The People's Party was set to win more than 31%. It is so far unclear whether the Social Democrats or the far-right Freedom Party will finish second.

Neuroscientists know already that such a scenario is disturbing to us – thanks to a phenomenon known as Uncanny Valley. In the experiment, when people were faced with robots that looked very robotic (think flashing lights and metal), their response was fine. But the more human the robot became, the stronger their antipathy, discomfort and even revulsion – and the spookier it seemed.

Hundreds more were wounded when a lorry packed with explosives detonated near the entrance of a hotel.

It is the deadliest terror attack in Somalia since the Islamist al-Shabab group launched its insurgency in 2007.

Some 700 pilots went on strike to demand better labor conditions two weeks ago.

The strike left Avianca without half its pilots, forcing the airline to cancel more than 3,000 flights, which has affected 280,000 passengers.

The 36-year-old Swiss, who has lost only four times in 2017, was again in imperious form as he won in 72 minutes.

It was his fourth win of the year against Nadal and his fifth in succession over the Spaniard.

 

The “White Lives Matter” rallies in Shelbyville and Murfreesboro, organized by some of the same groups involved in a Virginia march that turned violent in August, drew an equal number of counter-demonstrators and a heavy police presence.

 

According to the newspaper, the government means to make the cultivation of up to 3.8 hectares a non-punishable offense in a bill sent to Congress.

 

The policy proposal would affect small farmers now caught between drug trafficking gangs and police.

 

Soraya Saenz de Santamaria is charged with bringing the region to heel after its decla­ra­tion of inde­pen­dence, raising the pros­pect of two rival Catalan presidents turning up for work in Barce­lona if ­Carles Puigdemont, the separatist leader, refuses to step down.

 

Yesterday, he showed no signs of bowing to Spain. “We’ll continue working to create a free country,” he said in a brief statement on Catalan television, and called for "non-violent" opposition to Madrid's rule.