Eurotopics.net

Giovanni Brusca, boss of the Sicilian Cosa Nostra, has been released under a witness protection programme after 25 years in prison. Following his arrest in 1996 he confessed to detonating the 500-kilogramme bomb that killed the judge Giovanni Falcone, his wife and three bodyguards near Palermo. Brusca's testimony led to the convictions of other Cosa Nostra bosses.

Over two months after the last elections in Israel, a coalition aimed at ending Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's rule is forming. The liberal opposition leader Yair Lapid was able to secure the cooperation of the nationalist-religious Yamina alliance, in return for which its leader Naftali Bennett is to become prime minister for two years, alternating with Lapid as the country's leader. Europe's press doubts that Lapid's broad, multi-party coalition will last.

The conservative Disy party has emerged the strongest force in Cyprus's parliamentary elections, while the left-wing Akel has maintained its position as the strongest opposition party. However, both parties suffered losses compared to the 2016 election, and the far-right party Elam gained considerable ground. Commentators in Cyprus and abroad voice their concern.

According to joint investigations conducted by several European media outlets, Denmark's intelligence service apparently helped the US National Security Agency (NSA) to spy on leading politicians in EU member states. French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Angela Merkel have called such actions "unacceptable". The media point to where changes are needed.

Russian president Vladimir Putin has accepted an invitiation from his US counterpart Joe Biden to meet in Geneva on June 16. The coronavirus pandemic, regional conflicts, nuclear stockpiles and bilateral relations are all on the agenda, according to Russian sources. Commentators weigh up the chances of a thaw in the relations between the two countries.