Spain seeks arrest of Catalan leader

Europe-wide warrant to be issued over secession bid

MADRID - A Spanish judge was set on Friday to issue an arrest warrant for Catalonia's deposed leader Carles Puigdemont over his region's contested independence drive, in a move likely to further escalate tensions in Spain's worst political crisis in decades.

The European arrest warrant was due a day after a large chunk of Puigdemont's government was thrown behind bars pending probes in Madrid into their role in Catalonia's push for secession.