Eurotopics.net

The UN is currently looking into whether new talks on the reunification of Cyprus, which has been divided since 1974, are currently feasible. In addition a conference is in planning at which the guarantor powers Turkey, Greece and Britain will also sit at the table. Cypriot media doubt that either side is willing or able to reconcile the Greek and Turkish Cypriots.

A few countries have eased their Covid restrictions in recent days: in the Czech Republic, Ireland and France, stores and restaurants are allowed to open once more and people can spend more time in public spaces. But commentators are far from relieved.

Iranian physicist Mohsen Fakhrizadeh, said to be one of the architects of Iran's nuclear programme, was shot dead in his car near Tehran on Saturday. It remains unclear who was behind the assassination; Iran's foreign minister has accused Israel, while other authorities have been more cautious in their statements. Commentators analyse the potential motives and repercussions of the attack.

France saw more protests and rioting this weekend against a proposed security law aimed at restricting the filming of police in action. Hundreds of thousands of people came together to protest on Saturday, further incensed by a police attack on music producer Michel Zecler in his studio on Thursday that was documented by a surveillance camera.