Image source: Perplexity AI; Edited by Dinesh Raj M   A phone call meant for Diwali greetings has turned into another diplomatic tangle. Once again, US President Donald Trump claimed India had promised to cut its Russian oil imports — a statement New Delhi neither confirmed nor endorsed. While Trump spoke of trade, oil and “no war with Pakistan,” Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s response was far more restrained — one that focused on hope, friendship and the fight against terrorism. What followed was a familiar scene: Washington’s loud diplomacy meeting Delhi’s studied silence. Hot off the Press Chidanand Rajghatta for The Times of India reported that Trump, during a White House Diwali event, said he had spoken to “Prime Minister Modi today” and that Modi assured him India would be “cutting back” on Russian oil purchases. Trump also added, with typical flourish, “Let’s have no war with Pakistan,” though the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) quickly den

Taking serious note of the assaults on journalists reported from Kerala, Tripura, and Manipur over the past three months, the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) on Wednesday (October 22, 2025) issued notices to the respective state governments. According to The Hindu, the commission has asked the Directors General of Police (DGPs) of the three states to submit detailed reports on the incidents within two weeks. As per a report from the commission, a journalist in Manipur was attacked on August 30 while covering a flower festival in Laii village of Senapati district. He was shot twice with an air gun and sustained severe injuries. On the same day in Kerala, another journalist was assaulted by a group of people when he reached Mangattukavala near Thodupuzha. In Tripura, on September 21, a journalist was brutally attacked with sticks and sharp weapons by a group of miscreants while covering a clothes distribution event organised by a political party in the Hezamara area of West

The Delhi state government has come under sharp criticism for allegedly sidelining Urdu media journalists at its annual Diwali Mangal Milan event. The event, held on October 13, was organised by the Directorate of Information and Publicity (DIP) of the Delhi government. Journalists from both print and electronic media were invited for a special interaction with Chief Minister Rekha Gupta at the Ashoka Hotel as part of the Diwali Mangal Milan programme. Extending festive greetings, the Chief Minister described the gathering as an opportunity for an dialogue with the media. "Today, at the Diwali Mangal Milan ceremony, I had the opportunity for a heartfelt interaction with our media friends. The program was graced by the dignified presence of Cabinet Ministers Shri Pravesh Sahib Singh Ji, Shri Ashish Sood Ji, Shri Manjinder Singh Sirsa Ji, Shri Ravindra Indraj Ji, and Shri Kapil Mishra Ji. Heartfelt Diwali greetings to all media colleagues", she wrote on X. However, Rajesh Sharma,

The Seven Network has secured the exclusive Australian rights to the Rugby League World Cup 2026 (RLWC2026), which will be live and free on Seven and 7plus Sport from October 15 next year.  Kicking off with a much-anticipated clash between Australia and New Zealand at Sydney’s Allianz Stadium, Seven’s month-long coverage will showcase the international rugby league with 18 mens, 15 womens and 20 wheelchair matches. Hosted by Australia, RLWC2026 will feature 26 teams from around the world, including England, Tonga and Samoa, with four matches to also be played in Papua New Guinea and two matches in New Zealand. Seven West Media Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Jeff Howard, said: “Seven is proud to be the unrivalled home of Australian sport. The Rugby League World Cup is a significant world-class event and hosting it on home soil makes it even more special. It’s exactly the kind of premium sporting content Seven is known for and committed to deliverin

    Welcome to Thursday and let's start the day with students who took their HSC exams yesterday in 40 degree heat, as reported by the Sydney Morning Herald. The paper goes with one of their trademark coverful and joyful pictures on the front page today, and very nice it is too - credit to snapper Sam Mooy, and a great way to start the day.  Also at the SMH, ('Coalition in a spin over Rudd'), Matthew Knott and Michael Koziol, provide more column inches on the Liberals tearing themselves apart, with leader Sussan Ley walking back comments she made yesterday around the call for Kevin Rudd to be hauled back to Australia. Is it just me, or don't they have more pressing issues - like keeping the party together? Ley subtly changed tack after recently demoted former frontbencher Jane Hume said the call was "a little but churlish" and that Rudd should be acknowledged for "his good work".  At sister paper The Age, it's all about housing and jobs this morning, with an e

The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India’s (TRAI) draft Seventh Amendment to interconnection regulations has prompted a divide between broadcasters and TV distributors. The draft, open for comments since September 22 with an extended deadline of October 14, introduces structural changes that could reshape compliance from April 1, 2026. According to Bestmediainfo, the amendment mandates annual audits of all addressable systems for the preceding financial year, with reports shared with contracted broadcasters by September 30. Disputes can escalate to special audits cleared by TRAI, with costs borne by the broadcaster and the distributor selecting one auditor from three proposed names. Broadcasters can disconnect signals within three weeks if systems are non-compliant. Controversially, the draft allows broadcasters to send one representative to audits, while distributors with ≤30,000 subscribers can opt out of the annual review. It also reinforces BECIL’s role in the auditor fr

In a significant leadership move, Mastercard has appointed Accenture veteran Jill Kramer as its next chief marketing and communications officer, succeeding Raja Rajamannar, who has led the company’s marketing efforts since 2013, according to E4m. Kramer will officially assume the role on December 1, while Rajamannar will transition to a new position as a senior fellow at Mastercard. At Accenture, Kramer served as chief marketing & communications officer, leading a global team of around 2,000 professionals. Her work focused on strengthening the Accenture brand and driving business growth. In 2023, Forbes recognized her as one of the “50 Most Influential CMOs.”