Long seen as the foremost champion of Catalan nationalism and a symbol of opposition to the dictatorship of General Francisco Franco, Jordi Pujol now finds the image of his family tarnished in Spain by financial scandals involving two of his sons. Pujol pushed for -- and won -- greater powers for Catalonia when he served as president of the government of the wealthy northeastern region of Spain between 1981 and 2003, winning him the nickname of "Spain's viceroy".

Spain suspended a plan to sell off one of its ruined banks, Catalunya Banc, the lender said on Tuesday, after it reportedly received no viable offers. Catalunya Banc was one of five Spanish finance groups taken over by the state-backed bank rescue fund, FROB, and has received billions of euros in aid from Spain and the eurozone. It is one of the casualties of the collapse of Spain's property boom in 2008, which tipped Spain into recession, destroying millions of jobs and prompting a major restructuring of its banks.

By Braden Phillips BARCELONA, Jan 23 (Reuters) - Catalonia's parliament approved on Wednesday a declaration of sovereignty signalling the start of an uncertain journey towards a referendum on independence from Spain for the northeastern region. The non-binding and largely symbolic resolution - which states that the people of Catalonia have a democratic right to decide on their sovereignty - was passed with 85 votes for, 41 against and two abstentions in the 135-seat legislature. Two deputies were absent and five refused to vote.