Catalans in Tight Race as Election Looms

The people of Catalonia go to the polls today in elections called by the Spanish government which imposed direct rule on the region after October's unlawful independence referendum.

A trip to the Middle East by the US Vice President Mike Pence has been postponed for a month - officially because Mr Pence has to help support his boss's tax plans in Washington. But the delay also spares him the embarrassment of a boycott by Palestinian and Christian leaders in the region.

The leader of South Africa’s governing ANC party, Cyril Ramaphosa, has been outlining his priorities. In a speech wrapping the up the ANC conference, he said that the focus of his leadership will be improving the the economy.