr racism incidents

A Spanish police offer who posted a misleading video clip suggestive of a sexual assault in July 2019, has been sentenced to 15 months in prison and told to pay a fine of €1,620 ($1627). A court in Barcelona on Tuesday convicted a Guardia Civil officer for an offence against fundamental rights and public freedoms while pointing out that he stirred up hatred against migrant children living in Spain.

According to Spanish law, custodial sentences of less than two years are not served by first-time offenders. The defendant&nbsp;police officer will thereby avoid his time in prison. The court ordered him to undertake a human rights and anti-discrimination course and to refrain from posting defamatory comments on social media.

What was the case all about?

In July 2019, a few days after a woman was allegedly raped by two migrant minors living in a reception centre, the Guardia Civil officer posted a video on his Twitter account that he said showed a young Moroccan migrant raping a woman in Canet de Mar, a town near Barcelona. The video was watched almost 21,000 times.

The video, however, was from China, and showed a woman being beaten and sexually assaulted.

“Here’s a video of the Moroccan mena (a derogatory term for unaccompanied minors) in Canet de Mar, one of the ones who we will end up paying for until he’s 23,” read the post. The officer also wrote that the attack by “lunatics and packs of Moroccans” were being ignored by the media.

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Prosecutors claimed that the defendant’s account was full of racist and xenophobic material. They had initially sought a two-year sentence.

“Driven by his animosity towards, and rejection of, foreign immigrants of Moroccan origin, he published a tweet and a video showing an apparent rape committed by two minors in an effort to smear them by associating them in a general manner with violent acts and sexual assaults,” the Barcelona court said while handing over the quantum of sentence to the defendant.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

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A Spanish police offer who posted a misleading video clip suggestive of a sexual assault in July 2019, has been sentenced to 15 months in prison and told to pay a fine of €1,620 ($1627).

A Spanish police offer who posted a misleading video clip suggestive of a sexual assault in July 2019, has been sentenced to 15 months in prison and told to pay a fine of €1,620 ($1627). A court in Barcelona on Tuesday convicted a Guardia Civil officer for an offence against fundamental rights and public freedoms while pointing out that he stirred up hatred against migrant children living in Spain. According to Spanish law, custodial sentences of less than two years are not served by first-time offenders. The defendant police officer will thereby avoid his time in prison. The court ordered him to undertake a human rights and anti-discrimination course and to refrain from posting defamatory comments on social media. What was the case all about? In July 2019, a few days after a woman was allegedly raped by two migrant minors living in a reception centre, the Guardia Civil officer posted a video on his Twitter account that he said showed a young Moroccan migrant raping a woman in Canet de Mar, a town near Barcelona. The video was watched almost 21,000 times. The video, however, was from China, and showed a woman being beaten and sexually assaulted. “Here’s a video of the Moroccan mena (a derogatory term for unaccompanied minors) in Canet de Mar, one of the ones who we will end up paying for until he’s 23,” read the post. The officer also wrote that the attack by “lunatics and packs of Moroccans” were being ignored by the media. ALSO READ | Spain says deadly migrant rush 'attack' on its territory Prosecutors claimed that the defendant’s account was full of racist and xenophobic material. They had initially sought a two-year sentence. “Driven by his animosity towards, and rejection of, foreign immigrants of Moroccan origin, he published a tweet and a video showing an apparent rape committed by two minors in an effort to smear them by associating them in a general manner with violent acts and sexual assaults,” the Barcelona court said while handing over the quantum of sentence to the defendant. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Spanish policeman sentenced to 15 months in prison for posting misleading rape video on Twitter

A 17th-century tapestry is complete again as its final piece, which was stolen by a notorious art thief around 42 years ago, has been recovered by Spanish police. &nbsp;

The tapestry, which is known as La apoteosis de las artes (The Apotheosis of the Arts), is 4-metre by 6.5-metre in size. &nbsp;

It was one of six Flemish tapestries, which were taken from the church of Santo Domingo in the town of Castrojeriz in northern Spain, on November 7, 1980. &nbsp;

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The pieces, which were made by a Rubens follower, Corneille Schutz, in Bruges in 1654, were stolen by René Alphonse van den Berghe. &nbsp;

Although all six tapestries were recovered by Interpol after an investigation in Spain, France and Belgium, a lower lefthand section of The Apotheosis of the Arts, which depicted a cherub, had been feared lost for over four decades.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Van den Berghe, who was a Belgian art dealer, had died in Málaga in 2020.&nbsp;Berghe is also known as Erik the Belgian in Spain. &nbsp;&nbsp;

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The fragment was found when Ángel Alcaraz, a cop engaged in an academic study of art thefts, got in touch with Van den Berghe’s lawyer, who managed to find it. The lawyer handed over the piece to police and it was finally returned to the archdiocese of Burgos on last Friday.

