Eurotopics.net

The 98th edition of the Academy Awards was held in Hollywood on Sunday evening. Commentators take stock and ask whether cinema can still live up to its role today, or if it's being swept away by the whirlwind of current events.

Shortly before the parliamentary elections in Denmark on 24 March, the leader of the centre-right Liberal Alliance, Alex Vanopslagh (34), has caused a stir by confessing that he has used cocaine at parties. He added, however, that his life was different now and that the Danish people should judge him on that basis. Commentators are nonetheless critical.

In the first round of municipal elections on Sunday, the left-wing populist La France Insoumise (LFI) and the far-right Rassemblement National (RN) gained ground in many areas. In the run-up to the second round on March 22, candidates are trying to form alliances in many municipalities, particularly between moderate left-wing parties and the controversial LFI.

Hungarian security forces stopped two Ukrainian bank vehicles transporting cash from Austria to Ukraine last week. Employees of Ukraine's state-run Oschadbank were temporarily detained and nine gold bars and banknotes worth around 69 million euros were seized. Budapest said it was acting to counter money laundering. Europe's press sees a connection with the dispute over the Druzhba Pipeline and Hungary's election campaign.

After two weeks, there is still no sign of an end to the war in Iran. The US and Israeli airstrikes continue and Tehran is responding with missile and drone attacks on targets in the Arab Gulf states and Israel. The blockade of the Strait of Hormuz has caused oil prices to soar worldwide. Commentators puzzle over the US administration's strategy and goals.