Welcome to Wednesday and much of the news today remains in the political arena with the photogenic new Victorian Liberal leader in the spotlight. Jess Wilson, as Sumeyya Ilanbey points out in The Australian Financial Review, "becomes the state opposition's third leader in less than a year". Let that sink in. Yes, that's it in a nutshell - the Liberals are in turmoil in both the federal party and Victoria and NSW - the latter also looking at a potential leadership challenge to leader Mark Speakman, not least because the NSW Libs under Speakman are sticking with net zero. We shall see how that pans out, both for him and the party.  At The Australian, Anthony Galloway and Lilly McCaffrey report that Wilson has "vowed to hammer the state Labor government over record debt", and go on to also list "collapsing business confidence, housing pressures, hospital failures and the state's crime crisis", so all the main food groups then. At The Australian Financial Review ('Open talk o

The Punjab and Chandigarh Journalist Union has warned of launching an agitation against the Punjab Government if its long-pending demands are not addressed without further delay. The ultimatum was issued during a symbolic protest march led by the union’s general secretary, Santokh Singh Gill. The march commenced from the ancestral home of freedom fighter Shaheed Kartar Singh Sarabha and concluded at the memorial chowk named in his honour. Journalists tied black cloths around their mouths and carried placards listing their key demands, which include: Free bus travel for journalists, similar to the scheme in Haryana Implementation of the Sarbat Bima Yojana for media professionals Pension benefits for both field reporters and desk staff Union members alleged that the Punjab Government, led by Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann of the Aam Aadmi Party, has consistently ignored their appeals over the past three years. The protest aimed to highlight the growing frustration w

In a landmark move for gender representation in Indian media, the Chennai Press Club (CPC) has become the first press club in the country to mandate a 33 per cent reservation for women journalists in its executive committee. The decision was unanimously approved during the Club’s general body meeting held on November 16 at the Dr MGR–Janaki College campus auditorium. The amendment—part of a broader set of new by-laws—was first passed by the existing executive committee before being placed before the general body. It mandates that one-third of the 13-member executive committee be reserved for women, marking a historic first in press club governance nationwide. Explaining the initiative, CPC Vice-President Sundara Bharathi, who also serves as Executive Editor of Newspicks India, said: “The CPC has 13 members, of which one committee member is female and I serve as vice-president. Before the general body meeting, I proposed that four female members should be default member

Picture Credit: The Free Press Journal  Makhanlal Chaturvedi National Journalism and Communication University has released a special issue of its experimental student newspaper Vikalp, focusing on the lived realities of Bhopal’s public transport system. Produced by students from the journalism department, the issue features field reports, on-the-ground photographs, and critical reflections on infrastructure gaps and commuter hardships. With over 1,800 students from nearly 20 states, many of whom face daily transport-related difficulties, the editorial team drew inspiration from their own experiences to investigate the state capital’s mobility challenges. The issue also raises questions about government accountability and the responsiveness of civic systems. The release event was held at Vikas Bhawan on the university’s MP Nagar campus. Speaking at the event, Vice Chancellor Vijay Manohar Tiwari emphasized that journalism becomes meaningful when it amplifies public concerns

A group of reporters covering a leopard rescue operation in Nashik recently experienced a moment of panic when the rescue effort became tricky. Forest officials were attempting to safely capture the leopard when a few journalists, standing close to the action, were seen alarmed and rushing back as the situation turned tense. A video of the incident, shared by Nashik Speaks on Instagram, has since gone viral and triggered a mixed response from viewers. Many questioned whether reporters needed to be positioned so close during an active wildlife rescue. One user reacted with sarcasm, commenting, “The police and forest department were doing nothing. Otherwise, the journalists would have caught the leopard themselves and immediately released it into the forest.” Another viewer raised concerns about safety and protocol, writing, “They are not doing their duty. They can create obstacles in the work of the forest department for their own interest.    

Picture Credit: The Indian Express  India has climbed to the 151st position out of 180 countries in the 2025 World Press Freedom Index released by Reporters Without Borders (RSF), marking a steady improvement from its rankings of 159 in 2024 and 161 in 2023. Despite the upward trend, India continues to be classified under the “very serious” category, reflecting persistent challenges to press freedom. The RSF Index evaluates the degree of freedom journalists enjoy in each country, based on their ability to report independently and safely, without political, economic, legal, or social interference. The 2025 report underscores that journalism in India remains “difficult,” with editorial interference by media owners reported as “always” or “often” present in 92 of the 180 countries assessed—including India. Globally, Norway retained its top spot, followed by Estonia, the Netherlands, Sweden, Finland, Denmark, Ireland, Portugal, Switzerland, and Czechia. In Asia, Sou

Image source: Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada, ETV Bharat and Reuters; Edited by Dinesh Raj M   As Bangladesh continues to be embroiled in one of the most volatile chapters in its political history, a special tribunal has sentenced former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to death for “crimes against humanity” during last year’s student uprising — a verdict delivered in her absence, rejected by her as politically motivated and immediately weaponised by Dhaka to demand her extradition from India. The ruling has triggered public fury, deepened partisan divides and placed New Delhi in an unenviable diplomatic corner: navigate the collapse of a long-time ally while safeguarding its strategic interests in a neighbour slipping into uncertainty. Hot off the Press Sachin Parashar for The Times of India reported that India responded with measured caution, saying it had “taken note” of the tribunal’s decision and would “engage constructively with all stakeholders” in the