Hungary's governing party slammed Thursday a new report by rights group Amnesty International that sharply criticised recent legislation and the treatment of minorities, calling it "distorted and biased". Peter Hoppal, a spokesman for Prime Minister Viktor Orban's right-wing Fidesz party, said that the London-based watchdog's annual report published Wednesday "painted a particularly distorted and biased picture of the country".

Germany's opposition Social Democrats mark their 150th birthday Thursday, with French President Francois Hollande as the only foreign speaker and conservative Chancellor Angela Merkel in the audience. The French Socialist president will give the keynote address at the anniversary celebrations of his centre-left allies, who are battling poor poll ratings as they try to unseat Merkel in September 22 elections.

EU leaders agreed Wednesday that the automatic sharing of individuals' bank account data, a key measure to prevent tax evasion, should become law across all member states by the end of the year, European Union President Herman Van Rompuy said. At the close of a one-day summit, final conclusions flagged by Van Rompuy at a press conference called on member states to complete adoption of regulation covering private savings aimed at ending bank secrecy.

A bill to legalise gay marriage in Britain passed a crucial hurdle in parliament on Tuesday, despite efforts by lawmakers from Prime Minister David Cameron's Conservative party to wreck the plans. Members of the House of Commons voted by 366 to 161 in favour of the same sex marriage bill, a majority of 205, and it will now go to the unelected House of Lords for consideration. There was applause as the result was read out, although the bill is likely to face stiff opposition when it is debated in the Lords next month, especially from the bishops.