“If heaven should lack one angel it would be a lesser heaven. And if this tapestry had lacked this little angel, it wouldn’t be the same tapestry. Today we are giving back to Castrojeriz something that should never have gone in the first place,” said Alcaraz. &nbsp;&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

A 17th-century tapestry is complete again as its final piece, which was stolen by a notorious art thief around 42 years ago, has been recovered by Spanish police.

A 17th-century tapestry is complete again as its final piece, which was stolen by a notorious art thief around 42 years ago, has been recovered by Spanish police. The tapestry, which is known as La apoteosis de las artes (The Apotheosis of the Arts), is 4-metre by 6.5-metre in size. It was one of six Flemish tapestries, which were taken from the church of Santo Domingo in the town of Castrojeriz in northern Spain, on November 7, 1980. Also Read: 75% people worldwide want ban on single-use plastics, finds global survey The pieces, which were made by a Rubens follower, Corneille Schutz, in Bruges in 1654, were stolen by René Alphonse van den Berghe. Although all six tapestries were recovered by Interpol after an investigation in Spain, France and Belgium, a lower lefthand section of The Apotheosis of the Arts, which depicted a cherub, had been feared lost for over four decades. Van den Berghe, who was a Belgian art dealer, had died in Málaga in 2020. Berghe is also known as Erik the Belgian in Spain. Also Read | Watch: Eating leftovers land US student in hospital to face worst nightmare The fragment was found when Ángel Alcaraz, a cop engaged in an academic study of art thefts, got in touch with Van den Berghe’s lawyer, who managed to find it. The lawyer handed over the piece to police and it was finally returned to the archdiocese of Burgos on last Friday. “If heaven should lack one angel it would be a lesser heaven. And if this tapestry had lacked this little angel, it wouldn’t be the same tapestry. Today we are giving back to Castrojeriz something that should never have gone in the first place,” said Alcaraz. (With inputs from agencies)

Finally, Spanish cops recover final piece of 17th-century tapestry after 42 years

A woman was arrested in Spain on Thursday after she was posing as the president of the Spanish branch of the United Nations' agency on women.

According to a report she deceived several media outlets through impersonation and allegedly asked for funds while offering online legal courses.

The woman is a Spanish national of Nigerian origin and was arrested&nbsp;in Spain's&nbsp;Denia city.

An official statement by police said that the woman "took part in conferences and media interviews claiming to be the president of UN Women in Spain."&nbsp;

Several major Spanish media outlets had presented or cited her as the president of UN Women in Spain.

According to the webpage of New York-based UN Women, there is no representative of the organisation in Spain.

The body is "dedicated to gender equality and the empowerment of women" and it is currently headed by Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, a former deputy president of South Africa.

Police said they launched their investigation in 2018 after receiving a complaint about the woman from UN Women, which is "dedicated to gender equality and the empowerment of women."

On her personal webpage, the woman presented herself as a detective or financial consultant.

She founded a party in Spain in 2014 called "Union de Todos", or "Union of All", and stood as a candidate for the group in several recent general elections.

(With inputs from agencies)

A woman was arrested in Spain on Thursday after she was posing as the president of the Spanish branch of the United Nations' agency on women. According to a report she deceived several media outlets through impersonation and allegedly asked for funds while offering online legal courses.

