Reuters

• Huge crowds demonstrate for Spanish unity in Catalan capital

  Political parties opposing a split by Catalonia from Spain had a small lead in an opinion poll published on Sunday.

• Iran's President Rouhani: We'll build as many missiles as we like

  Rouhani spoke days after the US House of Representatives voted for new sanctions on Iran's ballistic missile programme

• Sacked Catalan president could seek asylum in Belgium

  The Madrid government sacked the Catalan leader and dismissed the region's parliament on Friday, hours after it declared itself an independent nation.

• Islamist attack on hotel in Somalia leaves 25 dead

  The attack began around at 5 pm on Saturday with a car bomb. Gunmen then stormed the building after the bomb had destroyed its defences.

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  Spain fires Catalan police chief as Madrid tightens grip

  Spain has sacked the chief of Catalonia's regional police force, Josep Lluis Trapero, as the government in Madrid takes control of the autonomous region to block its push for independence.

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  China's conservatives welcome Xi's new era, but say he is not the new Mao

  A fringe group of hard-line conservatives who long for the way things were under communist China's founding leader, Mao Zedong, have welcomed President Xi Jinping's 'new era' of socialism and its renewed emphasis on equality.

• Tory rebellion on welfare reform could see Prime Minister make concessions

  The government has signalled that it is looking at ways to reduce the waiting time for payments from its new Universal Credit benefits system.

• Jimmy Carter: I'll travel to North Korea if I'm asked

  Former US President Jimmy Carter said he would be willing to travel to North Korea on behalf of the Trump administration to help ease rising tensions.

• In Kirkuk, Kurds' joy turns to fear after Iraqi army takeover

  The army's recapture of oil-producing Kirkuk province and other territory across northern Iraq has dismayed the city's Kurds but brought comfort to residents from other ethnic groups.

• Spain plans new elections in Catalonia to end independence bid

  The Spanish government has secured opposition support for dissolving Catalonia's parliament and holding new elections there in January in its bid to check the regional government's push for independence.

• Ambush in Egyptian desert leaves 30 policemen dead

  A number of suspected militants were also killed and security forces are combing the area, a statement by the Interior Ministry said.

• Campaigners in final push on Australia's gay marriage referendum

  Though the postal ballot is non-binding, a 'yes' vote is expected to lead to the legalisation of same-sex marriage which could further fracture the government of Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull.