Image source: BBC and TOI; Edited by Dinesh Raj M   Every winter, northern India gasps for air under a blanket of toxic haze. At the heart of it is stubble burning—a quick, cheap way for farmers to clear paddy fields before wheat sowing. Despite billions spent on alternatives, the fires return year after year. On Wednesday, the Supreme Court made it clear: patience is running out. Hot off the Press Krishnadas Rajagopal for The Hindu reported Chief Justice B.R. Gavai’s blunt query to the Centre: why not reintroduce criminal prosecution for stubble burning? “If some people are behind bars, it will give the right message,” he said. The Bench even suggested a separate law to criminalise the practice. Utkarsh Anand for Hindustan Times added that the Court rejected the idea of “absolute immunity” for farmers, pressing the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) to adopt penal provisions. Punjab argued it had reduced cases significantly but admitted prosecutions wer

IDG Communications’ channel publication, ARN, has for the last 30 years been known as the voice of the IT Channel.  The publication has seen a range of changes during that time, both internal and within the publishing and IT channel industry, including the move from print to digital, and a focus also on offerings and events - the Innovation Awards, EDGE Conference, and Women in ICT Awards, to name a few.  Reflecting on the 30-year milestone, current ARN Editor Julia Talevski told Influencing, “It's absolutely incredible. The industry's changed so much in those 30 years, and so has the publishing industry. Both have been disrupted by all the latest and greatest tech coming in.” Origins and evolution ARN began life in 1995 when it was rebranded from Reseller magazine, IDG’s only channel magazine at the time.  ARN’s very first publisher, Susan Searle, a former publisher of Computer World and PC World before ARN, vividly recalls the rebranding process.  Searle told I

John Martinkus.   A couple of real stalwarts of Australian media have passed away this last week, one a war correspondent who spent time covering conflict from the jungles of south-east Asia and further afield, the other a leading TV broadcaster familiar to many.  I first met war reporter John Martinkus in 1998 when he had a brief stop in Sydney and was introduced by a mutual journalist friend. He was young - just 29 then - but earnest, softly spoken - we joked that was because he had to keep his voice down in the jungle - and he told us he was about to set off for East Timor.  In The Age, Kerrie O’Brien has put together a wonderful piece on John’s life - he was 56 when he passed away in Melbourne on Sunday. It’s well worth a read, not least to discover the path he took in journalism and the coverage he delivered, which in East Timor's case - where he embedded with the guerrillas fighting for independence - really did get the story out and tell it to the world with pass

One of the ABC’s most experienced operators - Angela Stengal has left the national broadcaster after 17 years, wrapping up what she says is “a chapter full of innovation, audio, and incredible people”. She’s worked across multiple areas as a digital media strategist at the intersection of media, culture and technology, as she recounts on LinkedIn, where she said, “it’s been a better run than imagined, spanning Innovation, Radio, the Content Ideas Lab, Strategy, and ultimately Content/Screen. I’ve worked with some of my media heroes across radio and TV, and supported the next generation of media talent”. Stengal highlighted projects which have stood out for her. “Not just because they were milestones in my career,” she said, “but because of the teams who were part of them and the impact these had on audiences and the organisation.” She listed: Championing ABC’s podcast 2.0 boom, first with the First Run pilot project (commissioning Science Vs), then la

Welcome to Thursday. The only connecting theme across our dailies this morning is the passing of actor Robert Redford, so let's spend a moment reflecting on his career, not least - for all us media tragics - his role as Washington Post journalist Bob Woodward alongside Dustin Hoffman as Carl Bernstein in the standout 1976 movie All The President's Men. Watching that in the last year of high school set me on my path to journalism. The following year, I began my journalism training. Fast forward to now, and across the pond, journalism - proper journalism - is under pressure like never before, multi-billion dollar defamation lawsuits flourish, while in the middle-east journalists are clearly seen as legitimate targets.  Alright, so let's get into our local news this morning, and The Australian has rolled out its very own line-up of star journalists to take a look at the failure - at the time of writing - of PM Albanese and Papua New Guinea's PM James Marape - to sign a mutual

Ahead of Durga Puja, Dharampal Satyapal Group (DS Group) and TV9 Bangla have launched Season 3 of Pujoy Pulse, running September 4 to October 8, 2025. This edition spotlights Pulse Golmol, an imli-flavoured candy positioned to blend nostalgia with Puja traditions. The theme, “GOL KA MOL,” celebrates the circular icons of Pujo—bindi, bangles, dhunuchi, rosogolla, and the puja thali—and places Bengal’s women at the centre as keepers of tradition and drivers of change. Key elements this year include an AI-powered storytelling film, a “real-life Durgas” roundtable, showcases of women artisans, and the Pujoy Pulse canter roadshow. Ashish Bhargava, Senior General Manager, Marketing, Confectionery, DS Group, said, “Pujoy Pulse Season 3 is a heartfelt tribute to the traditions of Pujo and the women who sustain them. With Pulse Golmol as the centerpiece, we celebrate resilience, artistry, and the timeless joy of togetherness.” Amritanshu Bhattacharya, Managing Editor an

            In yet another troubling incident that raises concerns about press freedom, BJP minister Jibesh Mishra has been accused of assaulting a journalist for asking a question on road conditions in Jale constituency. The alleged incident, which took place during the minister’s visit, has sparked outrage among media circles. A video, now widely circulated on social media, shows Mishra shouting at and allegedly manhandling the journalist, prompting questions about the protection of journalists from such assaults. Meanwhile, as reported by India Today, Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader and Leader of Opposition in the Bihar Assembly, Tejashwi Yadav, on Monday, 15th September during a press conference in Patna, accused state Urban Development and Housing Minister and BJP leader Jibesh Kumar Mishra of misbehaving with the journalist and demanded that an FIR be lodged against him. Yadav played the purported video showing Mishra shouting at and manhandling the