Eurotopics.net

Eight years after 298 people died when Malaysian Airlines flight MH17 was shot down, a verdict has finally been handed down in Amsterdam. Two Russian citizens and one Ukrainian have received life sentences and must pay 16 million euros in compensation. They were accused of transporting a Buk air defence system from Russia to eastern Ukraine and using it to down the Malaysian jet. For commentators this is a landmark decision.

Inflation at over eleven percent, a rising national debt, a long recession ahead and a credit rating that took a beating in the brief Truss era: against this backdrop the British Chancellor of the Exchequer Jeremy Hunt has unveiled a new budget plan. Tax hikes to the tune of 24 billion pounds and cutbacks of 30 billion aim to provide stability.

The research vessel Sanco Swift is currently conducting surveys to locate fossil fuel reserves in the Ionian Sea and west and southwest of Crete. If successful, a US-Greek consortium could start extraction around five years from now. Turkey also plans to look for reserves in the region. The national press debates whether Greece should press ahead with the exploration operations.

Just days before the FIFA men's World Cup kicks off in Qatar, the debate continues about how countries and individuals should position themselves vis-à-vis the event. Qatar's World Cup ambassador recently described homosexuality as "damage in the mind" and the host country has long been under fire over human rights abuses against workers during the construction of stadiums and infrastructure. Commentators discuss the calls for people not to watch the event.

After the missile strike in Przewodów, near Poland's border with Ukraine, efforts to clarify the incident and de-escalate the situation are growing. The US, Poland and Nato have all declared that the Russian-made projectile was likely fired by a defensive missile system in Ukraine. There is no indication of a deliberate attack, Poland's President Andrzej Duda stated. The press remains concerned.