Catalonia Says Spain 'Abusing Power' over Independence Vote

Catalonia's leader Artur Mas on Friday accused the Spanish government of "abusing its power" by mounting a legal challenge to a planned symbolic vote on independence for his region.

"The central government is abusing its power and the law," by appealing to the Constitutional court to block the vote, Mas said in a speech. He vowed the ballots would go ahead as planned on November 9 and that his administration would launch its own legal moves to defend the plan.