Eurotopics.net

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.

Austrian security authorities have announced that they have foiled an attack on one of the three Taylor Swift concerts that were cancelled in Vienna. The 19-year-old man who is the main suspect is reportedly a supporter of the IS terrorist militia. He and an accomplice were allegedly planning to kill as many people as possible outside the stadium.

Hundreds of Ukrainian soldiers in tanks have reportedly launched an incursion into the Russian border area of Kursk, penetrating several kilometres into the region. Russian authorities have evacuated several villages. In contrast to previous attacks, this advance was not led by Russian militias fighting on Ukraine's side, but by the Ukrainian military. Commentators take stock of the offensive, which has not yet been officially confirmed by Kyiv.

After weeks of street protests, Bangladesh's Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has resigned and fled the country. Nobel Peace Prize winner Muhammad Yunus is now to lead the government on an interim basis. The media discuss what the overthrow means - also for Europe.