News

May 05, 2025 - General -  In an era dominated by misinformation and digital noise, the role of professional journalists has never been more critical—or more under threat. The Southern Examiner’s article, Journalists Deserve Trust, Not Suspicion, underscores the importance of trusting trained, ethical media professionals, particularly in Nigeria, where journalists often work under immense pressure and risk. The piece highlights a growing challenge: the erosion of public trust in journalism, largely fueled by the unchecked spread of false information on social media. With everyone able to post and share content, the distinction between verified...

May 05, 2025 - USA - In May 2025, President Donald Trump signed an executive order titled "Ending Taxpayer Subsidization of Biased Media," directing the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) and all federal agencies to cease funding for National Public Radio (NPR) and the Public Broadcasting Service (PBS). The administration justified this move by alleging that these outlets exhibit anti-Trump and radical biases. This action has sparked significant backlash from media organizations, legal experts, and civil liberties advocates who argue that it threatens press freedom and violates the Public Broadcasting Act of 1967. NPR and...

May 04, 2025 - Mexico - The murder of Mexican journalist and activist Raúl Irán Villarreal Belmont in March 2025 has sparked an international outcry, underscoring the escalating danger faced by media workers in Mexico. Villarreal Belmont, a lawyer and the founder of Observatorio Ciudadano—a local news platform—was known for his bold reporting on corruption in his hometown of San Luis de la Paz, Guanajuato. Just days before his death, he publicly called for citizens to take collective legal action over a fraud case implicating a business figure and local officials. On the night of...

May 04, 2025 - South Africa -  The mysterious disappearance of Pretoria-based journalist Aserie Sibusiso Ndlovu and his partner, Zodwa Mdhluli, in February 2025 has taken a significant turn with the arrest of four suspects. The couple was last seen on 18 February, with Ndlovu leaving his workplace at Capital Live SA 99.0 FM in Mamelodi, and Mdhluli at their home in KwaMhlanga. Their sudden vanishing sparked widespread concern, and a R50,000 reward was offered by media organizations for information leading to their whereabouts. Recent developments have shifted the case from a missing persons investigation...

May 04, 2025 - India -  The Press Emblem Campaign (PEC), an organization advocating for the safety of journalists worldwide, has voiced grave concern over the rising number of journalist fatalities. In 2024, the number of journalists killed reached 179, a sharp 28% increase compared to the previous year. Most of these deaths occurred in conflict zones, with the Middle East, particularly Gaza, seeing a significant rise in casualties. PEC has condemned these killings as blatant breaches of international law, demanding thorough and impartial investigations to hold perpetrators accountable. PEC's annual report highlights the devastating...

May 04, 2024 - Nepal -  Press freedom in Nepal has significantly deteriorated over the past year, with a notable increase in violations against journalists and media professionals. According to the Annual Press Freedom Report 2025 released by Freedom Forum Nepal, there were 88 reported incidents affecting 88 journalists, including two fatalities. This marks a rise from the previous year's 60 incidents. The slain journalists were Suresh Rajak, a photojournalist with Avenues Television, who died after being trapped in a burning building during a protest in Kathmandu, and Suresh Bhul, a reporter for Sudurpati Online...

May 04, 2025 - Afghanistan -  On World Press Freedom Day 2025, Afghan journalists highlighted the severe deterioration of media freedoms under Taliban rule, marked by increased censorship, arrests, and gender-based repression. The Afghanistan Journalists Center (AFJC) reported a 58% rise in press freedom violations between May 2024 and May 2025, documenting 215 incidents, including 175 threats and 40 journalist arrests. Afghanistan now ranks 175th out of 180 countries in the 2025 World Press Freedom Index, reflecting a persistently dire situation for media under Taliban rule. Journalists face economic hardship, limited access to information, and...

May 04, 2025 - Palestine -  On May 3, 2025, in the village of Al-Mughayyir, northeast of Ramallah, a group of armed Israeli settlers detained three Palestinian journalists, Mohamed Turkman, Karim Khmaisah, and Ahmed al-Khatib, and local activist Rabie Abu Naim. The group was documenting settler activities and the demolition of tents in the area when the settlers intercepted them, blocked their vehicle, attempted to seize their car keys and cellphone, and issued death threats should they return. This incident is part of a broader pattern of increasing settler violence and harassment against Palestinians in...

