Live headlines from 66 nations. Click any flag above to load today's top stories.
RUBIMBY™
The name
Rubimby is an artist name, a creative identity, a self-made muse. It exists to inspire, to aspire, and to find a way into a more public life without losing what is private. It is a word coined from nothing, released into the world to see what happens to it.
What does a made-up word become once people start saying it? Can a word carry warmth just by existing, something people feel happy to say or hear without knowing why? Rubimby is an experiment in that question.
The goal has always been simple: put something genuinely positive out there, watch how it travels, and see what meanings other people give it along the way.
Work
Photography, creative projects, and whatever comes next. Global Press Pass is one expression of the Rubimby identity. There is more to come.
™ Rubimby is a common law trademark. All rights reserved. Unauthorized use of the name or identity is not permitted.
Global Press Pass
About this site
Global Press Pass was built out of frustration with the morning scroll: the algorithmically curated outrage designed to keep you reading. It is an attempt to take back control of the first thing you read each day.
The idea is straightforward. What are the biggest stories in 66 countries right now, told by their own press, in their own voices? How does the rest of the world see the United States? What forces are shaping daily life in Nigeria, Japan, Peru, or the Arctic? Understanding those patterns can only enrich how we understand the forces acting on us.
The competition for our attention, our time, and our relationships has reached crisis proportions. The youngest among us are the most vulnerable. Global Press Pass is one small act of resistance.
This is a non-commercial project, built and maintained as a labor of love. It was built with only the most basic understanding of code, made possible by the tools now available to anyone curious enough to try. The goal is to share it with 500 to 1,000 people and help them cut through the noise.
Non-profit · No ads · No tracking · No algorithms
Built with
Designed and created by Rubimby™. Headlines powered by TheNewsAPI. Press freedom ratings from RSF. AI assistance, from concept through code, deployment, and every flag along the way, by Anthropic's Claude.
iPhone / iPad (Safari): Tap the Share button at the bottom of Safari, then tap "Add to Home Screen." Global Press Pass will appear as an icon on your home screen.
Android (Chrome): Tap the three-dot menu in Chrome, then tap "Add to Home Screen" or "Install App."
Once added, tap the icon any time to open the site instantly in your browser — no app store needed.
globalpresspass.com
// outlet: primary, outlet2: secondary (null if none)
const COUNTRIES=[
// ── NORTH AMERICA ──
{id:'usa',name:'United States',flag:'🇺🇸',r:'north-america',outlet:'Associated Press',url:'https://apnews.com',outlet2:'Washington Post',url2:'https://www.washingtonpost.com',press:'free',lang:'en',note:''},
{id:'canada',name:'Canada',flag:'🇨🇦',r:'north-america',outlet:'CBC News',url:'https://www.cbc.ca/news',outlet2:'Globe and Mail',url2:'https://www.theglobeandmail.com',press:'free',lang:'en',note:''},
{id:'mexico',name:'Mexico',flag:'🇲🇽',r:'north-america',outlet:'El Universal',url:'https://www.eluniversal.com.mx',outlet2:'Reforma',url2:'https://www.reforma.com',press:'free',lang:'es',note:''},
{id:'jamaica',name:'Jamaica',flag:'🇯🇲',r:'north-america',outlet:'Jamaica Gleaner',url:'https://jamaica-gleaner.com',outlet2:null,url2:null,press:'free',lang:'en',note:''},