A woman was arrested in Spain on Thursday after she was posing as the president of the Spanish branch of the United Nations' agency on women. According to a report she deceived several media outlets through impersonation and allegedly asked for funds while offering online legal courses. The woman is a Spanish national of Nigerian origin and was arrested in Spain's Denia city. An official statement by police said that the woman "took part in conferences and media interviews claiming to be the president of UN Women in Spain." Several major Spanish media outlets had presented or cited her as the president of UN Women in Spain. According to the webpage of New York-based UN Women, there is no representative of the organisation in Spain. The body is "dedicated to gender equality and the empowerment of women" and it is currently headed by Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, a former deputy president of South Africa. Police said they launched their investigation in 2018 after receiving a complaint about the woman from UN Women, which is "dedicated to gender equality and the empowerment of women." On her personal webpage, the woman presented herself as a detective or financial consultant. She founded a party in Spain in 2014 called "Union de Todos", or "Union of All", and stood as a candidate for the group in several recent general elections. (With inputs from agencies)

Spain: Police arrest woman posing as UN women's representative

Spanish police say they intercepted four migrants hidden inside several vehicles trying to cross from Morocco to Spain's North African enclave of Melilla. The police released videos and images of the migrants, who they say were of sub-Saharan origin, wedged inside the interior of the vehicles, including one stashed in a glove box.

Spanish police intercept migrants hiding in cars

The Spanish Civil Guard has made widespread arrests following an investigation into tennis match-fixing by an organised Armenian criminal gang, the European Union's Europol agency said on Thursday.

Eleven house searches were carried out in Spain and 167,000 euros in cash were seized, along with a shotgun, more than 50 electronic devices, credit cards, five luxury vehicles and documentation related to the case. Forty-two bank accounts and their balances have been frozen.

The Civil Guard said in a statement 15 people had been arrested, including the leaders of the criminal organisation, while a further 68 people have been investigated.

Of the 83 people implicated in the case, 28 were professional tennis players, playing in the ITF Futures and Challenger categories, and one whose identity was not revealed competed in the 2018 US&nbsp;Open.

"Our officers have proved the group had been operating since February 2017 and estimate that they had earned millions of euros through the operation," added the Civil Guard's statement.

News of the arrests came a day after the Tennis Integrity Unit (TIU) revealed that in 2018 more tennis players were disciplined for violations of anti-corruption rules than in any other year since the body's creation.

Twenty-one individuals broke anti-corruption rules with the majority sanctioned for match-fixing or betting offences, while eight lifetime bans were imposed, most notably to Italian former world number 49 Daniele Bracciali for match-fixing and facilitating betting.

The Spanish Civil Guard has made widespread arrests following an investigation into tennis match-fixing by an organised Armenian criminal gang, the European Union's Europol agency said on Thursday.

The Spanish Civil Guard has made widespread arrests following an investigation into tennis match-fixing by an organised Armenian criminal gang, the European Union's Europol agency said on Thursday. Eleven house searches were carried out in Spain and 167,000 euros in cash were seized, along with a shotgun, more than 50 electronic devices, credit cards, five luxury vehicles and documentation related to the case. Forty-two bank accounts and their balances have been frozen. The Civil Guard said in a statement 15 people had been arrested, including the leaders of the criminal organisation, while a further 68 people have been investigated. Of the 83 people implicated in the case, 28 were professional tennis players, playing in the ITF Futures and Challenger categories, and one whose identity was not revealed competed in the 2018 US Open. "Our officers have proved the group had been operating since February 2017 and estimate that they had earned millions of euros through the operation," added the Civil Guard's statement. News of the arrests came a day after the Tennis Integrity Unit (TIU) revealed that in 2018 more tennis players were disciplined for violations of anti-corruption rules than in any other year since the body's creation. Twenty-one individuals broke anti-corruption rules with the majority sanctioned for match-fixing or betting offences, while eight lifetime bans were imposed, most notably to Italian former world number 49 Daniele Bracciali for match-fixing and facilitating betting.

Spanish police arrest 83 people, including 28 players, in tennis match-fixing probe

Las Palmas wore Spanish flags on their shirts for Sunday&#39;s La Liga clash at Barcelona -- the match was played behind closed doors --&nbsp;as shocking political events in Catalonia on Sunday overshadow action on the field.&nbsp;

Barcelona won the game 4-1.&nbsp;

Spanish riot police fired rubber bullets and forced their way into activist-held polling stations in Catalonia as thousands attempted to vote in an independence referendum deemed illegal by the Spanish government.