May 04, 2025 - Zimbabwe - The disappearance of journalist Sibusiso Aserie Ndlovu and his partner Zodwa Precious Mdhluli has entered its 75th day, prompting renewed efforts and increased pressure on law enforcement to resolve the case. The couple was last seen on February 18, 2025, departing their home in Mpumalanga in a white Volkswagen Citi Golf. Since then, there has been no trace of them or their vehicle. The lack of progress has led to growing frustration among their families and the media community. In response, the National Press Club (NPC) and the African...

May 04, 2025 - Italy -  Recent reports have uncovered that multiple Italian journalists and activists have been targeted with advanced spyware, raising serious concerns about press freedom and government surveillance. In May 2025, Ciro Pellegrino, a journalist at the investigative outlet Fanpage, received a notification from Apple indicating his device had been compromised by "mercenary spyware." This follows a similar incident in January involving Fanpage's editor-in-chief, Francesco Cancellato, who WhatsApp informed of an attempted breach using spyware developed by Israeli company Paragon Solutions. The spyware, or Graphite, is a zero-click exploit capable of infiltrating...

May 04, 2025 - Iraq -  As the world marks World Press Freedom Day, the situation in Iraq paints a troubling picture of a profession under threat. Ranked 169th out of 180 countries in the 2024 Press Freedom Index, Iraq has become one of the most perilous places for journalists, especially those investigating corruption, political power, and armed groups. The risks Iraqi journalists face are many: physical violence, online harassment, legal intimidation, and sometimes exile. Many reporters are forced to work anonymously or flee the country entirely, especially when covering sensitive topics like militia operations...

May 03, 2025 - Russia/Ukraine -  Since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, Ukrainian journalists have been operating under increasingly perilous conditions. The war has not only claimed the lives of numerous media professionals but has also subjected many to detention, torture, and other forms of repression.  According to the International Federation of Journalists, at least 117 media workers have been killed since the onset of the conflict. Among them was Viktoria Roshchyna, a 27-year-old journalist who died in Russian captivity in 2024. Her body, returned to Ukraine in early 2025, bore signs...

May 03, 2025 - Philippines -  Veteran journalist and former Kalibo mayor Juan “Johnny” Dayang was fatally shot inside his residence in Barangay Andagao, Kalibo, Aklan, on the evening of April 29, 2025. The 89-year-old, who served as president emeritus of the Publishers Association of the Philippines Inc., was watching television when an unidentified assailant fired three bullets through his living room window. He was rushed to Dr. Rafael Tumbokon Memorial Hospital but was declared dead on arrival. In response to the killing, the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) launched an independent investigation, deploying a...

May 03, 2025 - Palestine -  On World Press Freedom Day, over 50 media organizations worldwide issued a joint statement condemning Israel's ongoing military actions in Gaza and the West Bank, which have resulted in the deaths of more than 200 journalists since October 2023. The statement emphasizes that true press freedom cannot exist amid such violence and calls for an immediate end to what they describe as a genocidal assault on Palestinian territories.  The Palestinian Journalists’ Syndicate reported that 210 Palestinian journalists have been killed in the last 17 months, with hundreds more wounded...

May 03, 2025 - General - In 2024, the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) recorded the highest number of journalist fatalities since it began tracking such data over three decades ago. At least 124 journalists and media workers were killed across 18 countries, marking a 22% increase from the previous year. The surge in deaths is largely attributed to the Israel-Gaza conflict, where 85 journalists—82 of them Palestinian—were killed by Israeli military actions. Freelance journalists were disproportionately affected, accounting for over one-third of the fatalities. In Gaza alone, 31 freelancers lost their lives, many stepping...

May 03, 2025 - Ukraine - Independent journalism in Russia has faced escalating challenges, culminating in the arrest and sentencing of Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich. According to a report by the Shorenstein Center, the evolution of independent media in Russia has been marked by increasing state control and censorship, particularly since the late Soviet era. The report highlights that journalists who resist state narratives risk severe repercussions, including legal action and imprisonment. Gershkovich, a 32-year-old American journalist fluent in Russian, was detained in March 2023 during a reporting trip to Yekaterinburg. He was...

May 03, 2025 - Ukraine - On World Press Freedom Day, Olga Rudenko, editor-in-chief of the Kyiv Independent, emphasized the critical role journalists play in challenging authoritarian regimes. She highlighted the tragic case of Ukrainian journalist Viktoriia Roshchyna, who was detained and killed in Russian captivity while investigating torture chambers in occupied territories. Roshchyna's death underscores the lengths to which oppressive governments will go to silence those who seek to expose the truth. Rudenko argued that the targeting of journalists by authoritarian states is a testament to the impact and importance of their work. The...

