News

December 12, 2025 - Italy - Pope Francis has issued a rare and pointed warning to Italy’s intelligence services, urging them to uphold ethical standards and refrain from using secret information to damage journalists, politicians, or public institutions. His remarks came during a private audience at the Vatican with senior members of Italy’s intelligence community, where he emphasized the moral responsibilities that accompany covert power. According to reports, the pope told intelligence officials that secrecy must never be abused to manipulate public opinion or discredit individuals. He cautioned against the misuse of confidential information, stressing...

December 12, 2025 - General -  An artificial intelligence tool used by a major media outlet mistakenly flagged a reporter from ABC’s crime podcast unit as being connected to criminal activity, prompting industry-wide alarm about the risks of automated systems misidentifying journalists and compromising their safety and reputation. The incident, reported by The Guardian, highlights broader concerns about the use of AI in newsrooms — especially when algorithms handle sensitive information related to crime and security reporting. According to The Guardian, an AI system designed to assist with crime research generated a report that included...

December 12, 2025 - USA - Press-freedom advocates across the United States are raising serious concerns after a photojournalist was detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), a case that has sparked wider debate about free expression, immigration enforcement, and the First Amendment protections afforded to journalists. According to reporting by The Guardian, photojournalist Yaacub Vijandre was taken into ICE custody in Georgia after authorities flagged his social media posts. Advocates say the posts reflected his journalistic work and political expression rather than any criminal activity. Vijandre has now spent more than two months...

December 12, 2025 - Palestine -  The British Journalism Awards 2025 celebrated outstanding reporting and media impact this week, with high-profile winners including Channel 4 News and Guardian correspondent Malak A’tantesh, whose work covering the conflict in Gaza received dual recognition for courage and depth of coverage. At the ceremony held in London, Channel 4 News was lauded with the prestigious top prize in recognition of its sustained excellence in television journalism, particularly for investigative pieces that held powerful institutions to account and brought complex stories into public view. The award marks a significant endorsement...

December 12, 2025 - Ghana -  A Ghanaian journalist has been awarded one of Africa’s most respected science journalism prizes, earning continental recognition for investigative reporting that shed light on the environmental and social impacts of coastal erosion in Ghana. Ibrahim Khalilulahi Usman, an environmental journalist, received the Africa Science Journalism Award for his in-depth investigation into how climate change, rising sea levels, and human activity are accelerating coastal erosion and threatening livelihoods along Ghana’s coastline. The award celebrates excellence in science reporting that translates complex research into accessible, public-interest journalism with real-world impact. Usman’s...

December 12, 2025 - USA -  A heated exchange between a CNN reporter and former President Donald Trump’s press secretary erupted during a chaotic White House briefing this week, underscoring growing tensions between the administration and segments of the U.S. press corps. The confrontation, which unfolded in front of cameras and fellow journalists, quickly drew national attention and renewed debate over press freedom, access, and the treatment of reporters during official briefings. According to reports, the clash occurred when a CNN correspondent pressed the press secretary on inconsistencies in the administration’s messaging regarding recent policy...

December 12, 2025- USA -  Pressure is mounting in Washington and beyond as U.S. lawmakers and international human-rights organizations demand accountability for what they describe as repeated and targeted attacks on journalists covering Israel’s war in Gaza. The calls follow a growing body of evidence documenting journalists killed, injured, or obstructed while reporting from Gaza and the occupied Palestinian territories, raising serious concerns about violations of international humanitarian law. On December 11, members of the U.S. Congress joined press-freedom advocates and rights groups in publicly urging Israeli authorities to conduct independent, transparent investigations into attacks...

December 11, 2025 - Palestine -  Amnesty International Australia has announced that veteran Palestinian journalist Wael al-Dahdouh will receive its 2025 Human Rights Defender Award, recognizing his courageous and unwavering coverage of the war in Gaza and his dedication to documenting human suffering and rights abuses under extreme conditions. Al-Dahdouh, a long-time correspondent and breaking-news anchor with the Gaza-based Al-Quds TV network, has become a prominent voice reporting from inside one of the world’s most dangerous conflict zones. His reporting has reached global audiences through television broadcasts, social media, and interviews with international outlets, offering...

