A Spanish judge has agreed to jail Catalonia's top parliamentarian in the rebellion probe stemming from the regional parliament's independence vote, setting her bail at 150,000 euro and ordering her passport confiscated.

SHOWDOWN BETWEEN SPAIN AND CATALONIA SET TO COME TO A HEAD

The leader of Spain's secession-minded Catalonia region says he has decided against calling a parliamentary election that might have defused tension with the Spanish government.

Catalonia's government is appealing against plans by Spain's central authorities to directly run the troubled north-eastern region.

Spain's King Felipe VI has spoken out forcefully against Catalonia's independence drive, saying all Spaniards must respect each other and the law.

Spain's top court has officially ruled that Catalonia's disputed independence referendum was illegal because a regional law that backed it was against Spain's constitution.

Spain's Constitutional Court has ordered Catalonia's parliament to suspend a planned session next week during which separatist lawmakers wanted to declare independence.

Catalan separatists called for international mediation with the Spanish government.

Barcelona's mayor Ada Colau has demanded "an immediate end to police charges against the defenceless population".

Latest: Catalonia "has won the right to become an independent state", the Spanish region's leader Carles Puigdemont said.

The technology infrastructure for Catalonia's independence referendum has been dismantled, making the disputed vote "absolutely impossible", a Spanish government spokesman has said

The Catalan regional government's plan to hold an independence referendum is a mockery of democracy, Spain's foreign minister has said.

Spain's state prosecutor is investigating more than 700 Catalan mayors for cooperating with a referendum on independence that has been suspended by a court.

Guatemalan President Jimmy Morales has announced he is expelling the head of a UN anti-corruption commission that is investigating his campaign's financing.

Indonesia's president has signed a decree giving the government the power to ban radical organisations, in a move aimed at outlawing groups behind an apparent rise in the political clout of hardline Islam.

Austria's highest court has ruled the government was within its rights to seize the house where Nazi dictator Adolf Hitler was born in 1889 after its owner refused to sell it.

A rhino breeder in South Africa is planning an online auction of rhino horn, capitalising on a court ruling that opened the way to domestic trade despite an international ban imposed to curb widespread poaching

Taiwan's Constitutional Court has ruled in favour of same-sex marriage, making the island the first place in Asia to recognise gay unions.

A Hungarian court has repealed a ban by a village led by a far-right mayor on the construction of mosques and headscarves worn by Muslim women.

Two men in Indonesia's conservative Aceh province face up to 100 strokes of the cane each after neighbours reported them to Shariah police for having gay sex.

South Africa's president has responded to the political crisis that erupted after he fired the finance minister, acknowledging that public disputes at the top of the government are a "serious weakness".

Supporters of arrested former president Park Geun-hye have begun rallying in South Korea's capital to call for her release.

An election will be held in May to choose a successor to ousted South Korean leader Park Geun-hye, who has caused anger by leaving her nine dogs in the presidential palace.

Ousted South Korean President Park Geun-hye has denied any wrongdoing after being removed from office over a massive corruption scandal.

Tens of thousands of South Koreans took to the streets of central Seoul today to celebrate the ousting of President Park Geun-hye.

The removal of South Korean President Park Geun-hye by the country's Constitutional Court ends a power struggle that has consumed the nation for months.

South Korea's Constitutional Court has formally removed impeached President Park Geun-hye over a corruption scandal that has plunged the country into political turmoil.

South Korean prosecutors have charged Samsung chief Jae-yong Lee with bribery and embezzlement as the top conglomerate announced the dismantling of its corporate strategy office, the latest developments in a graft scandal that has rocked the country.

South Korean authorities have said a Samsung heir will be questioned as a suspect in a bribery case in the massive influence-peddling scandal that led to the impeachment of the country's president.

Large crowds of South Koreans were expected to march in the streets calling for the permanent removal of impeached President Park Geun-hye and extending the biggest protest movement in the country to Christmas Eve.

South Korea's parliament has voted to strip the president of her power.

Thousands of South Africans have called for the resignation of president Jacob Zuma in a series of demonstrations.

South Africa's ruling party the African National Congress (ANC) has lost the metropolitan area which includes the capital in its biggest election setback since it took power 22 years ago.

The European Union should avoid any moves towards political “centralisation” or else Austria could hold a referendum on membership of the bloc within a year, a far-right candidate who almost won the country’s presidential election said.

South Africa’s High Court ruled a decision seven years ago to drop 783 corruption charges against President Jacob Zuma was irrational and should be reviewed, another setback for the scandal-ridden leader who faces calls for his resignation.

South Africa's former Paralympic athlete Oscar Pistorius has appeared in court in Pretoria where a judge scheduled five days in June to sentence him for the murder of his girlfriend.

Good afternoon. Here’s all the news you need to know this lunchtime.

Many of Europe’s politicians are guilty of “shameful bigotry and xenophobia”, the UN Human Rights Commissioner, Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein told journalists in a press conference referring to the refugee crisis.

South Africa’s highest court has dismissed Oscar Pistorius’ appeal of his murder conviction, a lawyer said, signalling that the former track star’s long legal battle since he killed his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp may be drawing to a close.

Britain and the EU must be all things to all people as they attempt to forge a document that aims to keep everyone happy, says Ann Cahill Europe Correspondent.