Welcome to bbc news. Spains Prime Minister, Mariano Rajoy, is chairing an emergency meeting of his cabinet which is expected to start imposing Central Control over catalonia. The Regional Government says it will respond with a unilateral declaration of independence. My colleague tim willcox is in barcelona for us. Welcome to a beautiful and sunny barcelona. Im standing here high above one of the best known streets in barcelona, just behind me on my left the cathedral designed by architect gaudi. In the next few hours we are expecting hundreds of thousands of demonstrators to take to the streets here, pro separatism, very much against direct rule imposed by madrid as a result of article 150 five. An article that has never been used before. About an hour ago spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy convened an extraordinary meeting of the spanish cabinet to discuss which measures they plan to impose here on barcelona in the next few days. Its a slightly complicated process. They have to agre
Welcome to bbc news. Spains prime minister, mariano rajoy, is chairing an emergency meeting of his cabinet which is expected to start imposing Central Control over catalonia. Its Regional Government says it will respond with a unilateral declaration of independence. My colleague tim willcox is in barcelona for us. Hello again. What news in the Cabinet Meeting . That Cabinet Meeting is underway, it started at ten oclock local time. Mariano rajoy is holding this exceptional meeting with his entire cabinet to decide what measures they are going to impose under article 155, basically taking autonomy away from the region of catalonia. Just on the process of that, he is going to have to ta ke process of that, he is going to have to take that to the senate, they we re to take that to the senate, they were debated. He has a majority there. Those first measures could be imposed. We are looking properly at the local Catalan Police force, 17,000 strong, being taken under control of the national p
Standing here are both one of the most famous streets in the capital of this region. Just behind me, one of this region. Just behind me, one of the houses designed by the famous architect. In the next few hours, we are expecting hundreds of thousands of people, maybe even a Million People packing this street below me. Demonstrating against it is happening in madrid at the moment because there are, the spanish Prime Minister has held a crisis Cabinet Meeting discussing which measures he will use as part of this article 115 which has never been used before all stop it will then have to go to the senate but then perhaps we will see some concrete decisions on the ground here. It could be the suspension of the catalan parliament, it could be putting the local police, 17,000 strong, under direct rule, or taking the Economic Ministry away from this region. Let us ministry away from this region. Let us bring in a guest, who writes for the newspaper which takes a pro unity position. But where a
Government can accept disregard for the law. Last night, spains king, firmly behind the Spanish Government. Spain of the 21st ce ntu ry government. Spain of the 21st century is a country that catalonia is, and always will become an essential part of and we should read ourselves in loyalty and solidarity. Catalonia is split over the question of independence. There is anxiety over what the future will hold. But those who want independence say dreads tactics could backfire. There will be peaceful protest, likely work to rule from Civil Servants for example, the catala ns rule from Civil Servants for example, the catalans are not going to lie down and take it easily. There is no solution going this route. But the measures announced by the Spanish Government wont come thick and fast. Expect a careful, slow running strategy and i is the risk of making a tense situation in catalonia even worse. And tom is in barcelona now so whats the latest . This has been on the cards are the days but the e
Could be raised in england under plans aimed at reducing congestion. Parts of the uk are preparing for the arrival of storm brian with winds of up to 70 miles per hour. Cornwall is one of the first areas to feel the impact. Now on bbc news, a weather World Special. From florida and the bbc Weather Centre, the team examines why this years atlantic Hurricane Season has been so active. This time on weather world, im in florida in the United States where the power of Hurricane Irma has had devastating consequences. And we will be speaking to scientists about cyclones here in the centre. We will be looking at the seasons other major hurricanes, including harvey and maria. Plus the Science Behind these monster storms, and how Climate Change could be affecting them. From harveys unprecedented tropical deluge in texas. It slammed into the caribbean, before heading to florida. To the explosive intensification of maria, as the caribbean took another devastating hit. This is the story of a Hurric