Spain’s police raided Catalan government offices and arrested 12 senior Catalan officials in attempts to stop an independence referendum that is due to take place on October 1, reports the Guardian. 

Speaking after an emergency ministerial meeting in response to the arrests, Catalan’s president said,

Myanmar's leader Aung San Suu Kyi on Wednesday rejected criticism that she had become soft on the military, stating she had never been critical of the military, only their actions. 

Asked by Radio Free Asia if she had softened her view on the military, she replied, "we’ve never changed our stand."

Kurdistan’s Independent High Elections and Referendum Commission (IHERC) removed a major obstacle to diaspora voters on Monday, reports Kurdstan24.net.

Though the diaspora is available to vote online, the need to produce certain documentation, a ration card, has been of concern for those in the diaspora.

India’s External Affairs Minister reaffirmed India’s support for the Palestinian people at the United Nations General Assembly on Tuesday.

Speaking at  the Non=Aligned Movement (NAM) Ministerial Meeting on Palestine, Sushma Swaraj said,

British Defence Secretary Michael Fallon met again with the president of Iraqi Kurdistan in a final attempt to persuade him to call of the independence referendum.

In an unexpected second visit to Iraq, the Defence Secretary reiterated Britain’s rejection of the referendum, reports the Telegraph.

Arriving in the capital of Kurdistan, Erbil, he said,

“We are committed to the integrity of Iraq. We are working with the UN on alternatives to this referendum.”

Myanmar's defacto leader, Aung San Suu Kyi remained silent on the allegations of human rights violations and mass atrocities committed by the military today in her public address, whilst making a blanket statement condemning "all" human rights violations. 

Iraq's Supreme Court has ordered the planned Kurdish independence referendum to be suspended as Iraqi prime minister on Monday formally demanded a halt, stating seccession would be "unconstitutional". 

The Spanish government on Friday said it had increased control over Catalonia’s spending  to ensure funds are not diverted to paying for an independence referendum, reports abc.news.

Spain’s finance minister, Cristobal Montoro told reporters that the controls were justified to ensure financial stability and defend the country’s legal order.

The United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres, on Sunday, spoke out against the planned Kurdish independence referendum, reports Reuters.

Warning that the referendum would detract from the fight against Islamic State militants, the UN spokesperson Stephane Dujarric in a statement, said,

Spanish authorities, on Sunday, raided warehouses in Barcelona to confiscate over 1.3million leaflets and campaign material promoting the Catalan independence referendum.

Spain’s Interior Ministry said the operation was the largest in a series of similar raids, reports Reuters.

Iraq's prime minister, Haider al-Abadi on Saturday warned Kurds against holding the independence referendum planned for September 25. 

Mr Abadi said holding the referendum was like "playing with fire", Reuters reported. 

Hamas announced on Sunday that it has dissolved its administration of the Gaza strip, and would be prepared to commence talks with Fatah on holding general elections and forming a unity government.

Dissolving the Hamas run Gaza administrative body was a key condition sent by President Mahmoud Abbas. 

The United States has denounced the Kurdistan Regional Government’s intention of holding an independence referendum later this month.

In a press statement made by the White House on Friday, the Office of the Press Secretary said,

The United Nations called on the international community for massive assistance to help approximately 400,000 Muslims from Myanmar who fled to Bangladesh, reports Reuters.

In a statement made on Thursday, the director of operations and emergencies for the International Organisation of Migration, Mohammed Abdiker, said,