Spain's Catalonia region _ best known for ravishing beaches and its tourist-magnet capital, Barcelona _ grabbed the spotlight in October by holding an independence referendum despite central government warnings against any moves toward breaking away. The vote, which favored secession, was followed by a unilateral declaration by the regional parliament that Catalonia was cleaving itself off from Spain.
That hasn't happened: Spain's central government swiftly stepped in, stripping the northeastern region of its powers of autonomy and ordering early regional elections to determine new local leadership. With that vote set Thursday, where do things stand for Catalonia's independence fight _ a confrontation that's being closely watched by the rest of Europe?
