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Forensic examinations of video distributed by the White House to justify denying CNN reporter Jim Acosta press access indicate it was doctored footage. Veterans of attacks on press freedom in totalitarian countries note, as Melissa Chan of The New York Times put it, ‘this “most reporters are okay but @Acosta is aggressive” thing’ is a familiar propaganda tactic. Police investigate vandalism and threats outside Fox News host Tucker Carlson’s home, and an Arkansas man is arrested for allegedly making more than 40 threatening and racist calls to CNN directed at anchor Don Lemon. Key races in several states still undecided as counting all the votes cast becomes contentious. -Dru Menaker, Chief Operating Officer

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

U.S.

Expert: Acosta Video Distributed by White House Was Doctored
A video distributed by the Trump administration to support its argument for banning CNN reporter Jim Acosta from the White House appears to have been doctored to make Acosta look more aggressive than he was during an exchange with a White House intern, an independent expert said.
ASSOCIATED PRESS

Reporters Who’ve Covered Oppressive Regimes: Acosta Suspension a Red Flag
The incident at Wednesday’s press briefing has brought the White House’s confrontation with the press to a head. Journalists who have worked alongside repressive regimes are noticing concerning parallels to the administration’s hostilities with the media that covers it. Here’s what they’re saying.
AXIOS

Police Investigating Protest Outside Tucker Carlson’s Home
Washington, D.C. police are investigating a self-described “anti-fascist” group for potential hate crimes related to a hostile demonstration it organized outside the home of Fox News personality Tucker Carlson Wednesday night.
NATIONAL REVIEW

Arkansas Man Arrested for Making Threats to CNN
Benjamin Craig Matthews of Mountain Home has been arrested for making threatening calls to CNN headquarters, including death threats to anchor Don Lemon. Matthews is being held in the Baxter County Jail on five felony counts of terroristic threatening, nine misdemeanor counts of harassing communications, and four misdemeanor counts of second-degree terroristic threatening.
ARKANSAS TIMES

Remember the Midterms? Here’s Where Key Races Stand
Democrats so far have picked up a net of 30 seats in the House of Representatives, with 10 key races still undecided. That brings the current balance of power tally to 225 Democratic-held seats to 200 Republican seats. Here’s CNN’s breakdown of where things currently stand.
CNN

 
Global

Turkish Court Hands Sentences to Journalist for Criticizing Erdogan, Officials
Husnu Mahalli, a prominent Turkish journalist who also writes columns in the opposition newspaper Sozcu, was handed a suspended sentence of two years and five months in prison for insulting Turkey’s President Tayyip Erdogan. He will not be sent to jail due to time already served and as the ruling is up for appeal.
REUTERS

China Has Developed a Virtual Anchor to Deliver the News
China operates one of the most aggressive media censorship regimes in the world and has tightened restrictions on domestic and foreign news outlets under President Xi Jinping. But that hasn’t stopped its newsrooms from innovating.
CNN

Attorney-General Argues Limits to Public Servant Free Speech Justified
Attorney-General Christian Porter launched a defence of a government decision to sack an Immigration Department worker for anonymous tweets about Australia’s asylum seeker policy, and sought to justify the burden it imposed on free expression in regards to public servants.
SYDNEY MORNING HERALD

Financial Times Editor Refused Entry to Hong Kong
Victor Mallet, the Asia editor of the Financial Times, has been refused entry to Hong Kong, weeks after he was denied a new work visa in what critics call an ominous sign of Beijing encroaching on the semi-autonomous Chinese territory’s civil liberties. Mallet had sought to enter as a visitor.
WASHINGTON POST

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