IBAC blows up Andrews-era union deal, putting new Premier on notice Victoria’s integrity watchdog has delivered a bruising assessment of secret negotiations between the Andrews government and the firefighters’ union, describing “serious and concerning” conduct even as it stopped short of corruption findings. The fallout is now landing on Premier Ben Carroll, who is trying to draw a line under the Andrews legacy while facing renewed questions about governance, transparency and union influence in Labor heartland Victoria. Covered by: The Age, The Australian, Herald Sun, Australian Financial Review, The Australian, The Age. Bondi inquest aftermath: Minns accused of “in-principle” mental health fix The NSW government has accepted most recommendations stemming from the Bondi Junction stabbing inquest, but is being criticised for only backing “in principle” a key proposal to expand supported accommodation for people at risk of psychosis. The debate goes to whether reform i

The Times of India received the highest share of the Union government's print advertising expenditure between FY2020-21 and FY2024-25, according to data tabled in the Lok Sabha by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting. The newspaper received Rs 78.22 crore, followed by Dainik Jagran (Rs 59.14 crore) and Hindustan Times (Rs 47.80 crore). Overall, the Centre spent Rs 910.4 crore on print advertisements during the five-year period.  

Sony Sports Network has unveiled its 'Festival of Sports' campaign, bringing a packed lineup of live sporting events from August 15 to November 29, 2026 across Sony Sports Network and Sony LIV. The campaign will feature India's tours of Sri Lanka and New Zealand, the Women's T20 Asia Cup 2026, and the Aichi-Nagoya 2026 Asian Games, where Indian athletes and the men's and women's cricket teams will compete. Through an integrated on-air and digital campaign, the network aims to celebrate the festive season with some of the year's biggest sporting events.  

Odia Journalism Day was observed across the state on Tuesday, with constitutional leaders paying tribute to the contribution of journalists while the Central University of Odisha (CUO) marked the occasion through a seminar highlighting grassroots reporting. The Department of Journalism and Mass Communication at CUO observed the day during the second session of its three-day National Seminar-cum-Workshop on "Journalism at the Grassroots: Trends and Challenges in Media Reporting in the Age of AI and Social Media." Journalists from Nabarangpur, Jeypore, Koraput, Sunabeda, Semiliguda, Damanjodi and Laxmipur interacted with students, sharing their experiences and discussing the challenges and importance of grassroots journalism. Odisha Governor Dr. Hari Babu Kambhampati, Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi and Leader of Opposition Naveen Patnaik extended greetings to journalists on X, praising their commitment to truth, impartiality and public service. The leaders described journalism a

The Kerala High Court has directed Meta to provisionally restore the Facebook account of veteran journalist N. Madhavan Kutty after it was blocked at the request of the Kerala Police over a post related to the Delhi blasts. Hearing the petition on July 31, Justice Ziyad Rahman A.A. observed that blocking an entire account over a few disputed posts appeared excessive. "Going by the documents produced before this Court, it is seen that only in respect of some of the contents the entire account itself is blocked. Therefore, I am prima facie of the view that the respondents have exceeded their powers," the judge said. Madhavan Kutty, former editor of The New Indian Express, had shared a Malayalam newspaper clipping on the Delhi blasts on November 11, 2025. Along with the clipping, he posted a comment stating: "The plan to polarise Hindu-Muslim votes in the first phase of the Bihar polls has fallen flat. This could be an attempt by vested interests." Appearing for the Kerala governmen

What began as a routine reporting assignment turned into a violent ordeal for News Tamil reporter Suburaman and Abhilash, who claimed they were allegedly assaulted while covering the detention of Tamil Nadu Leader of the Opposition Udhayanidhi Stalin at Sengipatti Police Station in Thanjavur district. The journalists alleged that they were punched repeatedly, hit on the head and had their shirts torn by a group of supporters gathered outside the police station. Suburaman, who has been with News Tamil for the past three years, said he and Abhilash reached the police station after former deputy CM Udhayanidhi was brought there for nearly 90 minutes of questioning following his arrest over alleged controversial remarks about actor Trisha. The arrest had triggered protests and tense scenes outside the station. "As Udhayanidhi was taken inside, journalists gathered outside were trying to speak to police officials and report on the developments. The supporters present there suddenly tur

#1 · Breaking news Govt may allow fees on UPI payment above 2k rupees By Surojit Gupta   ·   Times of India, Delhi  ·  Page 1 The government is considering allowing merchants to levy a convenience or interchange fee on UPI transactions exceeding  Rs.2,000, a move that would mark a significant policy shift from the current zero-MDR regime. The story details the revenue model under discussion, the likely opposition from consumer groups, and NPCI's position on sustainability of free payments infrastructure. The story surfaces a consequential policy reversal — fees on UPI transactions — with apparent access to government deliberations and a clear mapping of stakeholder interests, making it a valuable public-interest scoop on digital payments policy.   #2 ·  Investigative Amid calls for education reforms, questions raised on NTA chief's role By Maitri Porecha &