Kathmandu, May 3 -- Power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely. When the other pillars of democracy fail to act as check and balance, the press has to step in to hold power to account.

Which is why authoritarian and elected autocrats around the world who have co-opted the judiciary, legislature and executive are now targeting the media. Journalists are surveilled, threatened and even murdered for doing their job.

The ill-gotten wealth of demagogues is mostly derived from licensing the exploitation of natural resources. Often, it is only investigative journalists who stand in the way of greed and ambition.

UNESCO's theme for World Press Freedom Day this year is 'Press for the Planet'. Climate breakdown, mining, or illegal lo...