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Two suspects linked to high-end jewelry heists in multiple states recently targeted a Frontenac jeweler, walking out with two bracelets valued at $16,000, police say.

Dear Friend of Press Freedom,

Government lawyers are lying to courts to justify attacks on reporters covering immigration. Meanwhile, immigrant journalists like Ya’akub Vijandre remain locked up by Immigration and Customs Enforcement for exercising their rights. And corporate capitulators are looking to take over more news outlets to help the administration cover all of it up. Read on for more.

More news holdings for Paramount harms press freedom — and the bottom line

Netflix has reportedly declined to increase its bid for Warner Bros. Discovery after Warner deemed Paramount’s latest competing bid superior. That paves the way for Paramount, led by Donald Trump ally David Ellison, to take over Warner and its media holdings, including CNN and HBO.

We said in a statement that Paramount boss Ellison “will readily throw the First Amendment, CNN’s reporters, and HBO’s filmmakers under the bus if they stand in the way of expanding his corporate empire and fattening his pockets. But censorship is bad for business. ... Selling companies that depend on the First Amendment to a censorial White House puppet is not only morally wrong but harmful to their bottom line.”

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Order restricting Natanson search didn’t go far enough

Judge William Porter imposed significant restrictions on the government’s ability to search materials seized from Washington Post reporter Hannah Natanson during the raid of her home last month. He also made clear his displeasure with prosecutors’ omission of any mention of the Privacy Protection Act of 1980 — which prohibits searches of reporters’ materials in most circumstances — from their warrant application.

Porter was right to treat the seizure as a prior restraint and to limit the government from fishing through the irrelevant data it seized to snoop on reporters. He is also right to reprimand prosecutor Gordon Kromberg and his team for failing to disclose the Privacy Protection Act.

But the order didn’t go far enough. Porter should have required all of Natanson’s materials seized pursuant to the deceptive warrant application to be returned to her. And he should not have credited the administration’s claims that any of the seized materials posed a national security threat without strict proof, because the administration has earned zero deference from the judiciary on claims of national security threats.

We also updated and resubmitted our attorney disciplinary complaint against Kromberg — which the Virginia Bar previously punted to the courts — in light of Porter’s ruling.

• Read our statement

Government lawyers: Don’t make up terrorist attacks

Speaking of attorney disciplinary complaints, our latest one is against Sean Skedzielewski, who defended the government in lawsuits to stop ICE abuses of protesters and journalists in Los Angeles and Chicago. In the Chicago case, he told the judge that “violent terrorist organizations” were attacking federal agents in “riots” and exposing their families to danger through “doxing.”

All of that is complete nonsense. It shouldn’t be a heavy lift to convince an attorney disciplinary office that it’s unethical for government lawyers to make up a terrorist attack on America’s third-largest city to justify the violent suppression of First Amendment rights. But considering the spinelessness of those offices these days, the complaint may prove to be a long shot.

• Read the complaint

Learn how to FOIA from the pros

FPF hosted a webinar this week to spotlight how journalists and transparency advocates use both local and federal public records requests to pry loose what the government would rather keep secret.

We spoke with Mukta Joshi, an investigative journalist for Mississippi Today and a fellow at The New York Times, whose reporting has uncovered abuse within the Mississippi jail system; Matt Scott, the executive director at the Atlanta Community Press Collective, who has used public records to report on the Atlanta Police Department’s “Cop City”; and Lauren Harper, our Daniel Ellsberg chair on government secrecy, who regularly advocates for improved transparency laws. FPF Senior Adviser Caitlin Vogus moderated the panel.

• Watch it here

Find us on YouTube and Instagram

In addition to the webinars we regularly host, we’ve also significantly increased our short-form video output in 2026, including weekly wrap-ups of press freedom news from our Executive Director Trevor Timm, and other topical clips. Follow us on Instagram for the latest videos.

• Watch more on YouTube

Are you subscribed to our other newsletters? Sign up for news on excessive government secrecy, and for digital security tips and advice at the link below.

Subscribe here What we're reading Nonprofit coalition asks courts to prevent coercive federal investigation tactics The Intercept

FPF, The Intercept’s Press Freedom Defense Fund, and a coalition of nonprofit organizations filed an amicus brief urging a federal appellate court to reject retaliatory investigations like the Federal Trade Commission’s probe of Media Matters for America.

Privacy under pressure 404 Media

FPF’s Chief Security Programs Officer Harlo Holmes joined 404 Media’s podcast to talk about digital safety, privacy rights, and how they’re constantly evolving.

NY nonprofit news deserves fair funding in state budget Reinvent Albany

Nonprofit news outlets in New York deserve the same support as their commercial counterparts. FPF and our partner organizations are calling on Gov. Kathy Hochul to find equal funding for nonprofit news in the state budget.

