CFMEU raids escalate into major corruption probe Police raids on the CFMEU’s Victorian headquarters have intensified scrutiny of alleged corruption tied to major public works, with multiple arrests and investigators seizing items including phones and laptops. Several outlets frame it as a widening “Big Build” integrity crisis, with The Australian reporting the probe has broadened to include allegations such as drug trafficking and fraud—raising the political stakes for governments and regulators overseeing infrastructure spending. Covered by: Herald Sun, The Age, The Australian. GST war brewing as Albanese backs WA deal Anthony Albanese is doubling down on Western Australia’s GST arrangement, setting up a fresh federal–state clash as premiers from other states argue the carve-up is unfair. The West casts it as a firm promise to WA voters, while the Daily Telegraph frames it as an escalating fight with premiers and a political “sweetheart deal” debate ahead of key con

  The journalist community across Assam, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, and Kerala is mourning the deaths of four senior journalists, with press clubs and associations paying tribute to their contributions. In Assam, senior journalist Niranjan Agarwala, 68, a long‑time member of the Sonitpur Journalists’ Union, passed away at a private nursing home in Tezpur on Sunday. He had been undergoing treatment for diabetes and a liver‑related illness. Agarwala, who worked as town correspondent for The Sentinel’s Hindi edition, was remembered for his long association with Tezpur’s media community. In Chennai, Subash Shankar, 52, a member of the Chennai Press Club, died of a heart attack on August 21. With over 25 years in journalism, Shankar headed technical divisions at channels including Win TV and M. Nadu. The Press Club noted his cordial relations and mentorship of many in television journalism, extending condolences to his family. In Karnataka, the Karnataka Union of Work

  Journalist Abhishek Upadhyay has approached the Supreme Court challenging an FIR registered against him in Ghaziabad in connection with an alleged road-rage incident, calling the case "fake and planted" and citing fears of arrest if he enters Uttar Pradesh. The FIR was registered at Indirapuram police station on August 18 after a complainant alleged that a motorcycle was hit by a Baleno car near Shipra Mall, and that the driver abused and threatened him. The complainant named Upadhyay in connection with the car. In his petition, Upadhyay has linked the police action to his investigative reporting on alleged corruption in Uttar Pradesh, including his coverage of irregularities in donations at the Ram Temple in Ayodhya, according to a report by LiveLaw. Upadhyay, who runs the YouTube channel Top Secret, first reported the Ram Temple donation irregularities in June, based on an insider tip-off and interviews with former employees who had worked on the temple's donation-counting p

Monday, 24 August 2026 #1  ·  Front Page  ·  Investigative Jaish's Pak HQ, razed in Sindoor, up and running By Rajshekhar Jha   ·   The Times of India (Delhi Edition)  ·  Page 1, 18 Intelligence inputs and fresh visuals confirm that Pakistan has fully restored the Jaish-e-Mohammed headquarters in Bahawalpur — destroyed in India's Operation Sindoor strikes — including reconstructed domes, a renovated central hall and madrassa, with Pakistani authorities channelling 25 crore PKR to the reconstruction. The facility now includes a gym, swimming pool for underwater training, and stables, while JeM's day-to-day command has shifted to Masood Azhar's brothers following Azhar's health-related incapacitation. Azhar and Rauf Asghar have relocated to Sindh under government protection, according to intelligence sources. The story is grounded in specific, verifiable intelligence details —

The Journalists’ Union of Sikkim (JUS) has opened a 24-hour public reading centre in Gangtok in an effort to keep newspapers accessible as more readers shift towards digital news. Named Khabardani, the centre on M.G. Marg offers newspapers and magazines in English, Nepali and Hindi free of charge around the clock. The initiative responds to a decline in newspaper readership that JUS says is making physical newspapers harder to find while also affecting the livelihoods of vendors who depend on their distribution. “While almost everything is available along M.G. Marg, finding newspapers has itself become increasingly difficult as the number of readers declines. Thus, the centre is a small but meaningful effort to revive the habit of newspaper reading,” JUS president Prabin Khaling told Influencing India. Khaling also pointed to the impact of digital-first news consumption on newspaper vendors, placing the initiative within a wider effort to sustain the print ecosystem rather

Swans scandal deepens as fans split and legal stakes rise The Sydney Swans crisis escalated with fresh allegations of multiple sexual assaults and non-consensual conduct, alongside police inquiries and the prospect of civil action. Papers also focused on the public fallout at the SCG: a record AFLW crowd, then protest walkouts and a supporter base torn between backing the club and demanding accountability. Covered by: Sydney Morning Herald, Herald Sun, The Age, Daily Telegraph, Australian Financial Review, The Australian, The Advertiser. Bird flu crosses into mammals, raising national biosecurity alarm Australia has confirmed bird flu in a mammal for the first time after a fur seal tested positive, intensifying fears the outbreak could spread more widely through wildlife. The development raises the stakes for surveillance and containment, with potential knock-on effects for coastal communities, tourism and animal health management. Covered by: The Advertiser, The Mercury. Free spee

News  Indian PR Firm, Ad Factors PR have expanded its offering to Australian shores, having acquired "a majority stake" in SenateSHJ, an Australian Comms consultancy as per a press release.  Under the terms of the acquistion Senate SHJ will retain its identity and client teams whilst still under the leadership of Co-Founder and Chair Angela Scaffidi AM and CEO Darren Behar, continuing to operate from its Sydney and Melbourne offices. Adfactors PR CEO Nijay N. Nair, who also leads all M&A and global initiatives, will join the SenateSHJ board. Jobs  SHA PR is on the lookout for a new Senior PR Account Manager in Sydney.  A job advert on LinkedIn advertised the role to include "ownership of a portfolio of 5 to 8 clients, leading client strategy and overseeing a dedicated team (including an Account Manager and an Account Coordinator). You possess a high degree of autonomy, a sharp business mind, and an active "black book" of media