The Danish Siddiqui Foundation has invited entries for the Danish Siddiqui Journalism Award 2026, instituted to recognise journalism that reflects integrity, courage, empathy and a commitment to truth. Established in memory of Pulitzer Prize-winning photojournalist Danish Siddiqui, the award honours reporting that engages deeply with complex realities, upholds ethical standards and contributes meaningfully to public understanding through impactful storytelling. The jury for the 2026 edition comprises veteran journalist, writer and critic Om Thanvi; Siddharth Varadarajan, founding editor of The Wire; Suhasini Haidar, Diplomatic Editor at The Hindu; senior investigative journalist and author Josy Joseph; Prof Sabeena Gadihoke, Director of AJK MCRC, Jamia Millia Islamia; and Saurabh Dwivedi, former founding editor of The Lallantop. Established in 2025, the Danish Siddiqui Foundation works to advance value-based journalism by empowering aspiring and experienced journalists through cur

  The Hervey Bay Advertiser joins the list of now defunct local newspapers, with publisher Malcolm Quinn announcing the newspaper has closed its doors, citing increased costs and insufficient revenue and an unwillingness to compromise on quality.  “In May 2020, when News Corp Australia announced it would stop printing and either close or convert around 112 local and regional newspaper titles as part of a major restructure toward digital-first publishing, we felt that Hervey Bay still had a decisive appetite for a truly local newspaper,” Quinn said. “That decision proved to be correct. The Hervey Bay Advertiser has proudly served the community since that time, publishing for almost six years and producing close to 150 editions.” During its publication tenure, The Hervey Bay Advertiser was recognised by the Country Press Association as the Best Community Newspaper in Queensland, setting a benchmark for both editorial quality and advertisi

Morning, welcome to Thursday and the big question is, who would want to be Chris Minns? I ask because The Daily Telegraph is giving the NSW Premier a right word lashing this morning, with no less than two critical stories on the front page and yards of follow-on words inside. Top of page 1 is a picture of a group of 'E-HOONS' as the Tele calls them, streaming over the Sydney Harbour Bridge on Tuesday on their electric bikes (as well as conventional motorbikes) and breaking many a law as they did so. Usefully, state political editor James O'Doherty's extensive piece inside the print edition includes a graphic with a list of the broken rules and laws. Thing is, says O'Doherty, and cue reader outrage, police didn't pursue the riders because it "could have been dangerous". Fair enough. But when they did catch up with the "gloating mob of e-bike riders" none were booked, with an assistant police commissioner quoted as sayi

News channels in India increased ad rates significantly during the Union Budget weekend, driven by high audience interest and advertiser demand. According to e4m, rates for live speeches and analysis climbed sharply compared to standard pricing. TV9 reportedly raised 10‑second slot charges to nearly Rs 12,000, attracting banking, insurance, LIC, and automobile advertisers. News24 also increased rates 1.5× to 2×, led by FMCG, BFSI, and automobile brands. Other channels gained from higher ad revenue as well. Despite the surge in demand, advertisers approached spending cautiously, keeping in mind a wider slowdown in the market.

Aaj Tak is set to host Salaam Cricket, a flagship event bringing together prominent names from Indian cricket to analyse Team India’s preparations for the upcoming ICC T20 World Cup. The initiative aims to offer viewers in-depth discussions on player form, team combinations, match strategies, and performance under pressure.  The event will feature cricketers including Rishabh Pant, who is expected to share insights from his World Cup experience and perspectives on modern-day cricket. Fast bowling discussions will be led by Mohit Sharma, Ishant Sharma, and Umesh Yadav, while veterans Madan Lal, Atul Wassan, and Chetan Sharma will reflect on India’s bowling legacy. Sunil Gavaskar is also set to present his views on technique and the evolution of the game.   World Cup winners Harbhajan Singh, Suresh Raina, and Yuzvendra Chahal will discuss the mindset required to perform on the global stage.  Through Salaam Crick

Kumar Anupam from Technische Universiteit Delft, The Netherlands, has joined the Editorial Board of the Intelligent Transportation Infrastructure Journal for the term January 2026 to January 2028. In this role, he will focus on articles related to intelligent pavement infrastructure and contribute to advancing innovation in transportation infrastructure. The journal serves as a global platform for research and knowledge exchange in modern transportation systems. Dr Anupam’s appointment reflects his continued contribution to the field and his engagement in developing smarter and more efficient infrastructure solutions.  

Compass Communications has been appointed as the public relations partner for Virohan, a leading healthcare education company in India.  As part of the mandate, Compass Communications will handle Virohan’s brand communications, focusing on strengthening its market presence and supporting its mission to bridge the skills gap in the healthcare sector.  Founded in 2018, Virohan has partnered with over 20 universities, trained more than 13,000 students, and worked with 2,000+ healthcare employers. Its academic partners include UPES, BBD University, CMR University, Assam Don Bosco University, MIT Shillong, G.H. Raisoni University and Silver Oak University, while its industry partners include Lenskart, Medanta, Healthians and Dr. Lal PathLabs.  Commenting on the mandate, Compass Communications co-founders Rafi Q Khan and Rohan Srinivasan said the agency looks forward to supporting Virohan’s growth journey and strengthening its leadership narrative in healthcar