European Union

Some 37 citizens, from Europe and elsewhere, are suing the European Parliament and Council for adopting climate laws that they say are not ambitious enough.

Italy's deputy premier Matteo Salvini has called into question whether Italy should respect European Union budget rules after a 50-year old bridge in Genoa collapsed on Tuesday and killed at least 35 people."If external constraints prevent us from spending to have safe roads and schools, then it really calls into question whether it makes sense to follow these rules," Salvini told reporters.

Bosnia's autonomous Serb-dominated regional parliament on Tuesday requested a rewrite of a 2004 report concluding that Bosnian Serb forces killed about 8,000 Muslims in Srebrenica in 1995. The vote was initiated by Serb Republic nationalist president Milorad Dodik, who wants to become the Serb representative in Bosnia's tripartite presidency in general elections in October. The EU office in Sarajevo condemned "the use of inflammatory ethno-political rhetoric and actions".

Sofia may be wearing out its welcome with Western democracies by playing both sides - seeking closer integration in Europe while cosying up to Moscow and Beijing, claiming to work towards hitting EU targets while putting its own interests first.

The risk of a no-deal Brexit has been increasing and the European Union commission needs to change its attitude if a deal is to be reached, British foreign minister Jeremy Hunt said on Tuesday (14 August). 

The EU on Tuesday (14 August) stepped up its legal threats to Poland over its controversial supreme court reforms, giving Warsaw one month to comply or risk being hauled before the bloc's top court.

Malta has agreed to let 141 people that were rescued by the Aquarius vessel disembark at its port, the Maltese government said in a statement on Tuesday, stressing that it had "no legal obligation to do so". It said that from there the migrants will head to France, Germany, Luxembourg, Portugal, and Spain. Italy and Spain previously refused Aquarius disembarkation, as did Malta and Italy in June.

A motorway bridge collapse in the Italian city of Genoa killed at least 22 people on Tuesday, according to Italy's deputy infrastructure minister Edoardo Rixi, who added that the death toll was "likely to rise". European Commission president Jean-Claude Juncker issued a statement of sympathy and condolences, while French president Emmanuel Macron said France was "ready to offer all necessary support".

Commission says it is not convinced by Warsaw's defence of a new law on Poland's Supreme Court, which forces the early retirement of some 27 judges.

The European Commission has said on Tuesday that it will provide €500,000 in additional aid to the earthquake-struck Indonesian island Lombok. "This additional contribution will provide crucial support to those in need and ensure that the most vulnerable among the affected people have enough means to cope through this difficult time", said humanitarian aid commissioner Christos Stylianides. Last week, the commission pledged an initial €150,000 in emergency assistance.

The European Commission is discussing where to disembark 141 people onboard the Aquarius vessel with "a number of member states that have approached us regarding this incident", a spokeswoman said Tuesday. However, she refused to say which or how many member states. "We hope that a swift solution can be found as soon as possible so that the people on board the Aquarius can be safely disembarked," she added.

For Turkey's President Erdoğan there is no room for doubt: Donald Trump and the US are responsible for the lira's plunge. Its dramatic decline on the currency markets since the end of last week has indeed been a result of the row over the imprisonment of US Pastor Andrew Brunson and the US tariffs. But this is by no means the only reason for the currency crisis, commentators explain.

Turkey is fighting back against the currency crisis. Finance Minister Berat Albayrak on Monday announced an action plan. The Turkish central bank has promised to take all necessary steps to ensure financial stability. While the lira exchange rate stabilised on Tuesday morning, observers reflect on the potential consequences for Europe.