Eurotopics.net

A huge explosion in Beirut has destroyed the city's port and surrounding area, claiming more than 100 lives. The exact cause of the blast is not yet known; according to Prime Minister Hassan Diab, ammonium nitrate which is used to make fertiliser and also explosives had been stored unsafely at the port. The disaster has hit a country that is already facing enormous challenges, commentators observe.

After two relatively stable months the Turkish lira has plummeted again, hitting a record low against the euro last week. To reverse the trend and avert a serious economic crisis that has been looming for years, far-reaching reforms in business and politics are needed, commentators warn.

Donald Trump is willing to refrain from banning the video app Tiktok if its US division is sold to a "very American company". Microsoft has been having related talks for some time. Tiktok belongs to the Chinese group Bytedance and has hundreds of millions of mostly young users worldwide. Commentators show keen interest in Trump's treatment of the platform.