Euobserver.com

British home secretary Sajid Javid was knocked out of the race to replace Theresa May as Conservative leader and British prime minister on Thursday, leaving three candidates remaining. The three, in a vote by Conservative MPs, were Boris Johnson, environment secretary Michael Gove and Jeremy Hunt, foreign secretary. A further round on Thursday will narrow the field to two, who then are voted on by the Conservative party members.

Ireland's prime minister Leo Varadkar told reporters ahead of an EU summit in Brussels on Thursday that he expects an agreement among EU heads of state and government on the 2050 'net zero' emissions target. "I anticipate that there is going to be an agreement," he said. The bulk of EU states support the measure but some, like coal producer Poland, remain wary.

The foreign service has distanced itself from a "special advisor" over her interview in Russian media, amid EU alarm on disinformation.

This so-called "Deal of the Century" on Israel/Palestine is likely to be no more than a big sham, and the US-led economic peace workshop in Bahrain will hardly change this perception.

Manfred Weber, the leader of the centre-right European People's Party group, is struggling to secure the support of other big groups in his bid to become the next president of the European Commission. According to the Financial Times newspaper, the newly-elected group leaders of the socialists and liberal Renew Europe have both indicated they would not support him.

EU heads of state and government on Friday will discuss Brexit as a final point during their two-day summit in Brussels. Leaders are expected to "fine-tune their communications" in the event of a no deal. The EU summit will be the last for UK's outgoing prime minister, Theresa May. The summit's focus will instead be on top EU jobs, foreign relations, disinformation, climate change, the EU budget, and the euro.

EU heads of state and government at their summit in Brussels on Thursday will debate adopting a 2050 'net zero' emissions target. Most, but not all, EU states back the proposal but campaigners like Greenpeace said urgent action is needed. "Leaders must also show that they are prepared to take urgent action ahead of a crucial UN climate summit in September," said Greenpeace EU climate policy adviser Sebastian Mang.

A UN rights investigator Wednesday said there is credible evidence that Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and other senior Saudi officials were behind the murder of Jamal Khashoggi. The UN expert said "Khashoggi has been the victim of a deliberate, premeditated execution". The Saudis have sought to downplay its role by currying influence and favour in the EU and elsewhere.

The General Court of the European Union on Wednesday ruled against Adidas in its efforts to trademark its three-stripe logo. "Adidas does not prove that that mark has acquired, throughout the territory of the EU, distinctive character following the use which had been made of it," said the court in a long-standing dispute between the German sportswear manufacturer and the Belgian company Shoe Branding Europe.

Outgoing British prime minister Theresa May will have little to do at her last EU summit in Brussels on Thursday. She will be "as constructive a partner as possible" in EU talks on top jobs despite Britain's "status as a departing member state", her spokesman said. But she will not be present at brief EU-27 talks on Brexit preparedness on Friday and she will not give a press conference.

Hard-Brexiteer Boris Johnson gained momentum to be Britain's next prime minister Wednesday, gaining 143 out of 313 votes from MPs in an internal Conservative party contest. Foreign secretary Jeremy Hunt, environment minister Michael Gove, and interior minister Sajid Javid also got through into the last round of voting on Thursday, but Rory Stewart, a pro-European development aid minister, was knocked out, amid EU concern on a Johnson-led no-deal Brexit.

EU leaders will be discussing the new EU leadership positions - with France and Germany split over the largest political group's lead candidate. It might take an extra summit for leaders to come up with final names.

The three MEPs elected on the list of Spanish far-right party Vox joined the European Conservatives and Reformists (ECR), the anti-federalist group announced on Wednesday. It said ECR now consisted of 62 MEPs from 15 EU countries, down from 70 in the previous five-year parliamentary period. The ECR, previously the third-largest group, looks set to be the sixth-largest group, falling behind the liberals, greens, and the anti-EU ID group.

Romania's former prime minister and ex-commissioner Dacian Ciolos was elected Wednesday (19 June) to head the new liberal alliance, Renew Europe (formerly Alde), in the European Parliament. He received 65 votes against 41 votes for Dutch MEP Sophie in 't Veld by fellow liberal MEPs. Ciolos's candidacy bid took off after he received the backing of French president Emmanuel Macron's delegation, who joined the liberal group after last month's election.

The five men in the contest to be Britain's next prime minister disagreed how to handle Brexit in a TV debate Tuesday. Boris Johnson, the favourite, said he would leave the EU in October even if he had no deal. Foreign secretary Jeremy Hunt, environment minister Michael Gove, and home secretary Sajid Javid envisaged short-term delays of the exit date, while outsider Rory Stewart ruled out no-deal at all costs.

North Macedonia must wait until October to start EU accession talks despite its historic name deal with Greece, Europe has said, with Albania in deeper trouble.

House prices grew overall by 15 percent in the EU between 2010 and 2018 on average - but with big differences from country to country, according new figures from Eurostat. The highest increases were observed in Estonia (+83%), Latvia (+61%), Austria (+56%), Sweden (+55%) and Luxembourg (+50%), while the largest decreases were recorded in Italy (-17%), Spain (-12%) and Cyprus (-8%).

Over the weekend, as private jets evacuated prominent members of the Democratic Party and their allies, Moldovans celebrated the peaceful power transition. Looking beyond the euphoria that surrounded the celebrations, the new government is facing many challenges.

China is the most trade-restrictive partner for the EU with 37 barriers recorded in 2018, four more than the year before, affecting EU exports up to €25.7bn, according to the European Commission's Trade and Investment Barriers report. Russia ranked second with 34 obstacles. Trade tensions between the EU and US also increased in 2018, to 23 barriers, four more than in 2017, affecting EU exports worth €6.8bn.

Low-ranking EU officials are to represent Europe when America unveils part of its "Deal of the Century" on the Arab-Israeli conflict in Bahrain next week.