Press Freedom Safeguards: The Philippines marks National Press Freedom Day with fresh calls from the CHR and lawmakers for stronger protections for journalists, citing a 114th-place 2026 World Press Freedom Index ranking and warning that red-tagging, intimidation and impunity keep the risk cycle going. Media Rights & Civic Space: Nigeria’s SERAP and the Nigerian Guild of Editors urge lawmakers to reject a proposed Foreign Aid bill, arguing it would tighten government control over civil society and independent media under the banner of transparency. AI, Platforms & Verification: Factal expands its verified risk intelligence with Factal Advance and Factal Explorer, aiming to give security teams more context and earlier alerts. Advertising & Trust: Optus returns to major brand advertising with Droga5’s “There’s always a way,” betting on improving consumer trust after past outages and a cyber incident. Newsroom Industry Shift: Scripps’ AI-fueled restructuring is pushing anchorless, automation-supported local TV news, prompting staff farewells and scrutiny. Journalism Under Pressure: US lawmakers and press-freedom advocates react as reporting and guidance around sensitive coverage sparks renewed debate over journalist safety and regulator action.