Eurotopics.net

Two weeks after it began on 11 June, the Uefa European Championship is entering the knockout stage. Due to the coronavirus pandemic only limited numbers of spectators have been allowed into most stadiums, and group watching in bars or at open-air cinemas is also restricted. All the more reason for Europe's press to voice big emotions, passionate praise and scathing criticism.

Russia and the UK are each giving their own version of an incident on Wednesday in the Black Sea: the Russian military says it stopped a British warship off the coast of Crimea with warning shots. The British, however, maintain that no shots were fired, and that the vessel was just carrying out a routine transit through Ukrainian waters.

On 23 June 2016 the Brexit referendum ended with 51.9 percent in favour of the UK leaving the EU. Although the divorce was not actually finalised until last December, when the transition period came to an end, commentators are eager to take stock.

In Greece, a 36-year-old Georgian has filed a lawsuit claiming that he was tortured for four days by Greek police to force him to confess in the Caroline Crouch case. The victim's husband, who has since confessed to killing her, had deceived investigators for several weeks, claiming that she was killed when their home was burgled by foreigners. Commentators are appalled at the level of racism and contempt for women the case reveals.