Catalan separatists have been released from jail to obtain their formal certificates as elected MPs the day before the Spanish parliament is to open in Madrid.

An analyst says Islamophobic media in the West are responsible for the deadly shooting at two mosques in New Zealand and that they should be held accountable for spreading anti-Muslim sentiments.

Mitt Romney, who has been a critic of US President Donald Trump, is sworn in as senator.

Sanchez has vowed to reform the constitution to end judicial privileges enjoyed by politicians, judges, royals and other top officials which can shield them from corruption charges.

Egyptian authorities detain three leading opposition figures, including a former senior diplomat, as part of an ongoing crackdown in the country. 

Nine US lawmakers have quit congress in the past six months over sexual abuse allegations.

An analyst says the row over Russia's alleged involvement in the poisoning of a former spy in UK is a manufactured crisis to discredit Putin on the eve of the presidential elections.

India's remote northeastern states have witnessed decades of unrest.

The anti-smoking petition has collected 100,000 signatures in less than three days, meaning the issue will now have to be debated in parliament.

Azerbaijan's strongman Ilham Aliyev has called a snap presidential vote for April, six months ahead of schedule.