Eurotopics.net

Leading politicians at home and abroad have lambasted Trump's decision to withdraw US troops from Syria. There are currently around 2,000 US soldiers stationed in the war-torn country. Many commentators fear the move will give the IS terror organisation a boost and shift the balance of power in the country.

Both the EU Commission and the British government are preparing for a scenario in which Britain leaves the bloc without an agreement. The EU's plans deal among other things with air traffic and the movement of goods and person. London is mobilising soldiers to monitor the flow of imports and exports in an emergency situation. How dangerous is a no-deal Brexit?

The prize-winning German journalist Claas Relotius has admitted that he committed systematic fraud in his reportages. Many of the scenes, persons and conversations in his pieces were simply invented, he has confessed. The news magazine Der Spiegel, where Relotius worked as an editor, has made the case public. Europe's journalists voice concern about the news industry's reputation in these times when accusations of fake news are rife.

In his annual press conference Russian President Vladimir Putin criticised the US for withdrawing from the INF arms control treaty and Ukraine's President Poroshenko for the incident in the Kerch Strait. Commentators concur that the four-hour event was a crashing bore - with the exception of one or two of Putin's remarks.

Portuguese protesters have called for nationwide road blockades emulating the French yellow vest protests for today, Friday. Without the support of parties or trade unions they are using the social networks to mobilise the population with widely diverging demands. Commentators are alarmed.