Thousands of anti-racism protesters took to the streets in the UK to warn off rioters.

Thousands of anti-racism protesters took to the streets in the UK to warn off rioters.

Photo: AP PHOTO

UK riots halted by police, communities but country remains on alert

By Sachin Ravikumar and Kylie Maclellan August 8, 2024

LONDON, Aug 8 (Reuters) - British police remained on alert on Thursday after a heavy security presence, rapid arrests and displays of unity by people across Britain on Wednesday prevented a repeat of widespread rioting involving racist attacks targeting Muslims and migrants.

After police deployed in force and thousands of anti-racism protesters took to the streets on Wednesday evening, threats of widespread gatherings by far-right anti-immigration groups did not materialise.

But the government said it was still cautious after days of riots triggered by false online posts wrongly identifying the suspected killer of three young girls in a July 29 knife attack in Southport, northwest England, as an Islamist migrant.

Police said a further potential 20 gatherings and three counter-gatherings were planned for Thursday.

"We're going to continue the strong policing response, making sure that there are additional police officers ready to respond," interior minister Yvette Cooper told reporters.

More than 480 people have been arrested across the country so far, with nearly 150 charged. Dozens have already been sentenced with cases fast-tracked through the justice system.

Britain's most senior police officer, London Commissioner Mark Rowley, said many of those arrested had criminal backgrounds.

For Prime Minister Keir Starmer, a former chief prosecutor, it is the first major test of his premiership since winning a July 4 election in which the previous Conservative government highlighted immigration as a major issue.

Rowley dismissed suggestions the riots were political.

"Any suggestion they're patriots, or they've got a cause... is nonsense," Rowley said. "They're criminals."

Several thousand people from anti-racism groups gathered in Walthamstow, north London, on Wednesday following threats to an immigration advice centre there. Others protected mosques and hotels housing asylum seekers that were among other targets.

Rowley hailed a "successful" night that had gone "very peacefully" apart from a few criminal incidents.

Footage circulated on X showed a councillor from Starmer's Labour Party at the Walthamstow gathering calling for people to cut the throats of "disgusting Nazi fascists."

London police said a man in his 50s had been arrested on suspicion of offences including encouraging murder. Labour said the behaviour was "completely unacceptable" and the man, a councillor in Dartford, Kent, had been suspended from the party.

'BETTER THAN EXPECTED'

Sentencing of those involved in disorder over the past week continued on Thursday, with prison terms of between 11 and 32 months handed out. On Wednesday, one man was jailed for three years. Convictions have also included those who encouraged violence online.

Fast and tough judicial action was viewed as helping quell the last serious nationwide rioting in England in 2011, for which almost 4,000 people were arrested.

Starmer, who met with police and community leaders in Birmingham on Thursday, said Wednesday night was "much better than expected". He is holding an emergency meeting with police on Thursday to discuss efforts to contain any further riots.

More than 100 police officers have been injured since the start of the rioting, including broken limbs.

"I was very keen that we're able to demonstrate that if you're involved in disorder, within days, you'll be in the criminal justice system," he told reporters. "That needs to continue."

No large far-right gatherings were reported on Wednesday.

According to Logically, a company which works with governments and other organizations to reduce the harm of misinformation, the planned disorder had been coordinated by an international network of extreme right-wing Telegram channels with links to banned groups.

Former members of banned neo-Nazi groups Atomwaffen Division and National Action had joined U.S.-founded Active Club networks of white supremacist groups, neo-Nazis, and those of nationalist soccer hooligans to stoke tension and provoke clashes. They were among the first to share a list of targets, Logically said⍐.

 

Catalan separatist leader Carles Puigdemont speaks on his return to Spain from seven years of self-imposed exile despite a pending
warrant for his arrest, during a welcoming event organised by his party, Junts per Catalunya, at Arc de Triomf in Barcelona,
Spain, August 8, 2024. REUTERS/Lorena Sopena

Carles Puigdemont: Catalan separatist evades capture on chaotic return to Spain

By Joan Faus August 8, 2024 Reuters

BARCELONA, Aug 8 (Reuters) - Former Catalan separatist leader Carles Puigdemont defied an arrest warrant to appear at a rally in Barcelona on Thursday after seven years of self-imposed exile, before reportedly fleeing the scene with a car belonging to a regional police officer.

Amid a heavy police presence, Puigdemont had told a crowd of thousands of followers in the Catalan capital he aimed to revive the independence drive that plunged Spain into political crisis in 2017.

"They thought they'd be celebrating my arrest and they thought that this punishment would dissuade us," he said. "Well, they are wrong."

Authorities suspect that, when he had finished speaking, Puigdemont got into a white car belonging to a police officer and left the vicinity, a Catalan interior department spokesperson said, sparking a frantic search by authorities.

The regional police, known as the Mossos d'Esquadra, said two of its officers had been arrested as part of their investigation into Puigdemont's whereabouts, including the owner of the car.

The separatist leader, 61, fled to Belgium seven years ago after a failed secession bid and has been living in exile ever since.

He faces an arrest warrant for alleged embezzlement related to a 2017 independence referendum ruled illegal by the Spanish courts. Puigdemont says the vote was legal and therefore the charges linked to it have no basis.

