European Union

The eagerly awaited verdict in the trial on the murder of Slovak investigative journalist Ján Kuciak and his fiancée was surprisingly postponed on Tuesday. The gunman was sentenced to 23 years in prison in April, but the court's verdict on those who commissioned and organised the crime has now been delayed until early September with the explanation that the judges need more time to reach a decision. Is this a worrying development?

LGBTI activists are facing fines or prison for hanging rainbow flags on statues in Poland, amid hardening feelings on EU values.

More than 1,300 people were killed in the first half of 2020 by armed groups in DR Congo, three times more than in the same period in 2019, according to a report published on Wednesday (5 August) by the United Nations.

Bulgarian prime minister Boyko Borissov on Wednesday said he would be willing to step down to avoid a government collapse following weeks of protests, reports Reuters. "I am ready to leave at any time. I do not want any tension because of me," he said. "I will hold talks with my coalition partners and offer options including one where I would leave and the government continues."

The European Commission on Wednesday announced it had prolonged anti-dumping duties on imports of Chinese corrosion-resistant steel. "The decision aims to counter circumvention of the existing EU trade defence measures," it said, in a statement. The EU had in early 2018 imposed up to 27.9 percent import duties on certain corrosion-resistant steels from China.

Sweden's economy has contracted 8.6 percent in the April-to-June period from the previous three months. The country had eschewed some of the more restrictive Covid-19 lockdowns, when compared to other EU member states. Spain's economy over the same period slumped by 18.5 percent, France by 13.8 percent, and Italy by 12.4 percent. The EU as a whole saw a 11.9 percent contraction.

I hate to break it to you, but excuses have run out. You have to look at the images of sobbing journalists in Index's newsroom, and shoulder part of the blame. Your silence, your continued procrastination led to this.

This is not about supposedly traditional values – when was violence against women ever a value? – it is about living up to the European values we all signed up to. We have to put pressure on Poland.

The volume of retail sales in the euro zone rebounded in June to levels recorded in February before lockdowns, official estimates showed on Wednesday (5 August), completing a recovery that began in May after record drops in March and April.

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said on Wednesday (5 August) that the United States had made progress with Russia on nuclear arms control recently and hopes China will decide to join the discussions.

Facebook on Wednesday (5 August) took down a post by US President Donald Trump, which the company said violated its rules against sharing misinformation about the coronavirus.

Japan's foreign minister on Wednesday (5 August) began a three-day trip to Britain in a bid to wrap up negotiations on a post-Brexit trade agreement.

Bulgarian Prime Minister Boyko Borissov signalled on Wednesday (5 August) that he could resign following weeks of anti-government protests, but said his centre-right GERB-led cabinet should remain in place until an election due next year.

Italy's national civil aviation authority ENAC threatened on Wednesday to suspend Ryanair's permit to fly in the country over alleged non-compliance with coronavirus safety rules.

The European Commission said on Wednesday (4 August) it had extended anti-dumping duties on imports of Chinese corrosion-resistant steel to stop producers avoiding existing duties by slightly modifying the material they export.

The European Union is considering quotas to force airlines to use more sustainable fuels as it seeks to clamp down on the climate impact of aviation, the European Commission said on Wednesday (5 August).