Aggregator

For the past eight months India has been holding a suspected spy pigeon in custody: The pigeon’s ordeal began in May when it was captured near a port in Mumbai with two rings tied to its legs, carrying words that looked like Chinese. Police suspected it was involved in espionage and took it in, later ...continue reading "Spy pigeon cleared of all charges"

Graphic by Kelsey Borch

We are excited to share Freedom of the Press Foundation’s (FPF) 2023 Impact Report, marking another year of achievements and relentless advocacy for press freedom.

For in-depth insights into our highest-impact initiatives, along with compelling visuals courtesy of designer Kelsey Borch, join me in a look back on 2023.

Here are five key sections from this past year’s report:

1. Honoring FPF co-founder Daniel Ellsberg:

We paid tribute to the late Daniel Ellsberg, a co-founder of FPF and a legendary figure in the world of whistleblowing. Ellsberg’s legacy of courage will always inspire our work, especially in our advocacy for whistleblower rights. His lifelong dedication to press freedom and governmental transparency remains a guiding light for our organization.

2. Supporting the press freedom community:

Our efforts this year have garnered significant media attention, highlighting the relevance and impact of our work. FPF was cited and mentioned by various news outlets over 300 times, reflecting our influential role in the press freedom landscape and our contributions to important journalistic cases and topics.

3. Extending FPF’s impact nationally and globally:

This year’s report includes a comprehensive map illustrating the reach of FPF’s three main programs. From U.S. Press Freedom Tracker incidents to SecureDrop deployments and digital security training sessions, this visual representation showcases the extensive scope and influence of our initiatives across the U.S. and the globe.

4. Defending local and big-name journalists alike:

FPF’s advocacy efforts in 2023 spanned both high-profile and lesser-known, yet equally important, press freedom issues. Our relentless pursuit of justice and transparency in journalism has led to significant progress and heightened awareness of the challenges faced by journalists and sources alike.

5. Demonstrating SecureDrop’s influence on global issues:

2023 gave us a rare opportunity to see how an anonymous whistleblower used SecureDrop to leak over 5,000 pages of documents revealing Russian intelligence activities. This story underscores the crucial role SecureDrop plays in facilitating investigative journalism and exposing global cyber espionage.

Looking back on 2023, I am also inspired by the dedication and impact of our team. We remain committed to safeguarding journalism and upholding the democratic principles of press freedom, two touchstones we anticipate being further challenged in 2024.

Discover more about our work and achievements in the full 2023 Impact Report below, or download a copy (PDF).

Town and Country-based Defender Pharmaceuticals Inc. said its initial effort to gain approval for its lead drug candidate, a treatment for motion sickness, has been denied by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

ALTON - Alton City Hall will host a Black History Exhibit starting Feb. 5 and running through Feb. 29, 2024. First Lady Sheila Goins organized the exhibit with the help of local historians. She said she hopes the display will educate people about the prominence of Black history in Alton. “The importance in displaying this is really to help the community to understand that it was Black history that was very instrumental in the vibrance of this city,” Goins said. “And there may not have been a lot of Blacks that receive credit for it, but just the very infrastructure of this community was Black people. It’s just a beautiful thing.” Goins said the display’s history begins in the early 1900s and stretches to the present day. Visitors will learn about some of the Black leaders and community members who helped build Alton. Charlotte Johnson, a well-known historian and genealogist, worked closely with Goins to put together the exhibit. She used

Continue Reading

For years now we’ve been covering the big ongoing fights between the US and the EU regarding the transfer of user data across the Atlantic. The main issue was that due to somewhat different data protection/privacy laws between the EU and the US, the two keep trying to work out a “deal” that allows (mostly) […]

Journalist Catherine Herridge, pictured above interviewing former Acting Defense Secretary Chris Miller in 2020, has spent months fighting a subpoena that would force her to burn her sources. “201215-D-BN624-0040” by Lisa Ferdinando is licensed under CC BY 2.0 DEED.

As unlikely as it sounds, Republicans and Democrats are putting their differences aside to support the most important press freedom legislation in modern times — the PRESS Act.

The act passed the House last month. If passed by the Senate, it would finally put an end to government surveillance of journalists and court orders compelling them to burn sources.

We wrote an op-ed in The Hill with Clayton Weimers of Reporters Without Borders (RSF) explaining that the PRESS Act’s bipartisan appeal stems from the fact that journalist-source confidentiality benefits everyone who relies on the press to stay informed.

Read the op-ed here.

The American economy gained 353,000 jobs last month. We need 90,000 new jobs just to keep up with population growth, which means that net job growth clocked in at 263,000 jobs. The headline unemployment rate was unchanged at 3.7%. This is a very nice jobs report. Employment remains strong and the unemployment level remains low. ...continue reading "Chart of the day: Net new jobs in January"

The new year brought some excitement to the St. Louis dining scene, with the long-awaited opening of 360 Westport (111 West Port Plaza Drive, Maryland Heights). Turns out the wait was worth it.

Since the pandemic, an increased comfort with remote work and a labor shortage have made offshoring more prevalent in the accounting industry.

A 15-year-old boy on Thursday evening was shot multiple times while walking in the city's Mark Twain neighborhood.

A 28-year-old man was shot and killed early Thursday in the city's North Pointe neighborhood.

Two bills making rounds in the Missouri Senate call for the state to increase its minimum legal marriage age to 18 years old.

Judas Priest has shared the video for “Crown of Horns,” the latest single off their upcoming album, Invincible Shield. The clip gives fans some insight into how the song was made, showing all the band…

Source

Police on Friday identified the man who died late Wednesday after he was shot multiple times in the city's Gravois Park neighborhood.

Today on TAP: That would do the whole world a giant service—including Israel. Biden’s own re-election could depend on it.

Former state Sen. Bob Onder announced Friday that he’s no longer running for lieutenant governor and will instead seek the GOP nomination in the 3rd Congressional District. Onder is the second high-profile candidate to enter the race to replace U.S. Rep. Blaine Luetkemeyer, who announced he was retiring when his term ends this year. Republican state Sen. Mary Elizabeth Coleman announced her bid for the seat last month. Luetkemeyer’s exit is expected to trigger a crowded Republican primary for…

ALTON - Mark Taylor is known around the Riverbend as a kindhearted, giving person who goes above and beyond to help other people. Now, the community has a chance to help him. From 5–11 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 3, 2024, you can support Taylor at a benefit in his honor at the Alton Owl’s Club. Located at 227 Blair Avenue in Alton, the Owl’s Club will host the event to raise money for Taylor after a bad car accident in November. Attendees can enjoy unlimited draft beers, a 50/50 raffle, a silent auction and music by The Stubblefield Band and The Outlaw Opry. All proceeds go to Taylor. “We want to be able to help him, of course, and we want people to show up for him,” said DeAnna Nasello, Taylor’s sister. “We want him to see how many people care, how many people love him, how many people are there supporting him through this incredibly long, terrible journey that he’s had.” Taylor was in a car accident in November that broke

Continue Reading

Crosby, Stills & Nash will be celebrated with an upcoming tribute concert in New York City. The Music of Crosby Stills & Nash is set to take place May 13 at Carnegie…

Source

A man accused of killing his wife with a hammer earlier this week in south St. Louis County is behind bars.