Spain's Socialist Party chief steps down

The embattled head of the Spanish Socialists Pedro Sanchez resigned Saturday after losing a vote among top party members, in a move that could pave the way to unblocking the country's political paralysis. Since December 2015, the country has been without a fully-functioning executive as rivals have failed to agree on a government following two elections in which none of the main parties won an absolute majority. Sanchez's announcement came after 17 of his 35-strong executive quit together on Wed