Tuesday, 28 July 2026 #1  ·  Front Page / Times City  ·  Breaking news / Legal affairs Supreme Court: Constitution Guarantees Right To Peaceful Protest, Not Violent Agitation By Dhananjay Mahapatra   ·   The Times of India, New Delhi  ·  Page 5 The Supreme Court, led by the CJI, heard cross-petitions covering alleged police brutality on NEET student protesters, attacks on policemen by rioters, and assaults on journalists, declaring it duty-bound to protect the constitutional right to peaceful protest while equally concerned about injuries to police. The bench announced it would formulate mandatory pan-India standard operating protocols governing both protest management and police anti-riot conduct, rejecting an adversarial approach from the government. The Solicitor General assured the court of unbiased cooperation, while the bench underscored that self-restraint is a hallmark of democratic process. Mahapatra ca

  The Cockroach Janta Party called off its Jantar Mantar agitation on July 25, after the Centre agreed to compensate NEET-leak victims' families and withdraw FIRs against protesters. In the fortnight before that, its "Chalo Sansad" demonstrations produced one of the more sustained runs of on-camera attacks on Indian television journalists in recent memory. Influencing India has accessed the Committee to Protect Journalists' civil-disorder advisory, put together to help journalists covering protests be better prepared. A protest rarely turns all at once. It shifts in increments small enough that a reporter mid-shot can miss them: a chant changes register, a police line tightens, someone near the front throws the first thing that isn't a word. By the time the change is obvious, the decisions that would have kept a journalist safe needed to be made already. CPJ's advisory is built on that premise, so most of it isn't about what to do in the moment.

When pitching News Corp’s National Technology Reporter Eilidh Sproul-Mellis, try to pitch exclusives. But not exclusives that are just interviews.  “Give me a sense of how this could drive the agenda,” she said while appearing on Influencing Insider last Thursday.  “Another super helpful thing is knowing whether or not there’s a case study. For example, if it’s about children and families, if you have a case study of a family that's willing to talk and be in photos, make that clear really high because that is a huge plus in your favour.”  As are high-resolution photos.    In addition to those pitching tips, Sproul-Mellis told the audience of PR practitioners to be careful with statistics when pitching her. When asked by an audience member about the formatting of pitches, she advised “keep the pitch itself quite brief”. “If there's other supporting documentation you can put in with it, chuck the PDF, chuck the screenshots in there. If you've got a good c

Allan on the brink as Big Build scandal sparks Victorian Labor revolt Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan is fighting for her political survival amid a leadership spill and a cross-factional revolt, with Deputy Premier Ben Carroll positioned as a challenger. The crisis is being driven by escalating claims of CFMEU-linked corruption and governance failures around the Big Build, with the leak of a 2023 briefing intensifying questions about what Allan knew and when. Covered by: The Age, Australian Financial Review, Herald Sun, The Australian, The Age. ICAC “political thriller”: phone taps, alleged sham payments and Liberal influence claims NSW’s anti-corruption watchdog has aired explosive allegations that fugitive developer Jean Nassif used prohibited donations, “sham” payments and political connections to pursue favourable outcomes, including targeting the building commissioner and preselections. The evidence includes intercepted calls and boasts of influence, while reporting s

The Karnataka Union of Working Journalists (KUWJ) has expressed gratitude to journalists, organisers, and supporters for ensuring the success of its Endowment Award Ceremony in Chikkamagaluru despite several challenges. In a message, KUWJ State President Shivananda Tagadoor said the overwhelming response reflected the unity of the journalism fraternity. He praised the Chikkamagaluru district unit, led by President Anil, for its dedication and tireless efforts in organising the event. Tagadoor also acknowledged the contribution of KUWJ Senior Vice President and district in‑charge H.B. Madanagowda, whose guidance and leadership he said played a key role in the programme’s success. He further thanked office‑bearers, members, hosts, dignitaries, media professionals, and awardees for their support, urging everyone to continue working together for the welfare and advancement of journalists across Karnataka. 

The Kerala High Court has vacated its interim stay on the landing-page provision of the Television Ratings Policy 2026, allowing the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting and BARC India to implement the rule excluding landing-page viewership from television ratings.  Justice Bechu Kurian Thomas passed the order on an application filed by the Centre, which sought the removal of the stay granted on May 22.   The order permits the implementation of Clause 5.4.1, under which viewership generated through landing pages will not be counted in audience measurement, while allowing landing pages to continue as a marketing tool. The main challenge to the policy filed by AIDCF and DEN Networks remains pending before the court.