Deadline Approaches for Catalonia

The head of Catalonia's regional government, Carles Puigdemont, has said he will activate an independence declaration if Spain takes steps to impose direct rule. Spain's central government has been pressing Mr Puigdemont to confirm whether Catalonia intends to secede after a disputed referendum earlier this month.

Russia is emerging as an unlikely mediator between the US and North Korea. Moscow is hosting an international non-proliferation conference today, at which South Korea and American officials will be present.

We ask whether vote rigging has occurred in a competition to find New Zealand's "Bird of the Year".