Dire Straits Dire Straits Dire Straits were a British rock band formed in London in 1977 by Mark Knopfler (lead vocals and lead guitar), David Knopfler (rhythm guitar and backing vocals), John Illsley (bass guitar and backing vocals), and Pick Withers (drums and percussion). The band became one of the world's best-selling music artists, with album sales of over 100 million. Their first hit single "Sultans of Swing", from their self-titled debut album, reached the top ten in the UK and US charts in 1978. They released hit singles in the 1980s, such as "Private Investigations" (1983), "Money for Nothing" (1985), and
Ban on bullfighting in Catalonia petition (or Popular Legislative Initiative, PLI) organised by the PROU platform (Catalan for 'Enough!'). The petition attracted 180,000 signatures. The parliamentary vote was 68 votes for and 55 against, with 9 abstentions Catalonia became the second autonomous community in Spain to ban bullfighting after the Canary Islands did so in 1991. The ban came into force on 1 January 2012. Bullfights by matadors were banned in Catalonia at the end 2011 but bull-dodging, in which bulls are . not killed, remains lawful. The last bullfight in Catalonia took place on 25 September 2011 at La Monumental. In October 2016 the