Eurotopics.net

Roughly a week after the earthquakes in Turkey and Syria, the recovery efforts continue. It is now extremely unlikely that more survivors will be found; more than 40,000 dead have been pulled from the rubble so far. While in Turkey the search for those who are to blame for the high number of victims has begun, many in Syria are still waiting for help. Commentators give a voice to the despair.

More than 250,000 people demonstrated in Madrid for improvements to the healthcare system on the weekend. Another mass demonstration had already taken place in November. The demonstrators accuse the conservative regional government led by Isabel Díaz Ayuso of failing to address staff and equipment shortages in the capital's public healthcare system - a problem the implications of which go far beyond Madrid, as a glance at Europe's press shows.

The Czech football player Jakub Jankto, who has played 45 times for his country's national team, has come out as homosexual. This is the first time an active international men's football player has been open about being gay in a sport where the subject is still taboo. The 27-year-old has received encouragement but also countless insults, especially on social networks. The national press sees Jankto and his club Sparta Prague as role models.

24 February will mark the first anniversary of Russia's full-scale attack on Ukraine. There is no end in sight: Russia continues to bomb Ukrainian positions, civilians and infrastructure, while Western backers supply Kyiv with weapons. Over 7,000 civilians have died so far in the conflict, according to UN figures. Commentators take stock and discuss long-term perspectives.