Negotiations aimed at preventing the situation in the Middle East from escalating further begin today in Doha. Officially the aim is a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas in Gaza, but observers hope that a deal will also be struck to dissuade Iran from carrying out its plans for revenge. European media analyse the conditions under which the negotiations are taking place.
According to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, Ukrainian troops continue to advance into the Russian border region of Kursk and more Russian soldiers have been captured. Russian authorities have said that around 120,000 people have fled or been evacuated from the area. European commentators discuss reactions and potential consequences.
In a letter published on X, EU Internal Market Commissioner Thierry Breton has warned multi-billionaire and X boss Elon Musk not to violate European legislation against the dissemination of hate speech and incitement to violence on the Internet. Breton was referring to Musk's posts on the violent riots in the UK and 'interviews in the context of elections'. A good idea?
The new Catalan regional government under the Socialist Salvador Illa has been sworn in. By promising "fiscal sovereignty" and to strengthen the Catalan language, Illa and Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez managed to secure the support of the moderate separatist party ERC. The central government's amnesty law had already done much to ease the tensions. The national press heaves a sigh of relief, mixed with concern.
A court case against two female doctors has sparked a debate about the healthcare system in Romania. According to the indictment, a seriously ill 54-year-old man was deliberately killed in a Bucharest intensive care unit by underdosing a drug in order to free up beds for patients with better chances of survival. Twenty patients in the intensive-care unit died within a three-day period. Excerpts from quotes in the national press.
US entrepreneur Elon Musk, multi-billionaire and boss of the social network X, is one of the most influential people in the world. He backs former President Donald Trump's election campaign, provokes with his political statements and interprets freedom of speech very broadly on X. European commentators take a closer look at the immense power he wields.
A wildfire broke out north of Athens on Sunday and quickly spread to the Greek capital's suburbs for the first time due to strong winds. Several villages had to be evacuated and the government activated the EU Civil Protection Mechanism. The question of how the authorities are responding to the situation is already being hotly debated in the country's media.
After a spectacular closing ceremony, the Olympic flame has been extinguished and the flag has been handed over to Los Angeles. Europe's press assesses the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris: an important respite in times of crisis? A unifying inspiration for harmonious coexistence? Or a wasteful splurge?
Israeli missiles have hit a school compound in Gaza City where a refugee shelter and a prayer room serving as a mosque had been set up. Palestinian sources say more than 100 civilians died in the attack. The Israeli military described the operation as a precision strike on a Hamas command centre. Europe's press struggles to find the right words.
Danish politicians have voiced fears about Swedish gang crime being imported to Denmark. Last week alone, five minors from Sweden were arrested on charges of attempted murder on Danish territory, after two such cases in June. The youths are being recruited via social networks, according to the police. Border controls are now being tightened. The press discusses additional measures.
Catalan separatist leader Carles Puigdemont, who has been living in exile for years, defied an arrest warrant and made a brief appearance in Barcelona on Thursday after the election of the socialist, pro-union politician Salvador Illa to president of Catalonia, who had received the support of the moderate separatists. Puigdemont called on pro-independence forces to continue fighting for their cause. It remains unclear how Puigdemont evaded arrest despite a large police presence.
Martina Šimkovičová, Slovakia's culture minister and a member of the nationalist SNS party, has caused outrage with her decision to sack the directors of several important state cultural institutions. Not long ago she played a key role in the controversial reform of the country's public broadcasters. The national press strongly condemns her actions.