Assam Police arrested Dhubri-based journalist Soiodur Rahman on September 12 in connection with an alleged extortion case involving Ayurveda practitioner Dr Chotka Rahman. Police said Rahman was arrested during a targeted operation late Saturday night near the Assam-West Bengal-Bangladesh border. He had allegedly been evading arrest since the case was registered.  According to police, a group of journalists allegedly confronted Dr Rahman at his under-construction medical chamber and pharmacy and demanded Rs 3 lakh, while allegedly threatening him with physical harm. Fearing for his safety, he paid Rs 20,000 in cash at the spot and later transferred another Rs 65,000 through PhonePe.  According to India Today NE, the case had earlier led to the arrest of three other accused. Police also arrested Mostofa Firdoz Ahmed after tracing the digital payment to his bank account.  With Rahman’s arrest, police said all the accused named in the case are now in custody. In

A 12-day refresher course on Hindi journalism began at Lucknow University, with 137 Hindi teachers from across India participating as part of the Hindi Diwas celebrations observed on September 14 every year. Organised under the Madan Mohan Malaviya Teachers Training Mission, the course will focus on the history and evolution of Hindi journalism. Speakers highlighted the contribution of journalism to the growth of Hindi and the freedom movement, while stressing the importance of communication, dialogue and debate. 

Karnataka Union of Working Journalists (KUWJ) thanked former minister and Basavanabagewadi MLA Shivananad Patil for donating Rs 5 lakh from his personal funds towards the development of the Vijayapur District Working Journalists’ Association building. Patil had pledged the contribution during Kannada Press Day celebration in 2025. KUWJ state president Shivanand Tagadur commended him for fulfilling his promise, while district association office-bearers expressed their gratitude at a programme held at the DCC Bank premises in Vijayapur.  

A 14-member media delegation from Uttar Pradesh met Assam Governor Lakshman Prasad Acharya in Guwahati on the first day of its six-day PIB-sponsored visit to Assam and Meghalaya.   The delegation also interacted with members of the Gauhati Press Club to discuss the regional media landscape and the challenges facing journalists in the Northeast. The visit aims to give journalists first-hand exposure to the region’s development initiatives cultural heritage natural wealth and socio-economic landscape.    Image credit: Tripura Star News 

Madhur Singh founder of Climate Action Live has announced a free two-hour online training session for India-based reporters interested in improving their solutions journalism skills.   Scheduled for September 25 from 1 pm to 3 pm the session will focus on the four pillars of solutions journalism and help reporters assess whether proposed solutions work why they work who benefits and under what conditions.   Reporters have been invited to submit short story pitches preferably on climate-related issues. Selected stories will be developed during the training and qualifying stories may be published on Climate Action Live.

    Journalists in Nainital have urged Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami to name the Media Hall at the District Information Office after late District Information Officer Girija Shankar Joshi. The Nainital unit of the National Union of Journalists (India), Uttarakhand, sent a letter to Dhami seeking the naming of the hall in Joshi’s memory. At a condolence meeting held on Monday, journalists also unanimously proposed naming the newly constructed conference hall at the District Information Office and the media centre under construction in Haldwani after him. Joshi, who died on September 12, had served as District Information Officer for a long time and maintained cordial relations with journalists. Information Editor Kamlesh Bhatt said the demands would be conveyed to the Chief Minister, Navin Samachar reported.  

  The newly elected office-bearers and members of the National Union of Journalists (India) assumed office at the organisation’s central headquarters in New Delhi on Monday. Rakesh Thapliyal took charge as National President, Rakesh Kumar Sharma as National Secretary General and Ramchandra Kannaujia as Treasurer. Former National President Bihari expressed concern over the challenges facing journalists, including safety, fair wages and allowances. He hoped the new executive would work to protect journalists’ interests. Thapliyal said NUJ India would strongly raise issues concerning journalists’ rights and launch a campaign against fake journalists to protect the credibility of the profession. Sharma said the organisation would take up journalists’ concerns with the government. The union will hold its three-day national convention in Jaipur from November 28.