Selling arms firms from yourself to yourself, labelling petrol as solvents then petrol again - Lukashenko is trying to make a living while being squeezed by the EU and Russia.

The US has joined ranks with EU officials exploring ways to pump eurozone money directly into Spain's troubled banks, with creation of a "banking union" now considered a matter of eurozone survival.

Irish voters are heading to the polls to decide on the fiscal discipline treaty, amid a stark warning by the Prime Minister that a No would see borrowing costs soar.

The EU commission has opened the door for Spain to get an extra year in meeting its deficit target, while nudging France not to abandon its own budget tightening measures.

The European Commission has warned that skittish foreign investors constitute a "new risk" for the Polish economy.