May 03, 2025 - Sudan -  Since the eruption of war in Sudan in April 2023, female journalists have been subjected to escalating threats, harassment, and violence, underscoring the perilous conditions for media professionals in conflict zones. Journalists like Samar Suleiman have faced online harassment, including doxxing and threats, after reporting on humanitarian issues. Suleiman received menacing messages via social media, with some accusing her of affiliations with armed groups, endangering her safety and that of her family. Similarly, journalist Al-Khazraji faced online abuse and threats following her coverage of deteriorating conditions in South Kordofan,...

May 03, 2025 - Syria - In the wake of the Assad regime's fall, Syria stands at a pivotal juncture, grappling with the aftermath of mass killings and the imperative to forge a just and inclusive future. The United Nations reports that over 1,000 civilians were killed in recent violence, particularly affecting Alawite-majority areas, raising global concern and prompting calls for accountability. UN Special Envoy Geir O. Pedersen described the situation in Syria as "extremely fragile," emphasizing the necessity for genuine political inclusion, the establishment of the rule of law, and the conduct of free...

May 02, 2025 - Turkey -  Turkey has escalated its use of legal mechanisms to suppress journalistic freedom, employing tactics such as house arrests, travel bans, and judicial controls to silence dissenting voices. These measures, initially intended as alternatives to pre-trial detention, have increasingly become punitive tools against journalists, often imposed for activities like social media posts or political commentary. Lawyer Veysel Ok criticizes this trend, noting that such restrictions are frequently applied without meeting the legal conditions for imprisonment, effectively sidelining journalists from their profession for extended periods. In a notable incident, journalists Timur...

May 02, 2025 - Turkey -  A prominent British human rights lawyer has filed an expanded appeal at the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) on behalf of Turkish journalist Ali Ünal, who has been imprisoned for nearly nine years on terrorism charges related to alleged links with the Gülen movement. The appeal contends that Ünal's detention, trial, and ongoing incarceration violate multiple provisions of the European Convention on Human Rights. Ünal, 70, was a columnist for the now-defunct Zaman newspaper, which was shut down by the Turkish government following the 2016 coup attempt due...

May 02, 2025 - Hong Kong -  Coinciding with World Press Freedom Day on May 3, the One Free Press Coalition released its annual "10 Most Urgent" list, spotlighting journalists worldwide who are unjustly imprisoned for their work. The 2025 list underscores a troubling global trend of governments criminalizing journalism, silencing media voices, and restricting public access to information. At the forefront is Jimmy Lai, founder of Hong Kong's pro-democracy newspaper Apple Daily. Lai has been held in solitary confinement since 2020, facing charges under the National Security Law. His case exemplifies the erosion of...

May 02, 2025 - General -  British actress Maxine Peake stars as the late Russian journalist Anna Politkovskaya in the newly released biographical drama Words of War, directed by James Strong. The film, which premiered on May 2, 2025, coinciding with World Press Freedom Day, offers a poignant portrayal of Politkovskaya's fearless reporting during the Second Chechen War and her unwavering commitment to exposing human rights abuses under President Vladimir Putin's regime. A Tribute to Journalistic Courage Words of War chronicles Politkovskaya's journey as a correspondent for Novaya Gazeta, where she reported extensively on the...

May 02, 2025 - General -  The international community is raising urgent alarms over the escalating attacks on journalists in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, particularly in Gaza, where over 170 journalists have been killed since October 2023. The United Nations Human Rights Office confirmed that many of the journalists were identifiable, wearing press vests and helmets, yet were still targeted, suggesting deliberate acts against members of the press. Leading human rights organizations, including Al-Haq and Al Mezan, have filed urgent appeals to the UN, demanding investigations into what they believe are war crimes committed by...

May 02, 2025 - Nigeria -  On World Press Freedom Day, the Akuko Foundation, through its Programme Manager Victoria Ukpong, issued a strong call for enhanced protections for journalists in Nigeria and worldwide. In a press release, Ukpong highlighted the growing threats faced by media professionals, including harassment, arbitrary arrests, intimidation, and censorship, particularly in countries like Nigeria. She stressed that such actions not only endanger journalists’ lives but also erode democratic values and weaken public accountability. Ukpong emphasized that journalism is not a crime but a crucial pillar of democracy, essential for exposing corruption,...