Merkel's key coalition ally, the Bavarian Christian Social Union is expected to suffer a major loss at Sunday elections, as voters flee to either the far-right or the Greens.

EU member states are set for bitter negotiations over the next long-term budget for the bloc - where several issues pit eastern and western European countries against each other.

China joins a long list of countries - including Russia - accused of abusing Interpol's 'Red Notice' system to harras activists and dissidents.

Vladimir Putin's Ukraine "operation" has backfired by making its former vassal state more pro-Western than ever, a US diplomat has said.

Wendy Anderson, a former civil servant from the Obama administration, said a ban would not work. "The AI train has left the station. However we feel about it is actually irrelevant," she said.

Michel Barnier said the UK and the EU can close the withdrawal deal next week - if British prime minister Theresa May agrees to keep Northern Ireland in the customs union.

The harassment I saw of Western Sahara human rights defenders will not make it into the official report.

Finland's EU commissioner, Jyrki Katainen told EUobserver in February his cabinet members "always" takes notes when he meets lobbyists. They did not on at least seven occasions, when talking about artificial intelligence.

Malta says its 'Golden Visas' scheme attracts families that want to become "proud Maltese citizens". Meanwhile the sales to Russian nationals, and others, have generated over €700m in revenue.

In an attempt to bury a three-decade-long dispute with Greece over the country's name, Macedonia's referendum has thrown open as many issues as it sought to overcome.

The MEP in charge of a new 'EU values' fund in the next budget wants to double the money available for protecting European values.

The authorities of four EU member states have already concluded that Kozlovska does not pose any threat to them, despite Poland's ban.

Shortly before midnight, compromise was reached among environment ministers. Of the EU's 28 states, 20 supported the deal drafted by Austria.

By getting the politics of electoral observation right, the EU can prevent it electoral observation missions becoming a tool for regime survival.