Ten women who left their children at home in Morocco to earn money picking strawberries in southern Spain have said that they were lied to, exploited and even sexually harassed. 

Catalans are voting Thursday to try and solve a crisis triggered by an independence drive in one of the most strategic regions of Spain, the eurozone's fourth-largest economy.

Spain notched up vigorous growth in the third quarter, prior to the current Catalan crisis, official data showed on Monday.

Spain's vow Thursday to take over at least part of Catalonia's regional powers due to its drive for independence would involve triggering the never before used Article 155 of Spain's constitution.

Here are five points about this so-called "nuclear option", which opens the way for Madrid to suspend some or all of the region's autonomy in Spain's worst political crisis in decades.

Spain marked its national day Thursday with a show of unity in the face of Catalan independence efforts, a day after the central government gave the region's separatist leader a deadline to abandon his secession bid.

The country is suffering its worst political crisis in a generation after separatists in the wealthy northeastern region voted in a banned referendum on October 1 to split from Spain.

Spain's Constitutional Court on Thursday ordered the suspension of a planned session in Catalonia's parliament  which separatist leaders have called for the region to declare independence.

Judges "ordered the suspension of the plenary that has been called for Monday in the (Catalan) parliament" while it hears an appeal by rival Catalan politicians, a spokeswoman said. 

Catalonia, whose leaders are pushing for secession from Spain, is one of the powerhouses of the Spanish economy, buoyed by industry, research and tourism but burdened with a heavy debt.

Tens of thousands of Spaniards and foreigners are to stage a defiant march against terror through Barcelona on Saturday following last week's deadly vehicle rampages.

Police said Thursday they had identified the remains of the last suspected member of a cell which carried out terror attacks in northeastern Spain.

Spanish police arrested Tuesday four men over their alleged links to suspects held in Belgium over their alleged involvement in the Brussels airport and metro attacks last year, officials said.