MADRID – The Latest on the Spain-Catalonia political crisis (all times local):
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9:30 a.m.
Catalonia has lost the highest number of jobs of Spain’s 17 autonomous communities during the tumultuous past month, according to monthly statistics issued by Spain’s Ministry of Employment and Social Security.
The northeastern region has lost nearly 15,000 jobs in an October marked by clashes between Catalonia’s separatist leaders and central authorities over secession.
The political uncertainty has led to more than 1,000 companies relocating their headquarters to other parts of Spain for fears of being left outside the European Union’s common market in the case of an independent Catalonia.
Overall, Spain’s unemployment rolls increased by 58,000 people during October.
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Spain has 3.4 million workers without work, which is still at its lowest level in its last eight years.
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9:15 a.m.
A Spanish judge is deliberating on whether to issue an international arrest warrant for Catalonia’s ousted leader after she jailed nine former members of the region’s separatist government a day earlier.
Catalan ex-president Carles Puigdemont flew to Brussels this week after Spanish authorities removed him and his 13-member Cabinet from office for pushing ahead with secession.
If an arrest warrant is issued, Puigdemont will fight extradition without seeking political asylum, according to his Belgian lawyer.
Puigdemont was due to appear at Spain’s National Court on Thursday to answer questions in a rebellion case brought by Spanish prosecutors, but he didn’t show up.
The court will also consider an appeal to release two separatist activists who were jailed last month in a sedition investigation.