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<h5>We have decided to embroider on our shirt a small Spanish flag and today&#39;s date, October 1, to quietly demonstrate our hope in the future of this country, and in the goodwill of those who live in it, in search of the best understanding,&#39; Las Palmas said in a statement</h5>
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&quot;We have decided to embroider on our shirt a small Spanish flag and today&#39;s date, October 1, to quietly demonstrate our hope in the future of this country, and in the goodwill of those who live in it, in search of the best understanding,&quot; Las Palmas said in a statement.

Barca have long supported Catalonia&#39;s right for a vote on independence, without throwing their weight behind the yes or no camp.

Last week the club released a strongly-worded statement condemning arrests of regional Catalan government figures in &quot;the defence of the nation, to democracy, to freedom of speech, and to self-determination&quot;.

However, Las Palmas criticised Barca&#39;s stance for heightening the tension around the match should it go ahead.

&quot;Today Las Palmas pay a visit on an unprecedented day for our country, a day in which the Catalan government have decided to celebrate a referendum against Spanish law, with all the international exposure that events in the Camp Nou will have,&quot; continued Las Palmas&#39; statement.

&quot;The public statements in recent days, especially those of our hosts FC Barcelona, have converted this La Liga match into something more than a mere sporting spectacle.&quot;

Outspoken Barca defender Gerard Pique posted a picture of him casting his vote early on Sunday morning.

&quot;I have voted. Together we are unstoppable defending democracy,&quot; said Pique.

Legendary Barca midfielder Xavi Hernandez, who currently plays for Qatari side Al Sadd, also posted a video on social media describing the events as &quot;shameful.&quot;

&quot;It is unacceptable that in a democratic country people cannot vote,&quot; added Xavi.

And former Barca captain Carles Puyol added his support for the referendum by posting &quot;To vote is democracy!&quot; on his Twitter account.

Las Palmas wore Spanish flags on their shirts for Sunday's La Liga clash at Barcelona -- the match was played behind closed doors -- as shocking political events in Catalonia on Sunday overshadow action on the field. Barcelona won the game 4-1. Spanish riot police fired rubber bullets and forced their way into activist-held polling stations in Catalonia as thousands attempted to vote in an independence referendum deemed illegal by the Spanish government. We have decided to embroider on our shirt a small Spanish flag and today's date, October 1, to quietly demonstrate our hope in the future of this country, and in the goodwill of those who live in it, in search of the best understanding,' Las Palmas said in a statement × "We have decided to embroider on our shirt a small Spanish flag and today's date, October 1, to quietly demonstrate our hope in the future of this country, and in the goodwill of those who live in it, in search of the best understanding," Las Palmas said in a statement. Barca have long supported Catalonia's right for a vote on independence, without throwing their weight behind the yes or no camp. Last week the club released a strongly-worded statement condemning arrests of regional Catalan government figures in "the defence of the nation, to democracy, to freedom of speech, and to self-determination". However, Las Palmas criticised Barca's stance for heightening the tension around the match should it go ahead. "Today Las Palmas pay a visit on an unprecedented day for our country, a day in which the Catalan government have decided to celebrate a referendum against Spanish law, with all the international exposure that events in the Camp Nou will have," continued Las Palmas' statement. "The public statements in recent days, especially those of our hosts FC Barcelona, have converted this La Liga match into something more than a mere sporting spectacle." Outspoken Barca defender Gerard Pique posted a picture of him casting his vote early on Sunday morning. "I have voted. Together we are unstoppable defending democracy," said Pique. Legendary Barca midfielder Xavi Hernandez, who currently plays for Qatari side Al Sadd, also posted a video on social media describing the events as "shameful." "It is unacceptable that in a democratic country people cannot vote," added Xavi. And former Barca captain Carles Puyol added his support for the referendum by posting "To vote is democracy!" on his Twitter account.

Football: Las Palmas wear Spanish flag against Barca

Spanish police on Monday shot dead an Islamist militant who killed 13 people with a van in Barcelona last week, ending a five-day manhunt for the perpetrator of Spain&#39;s deadliest attack in over a decade.

Police said they tracked 22-year-old Younes Abouyaaqoub to a rural area near Barcelona and shot him after he held up what looked like an explosives belt and shouted &quot;Allahu Akbar&quot; (God is Greatest). The bomb squad used a robot to approach his body.

