Eurotopics.net

This Thursday evening, the Democratic National Convention in Chicago will close with a speech by presidential candidate Kamala Harris. In the run-up to the event, Harris had presented the key points of her economic policy. With an eye on the presidential election in November, Europe's press assesses where Harris and the Democrats stand.

Three days after the luxury superyacht Bayesian sank near the Sicilian capital of Palermo, hopes of finding survivors are fading. It now appears that seven people died, among them the British entrepreneur Mike Lynch. The incident has a nasty aftertaste for the press.

Ukraine claims to have advanced over 30 kilometres into the Russian Kursk region and destroyed or damaged three important bridges. According to Ukrainian President Zelensky, the goal of the offensive is to increase the pressure on Russia and to create a buffer zone. Europe's media ask whether the strategy is working.

Since the start of the Russian invasion of Ukraine more than half a million people have left Russia. President Vladimir Putin has now issued a new law to reduce the once high immigration hurdles. The aim is to make Russia attractive to citizens from states where "traditional values" are being repressed. The press ridicules the idea.

For many European countries, summer poses a growing number of threats, including wildfires, droughts and record heatwaves. In Greece, Athens' suburbs are facing wildfires for the first time, while in Spain some regions are on red alert for extreme heat. The EU has announced it is investing an additional 600 million euros in its Civil Protection Pool fund. Commentators discuss what action should be taken.