European Union

Three economic powerhouses, Germany, China, and the United States have seen their economic growth slow down. In the second quarter of 2019, Germany's economy shrank by 0.1 percent, which will most probably affect the economy of the entire European Union. With 4.8 percent China has the lowest industrial production growth since 2002. The US economy is equally worrying with a lower growth than expected in the last and current quarter.

During the first half of 2019, German authorities registered 8,605 far-right hate crimes. That was 900 more than in the first half of 2018. According to German newspaper Tagesshau, the actual number was even higher as some hate crimes are not categorised as such by the police. One example was the recent murder of Walter Luebcke, head of the Kassel regional government, which was clearly a hate crime, it said.

An EU decision to impose 25 percent tariffs on 23 different types of steel in retaliation against US ones had "overall worked well during the first year of implementation" the European Commission said Wednesday on the basis of a new economic study. It suggested giving developing countries more breaks from the tariff scheme, among other tweaks, which would have to be approved by the World Trade Organisation to go ahead.

An Italian judge ordered Italy to open its waters to the Spanish migrant rescue ship Open Arms, despite a new law by deputy prime minister Matteo Salvini to fine migrant rescue boats up to €1m if they entered Italian maritime zones. The Open Arms ship has 147 people on board amid a shortage of food and space. This week another ship, the Ocean Viking, rescued 356 people.

British-based banks have moved "significantly fewer activities, critical functions and staff" to the EU than the European Central Bank (ECB) had advised due to Brexit, it said in a statement Wednesday. It said banks could not continue to service EU clients outside the UK in the future and urged them to create "local risk management and governance structures" in the EU. The slow move came due to Brexit date postponements.

The UK could "unilaterally" withdraw from the EU in just 10 days' time to prevent parliament from trying to block a no-deal Brexit on 31 October, Tom Tugendhat, a Tory MP who chairs the foreign affairs committee, has said. Downing Street said the idea was not under consideration. Steve Peers, a law professor at Essex University, told The Guardian the UK would need EU assent to change the October date.

Declaration by the High Representative on behalf of the European Union on the alignment of certain third countries with Council Decision (CFSP) 2019/993 of 17 June 2019 repealing Decision (CFSP) 2018/1006 concerning restrictive measures in view of the situation in the Republic of Maldives

Declaration by the High Representative on behalf of the European Union on the alignment of certain third countries with Council Decision (CFSP) 2019/1108 of 27 June 2019 amending Decision 2014/512/CFSP concerning restrictive measures in view of Russia's actions destabilising the situation in Ukraine

Declaration by the High Representative on behalf of the European Union on the alignment of certain third countries with Council Decision (CFSP) 2019/1018 of 20 June 2019 amending Decision 2014/386/CFSP concerning restrictive measures in response to the illegal annexation of Crimea and Sevastopol

Nancy Pelosi, the speaker of the House of Representatives in the United States, said that no trade agreements between the US and the UK would pass US congress if it would put in peril the Good Friday peace agreement in Ireland. Her statement follows comments by US national security advisor John Bolton during his visit this week in London, promising sector-by-sector trade deals between the UK and US.

No EU country willing to open its ports for the Spanish rescue ship Open Arms, with France and others turning to the European Commission for help.

European Commission documents on meeting with Tony Blair describe chances of second referendum have become "credible".

According to Chinese news reports Beijing has stationed troops along the border with Hong Kong. Tens of thousands of demonstrators in the former British colony have been protesting for weeks against China's growing influence and demanding more democracy. The marches were initially sparked by an extradition law that has since been put on hold. Is Beijing poised to intervene?