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Chancellor Merz: This is what his closest team could look like.

How Friedrich Merz intends to staff and restructure his chancellor's office remains to be seen. We show which names are being considered for which posts.

By Stefan Braun

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Defense: Commission open to additional financial instruments.

Economic Affairs Commissioner Valdis Dombrovskis is open to further instruments for financing European armaments. The Polish Council Presidency hopes to adopt the 150 billion SAFE defense package in May.

By Marc Winkelmann

UK: Government withdraws control of British Steel from Chinese investor.

The British government passed emergency legislation on Saturday to secure control of the Chinese-owned British Steel.

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Rare earths: USA plans to stockpile.

The Trump administration apparently wants to build up stocks of deep-sea metals to counter China's dominance in battery minerals and rare earths. China produces around 90 percent of the world's refined rare earths.

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Hong Kong: Why the Democratic Party moves to dissolve itself.

Hong Kong's largest opposition party faces its dissolution after a membership vote. This threatens to put an end to almost 30 years of opposition politics in Hong Kong.

By Redaktion Table

Serbia: Vučić mobilizes supporters.

For months, tens of thousands of Serbian citizens have been protesting against the government, which they accuse of corruption and oppression. Now President Vučić is responding with a "counter-protest."

By Redaktion Table

Gas storage: Parliament in favor of extensive voluntariness.

The deputy EU ambassadors approved the negotiating mandate for the extension of the Gas Storage Regulation on Friday. The Parliament published preliminary compromise proposals. It wants to weaken the Commission's control options.

By Manuel Berkel

EV tariffs: Commission refuses to reach out to Beijing.

The EU Commission wants to remain firm in the negotiations with Beijing on countervailing duties on electric cars. "Our concerns about Chinese overcapacity are currently becoming even more serious," it says.

By Till Hoppe

Ukraine: Coalition of the willing pushes ahead with plans for 'reinsurance force.'

A good dozen countries would be willing to participate in a possible "reinsurance force" in Ukraine. There is talk of 20,000 to 30,000 soldiers who could secure critical infrastructure and back up the Ukrainian armed forces.

By Stephan Israel