The tragic explosion and fire at an illegal firecracker manufacturing unit in Khushkhera‑Karoli industrial area (Khairthal‑Tijara district) on February 16, 2026 claimed the lives of seven workers, many of them migrants from Bihar’s East Champaran district. Independent journalist Mahendra, known for his raw, on‑the‑ground reporting via his YouTube channel, attempted to document the aftermath — filming charred remnants, speaking to bystanders, and questioning officials about how such violations went unchecked. During this coverage, Assistant Public Relations Officer (APRO) Atar Singh confronted Mahendra, demanding to see a “PRO letter” or official authorisation. When Mahendra identified himself as a journalist, Singh dismissed him with the remark: “You are a YouTuber?” and then ordered him to leave, physically pushing him away. Clips of the incident, which went viral on X on February 18, show Singh gesturing aggressively and accusing Mahen

Image edited by Dinesh Raj M   When the Enforcement Directorate slaps a Rs 184-crore penalty on a newsroom, it isn’t just an accounting story. It’s a signal. This week, the agency imposed a Rs 120-crore penalty on PPK NewsClick Studio Pvt Ltd and Rs 64 crore on its editor-in-chief Prabir Purkayastha under the Foreign Exchange Management Act. The charge: alleged misrepresentation of FDI inflows and misdeclaration of services and exports. The case traces back to raids in September 2021 and sits within a longer arc of scrutiny around the portal NewsClick  On paper, this is a compliance matter. FEMA regulates how foreign money enters and exits India. If funds are mischaracterised or reporting norms bypassed, penalties follow. That is the black letter of the law. But here’s what makes this case larger than a line item in an enforcement report. In 2023, the Bharatiya Janata Party amplified a report by The New York Times alleging that NewsClick was part of

Leaders at the India AI Impact Summit 2026 explored how AI is changing employability. The session was moderated by Alok Agrawal, with a virtual keynote from V Anantha Nageswaran. Speakers agreed narrow job skills are losing relevance, while creativity, systems thinking and lifelong learning are gaining importance. Shashi Shekhar Vempati pushed for India-built AI. Smita Prakash spoke on media disruption, and Vineet Nayar urged education and data reforms. According to Adgully, Sanjiv Bhikchandani highlighted the adaptability key, Sateesh Seetharamaiah said AI would create new roles, and Anurag Mairal noted that AI could significantly  boost healthcare jobs.

ABC Radio National’s Lab Notes returns for a second year with a new host - Science Editor Jonathan Webb. Webb replaces Belinda Smith, who becomes co-host of The Science Show alongside long-time presenter Robyn Williams. “This is an exciting chance for me to tell a few stories myself, but also to showcase voices from within the [ABC Science] team,” Webb told Influencing.  Lab Notes will shorten from a 20-minute episode down to a sharp 10 minutes, with Webb citing the balance between other longer ABC Science programs as the main reason for the decision.  “Having that balance of something shorter with the flagship program [The Science Show] seems to work quite well in the science space, and they find overlapping but slightly different audiences.” The program will feature conversations with researchers, scientists and ABC science journalists on a range of topics, both interesting and fun, he said.  “So far, we've picked up a story that was covered within the unit on

Morning, welcome to Wednesday and let's start today with The Sydney Morning Herald which not only has a well-designed front page, there are a couple of good exclusives too. The main picture is of Dr Randa Abdel-Fattah, the Palestinian-Australian academic who was dumped from Adelaide Writers' Week and who it's revealed will be the headline speaker at this year's Sydney Writers' Festival. That story by Linda Morris and pictures by Flavio Brancaleone. I imagine the news hasn't got through to Holt Street yet because firstly the SMH has the exclusive and secondly there's no news on this on The Australian's front page who we might reasonably expect to go into one, as they say, if they had that news.  The second SMH exclusive is on high-speed rail. Has it arrived yet, you might ask. No, and we're all still waiting on the platform, as it were, but an exclusive by Shane Wright and Matt O'Sullivan ('High speed rail link to cost taxpay

The Directorate of Information and Public Relations (DIPR) organised a day-long workshop in Jammu on ethical journalism and the evolving media landscape to sensitise media professionals to changing newsroom practices and the importance of ethical standards in the digital age, according to State Times.  Resource persons from IIMC Jammu discussed emerging trends, misinformation challenges, the growing influence of digital platforms and the implications of AI in journalism, while emphasising accuracy, fairness, objectivity and accountability. Officials highlighted the media’s responsibility in shaping informed public opinion and the need for continuous capacity building and stronger collaboration between the department and journalists. An interactive session was also held where participants shared professional experiences and ethical dilemmas Image source: ChatGPT

S.R. Praveen, principal correspondent at The Hindu’s Thiruvananthapuram bureau, has been named Best Reporter (English print media) at the Swaraj Media Award 2026. The jury recognised his feature “How Kerala Eradicated Extreme Poverty” for its depth and impact. The award includes a cash prize of Rs 25,000, along with a citation and memento. The winners were announced by Kerala Minister for Local Self-Governments M. B. Rajesh at a press conference on Monday, highlighting the role of journalism in documenting social change and public policy.