Spanish government meets to impose direct rule in Catalonia

International journalists looks at the banned independence referendums in Catalonia and Iraqi Kurdistan; Emmanuel Macron's proposals to empower the EU; the death of Hugh Hefner, founder of Playboy magazine.

Catalonia will declare independence "in a matter of days", the region's secessionist leader Carles Puigdemont was quoted as telling the BBC, a move that would defy Madrid and attempt to implement the directive of Sunday's banned independence referendum.

Catalonia will move on Monday to declare independence from Spain after holding a banned referendum, pushing the European Union nation towards a rupture that threatens the foundations of its young democracy.

Spain issues an apology for Catalonia clashes.

Panel of international journalists looks at the situation in Spain after the banned independence referendum in Catalonia; the worst mass shooting in the history of United States; Trump's remarks in Puerto Rico; the King of Saudi Arabia paying a surprise visito to the Kremlin; three US scientists getting the medicine prize, rewarded for their decades on chronobiology.

There's approval from the French papers after hundreds of thousands of people took to the streets of Barcelona to call for unity with the rest of Spain.

Catalan leader Carles Puigdemont tells local media that Madrid has refused to discuss independence with the region.

Madrid has announced it will trigger a constitutional measure on Saturday allowing it to take direct control of Catalonia's governance after the autonomous region's leader ignored a Thursday deadline to rescind his ambiguous declaration of independence made last week.

The Spanish cabinet meets to approve measures to take direct control of the semi-autonomous region of Catalonia.

Senators in Madrid are expected to pass legislation today to seize control of everything from the insurgent region's budget to its police force and state-run media.

Catalonian lawmakers vote for independence from Spain, with 70 votes in favor and 10 against.

After a declaration of independence in Barcelona, Spain's national government triggers article 155 of the constitution approving direct rule over Catalonia.