Europe is preparing to boost its naval presence in the north west Indian Ocean "to uphold freedom of navigation" in the world's trade jugular.

The EU auditors pointed out the limited number of manufacturers able to build and operate 5G infrastructure increases EU dependency on third countries - as well as privacy and security risks associated with interference by "hostile state actors."

The two sides issued a joint statement, a positive development in itself in the divisive Brexit talks, saying Monday's talks took place in a constructive atmosphere.

Two senior German ministers have criticised EU plans to label natural gas green if it includes 30 percent low-cabon gas or hydrogen by 2026.

The latest European Commission health report puts the pair of south-eastern EU accession states last in terms of the overall lifespan of their citizens. Romanians and Bulgarian now die even younger than before.

Almost half of prosecuted cases in Europe are processed outside the framework of a trial - and new research shows that many people will have been coerced into pleading guilty, in some cases for crimes they did not commit.