December 11, 2025 - General -  The killing of journalists is intended to silence investigations, but it increasingly has the opposite effect, according to Laurent Richard, founder of the investigative network Forbidden Stories. In an interview aired by France 24, Richard argued that every attack on a reporter strengthens global determination to continue their work, turning attempts at censorship into catalysts for deeper accountability. Forbidden Stories was established to ensure that investigations do not die when journalists are killed, imprisoned, or forced into exile. The network works by transferring unfinished reporting to partner newsrooms worldwide,...

December 11, 2025 - Vietnam -  Press-freedom group Reporters Without Borders (RSF) has strongly condemned Vietnam’s latest legal crackdown on independent journalism, warning that new court rulings and prosecutions mark a significant escalation in the government’s long-running campaign to silence critical reporting. The organization says the measures further entrench Vietnam’s status as one of Asia’s most restrictive environments for media freedom. According to RSF, Vietnamese authorities have recently intensified their use of vaguely worded criminal provisions to target journalists, bloggers, and independent media contributors whose work falls outside state-controlled outlets. The latest cases involve the...

December 11, 2025 - Serbia -  A new report by press-freedom monitoring organizations has revealed a troubling pattern in Serbia: nearly half of all documented attacks on journalists were carried out by police officers, raising serious concerns about state accountability and the safety of media workers. The findings have sparked renewed alarm among journalists’ associations and human-rights groups, who warn that law enforcement — meant to protect reporters — is increasingly becoming a source of intimidation and violence. According to data compiled by the SafeJournalists network and reported by regional media, dozens of incidents involving...

December 10, 2025 - Iran/Iraq/Kurdistan -  Iranian security forces have arrested an Iraqi-Kurdish reporter and several members of his media crew while they were covering a cultural festival in Iranian Kurdistan, marking the latest instance of press repression in the Islamic Republic and raising fresh concerns from press-freedom groups. According to reports, the journalist — identified as Shawar “Shavo” Hama Rashid of Kurdish media outlet Rudaw — and his team were covering the Newroz cultural festival in the city of Sanandaj when they were approached by agents of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and...

December 10, 2025 - General -  New data from major press-freedom organisations portrays 2025 as one of the deadliest years on record for journalists worldwide, with more than 110 media workers killed and a sharp rise in attacks linked to hate, conflict, and diminishing legal protections. The figures, released by the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) and Reporters Without Borders (RSF), highlight mounting dangers for journalists — particularly those covering wars, political unrest, and crime — and the urgent need for stronger protections and accountability. According to the IFJ’s annual tally, 111 journalists lost their...

December 10, 2025 - Turkey -  Türkiye’s First Lady has publicly denounced the repeated targeting of journalists in Gaza, calling the pattern of violence against media workers “systematic” and highlighting the courage of women reporters covering the conflict. At a panel event in Ankara focused on press freedom and women in journalism, Emine Erdoğan criticized the high number of attacks and fatalities journalists have suffered while reporting from Gaza. She characterized the assaults as “deliberate and coordinated efforts to silence crucial voices,” urging the international community to recognize the peril media workers face in the...

December 09, 2025 - General -  A United Nations agency has reported a concerning global increase in violence and harassment targeting women journalists and activists — much of it connected to online abuse — underscoring the expanding risks female media professionals face in both digital and physical spaces. The findings were released in a briefing that highlights how gender-based violence and digital hostility are converging to threaten not only individual women but the broader integrity of public debate and democratic participation. According to the report, attacks against women journalists, human-rights defenders, and civic activists have...

December 09, 2025 - Iran -  Iran has been identified as one of the world’s leading jailers of journalists, according to the 2025 annual press-freedom report by Reporters Without Borders (RSF), which highlights a broader global crackdown on independent media. The findings paint a grim picture of repression, arbitrary arrests, and judicial harassment that have made reporting in Iran increasingly perilous. RSF’s annual data shows that Iran ranks among the top 10 countries globally for imprisoning journalists, with 21 media workers currently behind bars and at least one journalist classified as forcibly disappeared. In addition...

December 09, 2025 - General - Gaza has been identified as the most lethal conflict zone for journalists in 2025, according to a new report by the press-freedom watchdog Reporters Without Borders (RSF). The organisation’s findings show that more journalists were killed covering the fighting in and around the besieged territory than in any other country or war zone this year, underscoring the extreme risks faced by media workers reporting from the frontlines. The RSF report — released on December 9 — highlights that the majority of fatal attacks on journalists occurred in Gaza, where...

