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Netflix deletes an episode of ‘Patriot Act With Hasan Minhaj’ after Saudi Arabia complains. Publisher says cyberattack caused printing and distribution delays at major newspapers including Los Angeles Times. Host of Meet the Press says the news show won’t invite climate change deniers. Reporters get no comment—literally, no response—from the White House press office. -Dru Menaker, Chief Operating Officer

The most pressing threats and notable goings-on in free expression today

U.S.

Cyberattack Disrupts Printing of Major U.S. Newspapers
The attack appeared to originate outside the United States. It led to distribution delays in the Saturday edition of the Los Angeles Times, the Chicago Tribune, the Baltimore Sun, and other newspapers that share a production platform in Los Angeles.
THE GUARDIAN

Chuck Todd Refuses to Give Airtime to Climate Deniers
In a special “Meet the Press” episode dedicated to global warming, NBC’s Chuck Todd said he wouldn’t indulge anyone who ignored the facts. The broadcast opened with footage of the destruction bred by fires and flooding.
HUFFPOST

Beyond ‘No Comment’: The White House Has No Response—at All—to Many Media Questions
Reporters are used to officials who respond to their inquiries with a terse “no comment.” This was typically the practice when officials saw no strategic value in rebutting an unflattering story. But Trump’s press representatives have had no response at all to stories large and small in recent days.
WASHINGTON POST

Arizona Lawmaker Would Fire Teachers Who Discuss Politics, ‘Controversial Issues’ in Class
State Rep. Mark Finchem wants to ban public and charter school teachers from spreading “controversial” political, racial, and religious messages in their classrooms. If it passes, teachers could face consequences as severe as losing their jobs.
ARIZONA DAILY STAR

 
Global

Netflix Takes Down Episode of Hasan Minhaj’s Show After Saudi Arabia Complains
Netflix confirmed that it removed the episode in Saudi Arabia last week, “after the country’s Communications and Information Technology Commission made a request to take it down because it allegedly violated the kingdom’s anti-cyber crime law.”
HUFFPOST

Spanish Academic Gets €1.5m E.U. Grant to Rescue ‘Women’s Writing’
Carme Font, a lecturer in English literature at the Autonomous University of Barcelona, has been awarded a €1.5m grant by the European Research Council to scour libraries, archives, and private collections in search of letters, poems, and reflections written by women from 1500 to 1780.
THE GUARDIAN

From ‘Rice Bunny’ to ‘Back up the Car’: China’s Year of Censorship
While censors continued heavy-handed control for any content deemed dangerous for social stability, including Peppa Pig videos and the letter “n,” regulators also deployed more sophisticated methods, going beyond Chinese social media and working harder to curate and shape what Chinese residents consume.
THE GUARDIAN

With Journalists Jailed and Activists in Hiding, Nicaragua Enters a New ‘Reign of Fear’
In the past few weeks, President Daniel Ortega’s forces have launched a wave of repression against civil society groups and journalism outlets that is choking off what little remains of democracy in this Central American country.
WASHINGTON POST

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