Spain's outgoing prime minister faced an onslaught of criticism Monday from his right-wing rivals over Catalonia's secession crisis in a testy four-way debate ahead of elections, while he warned them against cozying up to the far-right.

French President Emmanuel Macron will on Thursday reveal his long-awaited response to almost half a year of street protests in a reform plan that could prove decisive for his presidency and long-term political future.

While North Korean leader Kim Jong Un is wined and dined with Vladimir Putin in Russia this week, around 10,000 of his citizens will be labouring around the country to earn money for his government.

A new powerful earthquake hit the central Philippines on Tuesday, a day after 6.1 quake hit the country's north and killed at least 11 people.
The U.S. Geological Survey put the magnitude of Tuesday's quake at 6.3, while the local seismology agency said it was a 6.2. The quake was centered near Eastern Samar province and prompted residents to dash out of houses and office workers to scamper to safety.

US President Donald Trump said Monday that Congress "can't impeach" him over the findings of the Mueller report into Russian election meddling and his alleged attempts to hamper the investigation.

Sri Lanka began a day of national mourning Tuesday with three minutes of silence to honour more than 300 people killed in suicide bomb blasts that have been blamed on a local Islamist group.

Ukraine leapt into the unknown Monday after comedian Volodymyr Zelensky was elected president on promises of change but with just a vague blueprint of what he might do as leader.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Monday congratulated comedian Volodymyr Zelensky on his landslide victory in Ukraine's presidential election, saying she hopes the vote will help stabilise the troubled country.
"I congratulate you on your election," Merkel said in a statement.

Sri Lankan authorities blocked most social media after Easter Sunday attacks killed more than 200 people, with officials saying the temporary move was meant to curtail the spread of false information and ease tensions.

The Trump administration is poised to tell five nations, including allies Japan, South Korea and Turkey, that they will no longer be exempt from U.S. sanctions if they continue to import oil from Iran, officials said Sunday.
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo plans to announce on Monday that the administration will not renew sanctions waivers for the five countries when they expire on May 2, three U.S. officials said. The others are China and India.