Record 129 press members killed in 2025; Israel responsible for 2/3 of deaths Committee to Protect Journalists

CPJ’s report also shows that drone killings of journalists spiked from two in 2023 to 39 in 2025 — with Israel responsible for 28 of the 39.

Journalists jailed by ICE are revealing the horrors of incarceration Truthout

“Professional journalists and writers, who normally are severely restricted from entering into the U.S.’s carceral facilities, are now themselves experiencing the harsh realities that nearly 2.1 million incarcerated people are subjected to daily,” writes FPF contributor Jeremy Busby.

Trump administration moves to allow intelligence agencies easier access to law enforcement files ProPublica

The same president who frequently accuses the CIA of conducting witch hunts is making it easier for the agency to spy on Americans.

Bryan Adams has announced dates for a new European tour.The rocker is set to bring his Roll With The Punches tour to arenas in Europe this fall and winter, with…

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CHICAGO — In celebration of the nation’s semiquincentennial on July 4, the Illinois America 250 Commission has unveiled the first-ever 'Passport to Illinois,' a limited-edition keepsake that invites residents and visitors to explore places that have helped shape the nation's history. The free passport features 56 historic sites, museums and monuments across the state that [...]

Police responded to an altercation and threat during a funeral at Greater Rising Star Missionary Baptist Church in St. Louis, resulting in two being detained and no injuries reported.

Kelsey Miller, who works as a stylist at 13th and Washington salon, helped perfect Olympian Alysa Liu’s signature “halo” hairstyle.

WASHINGTON — U.S. Senate Democrats threw a spotlight Thursday on President Donald Trump’s attempts to yank funds away from minority-serving institutions, as the administration tries to end diversity, equity and inclusion policies in schools. Hawaii U.S. Sen. Mazie Hirono hosted an unofficial hearing that gathered advocates, leaders, experts and students to sound the alarm on […]

WASHINGTON — American colleges and universities received gifts and contracts worth more than $5.2 billion from foreign entities in 2025, according to the U.S. Department of Education, which also recently published summaries of foreign investment in U.S. higher education dating back to 1986.  Qatar, the United Kingdom, China, Switzerland, Japan, Germany and Saudi Arabia marked the […]

If you run a company whose entire value proposition is the ability to see patterns, predict outcomes, and connect dots that others miss, you’d think someone in the building might have flagged that suing a small independent magazine over unflattering-but-accurate reporting would only guarantee that millions more people read it. And yet, here we are. […]

Six Flags St. Louis has announced eight new live shows as part of its 2026 entertainment lineup. To prepare, the theme park will hold auditions for performers next month.

EDWARDSVILLE - Drive-Your-Tractor-to-School Day was a big success at Edwardsville High School to conclude FFA Week. Agriculture students with the Future Farmers of America (FFA) organization drove their tractors through SIUE campus and Edwardsville to arrive at the high school on Friday morning, Feb. 27, 2026. Students could explore the tractors and learn more about agriculture by talking to their farming peers. “You feel like you own the road a little bit. You’ve got the flashing

GODFREY - The Village of Godfrey on Friday, Feb. 27, 2026, announced a National Weather Service Red Flag Warning for the area and urged residents not to burn as forecasters cited critical fire danger from low humidity, gusty southwesterly winds, and dry fuels. “For everyone’s situational awareness, the NWS has issued a ‘Red Flag Warning’ (Burn Ban) for our area today (Friday, 2/27/26) in effect from noon to 6 p.m. due to Critical Fire Danger from low humidity, gusty southwesterl

ALTON/GODFREY – Two local men have been charged in separate incidents of driving under the influence in Madison County. Sufian S. Shihadeh, 54, of Alton, was charged on Feb. 17, 2026 with a Class 4 felony count of aggravated fleeing or attempting to elude a peace officer and a Class A misdemeanor count of driving while under the influence. Shihadeh allegedly knowingly attempted to flee from an Alton Police officer who had signaled for Shihadeh to stop the vehicle he was driving on Feb.

ALTON/GODFREY – Two local residents face felony charges in separate Madison County cases of domestic battery. Elijah J. Green, 27, of Alton, was charged on Feb. 20, 2026 with a Class 2 felony count of aggravated domestic battery. Green allegedly knowingly committed an act of domestic battery on July 20, 2025, causing great bodily harm to a household or family member. The Alton Police Department presented the case against Green, who was ordered remanded to jail for his initial court appearance.

Queen is offering up the first preview of the upcoming reissue of their sophomore album, Queen II.The Rock & Roll Hall of Famers just released the 2026 mix of “Seven Seas…

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