July 2019 temperatures were the hottest ever recorded globally, the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) said Thursday (15 August), confirming earlier observations by the European Union.

EU president-elect Ursula von der Leyen chose the Scorpions' smash hit "Wind of Change", which has become an anthem for the fall of the Berlin Wall, for her official departure ceremony in Berlin on Thursday evening (15 August).

The European Commission has proposed boosting measures to protect against a rise in imports spurred by US tariffs after steel companies said the European industry was under threat.

A 'coalition of the willing' of six EU member states have agreed to take some of the 147 migrants stranded on a rescue ship near the Italian island of Lampedusa, Rome announced Thursday (15 August), amid an immigration row between Italy's interior minister and premier.

Britain's Mediterranean territory Gibraltar decided on Thursday (15 August) to free a seized Iranian oil tanker, but did not immediately indicate when or if the ship would set sail after the United States launched a new, last-minute legal bid to hold it.

Hong Kong's airport resumed operations on Wednesday (14 August), rescheduling hundreds of flights that had been disrupted over the past two days as protesters clashed with riot police in a deepening crisis in the Chinese-controlled city.

Western powers on Tuesday (13 August) urged foes Serbia and Kosovo to reboot their stalled dialogue "with urgency", warning that the lack of progress is hindering their dreams of joining the European Union.

Britain and the United States are discussing a partial trade accord that could take effect on 1 November, the day after Britain is due to leave the European Union, a senior Trump administration official said on Tuesday (13 August).

The European Commission on Tuesday (13 August) imposed countervailing duties of 8% to 18% on imports of subsidised biodiesel from Indonesia, saying the move aimed to restore a level playing field for European Union producers.

Hong Kong’s last British governor Chris Patten on Tuesday (13 August) cautioned that if China intervened in Hong Kong it would be a catastrophe and that Chinese President Xi Jinping should see the wisdom of trying to bring people together.

Italy's political crisis edged forward on Monday (12 August) after party leaders decided to recall the Senate to vote on a timetable that could include a no-confidence vote and spell the end of the populist coalition.

Poland's ruling nationalists appear on track to win October's parliamentary vote, three opinion polls show, despite a scandal over the private use of government aircraft by the party's speaker of parliament who was forced to resign.

Greece on Monday (12 August) called on the EU for a fairer sharing of the migrant burden amid deep concern over a sharp increase in arrivals on some islands in recent weeks.

Portugal's government ordered striking fuel-tanker workers back to work in some parts of the country on Monday (12 August) after fuel supplies ran low at locations including Lisbon airport despite measures to counter the impact of the walkout.

A UN investigator rebuked France on Monday (12 August) for its possible role in the transfer of seven suspected jihadists from Syria to Iraq, but Paris dismissed her concerns as speculation.

In July, a spat broke out between Hungary and Finland, which took over the EU's rotating Council presidency Romania and with its program quickly became a new enemy for Budapest.

Lega chief Matteo Salvini's call for snap Italian elections after he turned on his own coalition partner faced mounting resistance on Sunday (11 August), with both his former 5-Star ally and the centre-left opposition seeking to put the brakes on.

John Bolton, US President Donald Trump’s national security adviser, arrived in London on the weekend for talks at which he is expected to urge Britain to toughen its stance on Iran and Chinese telecommunications firm Huawei.

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has accepted an offer to meet Irish leader Leo Varadkar to discuss Brexit and the Northern Irish backstop, the Sunday Telegraph said citing UK government sources.

A no-deal Brexit would hurt Britain more than the rest of Europe no matter how much Prime Minister Boris Johnson's government pretends otherwise, outgoing European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker said in remarks published on Saturday (10 August).