European Union

Encouraged by the power vacuum left by the withdrawal of Western troops, the Taliban have already regained control of about half of Afghanistan. Several thousand people have been injured or killed in the process. Europe's press looks at who is now particularly at risk and what responsibility the West bears for their fate.

A new State Duma will be elected in Russia on September 19. The popularity of the pro-Kremlin party United Russia has dipped, but Navalny supporters and other candidates or parties that position themselves against Putin have not even been allowed to run. For commentators the whole spectacle has very little to do with a democratic process.

Ukraine is planning an international summit on 23 August to raise awareness about the future of annexed Crimea and the conflict in the Donbass. In the national media, commentators applaud the idea of the Crimea Platform, as the summit is called, but some voice scepticism about its design.

For two decades the residents' initiative Save Roșia Montană has been fighting against the mining company Gabriel Resources, which wants to mine local gold deposits estimated at around 300 tonnes - the largest in Europe - and is also pushing for resettlement. Now Unesco has decided to add the ancient Roman mining tunnels in Roșia Montană to the List of World Heritage in Danger.

The recent overhaul of European climate legislation to slash greenhouse gas emissions by 55% by 2030 is a good first step towards supporting geothermal energy, but goes little further, according to a former Bulgarian environment minister.

Turkey is offering to protect Kabul's strategic airport after US forces leave in what experts view as a high-risk bid to improve Ankara's strained ties with Washington.

US secretary of state Antony Blinken affirmed his country's support to conduct additional investigations into the origins of the Covid-19 after meeting with the head of the World Health Organization, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, on Wednesday, Reuters reported. "He stressed the need for the next phase to be timely, evidence-based, transparent, expert-led, and free from interference," a US state department spokesperson said in a statement.