December 09, 2025 - Peru - A veteran Peruvian journalist was murdered by unidentified gunmen in what authorities and press-freedom groups are calling a targeted killing linked to his reporting on corruption. The slaying of Juan Fernando Núñez Guevara has sparked national shock, intensified fears for media safety in Peru, and drawn warnings from international organizations that attacks on journalists may be escalating. Núñez — a seasoned reporter known for his in-depth investigations into local government corruption, illegal mining, and alleged criminal networks — was shot dead by hitmen riding a motorcycle as he left...

December 09, 2025 - Tanzania -  Intimidation, violence, and fear have closed the space for independent journalism in Tanzania following the disputed October 29, 2025, elections, according to human-rights organizations monitoring the situation. Reporters covering protests and unrest have faced deadly risks, arrest threats, and a chilling atmosphere that press-freedom advocates say is undermining basic rights. According to interviews with Tanzanian journalists, many are now avoiding reporting on politically sensitive topics due to fears of retaliation, including possible charges of treason for questioning official narratives about the election and its aftermath. Journalists described a “climate...

December 08, 2025 - Philippines -  A local journalist-turned-municipal councilor was fatally stabbed Saturday morning in Surigao del Sur — prompting condemnation from media groups and a formal investigation by Philippine authorities. Officials have identified the victim as Gerry Campos, a broadcaster and serving councilor in Marihatag. He was attacked around 7 a.m. near a gasoline station in Barangay Sta. Cruz, while walking, was stabbed by a suspect who later fled the scene. Police responded quickly and arrested him later that day, during a pursuit operation. The national police leadership, including acting PNP chief Jose...

December 08, 2025 - Asia - As the world marked Human Rights Day 2025 on December 10, the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) issued a major appeal to governments across Asia, calling for the release of journalists jailed for their reporting and for urgent reforms to protect press freedom. The appeal comes amid rising concern over the number of media workers detained in the region simply for doing their jobs. In its statement, CPJ highlighted that at least 106 journalists and media workers remain imprisoned across Asia, many facing long sentences under broad charges such...

December 07, 2025 - India -  Two major journalist organizations in Delhi — the Delhi Union of Journalists (DUJ) and the Indian Women Press Corps (IWPC) — were shaken when they received threatening emails claiming there were bombs planted at their offices. The alerts, which arrived in the morning hours of [date], triggered immediate security alerts, police intervention, and an atmosphere of fear among members. According to media reports, both DUJ and IWPC received near-identical emails warning of explosive devices inside their premises. Staff at both locations immediately notified authorities. The Delhi Police responded by...

December 07, 2025 - Palestine - A new report from the Palestinian Journalists Syndicate (PJS) shows that Israeli forces and illegal settlers committed a total of 57 documented violations and assaults against Palestinian journalists in Gaza and the occupied West Bank during November 2025 — underscoring a continuing campaign that media monitors describe as systematic. According to the PJS’s monthly breakdown, the incidents included two cases in which journalists were wounded by live ammunition or rubber-coated bullets while covering events in Tulkarem and Gaza. Beyond gunfire, the report lists 22 assaults by settlers — involving...

December 06, 2025 - China -  Beijing’s security arm in Hong Kong has delivered a stern warning to foreign media, summoning international press outlets and criticizing their reporting on the city’s deadly apartment fire — a move widely viewed as a crackdown on independent journalism just days before a major election. On December 6, the Office for Safeguarding National Security (OSNS) convened senior editors from several well-known foreign media organisations. During the meeting, OSNS officials accused foreign journalists of spreading “false information,” distorting facts about the fire response, and attempting to interfere in the upcoming...

December 06, 2025 - Serbia -  UN human-rights experts have issued a sharp rebuke to Serbia over a rising wave of violence, harassment, and intimidation targeting journalists, urging the government to take immediate action to protect media workers and uphold democratic freedoms. The intervention follows months of mounting concern from press-freedom groups, who say 2025 has seen one of the most hostile climates for Serbian journalists in recent years. According to the UN statement, the pattern of abuse has become “deeply entrenched,” ranging from physical assaults during protests to coordinated online threats, smear campaigns, property...