Russia warns drone companies in Europe could be 'potential targets'

First, we take a look at the Russian independent papers. Meduza reports that the Russian ministry of defence has published a list of companies in Europe allegedly producing drones for Ukraine. These companies could be "potential targets" for the Russian armed forces. The list includes 11 companies, including some in London, Riga and Prague. Dmitry Medvedev, the deputy chair of Russia's Security Council, wrote on X that the "statement must be taken literally" and warned that "when strikes become a reality depends on what comes next", adding: "Sleep, well, European partners".

Meanwhile, Novaya Gazeta looks at how Russia is taking care of its veterans. The government claims it's spending billions of rubles a year to support those who have fought in the war in Ukraine. Many of them – "physically and psychologically broken" – complain of broken promises and cold indifference. Novaya Gazeta interviewed a Russian who worked as a surgeon. He decided to enlist, thinking that his medical skills could be used to "help people" – he was promised he'd serve in a hospital for three months. He ended up at the front with a motorised rifle. He was never transferred to a hospital and instead of three months, he served for a year and a half. 

Also in Russia, after months of internet disruptions across the country, the government is now targeting VPNs. The Moscow Times writes that Russian websites "begin blocking VPN users". It notes that the government is ramping up its efforts to restrict the internet. Virtual private networks or VPNs are used by Russians to access, for instance, Western social media platforms and independent Russian news outlets that have been banned by the Kremlin. 

CBC News focuses on yet another Kremlin target: the erotic romance "Heated Rivalry". A local Russian agency was fined more than $6,000 after publishing a review of the queer series. A Russian press officer confirmed that the fines were imposed because the series is considered LGBTQ propaganda, which was banned in 2022.

Next, some nursing homes are using new tools to help with loneliness. A feature article in The New York Times talks about the use of virtual reality (VR) to counter social isolation. Residents go on virtual trips – to Barcelona, for example – "countering social isolation through shared experiences". The paper writes that loneliness and isolation are very dangerous for old people: according to studies, social disconnection can have the same impact on mortality as smoking up to 15 cigarettes a day. Isolation is also associated with a 50 percent increased risk of dementia. VR tools are also great for the elderly with reduced mobility, because the movements inside the VR mimic movements in real life.

Elsewhere, The Times of London tells us about "the baby elephant that could unseat Punch the monkey". She is called Linh Mai and like Punch, she was abandoned at a young age and rejected by her aggressive mother. The Asian elephant has found a loving surrogate mother and they now live at the National Zoo in Washington.

Finally, The Guardian reports that a British tourist paid $1,500, or more than €1,700, for a kebab on Copacabana beach. The scammer who allegedly manipulated the payment terminal to overcharge the tourist was arrested. This is only one of many examples of scams in Brazil's capital. Perhaps the most shocking case before the kebab was an Argentinian woman who paid nearly €3,400 for corn, instead of €3. After falling for the scam, she said she "didn't understand numbers in Portuguese".

You can catch our press review every morning on France 24 at 7:20am and 9:20am (Paris time), from Monday to Friday.