Last German polls confirm Merkel's lead

Closing the gap between what's needed and what's actually distributed is one of the main topics at the COP28 UN climate summit in Dubai on Monday. One problem is that no one knows how much is actually being spent.

The optics of a nine-fold increase of annual funding for Israel, in the middle of its devastating military campaign in Gaza, stands in contrast with the attempted suspension, delaying and constraining of EU development aid for the Palestinians.

Palestinians in south Gaza will have to flee to new safe zones, Israel's EU and Nato envoy tells EUobserver, as the war enters its next phase.

The Spanish government remains secretive about its negotiations with pro-independence Catalans, but claims the EU Commission has "zero concerns" about their proposed amnesty law for Catalan separatists. The EU executive denies that.

Discussion of the biggest existential threat humanity has ever faced is barely mentioned on billboards or signage in Dubai — yet visitors are made aware quite quickly that t world rugby sevens tournament is imminent.

Draft laws in Germany aimed at tackling irregular migration could lead to the prosecution of NGOs for rescuing endangered refugees and migrants at sea — triggering concerns among human rights lawyers.