Eurotopics.net

As a result of tighter government regulations, almost all critical media in Russia have been blocked from the internet by the media supervisory authority Roskomnadzor and are now only accessible via VPN servers. At the same time new media projects launched by exiled journalists and news channels on Telegram and Youtube are being launched. Europe's press takes stock on International Press Freedom Day.

The left-wing populist La France Insoumise and Europe Ecology - The Greens have agreed to form an alliance and stand for election together in the French parliamentary elections in June to prevent Macron's La Republique En Marche! from winning a majority. It is not yet clear whether the Socialists (PS) and Communist Party (PCF) will also join the alliance. Europe's press is very divided in its assessment of the initiative.

Government sources have confirmed that the mobile phones belonging to Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez and Defence Minister Margarita Robles were targeted with Pegasus spyware. According to government information the official mobile phones were tapped "illegally" and "from outside" state organisations in May and June 2021. It remains unclear whether the attacks are connected to the scandal over the wiretapping of Catalan separatists.

Russian troops are continuing their attacks in eastern Ukraine. Despite a brief ceasefire to evacuate civilians from Mariupol, concerns are growing about Putin's course of action in the run-up to the anniversary of the victory over Nazi Germany on 9 May. Commentators weigh up different scenarios.