Euobserver.com

France wants to pause EU enlargement pending major reforms, in what some fear could "destabilise" the Western Balkans.

Brussels will play host to more than 400 Nordic artists and creative practitioners this autumn, organised by one of Europe's most influential cultural institutions, BOZAR.

Thousands of protesters clashed with police on Monday night at Barcelona airport, after nine Catalan leaders were sentenced by Spain's Supreme Court to up to 13 years in prison for their role in the region's independence bid, the Guardian reports. The protesters followed a call by the Tsunami Democràtic movement to try to bring the airport to a standstill. Some 13 people needed medical attention and 60 flights were canceled.

The US secretary of defence, Mark Esper, said in a statement on Monday that "Turkey's unilateral action [in Syria] was unnecessary and impulsive. President Erdogan bears full responsibility for its consequences, to include a potential ISIS resurgence, possible war crimes, and a growing humanitarian crisis." French foreign minister Jean-Yves Le Drian echoed this statement as he told Le Figaro that "Turkey endangers five year of combat against Daesh".

Ireland's foreign minister Simon Coveney said on Monday on Brexit that "a deal is possible, and it's possible this month, may even be possible this week. But we're not there yet," the Irish Times reports. However, other European leaders seem to be less optimistic about the timing. As the European summit on Brexit is already on Thursday, the idea is emerging to organise another emergency summit on Brexit.

The UK will not join other European countries such as France, Germany, the Netherlands and Finland in halting selling arms to Turkey after its invasion in Syria, the Independent reports. The UK was initially also against an EU condemnation of Turkey's military attack, but later agreed to the EU's unanimous position. Because of the UK's refusal to a European arms ban, the EU agreed on stopping arms sales unilaterally.

The site contains Europe's second largest natural pasture and hundreds of local families depend on it, but part of it has been slated to become a military training ground.

EU states have agreed to stop arms sales to Turkey over its invasion of Syria, marking a nadir in relations with their Nato ally. In response, Ankara mocked the decision as a "joke".

Danish prime minister Mette Frederiksen said on Monday that his country will fast-track legislation to strip Danish nationality from foreign fighters with dual citizenship who joined groups such as Islamic State, Reuters reported. "There is a risk that the Kurdish-controlled IS camps in the border area will collapse and foreign warriors with Danish citizenship will move toward Denmark," Frederiksen said. The new law will not apply to single-nationality Danes.

Spain's Supreme Court issued its third European arrest warrant for the former president of Catalonia Carles Puigdemont on Thursday, following the jailing of nine other separatist leaders. Puigdemont was president of Catalonia during its failed 2017 bid for independence. He fled to Belgium in late October 2017 to avoid prosecution and currently lives in Waterloo. Previous warrants for Puigdemont's cabinet members failed twice in 2017 and 2018.

Spain's Supreme Court sentenced nine Catalan leaders to between nine and 13 years in prison for sedition and misuse of public funds over their role in Catalonia's 2017 bid for independence. The possible legal immunity of some MEPs remains unanswered.

Josep Borrell, the next chief of the EU's foreign affairs branch EEAS, told reporters in Luxembourg that it "is reasonable" to suggest that the new European Commission won't launch until 1 December given the delay from the European Parliament hearings. "Frankly speaking I don't see how we can do the whole process of hearings for three candidates," he said, in order to meet the 23 October deadline.

Poland's conservative ruling party has won four more years in office, with attacks on courts and LGBTI values auguring badly for EU relations

EU foreign ministers are meeting to find a common position on the Turkish invasion in Syria. However, events are evolving quickly, as Kurdish forces asked the Syrian army to protect them.

Budapest joins Istanbul and Warsaw by having an opposition mayor to a strongman illiberal leader, after a united opposition serves a shock blow across several towns in local elections in Hungary.

EU and UK Brexit talks over the weekend failed to yield any breakthrough as "a big gap" remains over customs arrangements. The lack of progress was highlighted by EU's chief negotiator, Michel Barnier, who said a new "political impulse" was needed from the UK to secure a deal this week. The two sides are set to met again on Monday ahead of an EU summit on Thursday and Friday.

Conservative academic Kais Saied, an independent, is poised to win Tunisia's presidential runoff. An Emrhold exit poll gave him a 40-point lead with 72.5 percent, ahead his rival, the media magnate Nabil Karou. Official results are expected later on Monday. Saied secured the support of the youth, taking some estimated 90 percent of voters aged between 18 and 25.

A controversial counterterrorism bill could end up criminalising aid workers in the Netherlands if they enter conflict hotspots when assisting the world's most vulnerable people.

Time is running out for chlorpyrifos, the pesticide which is a cause of brain damage to human fetuses and newly-born children. The EU Commission and the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) have both stated approval should not be renewed.

British prime minister Boris Johnson will meet the 27 other EU leaders in Brussels on Thursday to try to clinch a last-minute Brexit deal.