The European Court of Justice has tightened the requirements for authorities in accelerated asylum procedures. In future, the governments of EU countries must disclose which sources their classification of a country as a "safe country of origin" is based on. The court also ruled that for a country to receive this designation its entire population, including groups such as homosexuals, must be deemed to be safe there.
Following a verbal exchange with former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev, US President Trump has announced that he will send two US nuclear submarines to "appropriate regions". The details remain confidential. Prior to this, Medvedev had criticised the US ultimatum to Russia to end the war in Ukraine, saying it was a threat and a step towards war, which Trump in turn described as "foolish and inflammatory". The European press takes stock.
Portugal's conservative government wants to reform the country's labour law: amendments that restrict strike rights and parental rights at work will make firing employees and outsourcing easier for employers. The aim is to create a more flexible, less bureaucratic labour market from which above all employers will benefit. The national press weighs in.
Romanian swimmer David Popovici won gold in the 100 and 200-metre freestyle at the World Swimming Championships in Singapore. He had previously spoken openly about the psychological pressure of competing and admitted that at one point he had looked for tickets to fly home before the competition - out of fear of success. The national press hails him as a role model: as an athlete, an individual and as a citizen.
In view of the crisis situation in Gaza, a growing number of countries are speaking out in favour of recognising Palestine as a state. Canada has now become the third G7 country after France and the UK to announce that it is willing to take this step. The press assesses the impact of the initiative and the preconditions for genuine statehood for Palestine.
On 1 August 1975 - in the middle of the Cold War - 35 states from both the West and the Eastern Bloc signed the CSCE Final Act in Helsinki, better known as the Helsinki Accords, in which they pledged among other things to respect the inviolability of borders and the protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms. On the occasion of the official ceremony marking the 50th anniversary in Helsinki, commentators ask: does the phrase "from Vancouver to Vladivostok" still mean something?
Following fierce protests at the national and international level, the Ukrainian parliament has passed a law repealing the planned subordination of anti-corruption bodies to the Prosecutor General's Office and restoring the independence of the National Anti-Corruption Bureau and the Specialised Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office. Commentators conclude that a lot of damage has been done.
The EU is considering sanctions against Israel in view of the catastrophic situation in the Gaza Strip, but Germany and Italy in particular are reportedly blocking such plans. US President Donald Trump has called on Israel to allow more food supplies into the sealed-off area. The media examines to what extent Israel and the West are responsible for the impending famine.
The EU and the US have settled their tariff dispute: tariffs of 15 percent will apply to most EU exports to the US, and Europe will not impose any new counter-tariffs. On Sunday in Scotland, Donald Trump and Ursula von der Leyen also agreed that the bloc would make massive purchases of energy and defence equipment from the US. The European press comments on different aspects of the deal and draws its own conclusions.