Spanish PM Rajoy Challenges Catalan Secession Bid.

The Spanish government is fighting in the country's top court a motion passed in the Catalan parliament backing independence

from Spain.
Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy called the motion a "blatant disregard for the state's institution... they are trying to do away with democracy".
The Constitutional Court is due to decide whether to suspend the Catalan resolution immediately.
The motion asks the regional assembly to aim for independence in 18 months.

Passed on Monday, the motion also gives the parliament 30 days to start legislation on a Catalan constitution, treasury and social security system.
Catalan nationalist parties secured a majority of seats in September elections but fell short of winning half the vote. They had said before the vote that they considered it a de facto referendum on independence from Spain.
Opinion polls suggest a majority of Catalans favour a referendum on independence, but are evenly divided over whether to secede.
Source: BBC