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ProPublica fuels the fire of a raging debate over family separations at the border through release of an audiotape of children wailing for their parents. LA Times, under new ownership and seeking turnaround, turns to veteran Norman Pearlstine as executive editor. Federal prosecutors charge suspect in largest CIA leak case ever, involving disclosures to Wikileaks. Supreme Court upholds viability of First Amendment claim by Florida political gadfly whom local officials tried to silence. California court rules Twitter can be challenged on the breadth of its discretionary policy allowing users to be banned as the company sees fit. -Suzanne Nossel, Chief Executive Officer

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

U.S.

Listen to Children Who’ve Just Been Separated From Their Parents at the Border
An audio recording obtained by ProPublica adds real-life sounds of suffering to a contentious policy debate that has so far been short on input from those with the most at stake: immigrant children.
PROPUBLICA

New Los Angeles Times Owner Patrick Soon-Shiong Names Veteran Journalist Norman Pearlstine Executive Editor
Pearlstine has spent 50 years in journalism helping shape publications such as Time Inc. magazines, the Wall Street Journal, Bloomberg News, and Forbes. The Times’ new owner, Dr. Patrick Soon-Shiong, has directed Pearlstine to execute a transition plan to bring stability to The Times after years of upheaval.
LOS ANGELES TIMES

New Charges in Huge C.I.A. Breach Known as Vault 7
Federal prosecutors have charged a former software engineer at the center of a huge C.I.A. breach with stealing classified information, theft of government property, and lying to the F.B.I.
NEW YORK TIMES

South Florida Activist is 2-0 at the Supreme Court After First Amendment Victory
A South Florida political gadfly won a First Amendment victory at the Supreme Court in a case that could protect disgruntled citizens from arrest for voicing their displeasure at elected officials during public meetings.
MIAMI HERALD

White Nationalist Jared Taylor Can Sue Twitter for Banning Him, Judge Rules
Jarod Taylor, the founder of a white nationalist publication, can proceed with a lawsuit against Twitter alleging that the company had violated civil rights and contract law by banning two of his accounts. A California judge narrowed the suit’s scope, but said that Twitter had not made a strong enough argument to throw it out altogether.
THE VERGE

 
Global

Myanmar Officer in Reuters Case Broke Police Code By Copying Statements *PEN Case List
A police witness in the case against Reuters reporters Kyaw Soe Oo and Wa Lone is “unreliable,” the reporters’ lawyer said, because he obtained testimony from previous witnesses, in violation of police code.
REUTERS

Editorial: A Siberian Prisoner Spoils Putin’s Extravaganza *PEN Case List
“In the midst of hosting the World Cup soccer extravaganza, the last thing Vladimir Putin wants to be reminded of is human rights, Crimea or Ukraine. That’s a good reason to raise the case of Oleg Sentsov…to remind the Russian president that his costly sport show does not wipe away his government’s crimes.”
NEW YORK TIMES

Turkish Court Acquits Rapper Arrested Over Lyrics
A Turkish rapper who faced 10 years of jail on charges of encouraging drug use in his lyrics was acquitted at the first session of his trial in Istanbul. In Turkey, the encouragement of drug use is punishable by law, as is the possession and sale of narcotics.
REUTERS

GPU Condemns Alleged Assault on Journalist
Gambian journalist Pa Modou Bojang says that he was physically assaulted before being arrested and taken under six hours of detention by personnel of the Police Intervention Unit (PIU). He was covering a clash between villagers and police in Faraba village, where two people were allegedly shot and killed by PIU personnel.
FOROYAA

Liberia: Govt Suspends Operation License of New Media Outlets; Fear Grips Citizens over Media Censorship
The government of Liberia announced the suspension of all media licenses issued between January 1, 2018, and June 18, 2018. The sudden move is shocking to many and viewed by broadcasters as a clampdown on and censorship of the media.
FRONT PAGE AFRICA

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