The daughter of mosque security guard Amin Abdullah is remembering him as the “absolute best dad in the world.” Family and community members gathered Tuesday to honour Abdullah, who was killed while confronting gunmen during the attack on a San Diego mosque.
Published On 20 May 202620 May 2026
Share
The pope urged the rememberance of journalists who lost their lives pursuing the truth, particularly in conflict areas.
Published On 3 May 20263 May 2026
Pope Leo has marked World Press Freedom Day by condemning violations of media freedom around the world and paying tribute to journalists killed while reporting in conflict zones.
At the end of his weekly Sunday prayer in a sunny Saint Peter’s Square at the Vatican, the pontiff said the day highlighted both the importance of independent journalism and the growing threats faced by reporters.
list of 4 itemsend of list
“Today we celebrate World Press Freedom Day … unfortunately, this right is often violated, sometimes in blatant ways, sometimes in more hidden forms,” he said.
World Press Freedom Day, sponsored by the UN cultural agency UNESCO is intended to show support for media organisations that come under pressure or censorship. It is also an opportunity to commemorate journalists who have been killed at work.
The Roman Catholic leader urged the faithful to remember journalists and reporters who have lost their lives pursuing the truth, particularly in conflict areas.
“We remember the many journalists and reporters who have been victims of war and violence,” the pope said.
A report last month by the Watson Institute for International and Public Affairs’ Costs of War project found that Israel’s war on Gaza was the deadliest conflict for media workers ever recorded, with Israeli forces having killed 232 Palestinian journalists since October 2023.
More journalists have been killed in Gaza than in both world wars, the Vietnam War, the wars in Yugoslavia, and the United States war in Afghanistan combined, the report found.
In past speeches, the leader of the Catholic Church has described journalism as a pillar of society and democracy, and information as a public good that must be safeguarded and defended.
The pontiff has often thanked reporters for sharing the truth, saying that doing their job could never be considered a crime, and frequently calling for the release of journalists who have been unfairly detained or prosecuted.
Last week, the leading Paris-based press freedom NGO, Reporters Sans Frontières (RSF), or Reporters Without Borders, found that freedom of the press around the world has fallen to its lowest level in a quarter of a century.
For the first time since RSF started producing the index in 2002, it said more than half of the world’s countries fall into the “difficult” or “very serious” categories for press freedom – “a clear sign that journalism is increasingly criminalised worldwide”.
Barcelona’s Yamal bags Young Sportsperson of the Year accolade a year after winning the Breakthrough award in 2025.
Published On 21 Apr 202621 Apr 2026
Tennis ruled the red carpet in Madrid as Aryna Sabalenka and Carlos Alcaraz were crowned Sportswoman and Sportsman of the Year at the Laureus Awards.
The pair were honoured on Monday after glittering 2025 campaigns that saw them finish atop the women’s and men’s tennis rankings, respectively.
list of 3 itemsend of list
Spaniard Alcaraz, 22, reclaimed the year-end world number one spot after capturing two Grand Slam titles at the French Open and US Open, underlining his supremacy across surfaces.
Belarusian Sabalenka, 27, meanwhile, stood alongside him in the winners’ circle in New York and also reached the final in Australia and France, capping a season of relentless consistency.
With her triumph, Sabalenka joins a roll call of Laureus Sportswoman of the Year recipients from her sport, including Serena Williams, Jennifer Capriati, Justine Henin and Naomi Osaka.
Barcelona and Spain athlete Lamine Yamal, 18, won the Young Sportsperson of the Year award. It is the second award for the young Barca forward after being voted Breakthrough Sportsperson of the Year in 2025, making him the youngest athlete to have won two Laureus awards.
German football great Toni Kroos won the world sporting inspiration award, and retired gymnast Nadia Comaneci got the lifetime achievement prize.
The world action sportsperson award went to American snowboarder Chloe Kim.
Brazilian Gabriel Araujo was the world sportsperson of the year with a disability.
In a first for the awards, the ceremony was hosted by two athletes – both former Laureus winners – Novak Djokovic and Eileen Gu. Last year’s top honours went to gymnast Simone Biles and pole-vaulter Mondo Duplantis.
Elsewhere, Rory McIlroy claimed the World Comeback of the Year Award after ending an 11-year wait to complete the career Grand Slam with a playoff victory at the 2025 Masters, a title he defended in 2026.
Formula One’s Lando Norris was named World Breakthrough of the Year, while Paris St Germain took World Team of the Year after a trophy haul in 2025 that included the French league and Cup, plus their first Champions League crown.
The Laureus World Sports Awards nominees are selected by the global media, while the winners are determined by the 69 members of the Laureus World Sports Academy.
The awards have been presented annually since 2000.