Eurotopics.net

The nomination of IMF boss Christine Lagarde as ECB chief propelled stocks upward on Europe's markets. It is expected that the former French finance minister will continue the cheap money policy of her predecessor Mario Draghi. Not all observers are thrilled.

The countries of Eastern Europe have emerged empty handed from talks aimed at filling the EU's top jobs. During the negotiations the four Visegrád countries blocked the candidacy of Frans Timmermans, who had supported Article 7 proceedings against Poland and Hungary. They should be happy now, some commentators say. Others point to the geographical bias in the distribution of posts.

The past month in Europe and around the world was the hottest June on record, according to the EU's Copernicus Climate Change Service and the World Weather Attribution Project. Severe heatwaves are increasingly likely and are the result of climate change brought on by human activity, scientists say. Despite lower temperatures in some places the heat is weighing heavily on many commentators.

A missile from the Syrian civil war that was presumably misdirected landed around 20 kilometres from the Cypriot capital Nikosia on Sunday night, setting fire to a hill in occupied Northern Cyprus. No one was hurt. Are Syria's neighbours aware of how close this war is?

In an interview with the Financial Times, Russian president Vladimir Putin criticised liberalism, in particular regarding the way liberal democracies have dealt with migrants. Liberalism is obsolete; the majority of the population doesn't want it, he maintained. But for commentators from East and West, Russia does not have anything better to offer.