Eurotopics.net

The deliberations have produced a decision: the US will not send a diplomatic delegation to the Beijing Olympics. The White House cited China's "ongoing genocide" of the Muslim Uyghurs and human rights violations as reasons for its decision. Beijing reacted indignantly, threatening that the US will "pay a price for its practices". Europe's press discusses the meaningfulness and consequences of a boycott.

With temperatures already at minus 15 degrees centigrade in Helsinki, anxiety about high energy prices is growing in the Nordic Countries. Many people there heat their homes with electricity because it has been cheap in the past. In Finland, households can also tie their energy contracts to international market prices. And the fact that water reservoirs are empty after a hot summer is increasing dependence on energy imports. The press discusses countermeasures.

For the second Saturday in a row, tens of thousands of Serbs demonstrated with blockades around the country against new legislation introduced by President Aleksandar Vučić to facilitate the expropriation of private land for infrastructure projects of national relevance. The laws would allow the Rio Tinto corporation to access the huge lithium deposits near the town of Loznica - possibly at the expense of the people and the environment.

The US and Russian presidents will discuss the Ukraine crisis today. Joe Biden has threatened Russia with tough economic sanctions if Russian troops are not withdrawn from the border area, while Vladimir Putin has demanded guarantees that Ukraine will not be admitted to Nato. Europe's press discusses how much is at stake at the virtual summit.