Supreme Court nominee Neil Gorsuch faces a litany of Senate confirmation hearing questions about cameras in the court (says he hasn’t given it much thought), privacy, libel, and defamation, and affirms he cares deeply about the independence of the judiciary. Elsewhere on Capitol Hill, more than 700 artists and activists,including PEN America, swarm Congress to push back against Trump administration plans to eliminate federal funding for the arts.
-Dru Menaker, Chief Operating Officer

DARE: Daily Alert on Rights and Expression

PEN America’s take on today’s most pressing threats to free expression

U.S.

Neil Gorsuch confirmation hearings head into Day 3
Judge Neil Gorsuch this morning begins a third day of confirmation hearings for a seat on the Supreme Court, where he is expected to face questions about his legal career and whether President Trump’s influence would shape his rulings.
THE WASHINGTON POST

If You Like the Arts, Save the N.E.A., Advocates Tell Lawmakers
Arts Advocacy Day had advocates calling on lawmakers to work with each other with particular urgency this year. While many Republicans have come out against shutting down the N.E.A, it’s still a Republican-controlled Congress responding to a Republican president.
NEW YORK TIMES

Facebook rolls out new alert to combat fake news
Facebook has started rolling out its third-party tool in the fight against fake news, alerting users to “disputed content”. The site is partnering with independent fact-checkers to crack down on the spread of misinformation on its platform.
THE GUARDIAN

How Arts Organizations Are Bracing for Trump’s Possible NEA, NEH Cuts
Artists are fighting an important war all across the country right now. While art programs are vital in big cities, the very existence of government-funded arts and culture programs are being threatened in smaller towns.
ROLLING STONE

Colorado House approves bill to eliminate “free speech zone” restrictions on Colorado campuses
The Colorado House of Representatives voted to ban so-called “free speech zones” on public college campuses that have been used to confine public demonstrations to designated areas in order to open students up to opposing views.
DENVER POST

 
Global

Journalists in northern Colombia receive death threats for denouncing corruption
Colombian police are investigating claims that four journalists in the northern Caribbean region received death threats and demands to leave their homes following their denunciation of corruption in the area.
COLOMBIA REPORTS

Security Forces Gag Sudanese Journalist
The Sudanese National Intelligence and Security Service (NISS) has banned journalist Mujahid Abdullah from writing in newspapers, in addition to being barred from the Omdurman satellite channel.
RADIO DABANGA

Malaysia Clears ‘Power Rangers’ for Theatrical Release
Malaysian censors have approved “Power Rangers” for release in the country, despite the film boasting a character who questions her sexuality. The film will be released on Thursday, uncut, with a “P13” certificate.
VARIETY

Indian Director Says Feminism Makes Censor Boards Uncomfortable
Filmmaker Alankrita Shrivastava says the censor board’s refusal to certify her film “Lipstick Under My Burkha” is a reflection that the board is not comfortable with films on feminism and the female point of view.
OUTLOOK INDIA

South African Politician Helen Zille Should Not Be Fired For Her Tweets
Helen Zille’s tweets suggesting that colonialism had some positives have sparked public outcry and were inappropriate for the politician to tweet out. However, nothing she said allows her to be curtailed under the Constitution.
HUFFINGTON POST

DARE is a project of PEN America’s #LouderTogether campaign, bringing you a daily-curated roundup of the most important free expression-related news from the U.S. and abroad. Send your feedback and story suggestions to [email protected]