Image source: MDPI, The Hindu and TOI; Edited by Dinesh Raj M   In one of the worst natural disasters to hit Doon valley in recent times, at least 13 people died in rain-related incidents and 16 others were missing as torrential downpour across Dehradun district on Monday night and early Tuesday washed away bridges and markets, and damaged key roads. As another spell of heavy rains ravaged monsoon-battered Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh, triggering flash floods and landslides, at least 18 people were reportedly killed in the two states.  Hot off the Press The worst-hit areas were Sahastradhara and Maldevta on Dehradun’s outskirts. At least 70 villagers were evacuated from Sahastradhara, a popular picnic spot, by SDRF, while debris washed away the area’s main market, carrying away with it several shops catering to tourists. Landslides damaged the Sahastradhara-Karligad motor road at more than nine locations while the raging Song River swept away a portion of the road at M

Vertoz Limited, a global MadTech and CloudTech platform company, has secured the communications mandate for XLRI - Xavier School of Management, Jamshedpur, expanding its clientele across the education sector.   Vertoz will lead XLRI’s communication strategy across content, PR and digital platforms. The agency aims to build a strong communication framework for XLRI that goes beyond conventional communication, focusing on authentic storytelling, industry dialogues, and narratives that highlight XLRI’s contribution to shaping leadership in India and globally.  Hiren Shah, managing director of Vertoz, said, “This partnership is more than a contract – it is a new relationship built on trust and the power of meaningful communication and impact. As I have said earlier, education is the foundation of tomorrow, and when an institution like XLRI chooses to collaborate with us, it validates our belief that institutions don’t need more media; they need smarter media. We

Few editors find themselves in the position that Ben Mansill faced penning the final editorial of PC Powerplay. Because it was Mansill, who almost thirty years prior wrote the very first editorial of the magazine, which would go on to become Australia's longest-running gaming magazine and arguably the country's most iconic gaming masthead. Last week, the final issue of PC Powerplay hit newsagent's shelves and subscriber's letterboxes for the very last time. The publisher of Australia's longest-running gaming magazine, Future, finally conceded to the commercial realities of gaming media, closing the magazine that first launched back in May, 1996. Mansill was PC PowerPlay’s launch editor. He brute-forced its way into existence, convincing publisher Phil Keir that the booming PC gaming scene in Australia deserved a dedicated magazine. Few editors are there at both the beginning and the end and for Mansill, that symmetry was bittersweet. “It’s really sad, book-ending it �

Potentially exploding Chinese-made cars, which could also be used as surveillance devices, should not be ridden in by government officials - that's the stark warning this morning from a top cyber expert, as reported by The Australian Financial Review's Michael Read. Trouble is, and this is not Mr Read's fault, the grab on the front page of the AFR attributes those quotes to Australia's Lt General Susan Coyle, who heads Defence's cyber and space operations. Inside the paper, though - the publication is running the Financial Review Cyber Summit - there's extended coverage, and those strong comments were apparently made by Alistair MacGibbon, the Chief Strategy Officer at CyberCX and a former cybersecurity advisor to then-PM Malcolm Turnbull. It certainly seems like a comment MacGibbon would make, and not a top Australian General who would traditionally be more circumspect, as she was.  The Summit has attracted some heavy hitters, including Lt General Coyle, who did say, "I woul

  Image courtesy: NDTV   Journalists covering actor Vijay’s debut rally in Trichy on September 13 found themselves at the centre of chaos, as some supporters heckled a senior reporter during live coverage while others struggled without basic facilities like water, shade, restrooms or press enclosures. The lack of arrangements on the organisers’ part and crowd mismanagement left several members of the media fainting or in distress. Heckling in Full View A senior television journalist, who was reporting live from the rally, was mobbed by overenthusiastic Vijay fans. Viewers saw supporters dancing around him, mocking him with gestures and one even draping the party shawl around his head. The visuals sparked immediate outrage. Influencing India contacted the journalist involved in the incident, but he declined to comment. Journalists Caught in the Chaos Influencing India also spoke to senior cameraman, Karunakaran, associated with a digital news platform in Tamil Nadu, who

Sindhu Hariharan, bureau chief at The Hindu Business Line, has announced the launch of a new podcast, Digital Play Books. The show is designed as a platform where tech leaders and analysts share insights on navigating the fast-changing digital economy. Each episode will feature candid conversations with industry leaders on emerging technologies and the future of business in a digitally driven world. The first episode featured Zoho’s senior leaders, Shailesh Davey, CEO and co-founder of Zoho Corporation and Mani Vembu, CEO of Zoho Corp, discussing how they separate AI’s hype from reality in SaaS, investment avenues to navigate the change, why Zoho’s office looks like a college campus and more. The episode also navigates the global geopolitical climate and opportunities for India. The first episode of Digital Play Books can be watched here. Stay tuned to The Hindu businessline YouTube channel for the upcoming episodes. 

Image source: Daily Excelsior, Millennium Post and The Economic Times; Edited by Dinesh Raj M   The Supreme Court on Monday refused to freeze the controversial Waqf (Amendment) Act, 2025 in its entirety but suspended several provisions it deemed “prima facie arbitrary.” The interim order underscored Parliament’s presumption of constitutionality, while also acknowledging serious risks to property rights and minority protections if the law were allowed to operate unchecked. Hot off the Press Dhananjay Mahapatra for The Times of India reported that the court stopped short of striking down the law but paused the clause requiring proof of five years of Islamic practice before dedicating property to waqf, until the Centre frames proper rules. It also suspended provisions empowering officers above collector rank to derecognise waqf properties during inquiries, calling such powers arbitrary and inconsistent with the separation of powers. Krishnadas Rajagopal for The Hindu noted