Abouyaaqoub had been on the run since Thursday evening, after he drove at high speed into throngs of strollers along Barcelona&#39;s most famous avenue, Las Ramblas. After fleeing the scene, he hijacked a car and fatally stabbed its driver.

Islamic State claimed responsibility for the attack, which police believe was planned by a dozen accomplices, including a brother and two first cousins of the Moroccan-born Abouyaaqoub.

Abouyaaqoub had been the only one of 12 accomplices still at large. His mother, Hannou Ghanimi, had appealed for him to surrender, saying she would rather see him in jail than dead.

Of the other 11 in the militant cell, five were shot dead by police hours after the van attack, two were killed and one injured the day before in a blast in a house where they were apparently making explosives, and three were arrested elsewhere.

&quot;Shortly before 5 p.m., the police shot down Younes Abouyaaqoub, the driver of the van in the attack that killed 14 people in Barcelona,&quot; Carles Puigdemont, head of the Catalonia regional government, told a news conference. He said the bomb belt turned out to be a fake one.

An employee at a petrol station, along an empty stretch of road between the towns of Subirats and Sant Sadurni d&#39;Anoi, spotted a man resembling Abouyaaqoub and called the police.

Sant Sadurni Mayor Maria Rosell said all police forces in Catalonia converged on the town. Police found Abouyaaqoub hiding in vineyards and shot him dead a kilometre down the road next to a sewage treatment plant.

Cristiano Pecchi, an Italian tourist, first heard gunfire at around 4 p.m. (1400 GMT) Shortly afterwards, he said, up to 30 police cars arrived along with helicopters and ambulances.

&quot;I was just waiting for my car to be fixed and suddenly we heard gunfire and all hell was let loose,&quot; he said.

The scene unfolded 40 km (25 miles) from the spot, close to the FC Barcelona soccer stadium on the outskirts of the city, where police said Abouyaaqoub had seized the hijacked car.

Police said Abouyaaqoub had first fled Las Ramblas on foot amid the chaos of the attack, then commandeered the car, stabbing the driver, 34-year-old Pau Perez, to death before smashing his way through a police checkpoint and ditching the car in the nearby town of Sant Just Desvern.

The four people arrested so far in connection with the attacks are three Moroccans and a citizen of Spain&#39;s North African enclave of Melilla. They were taken on Monday to the high court in Madrid, which has jurisdiction over terrorism matters.

Abouyaaqoub lived in Ripoll, a town in the Pyrenees mountains north of Barcelona close to the French border.

Islamic State claims&nbsp;

Islamic State also claimed responsibility for a separate deadly assault, hours after the van attack, in the coastal resort town of Cambrils, south of Barcelona.

In Cambrils, a car rammed into passersby and its occupants got out and tried to stab people. The five assailants were shot dead by police, while a Spanish woman died in the attack.

In the roughly seven hours of violence that followed the van&#39;s entry into the central promenade of Las Ramblas on Thursday afternoon, attackers killed 15 people: 13 on Las Ramblas, the Cambrils victim and the man in the hijacked car.

Of the 120 injured on Las Ramblas, eight remain in a critical condition in hospital.

It was the deadliest attack in Spain since March 2004, when Islamists planted bombs on commuter trains in Madrid, killing 191 people, and the latest in a series of vehicular assaults on civilians in European cities claimed by Islamic State.

Two of the suspected plotters in Barcelona, including an imam thought by police to have helped radicalise his young conspirators, were killed on Wednesday night in what is believed to have been an accidental explosion.

About 120 butane gas cylinders were found at the scene of the blast, a house in the town of Alcanar, south of Barcelona. Police believe the pair were preparing a much larger attack with explosives, but the blast prompted their accomplices to adopt a new, less elaborate plan.

Spanish police said the international investigation was still open and have sought information on a visit the imam, Abdelbaki Es Satty, made to Belgium last year, said Thierry Werts, spokesman for the Belgian federal prosecutor&#39;s office.

Hans Bonte, mayor of the Belgian town of Vilvoorde, near Brussels, told VRT television at the weekend the imam had been there looking for work. Belgium has suffered several Islamist attacks and Vilvoorde has been a centre of Islamic radicalism.

The van driver, Abouyaaqoub, began showing more religiously conservative behaviour over the past year, said relatives in his native Morocco. He refused to shake hands with women during a visit to his birthplace in March, they said.

