World Press Freedom Index 2018

Question: Which country is at the first spot in the World Press Freedom Index 2018 published by Reporters Without Borders (RSF)?
(a) Netherlands
(b) Sweden
(c) Iceland
(d) Norway
Answer: (d)
Related facts:

  • The World Press Freedom Index 2018 compiled by Reporters Without Borders (RSF) features India at 138th rank slipped down from 136th in 2017.
  • In the published list,Norway holds top spot followed by Sweden,Netherlands while North Korea is the most threatening place(180th rank) for journalists.
  • World Press Freedom Index published by RSF annually since 2002 measures the level of media freedom in 180 countries.
  • Out of the 80 journalists killed worldwide in 2018, 49 were meticulously targeted because their reporting posed a threat to the interests of certain people in positions of political, economic, or religious power or organised crime.
  • Out of 49 journalists killed, 15 journalists were killed in Afghanistan, 11 journalists were killed in Syria, 9 in Mexico, 8 in Yemen, and 6 each in India and the United States. Some positive news from Iraq was also featured where no journalist was killed for the first time.
  • The United States of America shares the spot for being the fifth most-deadliest place for journalists with India & is behind Afghanistan, Syria, Mexico and Yemen.
  • It is worth to note that World Press Freedom Day is observed on 3 May every year to raise awareness of the importance of freedom of the press.

Links:
https://rsf.org/en/ranking_table
http://time.com/5483773/us-deadliest-countries-journalists-deaths-2018/
https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/india-fifth-most-deadliest-place-to-be-a-journalist-afghanistan-worst-report/articleshow/67159828.cms
https://qrius.com/india-is-the-fifth-most-deadliest-place-for-journalists-says-rsf-report/