Eurotopics.net

Across Europe, farmers are grappling with the consequences of drought this summer: in Romania, sunflowers and maize are drying up in the fields, and in Italy's Po Valley, the rice harvest has been written off entirely. In almost all of France's 96 departments, there are already restrictions on drinking water consumption. Europe's media discuss ways to deal with water shortages.

A private video that was leaked to the public shows an Finnish Prime Minister Sanna Marin partying and dancing with friends. Commenting on the video, Marin said she lamented that it had become public but denied any wrongdoing. Europe's press is impressed, but also sees reason for concern.

The exact cause of the latest explosions in Crimea, which Russia has occupied since 2014, has yet to be identified. Russia says "sabotage" was behind the blasts and has announced it will investigate evidence of a drone attack on the arms depot. Commentators speculate on what action Russian President Vladimir Putin will take.

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said during a press conference with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz in Berlin on Tuesday that Israel had committed "50 massacres, 50 holocausts" against Palestinians since 1947. On Wednesday, he qualified the statement saying he had not meant to question the uniqueness of the Holocaust. For commentators, Abbas' behaviour is not the only cause for criticism here.

The exact cause of the mass fish die-off in the Oder River has still not been identified, although laboratory analysis of the water and fish carcasses are in full swing in Poland and Germany. Europe's press sees the natural disaster's toll on Polish-German relations and the border river's ecosystem.