{id:'haiti',name:'Haiti',flag:'🇭🇹',r:'north-america',outlet:'Le Nouvelliste',url:'https://lenouvelliste.com',outlet2:null,url2:null,press:'partial',lang:'fr',note:'Press freedom severely compromised by gang violence and political instability. Le Nouvelliste is the oldest and most credible independent Haitian newspaper.'},
// ── SOUTH AMERICA ──
{id:'brazil',name:'Brazil',flag:'🇧🇷',r:'south-america',outlet:'Folha de S.Paulo',url:'https://www.folha.uol.com.br',outlet2:'O Globo',url2:'https://oglobo.globo.com',press:'free',lang:'pt',note:''},
{id:'argentina',name:'Argentina',flag:'🇦🇷',r:'south-america',outlet:'La Nacion',url:'https://www.lanacion.com.ar',outlet2:'Clarin',url2:'https://www.clarin.com',press:'free',lang:'es',note:''},
{id:'colombia',name:'Colombia',flag:'🇨🇴',r:'south-america',outlet:'El Tiempo',url:'https://www.eltiempo.com',outlet2:null,url2:null,press:'free',lang:'es',note:''},
{id:'chile',name:'Chile',flag:'🇨🇱',r:'south-america',outlet:'La Tercera',url:'https://www.latercera.com',outlet2:null,url2:null,press:'free',lang:'es',note:''},
{id:'peru',name:'Peru',flag:'🇵🇪',r:'south-america',outlet:'El Comercio',url:'https://elcomercio.pe',outlet2:'La Republica',url2:'https://larepublica.pe',press:'free',lang:'es',note:''},
{id:'venezuela',name:'Venezuela',flag:'🇻🇪',r:'south-america',outlet:'El Nacional',url:'https://www.elnacional.com',outlet2:null,url2:null,press:'partial',lang:'es',note:"Venezuela's independent press faces extreme government pressure, including fines, harassment, and censorship."},
// ── EUROPE ──
{id:'uk',name:'United Kingdom',flag:'🇬🇧',r:'europe',outlet:'The Guardian',url:'https://www.theguardian.com',outlet2:'BBC News',url2:'https://www.bbc.com/news',press:'free',lang:'en',note:''},
{id:'germany',name:'Germany',flag:'🇩🇪',r:'europe',outlet:'Der Spiegel',url:'https://www.spiegel.de/international',outlet2:'Frankfurter Allgemeine',url2:'https://www.faz.net/aktuell',press:'free',lang:'de',note:''},
{id:'france',name:'France',flag:'🇫🇷',r:'europe',outlet:'Le Monde',url:'https://www.lemonde.fr',outlet2:'France 24',url2:'https://www.france24.com/en',press:'free',lang:'fr',note:''},
{id:'italy',name:'Italy',flag:'🇮🇹',r:'europe',outlet:'La Repubblica',url:'https://www.repubblica.it',outlet2:'Corriere della Sera',url2:'https://www.corriere.it',press:'free',lang:'it',note:''},
{id:'spain',name:'Spain',flag:'🇪🇸',r:'europe',outlet:'El Pais',url:'https://english.elpais.com',outlet2:'El Mundo',url2:'https://www.elmundo.es',press:'free',lang:'es',note:''},
{id:'russia',name:'Russia',flag:'🇷🇺',r:'europe',outlet:'Meduza (exile)',url:'https://meduza.io/en',outlet2:'Novaya Gazeta (exile)',url2:'https://novayagazeta.ru',press:'state',lang:'ru',note:'Independent press largely exiled since 2022. Meduza and Novaya Gazeta operate from outside Russia. Domestic media is fully state-controlled.'},
{id:'netherlands',name:'Netherlands',flag:'🇳🇱',r:'europe',outlet:'NRC',url:'https://www.nrc.nl',outlet2:'De Volkskrant',url2:'https://www.volkskrant.nl',press:'free',lang:'nl',note:''},
{id:'switzerland',name:'Switzerland',flag:'🇨🇭',r:'europe',outlet:'NZZ',url:'https://www.nzz.ch',outlet2:'Swissinfo',url2:'https://www.swissinfo.ch/eng',press:'free',lang:'de',note:''},
{id:'poland',name:'Poland',flag:'🇵🇱',r:'europe',outlet:'Gazeta Wyborcza',url:'https://wyborcza.pl',outlet2:'TVN24',url2:'https://tvn24.pl',press:'free',lang:'pl',note:''},
{id:'sweden',name:'Sweden',flag:'🇸🇪',r:'europe',outlet:'Dagens Nyheter',url:'https://www.dn.se',outlet2:'The Local Sweden',url2:'https://www.thelocal.se',press:'free',lang:'sv',note:''},
{id:'belgium',name:'Belgium',flag:'🇧🇪',r:'europe',outlet:'Le Soir',url:'https://www.lesoir.be',outlet2:'De Standaard',url2:'https://www.standaard.be',press:'free',lang:'fr',note:''},
