Новости за 05.08.2016

As in Brussels, London’s political and financial class takes its leave for the month of August. Westminster is populated only by selfie-taking tourists.

EU justice commissioner Vera Jourova is to take part in a gay rights parade in Amsterdam Saturday, the European Commission confirmed Friday. The commission has for the first time sponsored a carnival float to take part in the "Europride" event. Jourova said in a statement "politicians need to be more vocal to protect the rights of more vulnerable groups". She is to meet US gay-rights diplomat Randy Berry in Amsterdam.

The first six months of this year saw 1,719 Turkish nationals apply for asylum in Germany, 1,510 of whom were of Kurdish origin, Germany's immigration bureau said Friday. The figure is almost the same as that for all of last year (1,767). The increase comes amid the post-coup crackdown on opposition groups in Turkey and an earlier escalation in fighting between Turkish and Kurdish separatist forces in south-east Turkey.

Public support for Germany's chancellor Angela Merkel has dropped to 47%, down 12% from 59% last month, the last time the DeutschlandTrend survey was conducted on behalf of German public broadcaster ARD. Support for the CDU-CSU union now stands at 34%, Social Democrats (SPD) 22%, Greens 13%, the Left 9%, anti-immigrant Alternative for Germany (AfD) 12%, and the liberal Free Democrats 5%.

Greek prime minister Alexis Tsipras on Thursday invited leaders of six southern EU states to meet in Athens on 9 September in a bid to form a strong southern alliance and counter the stance of countries in Northern Europe. Athens News Agency reports the states invited will include France, Italy, Spain, Portugal, Cyprus and Malta.

Global and British stock markets rose and pound sterling dropped on Thursday after the Bank of England cut interest rates to just 0.25 percent, the lowest level in the 322-year history of the bank, and embarked on a new round of money printing. Bank governor, Mark Carney, said he had unleashed an "exceptional package of measures" because of the economic stagnation likely to result from the Brexit vote.

European commission president Jean-Claude Juncker on Thursday rejected Austria's call for the EU to end membership talks with Turkey, warning it would be a grave mistake. "I don't think it would be helpful if we were to unilaterally end negotiations with Turkey," he told German public broadcaster ARD, adding that such a decision can only be made with unanimity from all member states.

The European Union on Thursday extended its civilian EUBAM mission in Libya until 21 August 2017, allocating a €17 million budget for the task. Set up in May 2013, the Tunis-based mission aims to help Libyan authorities tackle migration, border security, counter-terrorism and criminal justice issues. Libya is in a state of civil war and a main departure point for migrants looking to reach Europe.

The EU commission said the tariffs on steel from China and Russia are needed to counter below market prices that threaten EU industry and jobs.

Luxembourg says its appeal against the LuxLeak whistleblowers is standard procedure. But the move has roused suspicion that the duchy is seeking harsher sentences.

In Brussels, the unthinkable in our supposedly modern societies – unpaid labour – has become the new normal.