A senior Kashmir-based journalist has claimed police harassment after officers allegedly seized his mobile phone without a warrant or any other legal procedures. Jehangir Ali, who reports for The Wire, said police personnel from Budgam district came to his residence on Wednesday evening and took his phone without explaining the reason. According to The Wire, the officers did not give any reason for the action and failed to provide details of an FIR, case number, warrant or court order. It also stated the officers ignored the legal safeguards, including that they didn't provide a hash value, as directed by the Supreme Court for seized digital devices. Muslim Mirror Journalism stated that the seizure appears connected to Ali’s reporting on alleged corruption and nepotism linked to the Ratle hydropower project in Kishtwar. Former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Mehbooba Mufti criticised the move, warning that such actions weaken independent journalism. Media organization

Image source: Newslaundry, The Boston Globe, Republic World, Equity Pandit and DNA India; Edited by Dinesh Raj M   For most of the last decade, Arnab Goswami has been television’s most aggressive defender of the Modi establishment. That’s why his late-2025 pivot toward open criticism of the Modi government and the Supreme Court of India has startled even seasoned media watchers. The immediate flashpoint is the Aravalli Hills. On air, Goswami tore into what he called a “technical ruse” that redefined the Aravallis as elevations above 100 metres, effectively stripping protection from nearly 90 per cent of the range across Rajasthan, Haryana and the NCR. He warned that the ruling clears the way for mining, deforestation and real-estate expansion, hollowing out a two-billion-year-old ecological barrier while Delhi chokes on toxic air. But the Aravallis weren’t an isolated outburst. Over recent weeks, Goswami has widened his critique to cover the De

Kolhapur city journalists staged a protest at the historic Dasara Chowk against Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi (VBA) president Prakash Ambedkar over his alleged objectionable remarks against media owners, journalists, and camerapersons, made while addressing a rally on Wednesday.  United News of India reported that city journalists, led by Shital Dhanvade, Kolhapur Press Club president and other KPC office bearers gathered near the Rajarshi Shahu Maharaj statue, raised slogans, and demanded that Ambedkar issue a public apology.   They also warned that such comments against the media would not be tolerated in the future.  

  As the India Today Group marks 50 years, it has launched a five-part documentary series titled India Today @ 50, tracing the journey of the media house and its role in shaping Indian journalism. The first episode, aired on Saturday, December 13, looks back at the years between 1975 and 1985, a period marked by political and social upheaval. It focuses on the Emergency, when civil liberties were suspended, Opposition leaders were jailed and the media faced strict censorship. It was during this time that India Today was launched, a decision former editors in the film describe as bold and risky. Using old footage and personal accounts, the episode shows how a young team learned journalism while working under fear and government control. Chairperson and Editor-in-Chief Aroon Purie recalls the strict editorial approach that guided the magazine, with every story required to explain why it mattered, who it affected and what came next. The documentary also covers key political events

Image source: Edited by Dinesh Raj M   Even as OpenAI is fighting copyright infringement cases with news publications and content producers across the world including in India, the AI pioneer has launched the OpenAI Academy for News Organizations, a digital learning hub designed to help journalists and publishers integrate artificial intelligence into their workflows. Developed in collaboration with the American Journalism Project and The Lenfest Institute for Journalism, the initiative was officially unveiled at the AI and Journalism Summit that happened earlier this week. According to a release, the academy will offer hands-on training, technical playbooks, and real-world case studies specifically designed for newsrooms. Key resources include "AI Essentials for Journalists," which covers core concepts, and specialised sessions for product teams on building custom AI solutions. The curriculum will also on practical applications, including investigative research,

Independent journalist Pankaj Mishra, 50, died after being assaulted at his home in Dehradun’s Rajpur area on Monday night. Police arrested two men — Amit Sehgal, a digital media journalist, and Parthoshil Seal — after reviewing CCTV footage and witness statements. Mishra’s brother alleged the attackers entered the house, abused him and assaulted him, leading to internal injuries. Mishra collapsed early Tuesday and was declared dead at Doon Hospital. An FIR has been registered on charges including murder, house trespass and robbery, and multiple police teams are investigating, The Indian Express reported.

Morning, welcome to Friday and our last edition of The Brief until next year. Let's start with The Sydney Morning Herald because in a sea of horror following the Bondi massacre, many youngsters today are celebrating their HSC results and The Sydney Morning Herald keeps tradition alive with a 48-page-liftout - 'HSC Honour Roll 2025' - which is mostly listings of all HSC results in NSW but also covers some of the unique and interesting student study, success and back stories from several of the HSC standouts. Stories by Christopher Harris, Nigel Gladstone and Emily Kowal, plus Cindy Yin. The SMH also carries a 52-page Domain so you can swoon over other people's houses, if that is your wont. Picture of Penrith HSC students by Sam Mooy.  On the other side of the ledger, heartbreaking scenes yesterday as another child was honoured, but sadly this time that was at the funeral of the youngest Bondi victim, 10-year-old Matilda. That story