Eurotopics.net

Denmark has been rocked by a scandal over welcome rituals at grammar schools. According to reports one of the rituals involves 15 and 16-year-old girls starting upper school being selected to be waitresses at a dinner for pupils of the graduating classes. They are made to follow a dress code that includes wearing red panties and are often subjected to sexual harassment. Danish media are appalled.

The Syrian regime and Moscow are apparently set to carry out an offensive against the last major rebel stronghold, Idlib. Damascus has gathered its troops and the Russian air force carried out preliminary strikes on Tuesday. The UN has warned that the operation could result in a humanitarian catastrophe in view of the roughly three million civilians living in the province. Commentators ask how such an outcome can be avoided.

In the run-up to the Swedish parliamentary elections on 9 September polls are pointing to a deadlock. Neither the left nor the conservative Alliance winning a majority because the Sweden Democrats look set to garner almost 20 percent of the vote. Journalists take stock of the right-wing populist party's growing popularity.

Rival militias have been engaged in heavy fighting around Tripoli for more than a week. The internationally recognised national unity government under Prime Minister Fayez al-Sarraj has declared a state of emergency but has been unable to stop the hostilities. Commentators argue that France and Italy share some of the responsibility for the escalation.