A media delegation from Kashmir met Puducherry Lieutenant Governor Kuniyil Kailashnathan at Lok Niwas on Wednesday during a Press Information Bureau (PIB), Srinagar-organised press tour to Chennai.  Kailashnathan said he envisaged Puducherry as a major medical tourism hub, noting that the Union Territory has seven medical colleges, including JIPMER. He also highlighted infrastructure projects, including the expansion of Puducherry airport’s runway from 1,500 metres to 2,500 metres, along with road and railway works expected to be completed by 2028. Discussions also covered Jammu and Kashmir’s industrial prospects, with Kailashnathan stressing incentives such as tax holidays and cheaper power to attract investment, as well as improved transport connectivity.  The delegation, visiting Chennai from September 13 to 19, also toured the Auroville Foundation and interacted with residents as part of the PIB exposure programme.&n

  The alleged assault of a journalist in Saharsa has triggered a demand for a state-level investigation, with the Web Journalists Association of India (WJAI) meeting Bihar Health Minister Nishant Kumar and seeking a fair inquiry, protection for journalists and action against those found guilty. A WJAI delegation led by State General Secretary Sagar Kumar met the minister and briefed him about the alleged assault on a journalist who had gone to a hospital to report on children who fell ill after consuming mid-day meals. According to the association, the journalist was allegedly assaulted and verbally abused by a doctor, Dr S.K. Azad, during the coverage. A video of the incident has also circulated, in which the doctor can allegedly be heard saying, “We are your father.” The association alleged that around 20 to 25 people subsequently surrounded and assaulted the journalist. During the meeting, the minister informed the delegation that the matter was already being investigated a

The Kerala Union of Working Journalists (KUWJ) and the Press Club of India (PCI) have condemned the Kerala Police action at the Reporter TV newsroom in Kochi, calling it interference in journalists' work and a violation of press freedom. According to the KUWJ, a team of police officers entered the newsroom at around 5 am on September 16 and remained for nearly one-and-a-half hours. The union said the police created an atmosphere of fear, forcibly took journalists' personal mobile phones, and disrupted the newsroom's functioning. It said the News Editor was forcibly removed from his desk while on live duty, disrupting the channel's live broadcast and questioned the need for police action inside a newsroom, seeking an explanation from the Chief Minister and the Home Department. The union described the incident as an act of police high-handedness that should have no place in a democratic setup, and compared it to the police action against NewsClick, where equipment was seized and t

Thursday, 17 September 2026 #1  ·  Nation  ·  Ground report Hit by severe dry spell, Maha farmers cut losses, flatten crops By Sandip Dighe   ·   The Times of India, New Delhi  ·  Page Page 4 Maharashtra soybean farmers across Solapur, Marathwada and Vidarbha are using tractors to plough under standing crops they can no longer save, as a prolonged monsoon break has caused severe soil moisture depletion across 21 districts. Farmers who have spent Rs 25,000–30,000 per acre face total loss on seeds, fertilisers and labour, with cascading risks of rural debt. Farmer organisations and experts are urging the government to begin immediate crop-loss assessments before evidence disappears, warning that delayed action could convert a crop failure into a broader rural debt crisis. Multiple named on-record sources — farmers, a soybean scientist, an agriculture economist, and an activist — across distinct g

The long-pending railway connectivity issue in Beed district may see progress, with preparations underway to start the Beed-Pune railway service from September 17, Marathwada Mukti Sangram Day. The railway work, including electrical installations, from Beed to Vadwani has been completed, and railway teams have conducted high-speed engine tests at Vadwani. The Vadwani Taluka Journalists’ Association and Voice of Media submitted a memorandum to District Collector Vivek Johnson on September 11, seeking that the service be operated as Vadwani-Beed-Pune. The proposed railway will connect around 100 villages and is expected to improve trade, employment and industrial activity in the region. The Collector assured the journalists that he would discuss the demand with railway officials and the state government, Divyamarathi reported.  

Migration overhaul: Burke warns of a “guest worker economy” Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke is flagging a major tightening of temporary visa settings as numbers top one million, warning Australia risks sliding into a “guest worker economy” built on churn and visa-hopping. The government is moving to curb overstayers and tighten pathways such as student-related visas, with Labor also blaming the Coalition for blocking earlier reforms that would have broadened its options. Covered by: The Age, Sydney Morning Herald, Australian Financial Review, The Australian. AUKUS nuclear edge: talk of nukes on visiting US subs Fresh scrutiny is landing on AUKUS after a senior US Republican suggested American submarines rotating through WA could potentially carry nuclear weapons, pressing the argument that Australia should accept that deterrent posture against China. Australian ministers are reiterating commitments to the South Pacific Nuclear Free Zone, but the comments sharpen domestic de

Working journalists in Tripura’s Unakoti district have urged the police to address threats against journalists, alleged impersonation, the movement of narcotics and illegal Burmese cigarettes, and misuse of “Press” stickers on vehicles. A delegation met the Superintendent of Police, Unakoti, on Tuesday and submitted a deputation seeking action on these concerns. The journalists alleged that Bikash Kapali and Nazmul Hossain received death threats through fake social media accounts following their report on the seizure of a suspected narcotic substance. An FIR was lodged at Fatikroy Police Station on August 29, but the delegation claimed there had been no visible progress in identifying those responsible. They also called for stronger surveillance to curb the movement of narcotics and illegal cigarettes, along with action against individuals allegedly misusing press identities and vehicle stickers. The delegation emphasised the need to protect working journalists