Thirteen Catalan separatist politicians, including fugitive president Carles Puigdemont, have been charged with rebellion for their attempt to declare independence from Spain. Supreme Court Judge Pablo Llarena issued the indictment on Friday, wrapping up a four-month long investigation into the events last autumn.

German authorities have confirmed outbreak of the highly pathogenic H5N6 bird flu type at a farm on an island off the German North Sea coast, the Schleswig-Holstein state agriculture ministry said on Wednesday. The virus was found on a farm of with 57 chickens, turkeys, ducks and geese on the island of Hallig Suederoog. All the birds on the farm have been culled.

Italian authorities impounded a migrant rescue boat operated by a Spanish non-governmental organisation on suspicion it was aiding illegal immigration, the NGO said Monday. The group, Proactiva Open Arms, said on Twitter its boat was being kept at the Sicilian port of Pozzallo, where it docked on Saturday after rescuing more than 200 people off the coast of Libya.

A suspect has been killed after hostages were taken in a supermarket in a small town in the south of France Friday afternoon. The incident, which officials are treating as a terror attack, has been taken over by anti-terrorism officials and has left at least three hostages dead and about a dozen injured, officials said.

Former French President, Nicolas Sarkozy, was on Tuesday morning detained for questioning by magistrates looking into allegations that he received funding from Libya for his 2007 election campaign.

France opened a judicial inquiry in 2013 into allegations that Sarkozy’s successful 2007 election bid benefited from illicit funds from late Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi.

Turkish police say they have seized 1.4kg (3lb) of radioactive material during an anti-smuggling operation in the capital, Ankara. The element, known as Californium, was found when a car was searched in the Pursaklar suburb of the city, NTV news channel reported. Four people in the car were detained. Police said the suspects were believed to be part of a group that had planned to sell the material for more than $70m (£49m).