Media Policy & Access Control: Maharashtra’s legislature will use face-recognition for entry, with a one-day exemption for journalists and officials who haven’t registered yet. Press Freedom Under Pressure: Philippines’ media-security task force condemned an ambush on radio broadcaster Jay Lavapiez in Roxas City, calling it an attack on democratic speech. Local Journalism Funding: Germany’s top media regulator urged a “digital levy” from big platforms to fund local journalism, arguing local reporting can’t survive on ads alone. Journalists in Detention: A German reporter detained in Syria has been released and returned to Berlin, while her colleague remains missing. Global Media & Safety: North Korean hackers reportedly poisoned 140+ npm packages via a supply-chain attack, raising new alarms for developer security. Healthcare & Community Impact: Arkansas data shows longer drives for labor and delivery as maternity units close, with some counties seeing major jump in travel times. Book Trade Revival: Japan’s bookstore chains plan inventory sharing and more direct buying from publishers to cut costs and returns as store numbers fall below 10,000. Media Industry & Business: Germany’s media regulator also pushed for AI giants to contribute to local media diversity.