Monday, 15 June 2026 The Times of India, New Delhi #1  ·  Times Business  ·  Data story / In-depth feature Skilled blue-collar talent in demand amid AI surge By Rupali Mukherjee   ·   The Times of India, New Delhi  ·  Page 15 An analysis of over 50 million job postings by talent firm Randstad, shared exclusively with TOI, finds that AI's physical infrastructure boom has driven demand in India for electricians up 242%, HVAC technicians 200%, and robotics technicians over 500% in four years, while blue-collar job volumes overall surged 93% between 2022 and 2026. The story documents a narrowing salary gap between skilled blue-collar workers and entry-level white-collar employees, with blue-collar wages growing at 5.7% year-on-year versus 4% for white-collar counterparts. Anchored by an exclusive data set of 50 million job postings and supported by named industry sources, the story challenges the dominant AI-as

As conversations around Men's Mental Health Month gain momentum in June, attention is increasingly turning towards professions where emotional strain is often overlooked. Journalism is one of them. For reporters, exposure to grief, violence, injustice and human suffering is often part of the job. Yet while journalists are trained to remain objective and move quickly from one assignment to the next, the emotional impact of repeatedly witnessing trauma is rarely discussed. Independent journalist Prasanth Shanmugasundaram, whose work has appeared in BBC, DW, The Wire and Mongabay, says some stories stay with journalists long after publication. "There are stories you finish filing, and there are stories that don't leave you," he says. Among them are his reports on caste-based discrimination in burial grounds, sanitation workers surviving on wages below the legal minimum and migrant families in Valparai who lost children in human-wildlife conflict. While reporting on burial discri

The Punjab and Haryana High Court on Wednesday directed the Punjab Police not to take any coercive action against Bathinda‑based journalist Rattandeep Singh Dhaliwal, who is facing multiple complaints filed by AAP MLAs. Dhaliwal had approached the Court after receiving notices from different districts over remarks made in a recent podcast, where he claimed that around 32 sitting AAP MLAs may not be considered for tickets in the next Punjab Assembly elections. Hearing the matter, Justice Rohit Kapoor observed that it would be unreasonable to expect a person to respond to numerous notices issued across the state within a short period. The Court orally asked the State to refrain from action until further orders, while the Punjab government assured that no coercive steps would be taken. At the same time, the Bench remarked that journalism must remain impartial, noting: “If reporting is driven by an agenda against a single political party, it cannot be described as independent j

Chris Button's favourite story from his decade-long career in tech journalism didn't hinge on a gadget. It started with Nvidia's announcement of DLSS 5, its generative AI technology for game graphics, and ended with him talking to game developers and museum curators. "I spoke with a lot of different people in the Australian scene because I wanted to make sure it came from a local focus and essentially unpacks what this technology is," the GadgetGuy editor told Influencing Insider last week.  "I was really happy with it because it had a broad spectrum of perspectives and ideas, including game developers and museum curators. When I'm able to sink my teeth into a big feature story and interview lots of different people, to create a bigger story, that's always a satisfying feeling." Button noted that in his time at the masthead, it was the budget and mid-range phones that performed best. "Some of your more affordable phones, Motorola and Oppo, tend to be more affordable. That's what

The fall-out from the horrific job cuts at Southern Cross and NBN continue to be seen as rumours run rife while announcements of departures fill LinkedIn feeds. High profile casualties of the Seven cutbacks include newsreader Natarsha Belling and TV sports reporter Chris Maher, according to media reports. Seven newsreader Natarsha Belling's position has been made redundant, according to media reports Meanwhile the full picture of Win's restructure have emerged with only six journalism roles to remain after the cuts. Last Friday, Mumbrella put the total number of redundancies to impact Win's NBN restructure at 16. A Win statement published on Mumbrellla and other outlets said: “A meeting was held with all NBN News staff today to announce a new operating restructure that will enable NBN News to deliver dedicated 30-minute local news, sport and weather bulletins each weeknight". “While the restructure impacts some roles, Win is prioritising redeployment

Hanson surges in preferred PM poll as major parties wobble A new Resolve Political Monitor has Pauline Hanson overtaking Anthony Albanese as preferred prime minister, with One Nation leading the primary vote while the Coalition hits a record low and Labor wears backlash over budget tax changes. The result sharpens the political pressure on both major parties, signalling a volatile electorate and a potential reshaping of campaign strategy ahead of the next federal contest. Covered by: Sydney Morning Herald, The Age, The West Australian, The Australian. Socceroos shock Turkey in World Cup opener — and a new star is born Australia’s 2–0 upset win over Turkey/Türkiye has dominated front pages, with Nestory Irankunda’s debut goal and Connor Metcalfe’s long-range strike framing a statement performance built on bold selection calls. Beyond the result, the coverage highlights a generational shift for the national team and the surge of public energy at l

India TV has revised the telecast timing of its flagship prime-time news analysis show, Aaj Ki Baat with Rajat Sharma. Effective June 15, 2026, the programme will air at 8.30 pm. The channel said the move is aimed at strengthening its evening prime-time line-up and offering viewers the show's analysis and perspective earlier in the evening. According to India TV, Aaj Ki Baat has a lifetime reach of over 440 million viewers, while recording an average of 38 million daily viewing minutes in 2025. Anchored by India TV Chairman and Editor-in-Chief Rajat Sharma, the show is positioned as a key part of the channel's strategy to anchor its prime-time schedule with news analysis and commentary on the day's major developments.