Tragedy struck Goa’s popular after-hours party scene just before midnight on Saturday, killing 25 people – five of them tourists – and injuring six inside a nightclub in Arpora that turned into a fireball within seconds of electric firecrackers hitting the wooden ceiling of the first floor as a belly-dancer performed. The blaze occurred around 11.45pm, with a portion of the ceiling catching fire. As flames coursed through the roof overhead, the guests and performers bolted. While most of them were able to step out of the club, those trapped inside reached the basement after the exit caught fire and succumbed to the flames.   Hot off the Press The victims in the blaze at Birch by Romeo Lane, 16km from Panaji, included four of a family from UP’s Ghaziabad. Of the injured, five are being treated at Goa Medical College and Hospital, reported Murari Shetye for The Times of India. Police said 150 guests were at the club for the weekend event. Initial inve

Journalist Nilanjana Bhowmick has received major relief from the Delhi High Court, which ruled that a journalist cannot be held responsible for defamation if the information they publish is factually correct, no matter what tone or writing style they use. According to Hindustan Times, The court said that the way a journalist writes—whether the tone is sharp, strong, or critical, is simply part of their writing skill. “If the facts reported are true, then it cannot be called defamation,” the court said. The judgement was delivered on November 17 while hearing Bhowmick’s petition to cancel a defamation case filed against her in 2014 by activist Ravi Nair. The case related to an article she wrote for Time Magazine in 2010, in which Nair claimed she had wrongly implied that he and his organisation were involved in money laundering.

If all goes as planned, the Odisha government may soon give pensions to journalists, Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi informed the state assembly on Thursday, December 4. He said that a proposal for providing pensions to journalists is under consideration. Majhi was responding to a question raised by BJP MLA Sidhant Mohapatra. He further said that journalists working in print, electronic, digital, and web media approved by the Information and Public Relations Department are already being provided health insurance coverage under the Gopabandhu Journalists’ Health Insurance Scheme. The scheme offers working journalists health insurance coverage that allows their families to access cashless treatment of up to Rs.5 lakh at empanelled hospitals, Odisha Bytes reported.

This year’s Best Australian Science Writing anthology has a strong human connection, according to co-editors and science communicators Zoe Kean and Tegan Taylor. Both said initially they didn’t go into the editing process with a particular focus in mind, instead choosing to simply let it rise to the surface.  “The [human connection] brought out the humanity in science, whether that was a focus on the researchers or the impact of the work and the impact of science on the community,” Kean told Influencing.  “There were quite a few health pieces that were quite patient-centred or healthcare worker-centred,” she added.  Published by UNSW Press, the editors singled out the Bragg Prize-winning piece as essential reading. “If you only read one piece, it should be Tabitha Carvan’s The Unexpected Poetry of PhD Acknowledgements. It’s the final piece in the anthology,” Taylor said. Kean also highlighted a feature on chirality. “I’d never heard of it before, and

  The JournalismAI Academy 2026 is open for registrations. The free, 5-week online training program is designed for journalists and media professionals across the Asia–Pacific region. Developed by the JournalismAI team at the London School of Economics (LSE) and powered by the Google News Initiative, the JournalismAI Academy 2026 helps newsrooms understand how artificial intelligence can transform reporting, storytelling, and workflows. Since 2021, the program has trained more than 180 professionals around the world. In 2026, the JournalismAI Academy 2026 returns to APAC with an expanded format open to organisations of all sizes. Key Dates & Details Program: JournalismAI Academy 2026 Region: Asia-Pacific (APAC) Format: Online, 5 weeks Start Date: February 2026 Cost: Free Organisers: JournalismAI at LSE Google News Initiative Application Deadline: 14 December 2025, 1

Morning, hope you all had a fine weekend and welcome to Monday. For sports fans - and that's just about everyone here when an Australian team is winning - well in this case unless you're English - the big news is Australia is now two-up in the five-test Ashes cricket series and several of the papers carry joyful pictures of the latest win in Brisbane at the Gabba.  The story which goes with the AP picture above is on The Australian's front page and story written by Will Stanton who takes us through the last day's play. And The Courier-Mail, ('BAZBALL IN ASHES') is another front page piece with a jubilant cricketing picture used big. English folk, avert your gaze.  Meanwhile, in other news...this week - Wednesday - sees the U16 social media ban come into force and that world-first gets some decent coverage this morning with the Herald Sun devoting two full pages inside the paper under it's 'Let Them Be Kids' banner which the N

  Senior video journalist Damodar passed away on Thursday, leaving his family, colleagues and the wider media fraternity in shock and grief. BRS president and former Chief Minister K. Chandrashekhar Rao expressed deep sorrow at the loss, recalling Damodar’s long association with the Telangana movement. “Damodar was a dedicated journalist who played an active role in reporting the Telangana agitation since the party’s inception,” Rao said, adding that his passing while on duty was a great loss. Hyderabad Police Commissioner V. C. Sajjanar also paid tribute, writing on X: “It is deeply saddening to learn about the sudden passing of Hyderabad-based senior video journalist Damodar. His warm nature and unexpected demise have left colleagues and the wider media fraternity in profound grief. My heartfelt condolences to his family. Om Shanti.” Telangana Minister for R&B and Cinematography Komatireddy Venkat Reddy echoed the sentiment, calling Damodar’s untimely death