Abouyaaqoub&#39;s brother El Houssaine and first cousins Mohamed and Omar Hychami were among those killed by police in Cambrils. They were all originally from the small Moroccan town of Mrirt.

Islamic State also claimed responsibility for a separate deadly assault, hours after the van attack, in the coastal resort town of Cambrils, south of Barcelona

Spanish police on Monday shot dead an Islamist militant who killed 13 people with a van in Barcelona last week, ending a five-day manhunt for the perpetrator of Spain's deadliest attack in over a decade. Police said they tracked 22-year-old Younes Abouyaaqoub to a rural area near Barcelona and shot him after he held up what looked like an explosives belt and shouted "Allahu Akbar" (God is Greatest). The bomb squad used a robot to approach his body. Abouyaaqoub had been on the run since Thursday evening, after he drove at high speed into throngs of strollers along Barcelona's most famous avenue, Las Ramblas. After fleeing the scene, he hijacked a car and fatally stabbed its driver. Islamic State claimed responsibility for the attack, which police believe was planned by a dozen accomplices, including a brother and two first cousins of the Moroccan-born Abouyaaqoub. Abouyaaqoub had been the only one of 12 accomplices still at large. His mother, Hannou Ghanimi, had appealed for him to surrender, saying she would rather see him in jail than dead. Of the other 11 in the militant cell, five were shot dead by police hours after the van attack, two were killed and one injured the day before in a blast in a house where they were apparently making explosives, and three were arrested elsewhere. "Shortly before 5 p.m., the police shot down Younes Abouyaaqoub, the driver of the van in the attack that killed 14 people in Barcelona," Carles Puigdemont, head of the Catalonia regional government, told a news conference. He said the bomb belt turned out to be a fake one. An employee at a petrol station, along an empty stretch of road between the towns of Subirats and Sant Sadurni d'Anoi, spotted a man resembling Abouyaaqoub and called the police. Sant Sadurni Mayor Maria Rosell said all police forces in Catalonia converged on the town. Police found Abouyaaqoub hiding in vineyards and shot him dead a kilometre down the road next to a sewage treatment plant. Cristiano Pecchi, an Italian tourist, first heard gunfire at around 4 p.m. (1400 GMT) Shortly afterwards, he said, up to 30 police cars arrived along with helicopters and ambulances. "I was just waiting for my car to be fixed and suddenly we heard gunfire and all hell was let loose," he said. The scene unfolded 40 km (25 miles) from the spot, close to the FC Barcelona soccer stadium on the outskirts of the city, where police said Abouyaaqoub had seized the hijacked car. Police said Abouyaaqoub had first fled Las Ramblas on foot amid the chaos of the attack, then commandeered the car, stabbing the driver, 34-year-old Pau Perez, to death before smashing his way through a police checkpoint and ditching the car in the nearby town of Sant Just Desvern. The four people arrested so far in connection with the attacks are three Moroccans and a citizen of Spain's North African enclave of Melilla. They were taken on Monday to the high court in Madrid, which has jurisdiction over terrorism matters. Abouyaaqoub lived in Ripoll, a town in the Pyrenees mountains north of Barcelona close to the French border. Islamic State claims Islamic State also claimed responsibility for a separate deadly assault, hours after the van attack, in the coastal resort town of Cambrils, south of Barcelona. In Cambrils, a car rammed into passersby and its occupants got out and tried to stab people. The five assailants were shot dead by police, while a Spanish woman died in the attack. In the roughly seven hours of violence that followed the van's entry into the central promenade of Las Ramblas on Thursday afternoon, attackers killed 15 people: 13 on Las Ramblas, the Cambrils victim and the man in the hijacked car. Of the 120 injured on Las Ramblas, eight remain in a critical condition in hospital. It was the deadliest attack in Spain since March 2004, when Islamists planted bombs on commuter trains in Madrid, killing 191 people, and the latest in a series of vehicular assaults on civilians in European cities claimed by Islamic State. Two of the suspected plotters in Barcelona, including an imam thought by police to have helped radicalise his young conspirators, were killed on Wednesday night in what is believed to have been an accidental explosion. About 120 butane gas cylinders were found at the scene of the blast, a house in the town of Alcanar, south of Barcelona. Police believe the pair were preparing a much larger attack with explosives, but the blast prompted their accomplices to adopt a new, less elaborate plan. Spanish police said the international investigation was still open and have sought information on a visit the imam, Abdelbaki Es Satty, made to Belgium last year, said Thierry Werts, spokesman for the Belgian federal prosecutor's office. Hans Bonte, mayor of the Belgian town of Vilvoorde, near Brussels, told VRT television at the weekend the imam had been there looking for work. Belgium has suffered several Islamist attacks and Vilvoorde has been a centre of Islamic radicalism. The van driver, Abouyaaqoub, began showing more religiously conservative behaviour over the past year, said relatives in his native Morocco. He refused to shake hands with women during a visit to his birthplace in March, they said. Abouyaaqoub's brother El Houssaine and first cousins Mohamed and Omar Hychami were among those killed by police in Cambrils. They were all originally from the small Moroccan town of Mrirt.

