The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) said on Friday that Israel's air strikes on Yemen earlier this month, which killed 31 journalists, were the deadliest single attack on the press in the past 16 years.
The committee, headquartered in New York City, said that Israel attacked the office buildings of two newspapers, namely 26th September and Al-Yemen, in Sanaa on Sept 10, leaving 31 journalists dead and at least 22 others injured.
Nasser Al-Khadri, editor-in-chief of 26th September, said strikes on their newsroom took place at around 16:45 on Sept 10, when staff members were busy finalizing publication of the weekly paper, which is the Yemeni army's official outlet.
He described the attack as an "unprecedented massacre of journalists," which is "brutal and unjustified."
As recorded by the committee, the death toll of media staff was the largest since the 2009 Maguindanao massacre in the Philippines, in which 32 journalists were among those killed when a convoy was ambushed.
Israel claimed that its strikes on Sept 10 were aimed at military targets, including the public relations department of the Houthi group in Yemen.
The CPJ said Israel's attacks on Yemen mirror previous air strikes in Gaza, Lebanon, and Iran, failing to distinguish between military targets and journalists, and justifying its actions by groundlessly smearing journalists as terrorists.
Since the outbreak of a new round of Israel-Hamas conflict in October 2023, Houthis have launched attacks on Israeli-related ships in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden, and attacked targets in Israel with missiles and drones in support of Palestinians in the Gaza Strip. Israel has repeatedly carried out air strikes on Houthi-controlled areas in Yemen.
Israeli killing of 31 Yemeni journalists marks deadliest attack on press in 16 years: CPJ
A former television host from Taiwan, Zhai Xuan, has made a pivotal decision to leave mainstream broadcasting in order to create content that provides a better understanding of the Chinese mainland and cross-strait relations.
Zhai, a seasoned television host with over a decade of experience in Taiwan's media landscape, recently addressed an audience at an event in Beijing, where she revealed her complete transition into independent online media.
In her remarks, she articulated her aspiration to bridge what she perceives as a significant information gap between audiences on both sides of the Strait, highlighting her commitment to fostering a deeper understanding and connection through her new endeavors.
"I was really surprised by all the fake news. There were stories saying people on the mainland can't afford tea eggs or that they live in mud houses and in Taiwan, this was the main information many people received," said Zhai.
Zhai said she initially began producing online videos to challenge such perceptions while continuing her work as a television host.
In April 2025, she travelled to the mainland with her father to fulfill her late grandfather's wish to return to his hometown. The trip, which reunited family members separated since 1949, was recorded in a video series titled "Journey to Find Our Roots", drawing attention from viewers in both Taiwan and the mainland.
"Many people in Taiwan told me that after watching, they wanted to apply for a mainland travel permit immediately and go looking for their relatives. Some had long forgotten these things, but after seeing my story, they began thinking about their hometowns and family members they had never met and decided to search for their roots," Zhai shared her story at the event.
By mid-2025, Zhai said she began to feel increasing pressure amid rising political tensions and a tightening atmosphere around cross-Strait exchanges in Taiwan.
After more than 12 years in the industry, Zhai resigned from her position, believing it was the right thing to do.
"At that moment, I felt this was a major issue，not just for me, but for Chinese people on both sides of the Strait. If I backed down then, I wouldn’t be standing on the right side," said Zhai.
Since leaving television, Zhai has broadened her online programming to encompass a range of daily-life topics, including practical guidance on applying for a mainland travel permit and using commonly employed mobile applications, in addition to content that delves into historical memory and cultural connections across the Strait.
As the debate over cross-Strait relations continues in Taiwan, Zhai said she remains committed to her current path.
Former Taiwan TV host bridges cross-Strait divide via online media