{id:'norway',name:'Norway',flag:'🇳🇴',r:'europe',outlet:'Aftenposten',url:'https://www.aftenposten.no',outlet2:'NRK',url2:'https://www.nrk.no',press:'free',lang:'no',note:''},
{id:'austria',name:'Austria',flag:'🇦🇹',r:'europe',outlet:'Der Standard',url:'https://www.derstandard.at',outlet2:'ORF',url2:'https://orf.at',press:'free',lang:'de',note:''},
{id:'ukraine',name:'Ukraine',flag:'🇺🇦',r:'europe',outlet:'Kyiv Independent',url:'https://kyivindependent.com',outlet2:'Ukrainska Pravda',url2:'https://www.pravda.com.ua/eng',press:'partial',lang:'uk',note:'Press freedom has been under severe strain since the Russian invasion of 2022. Both the Kyiv Independent and Ukrainska Pravda are internationally recognized independent outlets.'},
{id:'denmark',name:'Denmark',flag:'🇩🇰',r:'europe',outlet:'Politiken',url:'https://politiken.dk',outlet2:null,url2:null,press:'free',lang:'da',note:''},
// ── AFRICA ──
{id:'south-africa',name:'South Africa',flag:'🇿🇦',r:'africa',outlet:'Daily Maverick',url:'https://www.dailymaverick.co.za',outlet2:'Mail and Guardian',url2:'https://mg.co.za',press:'free',lang:'en',note:''},
{id:'nigeria',name:'Nigeria',flag:'🇳🇬',r:'africa',outlet:'The Punch',url:'https://punchng.com',outlet2:'Vanguard',url2:'https://www.vanguardngr.com',press:'free',lang:'en',note:''},
{id:'kenya',name:'Kenya',flag:'🇰🇪',r:'africa',outlet:'Daily Nation',url:'https://nation.africa',outlet2:null,url2:null,press:'free',lang:'en',note:''},
{id:'egypt',name:'Egypt',flag:'🇪🇬',r:'africa',outlet:'Mada Masr',url:'https://www.madamasr.com/en',outlet2:null,url2:null,press:'partial',lang:'ar',note:'Mada Masr is independent but has faced government raids. Press freedom is significantly limited.'},
{id:'ethiopia',name:'Ethiopia',flag:'🇪🇹',r:'africa',outlet:'Addis Standard',url:'https://addisstandard.com',outlet2:null,url2:null,press:'partial',lang:'am',note:'Press freedom under pressure. Several journalists have been detained in recent years.'},
// ── ASIA ──
{id:'india',name:'India',flag:'🇮🇳',r:'asia',outlet:'The Hindu',url:'https://www.thehindu.com',outlet2:'The Wire',url2:'https://thewire.in',press:'free',lang:'en',note:''},
{id:'china',name:'China',flag:'🇨🇳',r:'asia',outlet:'China Daily (state)',url:'http://www.chinadaily.com.cn',outlet2:'SCMP',url2:'https://www.scmp.com',press:'state',lang:'zh',note:'Domestic media is state-controlled. China Daily reflects CCP editorial policy. South China Morning Post (SCMP) is Hong Kong-based and offers broader independent coverage.'},
{id:'japan',name:'Japan',flag:'🇯🇵',r:'asia',outlet:'Japan Times',url:'https://www.japantimes.co.jp',outlet2:'Asahi Shimbun',url2:'https://www.asahi.com/ajw',press:'free',lang:'ja',note:''},
{id:'south-korea',name:'South Korea',flag:'🇰🇷',r:'asia',outlet:'Korea Herald',url:'https://www.koreaherald.com',outlet2:'Hankyoreh',url2:'https://english.hani.co.kr',press:'free',lang:'ko',note:''},
{id:'indonesia',name:'Indonesia',flag:'🇮🇩',r:'asia',outlet:'Jakarta Post',url:'https://www.thejakartapost.com',outlet2:'Kompas',url2:'https://www.kompas.com',press:'free',lang:'id',note:''},
{id:'philippines',name:'Philippines',flag:'🇵🇭',r:'asia',outlet:'Rappler',url:'https://www.rappler.com',outlet2:'Philippine Daily Inquirer',url2:'https://www.inquirer.net',press:'free',lang:'en',note:''},
{id:'thailand',name:'Thailand',flag:'🇹🇭',r:'asia',outlet:'Bangkok Post',url:'https://www.bangkokpost.com',outlet2:null,url2:null,press:'partial',lang:'en',note:"Press operates under risk of lese-majeste laws. Self-censorship is common on royal topics."},
