PEN’s Free Expression Digest brings you a daily curated round-up of the most important free expression-related stories from around the web. Please send your feedback and suggestions to [email protected]

India: Journalist shot dead inside his house
A journalist working with a Hindi daily was shot inside his house by unidentified men in Bihar state. According to reports, unknown assailants barged into the journalist’s home and shot him at point blank range on Saturday evening. He died on the spot. INDIA TODAY

Court closes embattled magazine in Kazakhstan
A court has ordered the closure of one of Kazakhstan’s last independent media outlets following a legal battle that has been closely observed by freedom of speech campaigners. The shuttering of the hard-hitting current affairs magazine follows an appeal by an international organization to Kazakhstan’s foreign minister to intervene over the case to protect press freedom. EURASIANET

ExxonMobil targets journalists and activists after climate change investigation
After an investigation found that ExxonMobil has been funding climate-denying organizations — despite the findings of its own scientists on climate change — the world’s fourth-largest oil company is now going after the journalists who revealed it. MOTHERBOARD

Russian ships near data cables are too close for U.S. comfort
Russian submarines and spy ships are aggressively operating near the vital undersea cables that carry almost all global Internet communications, raising concerns among some American military and intelligence officials that the Russians might be planning to attack those lines in times of tension or conflict. NEW YORK TIMES

Mada founder and journalist arrested for harming ‘Egypt’s national security’
The chairman of the Mada Foundation and Egyptian press syndicate member Hesham Gaafar is being investigated for receiving ‘international’ funds ‘to harm Egypt’s national security’ and for belonging to a banned organization. The press syndicate called for the immediate release of Gaafar and another journalist detained last week. ALBAWABA

Facebook users urged to check privacy settings
The site’s search feature will now include every public post ever made, a change that has prompted Facebook to encourage users to double-check their privacy settings. Previously, individuals’ public posts were difficult to find without directly navigating to a user’s profile page. THE GUARDIAN

Russian mom faces years in prison for sharing posts on Ukraine
Authorities in Russia have charged a single mother with inciting ethnic hatred for sharing links related to the Ukraine conflict on social media. Yekaterina Vologzheninova faces up to four years in prison depending on the outcome of her trial, which began earlier this month. RADIO FREE EUROPE/RADIO LIBERTY

For launch of Music In Exile Fund, a playlist
Given the treatment of music by governments throughout history, it is clear to see it is a medium of real power. Works have been banned and artists imprisoned and sometimes even killed. To coincide with the launch of the Music in Exile Fund, Index on Censorship has compiled a playlist of some of the best songs from this group of determined musicians. INDEX ON CENSORSHIP