European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen delivers a major state of the union speech on Wednesday addressing the challenges facing the world's biggest trading bloc and laying out her vision for tackling them.

The commission has enthusiastically billed her speech — modeled on the annual State of the Union addresses to Congress by U.S. presidents — as "a milestone event for European democracy."

The head of the U.N. nuclear watchdog said Monday that he was hopeful of reaching a deal with Iran on a full resumption of inspections of its sites in the "next few days", warning that "not much" time was left.

Riot police scuffled with protesters, including lawmakers, at the Istanbul branch of Turkey's main opposition CHP party where a state-appointed trustee entered by force Monday after its elected leadership was removed.

French Prime Minister François Bayrou is making a last-ditch effort to save his job, urging lawmakers expected to topple him in a confidence vote later Monday to back his plans to curb France's debts that he said are "submerging us."

In an impassioned speech to the National Assembly, the 74-year-old stuck to his position that France's spiraling public deficit and mounting debts are threatening the future of the European Union's second-largest economy. He said state debts will weigh on future generations, leave France vulnerable to foreign creditors, and undermine its cherished social safety nets if not brought under control.

Police in Kathmandu opened fire Monday on protesters demonstrating against a government ban on social media, killing at least 17 people and wounding 145, officials said.

U.S. President Donald Trump threatened Sunday to impose more sanctions on Russia, after the Kremlin unleashed its biggest-ever aerial barrage at Ukraine.

Russian missiles and drones rained down across Ukraine early Sunday, killing four people and setting government offices in the capital Kyiv ablaze.

Russia fired its biggest-ever aerial barrage at Ukraine early Sunday, killing at least two people and setting the seat of the Ukrainian government in Kyiv ablaze, authorities said.

An AFP reporter saw the roof of Ukraine's cabinet of ministers in flames and smoke billowing over the capital.

Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro on Friday called for dialogue with Washington, hours after President Donald Trump threatened to shoot down Venezuelan military jets if they pose a danger to U.S. forces.

U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer shook up his Cabinet Friday after his top deputy stepped down over a tax error on a recent house purchase, leaving a big hole in the center-left Labour government.

Foreign Secretary David Lammy was moved to replace Angela Rayner as deputy prime minister, and also took the justice portfolio. Yvette Cooper moved from the Home Office to become foreign secretary while the justice secretary, Shabana Mahmood, became home secretary.

Australian Defense Minister Richard Marles on Friday toured a Japanese navy frigate of the same Japan-made model that Australia has chosen for its new fleet, as the two countries step up military ties to deter China's growing influence.