Catalan Parliament Declares Independence

The vote was passed 70-10 as opposition MPs boycotted the ballot.
PM Mariano Rajoy believes direct rule would reinstate "law, democracy and stability" in Catalonia.
The crisis began when Catalans backed independence in a disputed vote earlier this month.
Spain's Senate is yet to vote on whether to enact Article 155 of the Spanish constitution, which allows the government to take "all measures necessary to compel" a region in case of a crisis.
If it were to pass, the government in Madrid could take control of the region's finances, police and public media.