A Mossos spokesman said there was no prior arrangement with Puigdemont for his arrest and the force had decided the detention should be made "at the most appropriate time so as not to generate public disorder."

Puigdemont ally Laura Borras described the arrested officer on X as "a patriot and exemplary Mosso."

The hunt for Puigdemont created traffic chaos in Barcelona and near the border with France as police set up roadblocks and searched car boots.

In Barcelona, several Puigdemont supporters clashed with police in a bid to breach the cordon surrounding the park housing the regional parliament building. Officers clad in riot gear used batons and pepper spray to deter them.

DETENTION ORDER

Reacting to news that Puigdemont had again absconded from under the noses of a large police deployment, a Supreme Court source said a judge had been clear in his instructions that the former Catalan president was to be arrested.

"The Mossos know that they have a detention order... they had the obligation to detain him and bring him before the courts," the source said.

Two national police unions also criticised the failure to arrest Puigdemont.

"Where are the Mossos? The best-paid police force in Spain incapable of doing their job, of arresting the coup-monger and fugitive from justice Puigdemont," police union Jusapol said on X.

Two sources with links to the Catalan government said it had identified a problem with some rogue Mossos, who appear to be loyal to Puigdemont.

A government spokesperson did not respond to a request for comment, nor did Puigdemont´s lawyer.

His arrest could jeopardise the Socialist-led national government´s fragile alliance with Puigdemont's Junts party, on which it relies for legislative support.

Catalonia's parliament on Thursday afternoon confirmed Salvador Illa, an ally of Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, as head of the Catalan government.

"I will govern for everyone having into account the plurality and diversity of Catalonia," Illa said.

The Socialists hope taking control in Catalonia after a decade of separatist rule will turn the page on the independence drive.

The Spanish parliament passed an amnesty law in May pardoning those involved in the failed 2017 secession bid, but the Supreme Court upheld arrest warrants for Puigdemont and two others who were also charged with embezzlement, ruling that the amnesty law does not apply to them.

The crowd of thousands, who had gathered near the parliament to welcome him, hoped his return would help build momentum towards independence, which has lost support in recent years.

"It represents the return of a symbol," said Xavier Vizcaino, 63, who was wrapped in an independence flag.

No-one had expected him to disappear again.

Former Barcelona Mayor Xavier Trias, who was present at the rally, marvelled at Puigdemont's flight.

"It was magic," he told Reuters.⍐

 

The logo of Reliance Industries is pictured in a stall at the Vibrant Gujarat Global Trade Show
at Gandhinagar, India, January 17, 2019. REUTERS/Amit Dave/File Photo

Exclusive: India's Reliance in crude-for-naphtha swap deal with Venezuela, sources say

By Nidhi Verma and Arathy Somasekhar August 8, 2024 Reuters

, opens new tabIndia's Reliance Industries plans to use naptha supplies as partial payment for crude purchases from Venezuela after the refiner obtained a U.S. approval last month to resume oil trade with the sanctioned producer, three sources aware of the contract terms said.

One source said Reliance will pay dollars for the balance of the crude purchase. The company was forced to stop direct purchase from Venezuela in April due to a re-imposition of sanctions but in July, Washington authorized Reliance to import crude from Venezuela. Reliance had re-submitted a request to the U.S. in May.

Reliance, which operates the world's biggest refining complex, plans to supply naphtha, a refined product, from the U.S. to partly pay for its Venezuelan oil purchases, the sources said. The arrangement is similar to past Reliance trades with Venezuela's state company PDVSA (PDVSA.UL), according to PDVSA's exports and imports records. Venezuela needs naphtha as a diluent for its heavy crude.

Reliance's two refineries in western Gujarat state can process about 1.4 million barrels per day (bpd) of crude oil. The complexity of these plants allows the refiner to process cheaper and heavier crudes such as Merey from Venezuela.

The sources declined to provide details regarding volumes and duration of the authorization given by the U.S. for Reliance's Venezuelan oil purchase. Washington could impose fresh sanctions on the South American country following a disputed election, but U.S. officials have said individual oil licenses are not expected to be modified or withdrawn for now.

Reliance did not respond to a Reuters email seeking comments.

The U.S. last year granted a broad license to Venezuela's oil industry allowing state-run PDVSA to freely export to its chosen markets, which boosted demand for Venezuela's oil and pushed up the country's fuel imports through swaps.

But Washington in April re-imposed sanctions on Venezuela's oil sector in response to President Nicolas Maduro's failure to meet election commitments, granting instead some individual licenses to trade and operate in Venezuela's energy sector.

Loading schedules at Venezuelan ports have been overbooked, one of the sources said, which has caused delays in Reliance's resumption in taking the oil. Several sources cited similar problem for other Asian buyers.

Venezuelan production did not increase quickly enough to meet contracts negotiated with existing as well as new customers, leading to more delays to deliver cargoes since early this year. Delays reached up to 60 days in some cases, affecting importers of Venezuelan oil in Asia.

The Indian refiner had limited direct loadings of Venezuelan crude earlier this year over worries that the license could be pulled at anytime, one of the sources said. That could impact vessels in transit or at Venezuelan ports, the person added.

Reliance's refinery last received 2 million barrels of Venezuelan oil in June, Kpler data showed. It was not immediately clear who the supplier was⍐.