Thursday, 1 October 2026 #1  ·  Times Special  ·  Investigative ground report / Data story Can Delhi stop worrying about farm fires from this year? By Amarjeet Singh, Ipsita Pati   ·   The Times of India, New Delhi  ·  Page Page 25 A multi-reporter ground investigation across Punjab, Haryana, and Madhya Pradesh examines whether stubble-burning — a primary driver of Delhi's winter air pollution — is finally declining. Punjab has cut farm fires from 83,000 in 2020 to around 5,100 in 2025, driven by machinery access and a residue-to-market economy, but small farmers remain excluded. Meanwhile, MP has emerged as a surprise new hotspot, with wheat-residue fires surging to 39,165 in 2026. Exceptionally rare triple-state field investigation with named farmers, sarpanches, agriculture officials and aggregators quoted on record across Punjab, Haryana and MP; the revelation that MP has quietly surpassed Pu

Mid-air terror scare on Tel Aviv-bound flight A Dubai-to-Tel Aviv flight plunged thousands of feet during a cockpit fight after a stabbing, with passengers reportedly subduing the alleged attacker before an emergency landing. Authorities are treating it as a suspected hijack attempt, raising fresh concerns about aviation security and terrorism risks in the region. Covered by: The Advertiser, The Australian, Herald Sun. Inflation politics: Labor urged to rein in spending as rate-hike fears rise With inflation reported at 4 per cent in August and markets bracing for another RBA hike, pressure is building on the Albanese government to demonstrate fiscal restraint. NSW Premier Chris Minns’ pointed distancing from federal Labor underscores growing internal and intergovernmental tension over whether government spending is worsening cost-of-living pain. Covered by: The West Australian, The Age, The Australian, Australian Financial Review. Hunter coal mine extension approved, igniti

Ogilvy PR Australia, House of Kitch, DEC PR and Herd MSL are among the agencies celebrating after taking home trophies at the recent CPRA Golden Target Awards. Sydney-based House of Kitch won the Gold Award for Corporate and Business Campaign of the Year for its work with Ocius, built around "highly targeted media engagement rather than one-off announcements," founder Samara Kitchener told Influencing. “The campaign was integrated across strategy, branding, media relations, thought leadership and a broader marketing platform, including a new website.  “Ocius operates in a technically complex space, so the first job was to translate autonomous systems, maritime robotics, AI and defence capability into clear stories with relevance beyond the technology itself. “We then matched those stories to the journalists and audiences most likely to care about them, whether the angle was defence capability, sovereign industry, innovation, investment, recruitmen

Dentsu India is expanding its Generative Engine Optimization (GEO) Practice to help brands strengthen visibility and relevance across AI-powered experiences as consumer discovery habits evolve. The practice brings together proprietary intelligence, ecosystem technologies, data, search and content expertise, technical optimization and measurement to help businesses understand how AI systems interpret information about their brands and identify gaps in visibility and representation. At its core is Dentsu Search Intelligence, which combines search, content and AI-discovery intelligence to help brands understand how they are discovered across traditional and generative environments. Dentsu is also integrating technologies such as the Dentsu AI Search Suite into its solutions and workflows. The practice is supported by a cross-disciplinary GEO task force covering business leadership, technology, data, media, search, content and analytics. Dentsu is also developing GEO partnerships, pro

A 45‑year‑old YouTube news channel reporter, Vaidya Mohan, was allegedly killed at his residence in Telangana's Mancherial city early Tuesday morning. Police have detained his wife Jamuna (40) and daughter Sindhu (17) in connection with the incident. Preliminary police information suggests that Mohan was allegedly attacked with a rokali banda (traditional grinding stone) during a domestic dispute at his residence. According to K. Srinivas, head constable at the Mancherial police station, “Vaidya Mohan had been assaulting his wife for several years. His wife and daughter, frustrated with the continued domestic violence, attacked him.” Both Jamuna and Sindhu have been taken into custody and will be produced for remand after investigation, Srinivas told Influencing. Mohan was reportedly working as a reporter for a YouTube news channel. Further details are awaited as the probe continues. 

Gurgaon-based communications and PR tech firm CommsCredible, founded by Aman Dhall, has marked its sixth anniversary with a rebrand, moving from its founding philosophy of #StoryMatters to a positioning centred on Actual Intelligence.  The positioning is built around the ABCDE model: AI Discovery, Brand Strategy, Content Marketing, Digital PR and Experiential Events. The model aims to connect how brands communicate, appear, are discovered and experienced across platforms.  Dhall said the shift reflects changes in how brands are discovered, understood and chosen as AI, search and fragmented media consumption reshape communications.  Over six years, CommsCredible has worked with 40 high-growth businesses across fintech, deep tech, sport tech, manufacturing and social impact in India, Southeast Asia and the Middle East. The company will continue supporting founders, businesses and organisations while expanding its capabilities across AI Discovery, strategy, content, di

Senior journalist and writer Sudhir Mishra has resigned from Navbharat Times, Lucknow, after a 14-year stint and is set to join Telugu news television channel 6TV as Group Editor. Mishra will join the organisation in the first week of November and will be based in Lucknow, while travelling between Hyderabad and Delhi. In his new role, he will also be involved in 6TV's planned expansion into Delhi and Uttar Pradesh. “It is time for something new and I’m excited to take up the new role,” Mishra told Influencing India. A seasoned Hindi journalist, Mishra has reported extensively on climate, social issues and ground-level stories. He joined Navbharat Times on April 1, 2013, as Resident Editor in Lucknow when its Lucknow-Kanpur edition was relaunched. He later headed the publication's Lucknow, NCR and Delhi editions before returning to Lucknow in 2024. Announcing his resignation in a social media post, Mishra described leaving the organisation as a difficult