Several Opposition leaders have criticised the Jammu and Kashmir administration over the detention of freelance journalist Khushal Khawaja, who reported on the closure of the Sadna Pass in Kupwara and its impact on patients in the Karnah valley, The Scroll reported. Khawaja, a North Kashmir–based journalist, was detained by police for several hours on Thursday and released later with instructions to report again the next day, former Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti said. She alleged that the action followed his reporting on the road closure, which she claimed stranded critically ill patients and led to the death of a young girl. Khawaja told The Wire that he was detained after questioning alleged negligence at a government hospital following the death of a seven-year-old girl from Luntha village. The child died near a helipad while being prepared for airlifting to Srinagar for treatment. He said police seized his phone and detained him without giving a clear reason. Earlier, Khawaj

The Press Information Bureau (PIB), Srinagar Region, on Sunday, Feb 1, flagged off a five-day media tour to Kerala for journalists from Srinagar as part of its ongoing media outreach programme. The tour will continue till February 7. A 14-member delegation, including journalists and PIB officials, is participating in the visit, which aims to provide firsthand exposure to key Central government initiatives and national-level programmes. Ahead of the departure, PIB Srinagar Director Qazi Salman briefed the delegation on the objectives of the tour and urged participants to engage meaningfully during official interactions. The delegation is being led by Majid Pandit, Media and Communication Officer, PIB Srinagar. During the visit, the journalists will tour Central government institutions and projects in Kochi and Thiruvananthapuram and interact with senior officials to gain insights into their functioning.

Welcome to Tuesday and some standout journalism this morning in the print papers, including a piece by The Australian's technology editor Jared Lynch which appears in both his home paper and tabloid stablemate The Daily Telegraph and Melbourne's Herald Sun, this morning, aswell as in the digital offerings (and not too surprisingly, there's a pic in The Australian with a smiling Mr Vos and an evil-looking Terminator type machine). Short story - Jarvis, a personal assistant (though embedded in a computer, not looking like old red eyes there) told Vos it would kill a controlling human to stop them turning it off. How? By hacking into their car, for example, and causing a fatal accident. Yes, it sounds very science-fictioney, but people, this is increasingly our world.   Lynch reports Melbourne-based cyber security consultant Mark Vos subjected the AI agent to 15 hours of adversarial testing - in other words pushing the machine to work out w

The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB) has received an allocation of Rs 3,416.63 crore in the Union Budget 2026–27, according to the Budget Estimates in the Expenditure Profile. The allocation highlights the government’s effort to strengthen public broadcasting systems and support cultural and media institutions amid rapid digital growth. Notably, Rs 596.39 crore of this budget has been earmarked for Central Sector Schemes and projects, suggesting focused investments in modernising broadcasting networks, content platforms, and related technologies. According to Adgully, establishment expenses account for Rs 1,672.46 crore, pointing to the continued operational and staffing costs of running national broadcasting and cultural organisations. The remaining Rs 1,147.78 crore has been allocated under other central sector expenditure to support allied organisations, cultural outreach programmes, and institutional grants. Although no major new initiatives have be

The Vikatan Group’s Naanayam Vikatan hosted the Business Star Awards, an event of special significance as part of the group’s 100-year celebrations, marking a century of Ananda Vikatan. The occasion also saw the launch of the first-ever Business Star Conclave, themed “From Legacy Brands to Gen Z: Why Tamil Nadu Leads India’s Retail Story.” The session was moderated by B. Srinivasan, Managing Director of the Vikatan Group, and featured participation from senior industry leaders. According to e4m, the event underscored Vikatan’s long-standing commitment to business journalism and thought leadership. Nippon India Mutual Fund partnered as the title sponsor, supporting the celebration of enterprise and innovation.

The Kerala High Court has extended anticipatory bail to T P Nandakumar, editor-in-chief of a YouTube platform, in connection with a case accusing him of allegedly uploading an obscene video aimed at Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan. The court found that the content did not meet the legal threshold for obscenity. Justice Kauser Edappagath, while granting relief, held that the video did not disclose any offence under the Information Technology Act. The judge noted that the material failed to attract provisions dealing with sexually explicit content, particularly Section 67A of the Act. Nandakumar told the court that the video was an exercise in political commentary, drawing comparisons in the context of a molestation allegation involving a young legislator. He argued that the report questioned the ruling party’s response to similar accusations against its own leaders rather than promoting explicit material. The State opposed the plea, alleging that the video was uploaded with the i

Veteran journalist Sushil Rao Chilkuri has retired from The Times of India, Hyderabad, on January 31, 2026, bringing the curtains down on a distinguished 38-year career in journalism.  Chilkuri spent over 25 years with The Times of India after joining the organisation on May 15, 2000, and was part of the team that launched its Hyderabad edition on September 22, 2000. Colleagues honoured his contributions with a farewell function on January 30, where they presented him with a specially curated commemorative news page highlighting his career.  He began his journalism journey at the age of 20 and worked with publications including Citizen’s Evening, Deccan Chronicle, A P Times, and contributed to Rediff-on-the-Net, besides a brief association with The Guardian (proposed publication).  At 58, Chilkuri is now preparing to embark on a new entrepreneurial journey, marking a fresh chapter beyond newsroom life.