Allan leadership crisis: Victorian Labor plots a spill Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan is facing an escalating internal challenge, with factional powerbrokers and MPs reportedly moving to oust her ahead of a decisive caucus meeting as the state election approaches. The story matters nationally because it would reshape Victoria’s policy agenda and Labor’s electoral prospects, while signalling broader instability in a major state government. Covered by: The Age, The Australian, Herald Sun. Defence procurement shock: Navy “drone ship” plan in doubt Australia’s plan to acquire six large optionally crewed “drone ships” is reportedly on shaky ground after the US Navy scrapped its comparable program, with experts warning Canberra may need to abandon or overhaul the project. It’s significant because it goes to deterrence planning, defence spending priorities, and whether Australia can rely on allied pathways for emerging maritime capability. Covered by: Sydney Morning Herald

Chrome DM has released its Opportunity to See (OTS) report for Week 28 of 2026 (July 11–17), measuring the distribution reach of Hindi and English news channels across TV households in India. In the Hindi news category, Times Now Navbharat topped the list with an OTS of 98.45%, followed by Zee News (98.38%) and Aaj Tak (97.93%). In the English news segment, Republic TV led with 94.42%, ahead of RT News (81.69%) and CNN-News18 (76.62%). OTS measures the percentage of TV households where a channel is available, reflecting distribution reach rather than viewership. It helps broadcasters and advertisers assess channel availability and market presence.   

A one-day district-level media workshop, Vartalaap, was organised in Mandi by the Press Information Bureau (PIB), Shimla, to discuss strategies for improving information dissemination, combating fake news, and raising public awareness about government welfare schemes. Centred on the theme “Improving Information Dissemination”, the workshop brought together journalists, senior government officials, and subject experts for discussions on welfare programmes, the importance of timely and accurate information, challenges posed by misinformation, and regional development issues. Mandi Deputy Commissioner Apoorv Devgan attended as chief guest, while Superintendent of Police Vinod Kumar was the special guest. In his welcome address, Sanjeev Kumar Sharma, Assistant Director, PIB Shimla, outlined the objectives of Vartalaap, stressing the need to strengthen communication between government, media, and the public. Deputy Commissioner Devgan emphasised that accurate information is essen

A year after Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini promised to implement a cashless medical facility for journalists, the commitment remains unfulfilled, prompting renewed appeals from the media fraternity. On July 23, during a programme in Rohtak, a delegation of the Haryana Union of Working Journalists (HUWJ) led by President Manmohan Kathuria urged the Chief Minister to immediately implement the scheme. Speaking to Influencing, Kathuria said: “We journalists endure risks while covering news, and with low salaries, a cashless medical facility is a necessity rather than a luxury.” He added that the Chief Minister assured the delegation the promise would be fulfilled. The delegation also pressed for an increase in the monthly pension for journalists and invited Saini to attend the upcoming HUWJ state‑level conference in Nuh district.

  Photo: Journalist Dev Kotak Journalists covering a Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) protest at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi were assaulted this week, drawing condemnation from press bodies across the country. Times Now reporters Dev Kotak, Shafali Nigam and Jyoti Mishra were among those attacked; equipment was damaged and several journalists were injured, according to statements from Times Network and the Indian Federation of Working Journalists (IFWJ). Kotak, who has covered the CJP protests since they began, said the incident hasn't changed how he plans to report. "This will not affect anything or change the way I continue to report," Kotak told Influencing. "I have been covering the CJP protests since day one. We have been on the ground trying to highlight the concerns over education and asking for reforms in the education system." Kotak rejected suggestions that mainstream media had ignored the protesters' concerns, pointing to his own reporting on the issue, including visits

Friday, 24 July 2026 #1  ·  Times City / Front Page  ·  Ground-reporting / In-depth feature 'Ran from one hospital to another': A mother's ordeal to save her son's life / 'I thought he was only trying to scare me': Youth in the line of pellet gun fire By Sugandha Jha, Neha Mishra, Priyangi Agarwal   ·   The Times of India, New Delhi – July 24, 2026  ·  Page 2 Two accounts of young protesters — 19-year-old Sahil and 25-year-old Irshad Shaikh — who suffered pellet-like injuries during the July 20 Sansad Chalo march detail the human cost of police action that authorities deny. Sahil's mother describes a 12-hour hospital odyssey across multiple institutions before AIIMS finally admitted him, with doctors giving less than 1% chance of saving his eye. Shaikh, an IT worker from MP, recounts the alleged moment an RAF staffer pointed a weapon at his face and fired, leaving pel

Media Production & Entertainment hiring rose 24 per cent year-on-year, according to the latest Naukri report, a jump reflected in recent newsroom recruitment, with organisations including The Pioneer, The Times of India and The Indian Express announcing editorial vacancies. The rise comes amid broader momentum in white-collar hiring, which grew 6 per cent in June according to Naukri's JobSpeak Index, closing the first fiscal quarter at a steady 4 per cent. Among functions tracked, Media Production & Entertainment recorded the sharpest growth for the month, ahead of Healthcare & Life Sciences (22 per cent), IT & Information Security (18 per cent), Production, Manufacturing & Engineering (14 per cent) and Marketing & Communications (12 per cent). The hiring surge has also been driven disproportionately by entry-level roles. Fresher hiring rose 8 per cent year-on-year in June and 9 per cent for the April-June quarter, according to the report, even as hiring