P. Krishnan, former senior deputy editor of Sportstar, passed away in Chennai on October 20. He was 69. Affectionately known as PK Sir, he was a patient teacher to a generation of reporters and sub-editors. An editor of the old school, Krishnan believed editing was about much more than correcting sentences or tightening paragraphs. A master of headlines, Krishnan was behind some of Sportstar’s most memorable cover lines until his retirement in 2020. His editorial skills were matched by a sharp and wicked sense of humour. Krishnan joined The Hindu in August 1980 before moving to Sportstar, where he became a mainstay of the editorial desk for more than 30 years. Paying tribute to him on X, Shayan Acharya, lead-cricket reporting and senior assistant editor at Sportstar, wrote: “Our go-to man for all things grammar and humour. A master of headlines, a no-nonsense editor, and someone whose only aim was to make a reporter’s copy better. Travel well, PK Sir! You will b

Haines attack shocks Canberra, sparks security crackdown Independent MP Helen Haines remains critically injured after police allege she was deliberately rammed by a 4WD outside her Wangaratta office, with investigators examining motive and broader security implications. The incident has triggered renewed warnings for MPs to vary routines and intensified debate about political violence, mental health and the adequacy of AFP/ASIO support. Covered by: Sydney Morning Herald, The Age, Australian Financial Review, The Australian, Herald Sun, The West Australian, The Advertiser. Power pole revolt detonates NextDC’s $3b wipeout Community opposition to new high-voltage power poles has delayed grid upgrades for NextDC’s West Footscray data centre, forcing an earnings downgrade and a brutal market sell-off that erased roughly $3 billion in value. The story has become a national test case for whether Australia can build the energy and planning infrastructure needed for the AI/data-

The Indian Federation of Working Journalists (IFWJ) will press the state and central governments to enact legislation safeguarding journalists' safety, dignity and livelihoods during its state-level Foundation Day programme in Jaipur on October 28. Hundreds of journalists from across Rajasthan are expected to gather at Shaheed Smarak at 11 a.m. to mark the federation's 77th Foundation Day and raise long-pending demands relating to journalists' rights, employment security and social protection. Sharing details of the programme with Influencing India, Upendra Singh Rathore, IFWJ national vice-president and Rajasthan state president, said legal safeguards were essential to ensure journalists could carry out their professional responsibilities without fear of violence, threats or administrative harassment. "The government must enact effective legislation to ensure the safety, dignity, and livelihood protection of journalists," Rathore said. The federation is see

Journalists' organisations in Saharanpur have demanded a fair investigation into the murder of Dainik Janvani reporter Naseem Ahmed, along with 1 crore compensation for his family and a government job for one of its members. Alok Taneja, district president of the Rural Journalists Association, condemned the killing and voiced concern over what he described as growing attacks on journalists in Uttar Pradesh. Taneja alleged that media professionals in the state continue to face harassment, with some being implicated in false cases by the police and administration, while others are targeted by influential individuals. The Rural Journalists Association has demanded that those accused in Ahmed's murder be booked under the National Security Act (NSA) and that his family be provided financial assistance of 1 crore. Separately, office-bearers of the Samyukt Journalist Mahasabha submitted a memorandum addressed to the Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) through SP Rural Mayank P

Reporting on developments in one's home country while living abroad presents challenges for journalists, particularly when they cannot directly witness events or meet sources in person. Maintaining accuracy requires reliable local contacts, independent verification and careful decisions about protecting people who share sensitive information. For Germany-based journalists Ashutosh Patki and Aakriti Dhawan, who moved abroad for education and continued their journalistic work, distance has made local networks and digital verification tools an important part of their reporting. Ashutosh Patki, an international affairs journalist and geopolitical analyst, said journalists must independently establish the accuracy of information received from sources, particularly when reporting on events unfolding in another country. “When I cannot be physically present on the ground, I triangulate information from independent sources, cross-check claims against official documents and court

More than 50 journalists participated in a protest rally organised by the Guwahati Press Club on October 17, condemning attacks on journalists in New Delhi and Assam. The rally called on the media fraternity to stand united against attempts to obstruct journalists from doing their jobs. The club condemned the alleged attack on journalists covering a protest organised by the Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi. The protest called for the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. The club alleged that ruling party supporters attacked the journalists in the presence of Delhi Police. It also condemned the alleged misbehaviour of a senior advocate with a journalist on duty inside the fast-track court premises during proceedings in the Zubeen Garg murder case. The club decided to file a written complaint against the advocate with the Bar Association of the Gauhati High Court. Presided over by club president Khagen Kalita and conducted by general se

Wednesday, 21 October 2026 #1  ·  Times City (Page 6)  ·  Data story / In-depth feature Winds May Push Farm Fire Share In Delhi's PM2.5 To 13% By Thurs By Priyangi Agarwal   ·   The Times of India, New Delhi  ·  Page 6 Stubble burning's contribution to Delhi's PM2.5 hit a season-high of 4.1% on Tuesday, with forecasts from Decision Support System projecting a sharp rise to 8% Wednesday and 13.3% Thursday as north-westerly winds shift to carry smoke from Punjab and Haryana into the city. The story contextualises this year's unusual harvest cycle — delayed due to a weak monsoon — and the coincidence of peak farm fires with Diwali on November 8, drawing on multi-year DSS and SAFAR data to show the trend is worse than 2025 but not yet at 2024 peaks. Expert Gufran Beig explains how satellite overpass timing and El Niño-driven slower winds compound the risk. Unusually data-rich for a