What's happened
Nobel Prize-winning journalist Maria Ressa has been acquitted of tax fraud charges in the Philippines.
Why it matters
The acquittal of Maria Ressa is significant as it represents a victory for press freedom and the fight against politically motivated legal actions. It also highlights the challenges faced by journalists in the Philippines and the broader issue of press freedom in the country.
What the papers say
The New York Times emphasizes the precariousness of press freedoms in the Philippines and the harassment faced by Maria Ressa, while Gulf News highlights Ressa's relief and the triumph of facts over politics. Al Jazeera focuses on Ressa's battle against politically motivated charges and her ongoing legal challenges.
How we got here
Maria Ressa has been the target of harassment and intimidation since she founded Rappler in 2012. The legal battle against her and Rappler has been ongoing for nearly five years, with the latest acquittal marking a significant development in the case.
More on these topics
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Rappler is a Philippine online news website based in Pasig, Manila. It started as a Facebook page named MovePH in August 2011 and later evolved into a complete website on January 1, 2012.
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Maria Angelita Ressa is a Filipino-American journalist and author, best known for co-founding Rappler as its chief executive officer. She previously spent nearly two decades working as a lead investigative reporter in Southeast Asia for CNN.
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The Philippines, officially the Republic of the Philippines, is an archipelagic country in Southeast Asia. Situated in the western Pacific Ocean, it consists of about 7,641 islands that are broadly categorized under three main geographical divisions from