Several journalist bodies, including the Press Council of India, Editors Guild of India and Delhi Union of Journalists, have demanded a “serious investigation” into the shocking murder of Bastar-based independent journalist Mukesh Chandrakar. Mukesh Chandrakar was found dead on January 3, 2025, following his report disclosing scams in public construction projects.   Chandrakar has been missing since January 1, 2025. On January 3, 2025, the police discovered his body in a septic tank on the property of a road contractor whom he reported in the Bijapur district of Chhattisgarh. According to media reports, two of the three accused arrested were his relatives.   Born in Basaguda, Chandrakar lost his father at a very young age. He witnessed violence and terrorism since childhood when Salwa Judum terrorized Bastar. He was sent to a Salwa Judum relief camp and reunited with his family after two years. In 2011, he lost his mother to cancer.  Chandrakar started a YouTube channel

In one of the deadliest Maoist attacks in recent times, at least eight constables belonging to the Chhattisgarh police counter-insurgency force District Reserve Guard (DRG) were killed along with a civilian driver after IED weighing almost 70kg exploded in Bastar region’s Bijapur district on Monday. Hot off the Press Rashmi Drolia for The Times of India pointed out that this was the deadliest Maoist attack since April 2023 when a similar IED explosion claimed the lives of 10 security personnel and their driver. The DRG team was ambushed while returning home after a two-day operation in the dense forests of south Abujhmarh in Narayanpur district in which five Maoist insurgents were gunned down and DRG head constable Sannu Karam lost his life. Among the Maoists killed, two were women. In a related story, Rashmi raised several questions concerning the attack. "How did the road-opening party, which had sanitised the route of the security personnel in Kutru, fail to spot a 70kg

  On January 5, 2025, the Government of India introduced the Draft Digital Personal Data Protection Rules, aimed at safeguarding citizens’ personal data and empowering them in the digital economy. Released by the Ministry of Electronics & IT, the draft focuses on balancing innovation with regulation, according to Union IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw. In an interview with CNBC-TV18, Vaishnaw emphasised the pivotal role of digital platforms in driving India’s growth over the past decade. He highlighted the government’s extensive efforts to create a fully digitized Data Protection Board, ensuring seamless implementation of the law. “The rules are written in simple language, with clear examples to ensure easy understanding and implementation,” he said. Key provisions of the draft include requiring data fiduciaries to obtain informed consent from individuals before processing personal data and mandating verifiable parental consent for processing children’s data. Citize

Adelaide Crows legend and former captain Rory Sloane is set to bring his on-field expertise to Nine's AFL commentary team for the 2025 season, according to Mediaweek.  After retiring with 255 games under his belt at the end of the 2024 season, Sloane will feature on The AFL Sunday Footy Show, Footy Classified and 9News Adelaide, while also contributing to 3AW football radio commentary. A two-time Best and Fairest winner and 2016 All-Australian, Sloane expressed enthusiasm about the new chapter.  "Growing up, my Sundays were centred around the Wide World of Sports, so being part of that legacy is a dream come true," he said. He plans to bring fresh insights into AFL analysis, focusing on tactics and trends drawn from his experience as a midfielder. Nine's Director of Sport, Brent Williams, highlighted Sloane’s leadership and deep understanding of the game, confident that his expertise will elevate Nine’s AFL coverage.  9News Adelaide's director, Jeremy Pudney, also commend

The recent outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza (H5N1) in India has sounded alarms nationwide. Three tigers and a leopard succumbed to the virus at Maharashtra’s Gorewada Rescue Centre, as reported by Purnima Sah for The Hindu. This strain of avian flu is known for its deadly effects on animals and its potential to spill over into humans, raising serious concerns. The Times of India's Sarfaraz Ahmed highlighted that zoos and wildlife facilities nationwide are on high alert, with the government issuing quarantine advisories to prevent further spread. In the past month alone, multiple animal deaths have been attributed to the H5N1 virus in India. Siddhant Konduskar for Indian Express reported that beyond Maharashtra, cases are surfacing in various states, prompting a nationwide red alert. Originating in avian species, H5N1 has mutated over time, gaining the ability to infect mammals, raising fears of its potential to jump to humans. This strain first identified decad

The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB) received an allocation of Rs 4342.55 crore in the Union Budget 2024-25, significantly lower than its proposed expenditure of Rs 5017.64 crore, according to a parliamentary standing committee report on communications and information technology released on December 18, 2024. The report noted a consistent pattern of budget cuts and underutilisation in the past financial year, where the ministry utilised 97.94 per cent of the allocated budget estimate of Rs 4692 crore, with actual expenditure at Rs 4314.24 crore. The ministry explained, "Optimal utilisation of funds has been achieved, with a focus on establishment expenditures and central sector schemes." The budgetary allocations at the budget estimate (BE) and revised estimate (RE) stage, along with the actual expenditure for MIB for the last four years, 2020-21, 2021-22, 2022-23 and 2023-24, along with the allocations made for the year 2024-25 at BE stage, are as follows: The redu

Iran’s unexpected involvement in the case of Nimisha Priya, an Indian nurse on death row in Yemen, is as significant as it is intriguing. Priya, convicted of the murder of a Yemeni national, faces the death penalty in a region controlled by the Iran-backed Houthi movement. Iran’s offer to assist India on “humanitarian grounds” has raised questions about its motivations and the potential impact on Indo-Iranian relations. This is particularly interesting because it’s the same rebel group that is also attacking Indian ships in the Red Sea. For the unversed, the Nimisha Priya case centres around an Indian nurse from Kerala who was sentenced to death in Yemen for the 2017 murder of her Yemeni business partner, Talol Abdo Mahdi. Priya claimed that she acted in self-defence after suffering physical and financial abuse from Mahdi, who allegedly took over her medical clinic and withheld her passport, effectively trapping her in Yemen. The case took a grim turn when Priya was convic