{id:'vietnam',name:'Vietnam',flag:'🇻🇳',r:'asia',outlet:'VnExpress Intl.',url:'https://e.vnexpress.net',outlet2:null,url2:null,press:'state',lang:'vi',note:'All media in Vietnam operates under Communist Party control. VnExpress International is the most widely read outlet but reflects state editorial guidelines.'},
{id:'taiwan',name:'Taiwan',flag:'🇹🇼',r:'asia',outlet:'Taipei Times',url:'https://www.taipeitimes.com',outlet2:'Taiwan News',url2:'https://www.taiwannews.com.tw',press:'free',lang:'zh',note:'Taiwan maintains a free and independent press. Its status is disputed internationally but it functions as a separate democratic entity with robust media freedom.'},
{id:'singapore',name:'Singapore',flag:'🇸🇬',r:'asia',outlet:'Straits Times',url:'https://www.straitstimes.com',outlet2:null,url2:null,press:'partial',lang:'en',note:'Press freedom is restricted by government legislation. The Straits Times is the leading English-language newspaper but operates under tight regulatory constraints.'},
{id:'malaysia',name:'Malaysia',flag:'🇲🇾',r:'asia',outlet:'Malaysiakini',url:'https://www.malaysiakini.com',outlet2:null,url2:null,press:'partial',lang:'ms',note:'Malaysiakini is the leading independent digital outlet. Traditional media faces significant political and legal pressure.'},
{id:'bangladesh',name:'Bangladesh',flag:'🇧🇩',r:'asia',outlet:'Daily Star',url:'https://www.thedailystar.net',outlet2:null,url2:null,press:'partial',lang:'en',note:'Press freedom has deteriorated in recent years. The Daily Star is the most credible independent English-language outlet.'},
// ── MIDDLE EAST ──
{id:'israel',name:'Israel',flag:'🇮🇱',r:'middle-east',outlet:'Times of Israel',url:'https://www.timesofisrael.com',outlet2:'Haaretz',url2:'https://www.haaretz.com',press:'free',lang:'he',note:''},
{id:'saudi-arabia',name:'Saudi Arabia',flag:'🇸🇦',r:'middle-east',outlet:'Arab News (state)',url:'https://www.arabnews.com',outlet2:null,url2:null,press:'state',lang:'en',note:'Press operates under strict government oversight. Critical coverage of the monarchy is not permitted.'},
{id:'iran',name:'Iran',flag:'🇮🇷',r:'middle-east',outlet:'Iran Intl. (exile)',url:'https://www.iranintl.com/en',outlet2:null,url2:null,press:'state',lang:'fa',note:'Domestic media is fully state-controlled. Iran International is an independent London-based exile outlet publishing in English and Farsi.'},
{id:'uae',name:'UAE',flag:'🇦🇪',r:'middle-east',outlet:'The National',url:'https://www.thenationalnews.com',outlet2:null,url2:null,press:'partial',lang:'en',note:'The National is professional but critical coverage of the government is restricted.'},
{id:'turkey',name:'Turkey',flag:'🇹🇷',r:'middle-east',outlet:'Hurriyet Daily News',url:'https://www.hurriyetdailynews.com',outlet2:'Bianet',url2:'https://bianet.org/english',press:'partial',lang:'en',note:'Press freedom significantly eroded since 2016. Bianet is an independent media outlet recognized by CPJ and RSF for courageous journalism under pressure.'},
// ── OCEANIA ──
{id:'australia',name:'Australia',flag:'🇦🇺',r:'oceania',outlet:'Sydney Morning Herald',url:'https://www.smh.com.au',outlet2:'ABC News Australia',url2:'https://www.abc.net.au/news',press:'free',lang:'en',note:''},
{id:'french-polynesia',name:'French Polynesia',flag:'🌺',r:'oceania',outlet:'La Depeche de Tahiti',url:'https://www.depeche.pf',outlet2:null,url2:null,press:'free',lang:'fr',note:''},
{id:'micronesia',name:'Micronesia',flag:'🇫🇲',r:'oceania',outlet:'Pacific Island Times',url:'https://www.pacificislandtimes.com',outlet2:null,url2:null,press:'free',lang:'en',note:''},
