Madrid government

People in central Spain are struggling as a deep freeze follows the weekend's heavy snow, leading to treacherous conditions.

Officials have warned the elderly to stay at home.

At least seven people have died due to the weather - the two latest victims were homeless people in Barcelona.

Spain's government has taken a first step towards preventing the election of former Catalan leader Carles Puigdemont as head of the Spanish region, the deputy prime minister said on Thursday, quoted by Reuters. 

Greece has called on Spain's ambassador to Athens to rescind statements to a Greek newspaper suggesting that Athens was not supportive of Spanish unity, revealing strains between the European Union partners over a Catalan independence drive. 

The regional parliament of Catalonia decided to separate the area from Spain and to declare the Catalan Republic, Reuters reported.

Catalan leader Carles Puigdemont kept friends and foes guessing on Wednesday on whether he intends to unilaterally declare independence as the Spanish government prepares to impose direct rule to stop the region breaking away, Reuters reports.

After a lengthy history lesson on the independence campaign, Puigdemont switched from Catalan to Spanish to announce that Catalonia had won the right to independence.

“Catalonia has earned the right to be an independent state and the right to be heard,” Puigdemont said.

“The ballots boxes said yes to independence, and this is the only language we understand.”

Catalonia will move on Monday to declare independence from Spain following Oct. 1’s banned referendum as the European Union nation nears a rupture that threatens the foundations of its young democracy.

he European Commission called on Spain to open dialogue with Catalonia on Monday, saying violence was no solution but also calling for unity and backing Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy's leadership in what was an "internal matter".

Barcelona police have sealed off a warehouse said to be stocking ballot boxes, as Spain seeks to obstruct a Catalan independence referendum, reported BBC. 

The Guardia Urbana force was obeying an order from prosecutors to prevent the Catalan vote going ahead on Sunday.

Spain is deploying thousands of extra police in the region.

Spanish police have discovered a mass of documents directly related to a banned Catalan independence referendum scheduled for 1 October, reported BBC. 

Early on Tuesday, the Guardia Civil arrived at offices of Spain's biggest private delivery company, Unipost, in the Catalan city of Terrassa.