Spain threatens to take control of Catalonia's government

Barcelona

SPAIN'S central government announced on Thursday it would quickly move to take control of the autonomous Catalonia and restore "constitutional order" after the region's president refused to back away from a push for independence.

Facing a deadline imposed by Spain's central government to answer the question whether Catalonia was declaring independence or not, the regional president replied on Thursday that Madrid should stop threatening to seize control of the autonomous region but instead agree to dialogue.