{id:'pacific-islands',name:'Pacific Islands',flag:'🌊',r:'oceania',outlet:'RNZ Pacific',url:'https://www.rnz.co.nz/international/pacific-news',outlet2:null,url2:null,press:'free',lang:'en',note:''},
// ── POLAR / REMOTE ──
{id:'arctic',name:'Arctic / North Pole',flag:'🧊',r:'polar',outlet:'Arctic Today',url:'https://www.arctictoday.com',outlet2:'Barents Observer',url2:'https://thebarentsobserver.com',press:'free',lang:'en',note:''},
{id:'antarctica',name:'Antarctica',flag:'🐧',r:'polar',outlet:'Antarctic Sun / BAS',url:'https://antarcticsun.usap.gov',outlet2:null,url2:null,press:'free',lang:'en',note:''},
// ── INDIGENOUS ──
{id:'indigenous-americas',name:'Indigenous Americas',flag:'🪶',r:'indigenous',outlet:'Indian Country Today',url:'https://indiancountrytoday.com',outlet2:'Indianz.com',url2:'https://www.indianz.com',press:'free',lang:'en',note:'Indian Country Today is the most widely recognized independent Indigenous news source in North America, covering tribal nations across the US and Canada. Founded 1981.'},
];
let curR='all',selId=null,selOutlet=0,cache={};
const d=new Date();
document.getElementById('live-date').textContent=d.toLocaleDateString('en-US',{weekday:'long',year:'numeric',month:'long',day:'numeric'}).toUpperCase();
document.getElementById('yr').textContent=d.getFullYear();
function buildGrid(){
const g=document.getElementById('fgrid');
g.innerHTML='';
const list=curR==='all'?COUNTRIES:COUNTRIES.filter(c=>c.r===curR);
list.forEach(c=>{
const el=document.createElement('div');
el.className='fc'+(selId===c.id?' on':'');
el.id='fc-'+c.id;
el.setAttribute('role','listitem');
el.setAttribute('aria-label',c.name);
el.onclick=()=>pick(c);
let badges='';
if(c.press==='state') badges+='*';
else if(c.press==='partial') badges+='~';
el.innerHTML=badges+''+c.flag+''+c.name+'';
g.appendChild(el);
});
}
function filterR(r,btn){
curR=r;
document.querySelectorAll('.rbtn').forEach(b=>b.classList.remove('on'));
btn.classList.add('on');
buildGrid();
}
function pick(c){
selId=c.id;
selOutlet=0;
document.querySelectorAll('.fc').forEach(x=>x.classList.remove('on'));
const fc=document.getElementById('fc-'+c.id);
if(fc){fc.classList.add('on');fc.scrollIntoView({behavior:'smooth',block:'nearest',inline:'center'});}
renderPanel(c,0);
const cacheKey=c.id+'_0';
if(cache[cacheKey]) renderArts(c,cache[cacheKey],0);
else loadNews(c,0);
}
function switchOutlet(c,outletIdx){
selOutlet=outletIdx;
renderPanel(c,outletIdx);
const cacheKey=c.id+'_'+outletIdx;
if(cache[cacheKey]) renderArts(c,cache[cacheKey],outletIdx);
else loadNews(c,outletIdx);
}
function renderPanel(c,outletIdx){
const isSecond=outletIdx===1&&c.outlet2;
const currentOutlet=isSecond?c.outlet2:c.outlet;
const currentUrl=isSecond?c.url2:c.url;
let tags='';
if(c.press==='state') tags+='* State media';
else if(c.press==='partial') tags+='~ Partial freedom';
else tags+='✓ Independent';
if(c.lang!=='en') tags+='Translated';
const note=c.note?`
⚠ ${c.note}
`:'';
const cacheKey=c.id+'_'+outletIdx;
const cnt=cache[cacheKey]?cache[cacheKey].length:'—';
let outletBtns='';
if(c.outlet2){
outletBtns=`
`;
}
function openModal(id){document.getElementById('modal-'+id).classList.add('open');document.body.style.overflow='hidden';}
function closeModal(id){document.getElementById('modal-'+id).classList.remove('open');document.body.style.overflow='';}
function closeOnOverlay(e,id){if(e.target===document.getElementById('modal-'+id))closeModal(id);}
function toggleHSModal(){document.getElementById('hs-modal').classList.toggle('open');}
document.addEventListener('keydown',e=>{if(e.key==='Escape'){closeModal('rubimby');closeModal('gpp');document.getElementById('hs-modal').classList.remove('open');}});
buildGrid();