Image source: TOI and NewsX; Edited by Dinesh Raj M   Signalling a likely derailment of trade talks once again, US President Donald Trump claimed he was assured by PM Modi on Wednesday that New Delhi was tapering its purchase of Russian oil to help stop the prolonged Russia-Ukraine war, but India’s external affairs ministry denied knowledge of any such conversation. Trump also stated he did not want to destroy "Modi's political career." Hot off the Press In his customary banter with pool reporters in the White House, Trump said, “I was not happy that India was buying oil and he assured me today that they will not be buying oil from Russia.” Later, the president indicated India’s pledge was conveyed through the new US ambassador to India, Sergio Gor, who was present in the Oval Office to brief the president about his meeting with Modi and India’s ministry of external affairs (MEA) earlier this week in New Delhi, reported Chidanand Rajghatta and Sachin Parashar for The

Mumbai-based freelance photojournalist and journalist Imtiyaz Shaikh has been conferred with the Special Journalism Award by the Maharashtra Urdu Academy. The honour was presented during the Academy’s Golden Jubilee celebrations, marking 50 years since its establishment on 8 October 2025. The award includes a cash prize of Rs 15,000 and a trophy. According to a Press Trust of India statement, in a career spanning more than two decades, Shaikh has earned a distinct name for his work. Over the years, he has worked with prominent media organisations such as Mumbai Urdu News, Do Bajay Dopahar, Urdu Times, PTI, Mid-Day, Getty Images, Anadolu Agency (Turkey), Gujarat Samachar, Sun TV, and The Times of India. His photographs have appeared in several national and international newspapers and magazines, earning widespread recognition. Known for his dedication and courage, Shaikh notably captured powerful images during the Mumbai terror attacks, risking his life to document the tragedy. S

Journalists are under threat in many parts of the world, but it’s not just those covering wars - it seems if you anger some of the Swifties, they will come after you.  Yes, music journalists - of all people - say they are being harassed and threatened for writing less-than-glowing reviews of Taylor Swift, according to a new investigation from the Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism. The report - Write a Bad Review of Taylor Swift and Get Death Threats: Inside the Fan Backlash Facing Critics in the Digital Age - was written by Gretal Kahn and reveals the growing risks for critics in the social-media era. One music critic got this comment on X: “you ain’t gonna be this brave when we drop your address”. The Guardian’s music journalist, Alex Petrides, received this exercise in brevity, on X: “Alexis Petridis fuck you”, and this one (also on X - and it makes you wonder about the calibre of contributors there these days, but then that’s another story…), “

After 17 years on camera, today is Kenny Heatley's last with Sky News - where he's been a reporter and news anchor - and it's also his final day on Australian television. Whilst coy about his next move - which he says will be "stepping away from the cameras" he announced the end of his Sky News tenure on LinkedIn where he said, "It’s hard to put into words. From the pre-dawn newsroom starts and breaking news adrenaline, to the privilege of telling stories that mattered and being part of the national conversation - it’s been an honour to serve audiences across Australia. "To my brilliant colleagues past and present: thank you. Working alongside such talented and hard working journalists, camera crews, producers, editors, hosts and technical teams has truly been the highlight of my career. You’ve inspired me every single day with your dedication and passion for getting it right — fast, fair, and factual. "To our viewers — thank you for inviting me into your homes each m

Next week Prime Minister Anthony Albanese walks into the lion's den. Yes he has his first official meeting at the White House with Donald Trump. And I know it's an age-old question, but what could possibly go wrong?  According to the Murdoch papers a lot could go topsy-turvy and to help the PM navigate the potential highs and lows, the tabloids have helpfully produced a graphic Snakes & Ladders guide. Yes they have. It contains such Vaudeville gems - under the Ladders column -  as 'bring up how much better original recipe coke is', and 'criticize the Nobel Peace Prize judges', 'wear a MAGA hat', and my personal favourite, 'offer up Australia's critical minerals'. That last one will definitely be on the agenda, given China has put restrictions on its exports of the materials, which has stoked Trump up. Oh, and Australia has plenty of those rare earth minerals and is keen to build a critical reserve of said materials and also commericalise processing in Australia, so prov

Network18 Media and Investments Limited has announced its results for the quarter ended September 30, 2025. The network’s operating revenue for the news segment increased 7% year-on-year (YoY) to Rs 477 crores in Q2 FY26, up from Rs 445 crores in Q2 FY25. For the first half of FY26, the revenue stood at Rs 907.6 crore, slightly higher than Rs 898 crore the previous year. The news business's operating expenses rose to Rs 469.8 crore in Q2 FY26 compared to Rs 438 crore in the same quarter last year.  Similarly, H1 FY26 expenses were Rs 896 crore, slightly up from Rs 888 crore in H1 FY25. The operations EBITDA for Q2 remained flat at 7.4 crore compared to Rs 7 crore in the same quarter previous year, while H1 FY26 EBITDA jumped 21.7% YoY to Rs 11.5 crore. “During the first half of the financial year, revenue growth has been flattish on a YoY basis. Given that the first quarter of the last fiscal had a healthy contribution from election-linked advertising, the performance show

image courtesy: Aaj Tak Ahead of the upcoming Bihar Assembly elections, scheduled from Thursday, November 6 to Tuesday, November 11, 2025, Hindi news channel Aaj Tak has kicked off ‘Panchayat Aaj Tak – Bihar’ in Patna on Thursday, October 16. The day-long event is witnessing engaging discussions, bringing together prominent political leaders, policymakers and influencers to deliberate on key issues shaping the state. The event began with participation from influential speakers across the political spectrum. Among those who spoke in the early sessions were former Union Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad, Kanhaiya Kumar, BPCC Campaign Committee Chairman Dr Akhilesh Prasad Singh, and Janata Dal MP Sanjay Kumar Jha. As the day progresses, spokespersons from various parties and senior political experts are expected to share their views on Bihar’s electoral landscape, the role of the media, and public participation.