Spanish PM to impose direct rule on Catalonia

BRUSSELS • Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy said he would announce measures today to impose direct rule on Catalonia over its bid to secede.

He added that the measures, based on a never-before-used article of Spain's 1978 Constitution, would be backed by the main opposition Socialist party and centrist group Ciudadanos. He has called an emergency Cabinet meeting for today.

REUTERS

US extends political ad law to social media

WASHINGTON • US lawmakers, alarmed that foreign entities used the Internet to influence last year's presidential election, introduced legislation on Thursday to extend rules governing political advertising to also cover social media.

The Honest Ads Act is one of the strongest efforts in Congress yet to address allegations of Russian meddling in the 2016 presidential campaign.

REUTERS

Kurz asked to form new Austrian govt

VIENNA • Austria's President yesterday tasked election-winner Sebastian Kurz with forming a government, putting the 31-year-old conservative from the People's Party on course to become the world's youngest leader. Mr Kurz is to form a coalition with the far-right Freedom Party, which is highly critical of the European Union.

AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE