Eurotopics.net

After three punishing Alpine stages the Tour de France ends on Sunday in keeping with tradition on the Champs-Élysées in Paris. Several cyclists - including two Frenchmen - still have a realistic chance of claiming the yellow jersey that goes to the overall winner. French commentators say change has come to this event which is one of the greatest in world sport.

Immediately after taking office, Britain's new Prime Minister Boris Johnson sacked over half his cabinet, replacing allegedly pro-European ministers with hardliners and loyal supporters. He also reiterated in a speech that the UK would leave the EU on 31 October with 'no ifs or buts'. Europe's press takes a close look at the path Johnson has embarked on.

There is finally some movement in the stalled negotiations over a European refugee policy: Fourteen EU states are backing a German-French proposal for compromise on how to distribute migrants rescued in the Mediterranean, with eight of them even promising active engagement. But Italy is refusing to agree to the solution. Commentators see this as a huge stumbling block.

Britain is calling for a European naval mission to protect merchant vessels in the Persian Gulf. The initiative comes after Iran seized the British tanker Stena Impero in the Strait of Hormuz last week. How much sense does such a mission make?