The euro zone's economy is heading into its second recession in just three years, while the wider European Union will stagnate, the EU's executive said, warning that the currency area has yet to break its vicious cycle of debt.
Western and Arab nations will demand that Syrian forces implement an immediate ceasefire to allow relief supplies to reach desperate civilians in bombarded cities such as Homs when they meet in Tunis tomorrow.
Greece's parliament was expected to endorse a debt swap with private bondholders that forms the core of its 130-billion-euro bailout, despite new protests against tough budget cuts demanded in return for the rescue deal.
Japan may cut Iranian crude oil imports by a more-than-expected 20 percent as it seeks a waiver from US sanctions, a newspaper reported, a move which would spare its banks from a major blow but also boost its rising fuel import bill.
UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and Arab League chief Nabil Elaraby appointed Ban's predecessor Kofi Annan as joint special envoy on the Syrian crisis, the United Nations announced.
Official French documents will no longer force women to reveal their marital status by requiring them to choose the title Mademoiselle or Madame.
The new Sunday edition of Rupert Murdoch's British Sun tabloid, to be launched with a huge advertising campaign and a print run of around 3 million this week, is expected to be more family-friendly and less salacious than its predecessor, The News of the World.
US President Barack Obama hit back at election-year Republican criticism of his energy policy, offering a staunch defence of his attempts to wean US citizens off foreign oil and saying there was no 'silver bullet' for high gas prices.
Pope Benedict XVI sent a letter to Argentine Church's Cardinal Jorge Bergoglio expressing to be "profoundly afflicted" by yesterday' s Once train crash in which 50 people lost their lives, and giving his condolences to all relatives and victims.
Mitt Romney is fighting his way back into the driving seat in the Republican presidential race, putting in a strong debate performance in Arizona and gaining in polls against conservative rival Rick Santorum.