Image source: Mint and IBTimes India; Edited by Dinesh Raj M   In an era of uncertainties, India-ASEAN strategic partnership has continued to prosper. India’s relations with the ASEAN member-states had received top level focus since January this year when Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto was hosted here as the guest of honour at the 76th Republic Day celebrations. Singapore Prime Minister Lawrence Wong visited India in September and before that Philippines President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. visited India in the first week of August 2025, showcasing the importance this government has given to the "Look east" policy. Hot off the Press Delivering his opening remarks virtually at the 22nd ASEAN-India summit, held in Malaysian capital Kuala Lumpur, Prime Minister Narendra Modi described ASEAN as a “cultural partner” of India, announcing further deepening of India-ASEAN cooperation in the domain of maritime security in 2026. "And this strong partnership of ours is emerging

Times Now Navbharat’s official YouTube channel was restored on Thursday, after it went offline earlier in the day. According to BMI, the channel handle and video library were accessible again, and the live streams had resumed. Earlier, BMI reported that the outage was due to a technical glitch, and the users who tried to access saw a notice stating it had been removed for “violating Community Guidelines, promoting speculation across social media.” Managing Director and CEO Ritu Dhawan called it an attack on “free and independent journalism,” adding that the broadcaster was working with YouTube and cybersecurity authorities to restore content. The incident occurred weeks after India TV reported a breach of its YouTube channel, stating that unidentified cybercriminals “suspected to be of Russian origin” deleted over two lakh archived videos and disrupted the live feed.

The winners of the annual Mediaweek 100 have been announced.  The event brought together more than 250 guests from TV, publishing, radio, advertising, agencies and tech to recognise those driving progress, performance and purpose. Now in its fourth year and presented by News Australia, Perion and QMS, the Mediaweek 100 spotlights the individuals shaping Australia’s media and marketing landscape. This year’s Mediaweek Icon was also announced during the event – the latest inductee into a very exclusive club of media titans. Each category had 20 people in it, with one winner in each catergory.  All the details here. 

  “The government has made the correct decision to maintain Australia’s copyright settings and forego a Text and Data Mining exception,” said News Corp Australasia Executive Chairman Michael Miller in a statement this morning.  ARIA and PPCA have also applauded the decision. “The government’s announcement is a welcome catalyst for tech and AI companies to licence Australian content,” he said.  This morning The Australian was among several publications who covered the decision which will see Attorney General Michelle Rowland ensure protections are in place. The move comes after The Productivity Commission suggested it might be permissible for some loosening of copyright laws. That caused an outcry across Australian creative industries, including the media.  The Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA) and Phonographic Performance Company of Australia (PPCA) welcome the Albanese Government’s announcement that it will not introduce a Text and Data Mining

Morning and welcome to Monday.  You've got to hand it to News Corp, they know how to launch a campaign and run with it. The latest is 'Back Australia. It's good for all of us' which as the name suggests is a plea to buy more Australian-made products and so keep Aussie companies in business. It's no small ask of course, given the flood of cheap/cut price/bargain (call it what you will) Chinese-made goods into the country over decades now. This morning - exclusive story by Patrick Carlyon - one of the old favourites wheeled out by the publisher is Dick Smith who, forgive me for pointing this out, made much of his fortune selling mostly Chinese-made electronic items before later launching Dick Smith foods, with the emphasis on Australian-made.  Going in strongest on the campaign - or at least more in your eye - are the tabloids, with the Daily Telegraph sporting a bold front page with a young girl on her family's farm. There's also an exclusive poll - and of course exclusive s

  As we remember legendary cartoonist R. K. Laxman on his 104th birth anniversary, the creator of The Common Man, his sharp lines and subtle humour continue to resonate with readers across generations. For more than five decades, Laxman’s daily cartoon in The Times of India captured the everyday struggles, absurdities and ironies of Indian life. His bespectacled “Common Man” stood silently amidst political chaos, corruption and confusion — a witness to a world that millions recognised as their own. To mark his birth anniversary, Influencing India spoke to a few noted cartoonists about Laxman’s legacy and the evolving landscape of cartooning today, capturing their memories and reflections on the man who gave ‘Common Man’ to India “R. K. Laxman means a lot, not just to me but for future generation cartoonists as well. He was an inspiration to several people who took up cartooning as a profession. He is not amongst us today, yet his work inspires. The kind of style

Baramulla Police have arrested journalist Riyaz Ahmad Mugloo for his alleged involvement in multiple cases of extortion, blackmail, and criminal intimidation, according to a report by Kashmir News Service. Mugloo is accused of misusing his position as a journalist to threaten and extort money from individuals and public officials through social media for financial gain. The arrest followed a complaint filed by employees of the Municipal Council Baramulla, who alleged that Mugloo had taken money from them and was demanding additional payments under the threat of publishing defamatory content. Acting on the complaint, police registered FIR No. 186/2025 under Sections 308(2), 351, and 356(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS)atPolice Station Baramulla and launched an investigation. During the probe, investigators reportedly recovered video evidence showing the accused accepting bribe money. Police also seized digital devices and other incriminating materials, which are being examin