Barcelona attacker shot dead by Spanish police

Spanish police said Monday that they have identified the driver of the van that mowed down pedestrians on the busy Las Ramblas boulevard in Barcelona, killing 13.

Police in Catalonia announced the identification on Twitter, without giving his name.&nbsp;

But Catalonia&#39;s regional interior minister Joaquim Forn told local radio that &quot;everything suggests the van driver is Younes Abouyaaqoub&quot;.&nbsp;

The 22-year-old Moroccan remains at large, and police said Sunday that they did not know if he was still in Spain.

&quot;We don&#39;t know where he is,&quot; regional police chief Josep Lluis Trapero said Sunday.

Police announced the identification on Twitter but did not give the driver's name

Spanish police said Monday that they have identified the driver of the van that mowed down pedestrians on the busy Las Ramblas boulevard in Barcelona, killing 13. Police in Catalonia announced the identification on Twitter, without giving his name. But Catalonia's regional interior minister Joaquim Forn told local radio that "everything suggests the van driver is Younes Abouyaaqoub". The 22-year-old Moroccan remains at large, and police said Sunday that they did not know if he was still in Spain. "We don't know where he is," regional police chief Josep Lluis Trapero said Sunday.

Driver of Barcelona attack van identified, say police

Spanish police said on Friday they had arrested five alleged members of the so-called &quot;Pink Panther&quot; gang of jewel thieves in Barcelona. 
 
A special operations unit from the Catalan police was waiting when the thieves, one armed with a pistol, tried to rob a jewellery store on the city`s famous Passeig de Gracia avenue, a police statement said.&nbsp; 
 
The operation was part of a larger investigation with different crime units in Spain, and with the collaboration of the Serbian and German police, the statement said. 
 
Police were able to recover the jewellery the gang was trying to steal.&nbsp; 
 
The Pink Panther gang got their nickname after a 2003 London robbery when a thief hid a diamond in a pot of beauty cream, similar to the plot of one of the Pink Panther movies about an inept French detective played by English actor Peter Sellers. 
 
Interpol, the international crime-fighting agency, estimates the Pink Panther network has stolen more than 334 million euros ($369.57 million) worth of jewellery in around 380 armed robberies between 1999 and 2015.($1 = 0.9038 euros) 
 
(Reuters) 
&nbsp;

Interpol estimates the network has stolen more than $369.57 million worth of jewellery in about 380 armed robberies from 1999 and 2015

Spanish police said on Friday they had arrested five alleged members of the so-called "Pink Panther" gang of jewel thieves in Barcelona. A special operations unit from the Catalan police was waiting when the thieves, one armed with a pistol, tried to rob a jewellery store on the city`s famous Passeig de Gracia avenue, a police statement said. The operation was part of a larger investigation with different crime units in Spain, and with the collaboration of the Serbian and German police, the statement said. Police were able to recover the jewellery the gang was trying to steal. The Pink Panther gang got their nickname after a 2003 London robbery when a thief hid a diamond in a pot of beauty cream, similar to the plot of one of the Pink Panther movies about an inept French detective played by English actor Peter Sellers. Interpol, the international crime-fighting agency, estimates the Pink Panther network has stolen more than 334 million euros ($369.57 million) worth of jewellery in around 380 armed robberies between 1999 and 2015.($1 = 0.9038 euros) (Reuters)

Spanish police bust Pink Panther gang in jewellery heist

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