National & Metropolitan front pages for Thursday 12 March 2026 National The Australian Bondi inquiry crisis: PM’s top expert quits, Richard Ferguson; PK Bansal and James Dowling Dennis Richardson has resigned from the anti-Semitism royal commissioner role after controversy around his advice and remarks following the Bondi attack. Canavan split for good of the kids  Gerard Brown & Joe Spagnolo Matt Canavan and his wife announced their separation, with the story framed around doing what’s best for their children. Long arm of terror threatens asylum bid, Ben Packham; Amanda Hodge; Ali Sepulveda  A terrorism-related international legal pursuit is raised as a concern for an asylum seeker’s bid, with a case being pursued across jurisdictions. Tuesday rate rise, fuel excise concerns Matthew Cranston Economists warn the government may consider fuel-excise changes as inflation and a possible interest-rate rise loom. US mission not over until extremists ar

Long before he stepped into a newsroom, Vishal Bolivar was already a student of politics As a child, he followed debates about Tamil Nadu politics, national affairs, and international events with unusual curiosity. By the time he began his professional career, politics had already become a daily habit. But his first job was far from journalism. In 2020, Vishal joined TCS Global as a technical support engineer. Like many young professionals, he spent his days navigating software systems and technical queries. Yet outside work, his interest in politics continued to grow. By 2023, he began experimenting with freelance political anchoring while still working in IT. His routine became intense—starting at 6 a.m. and stretching late into the night as he balanced technology work with political analysis. Then came the 2024 parliamentary elections. Encouragement from mentors pushed him to make a decisive move toward journalism. He realised that political storytelling, especially in

A group of journalists from the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, currently on a Press Information Bureau (PIB) media outreach tour, visited Chennai Port, where officials briefed them on the port’s operations and its role in maintaining supply connectivity with the islands. During the visit, officials from the Chennai Port Authority briefed the journalists about the port’s activities. The officials also highlighted the potential of the proposed international container transshipment terminal at Galathea Bay, noting that its strategic location along major global shipping routes could help develop it into a significant maritime trade hub in the Indian Ocean.     Image source: Nicobar Times 

The Association of Indian Magazines (AIM) has welcomed the decision of the Supreme Court of India to decline a stay on the Bombay High Court judgment that struck down provisions enabling the government’s proposed Fact-Check Unit under the amended IT Rules. The Supreme Court’s decision means the Union government cannot operationalise the proposed Fact-Check Unit for now. The mechanism, introduced under the amended Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, would have allowed a government-designated unit to flag online content related to the “business of the Central Government” as fake, false, or misleading. The provision had been challenged by multiple petitioners, including AIM, who argued that it could give the government excessive authority to determine the accuracy of information about its own functioning. In March 2024, the Bombay High Court struck down the rule, holding that it imposed disproportionate restrict

  Our next Influencing Insider session features Aakriti Dhawan — international journalist, producer and host of the Beyond Borders Podcast. With bylines in BBC, Deutsche Welle, TRT World, Mongabay, Citywire, and NDTV, Aakriti reports on global issues including migration, gender, diplomacy, and human rights. Currently based in Germany, her work connects stories and perspectives across borders. In this session, we’ll discuss international reporting, cross-border journalism, podcasting, and the evolving realities of global storytelling. 📅 March 11 | 2:00 PM (IST) Register here: https://app.livestorm.co/mediaconnectconnect/influencing-insider-with-aakriti-dhawan

Somerset Indus Capital Partners has appointed SPAG FINN Partners as its strategic communications partner. The mandate aims to strengthen Somerset’s corporate reputation, highlight the impact of its investment platform, and increase its presence in industry conversations. As part of the partnership, SPAG FINN Partners will handle reputation management, media relations, strategic storytelling and leadership positioning for Somerset across India’s healthcare and investment ecosystem. Established in 2011, Somerset Indus Capital Partners invests in healthcare businesses that expand access to quality care, especially in underserved markets. Its portfolio companies have impacted around 105 million lives, including nearly 21 million patient lives. Mayur Sirdesai, partner of Somerset Indus Capital Partners said the partnership will help share the real-world impact created by the firm’s investments. Aman Gupta, managing partner, Health Practice Asia Lead - SPAG Finn Partn

  India begins rationing natural gas amid West Asia conflict The government on Tuesday moved to ration natural gas supplies, prioritising households receiving piped gas, vehicles running on compressed natural gas (CNG), and units producing cooking gas (LPG), as the conflict in West Asia disrupts liquefied natural gas (LNG) shipments through the Strait of Hormuz, reported Rajeev Jayaswal and Sunetra Choudhury for Hindustan Times. The ministry on Monday night notified the Natural Gas (Supply Regulation) Order, 2026, invoking the Essential Commodities Act (ESMA) of 1955 — giving the directive overriding authority over all existing gas sale agreements and commercial arrangements. The order establishes a four-tier priority system for gas allocation, with supplies to lower-priority sectors — including petrochemical plants, power stations, and oil refineries — curtailed to meet essential demand.  Rs 8.69L-Cr Jal Jeevan Mission cleared Zia Haq for Hindustan Times reported that