Merkel suffers setback, Ankara car bomb and the launch of the ExoMars programme

German Chancellor Angela Merkel has suffered a dramatic setback in regional elections seen as a referendum on her contentious refugee policies. Her CDU party failed in its hopes of winning back power in Baden-Württemberg and Rhineland-Palatinate, two former bastions, and was left struggling to form a government in Saxony-Anhalt.

Meanwhile, the anti-immigration Alternative für Deutschland party looked set to beat forecasts — and score the biggest electoral success for the populist right since the rebirth of German democracy after the second world war. (FT)

In the news:

US-China extradition battle looms

The Chinese government has threatened to halt judicial co-operation with the US if a federal prosecutor does not agree to return one of Beijing’s most wanted men. (FT)

Trump defiant amid increasing violence

Donald Trump refused to tamp down his rhetoric, which critics charge incites violence at his rallies, and used Twitter tothreaten to send his supporters to disrupt Democrat Bernie Sanders’ rallies. Mr Trump’s rivals for the Republican nomination have criticised him for using divisive rhetoric, while his Democratic counterparts have singled out his racist language.Sign up for our daily US election email. (FT, WaPo)

Anbang agrees $6.5bn hotel deal

In its biggest deal for US property, the Chinese insurer will buy Strategic Hotels & Resorts just three months after Blackstone took the luxury group private. (FT)

Mass protests in Brazil

Anti-government protesters took to the streets across the country in anger over the country’s growing corruption scandal, as president Dilma Rousseff’s coalition partner threatens to topple her government. (FT)

Ankara car bomb kills 32

Initial findings suggest the Kurdistan Workers’ party, or PKK, was behind the explosion, which also left more than 100 wounded. (BBC)

Still some hope for humanity

In a sign that robots are at least one step away from taking over the world, Lee Sedol beat Google’s AlphaGo computer in their fourth match of the Chinese game Go. The bad news? AlphaGo won the first three. (FT)

It's a big day for:

Life on Mars?

The first mission of the ExoMars programme will launch from Kazakhstan, travelling 48m miles in an attempt to answer the eternal question. (Wired)

Oil

Opec publishes its monthly oil market report amid talk of an output freeze and a recent jump in prices. (Bloomberg)

Food for thought:

Email has made us all passive aggressive

Lucy Kellaway on how email has encouraged us to sulk, to be falsely polite, sneaky and obstructive. “While email is ill-suited to overt rage, it is perfect for communicating hostility passively, without getting caught.” (FT)

The art of salary negotiation

Most of us would like more money, but few really negotiate for it when it comes down to salary offers. This is a mistake. Seven in 10 employers say they leave room for extending initial offers, while one in 10 say they would think less of a candidate who doesn’t negotiate. Here are some tips to make sure you are getting paid your worth. (BBC)

George Osborne faces reality

Once a favourite to succeed David Cameron as prime minister, there are signs the political fortunes of the UK chancellor have started to dip. Much hinges on Wednesday’s budget; Mr Osborne will need to show he still has a grip on Britain’s economic future and, as a pro-EU politician, can be trusted with matters of national interest. (FT)

Warnings from the 1930s

There are echoes from the 20th century that we would be foolish to ignore, writes the FT’s Ed Luce. “Western democracy faces no mortal threat. But it is going through an acute stress test . . . We can no longer be sure the centre will hold — or even that it deserves to.” (FT)

Isis uses birth control to maintain sexual slavery

The jihadi group has made systematic rape integral to its operations. To keep the sex trade running — and to adhere to an obscure Islamic law that says a man must ensure a slave must be free of a child before he can have sex with her — Isis fighters have aggressively pushed birth control on their captives. (NYT)

Decommissioning Fukushima

Five years after the meltdown, Japan is teaming up with the US and France to collect melted fuel from the crippled nuclear plant. (NAR)

Video of the day:

Trump leads

With just a day to go before voting takes place in Ohio and Florida, Donald Trump is urging his Republican rivals to rally behind him as the party’s nominee. The FT’s Courtney Weaver reports from Washington. (FT)