Spanish Parliament Approves Amnesty Law for Catalonia's Separatists

The Spanish parliament has approved a bill granting amnesty to hundreds of Catalan officials involved in the region's secessionist drive. The legislation was passed by a vote of 177-172 in the lower house and will see courts annul the legal records of those involved in crimes related to Catalonia's independence movement. The most high-profile beneficiary is expected to be former Catalan regional president Carles Puigdemont, who has been in self-imposed exile for almost seven years. The amnesty could also benefit hundreds more, including former government officials in Barcelona. The law aims to draw a line under the political turmoil sparked by the secessionist drive and withdraw pending legal action against Catalan nationalists.