Shashi Tharoor’s son Ishaan laid off as Washington Post cuts nearly one-third of its newsroom
Washington DC: Ishaan Tharoor, senior international affairs columnist at The Washington Post and son of Congress MP Shashi Tharoor, is among more than 300 journalists laid off as the newspaper undertook one of the largest staff reductions in its history.
The layoffs, which affect nearly one-third of the Post’s newsroom, are part of a major restructuring effort amid financial pressure and shifting reader habits. The newspaper, owned by Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, has shut down its sports desk, scaled back international coverage, closed several foreign bureaus, and discontinued its books section.
Confirming his exit on social media, Ishaan Tharoor described the moment as deeply painful. Sharing an image from the newsroom bearing the Post’s slogan “Democracy Dies in Darkness,” he captioned it, “A bad day.” In a later post, he wrote that he had been laid off along with most of the international team and expressed heartbreak for colleagues who reported from across the world.
According to The New York Times, the layoffs impact over 300 journalists out of a total newsroom strength of around 800. Several prominent reporters confirmed their departures, including Ukraine correspondent Lizzie Johnson, who said she was laid off while reporting from a war zone, and New Delhi bureau chief Pranshu Verma, who called it a devastating moment for the newsroom.
Reflecting on his tenure, Tharoor noted that he launched the WorldView column in 2017 to help readers understand global affairs and the United States’ role in the world. He thanked the column’s readers and subscribers for their support over the years.
In a message to staff, Executive Editor Matt Murray said the decision was difficult but unavoidable, citing rapid technological changes, evolving audience behaviour, and the need for the paper to refocus its priorities. “We can’t be everything to everyone,” he wrote, according to the Associated Press.
Founded in 1877, The Washington Post was acquired by Jeff Bezos in 2013 for $250 million. The latest cuts come amid a broader crisis facing legacy news organisations worldwide as advertising revenues decline and digital subscriptions plateau.
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No need for guv: DMK leader Kanimozhi
Chennai (PTI): Senior DMK leader Kanimozhi Karunanidhi on Friday reiterated her party’s opposition to the office of the governor amid uncertainty over government formation in Tamil Nadu after a fractured election mandate.
Speaking to PTI Videos, Kanimozhi emphasised that the DMK’s demand for the abolition of the governor’s post remained unchanged, especially as questions arise over constitutional propriety during the current political transition.
"Our position that we do not need a governor at all is something the DMK has never changed at any point in time," she said.
When asked about the governor’s actions following the election results—particularly the delay in inviting the leading party to form the government—Kanimozhi pointed to what she described as the "inherent friction" between the office of the governor and the political interests of the state.
She said the current situation "raises a lot of questions" and requires introspection regarding constitutional procedures.
Kanimozhi described the election results as lacking a "clear mandate", which she identified as the primary reason for the prevailing political uncertainty in the state.
"What the people decide is supreme," she said, adding that while the mandate was not decisive, it must be respected.
The Thoothukudi MP attributed the ongoing delays and "many confusions" to the absence of a decisive majority for any single party.
She firmly dismissed rumours about the DMK potentially supporting the AIADMK from outside to help stabilise the government.
She described such reports as mere "speculation" and "rumours".
"We can’t be responding to every rumour," she said, declining to comment on the AIADMK’s claims regarding its numbers to form the government.
The political situation in Tamil Nadu remains fluid as stakeholders await the governor’s next constitutional step in an Assembly where no party has secured a clear majority.
The DMK and AIADMK—both of which suffered significant losses to the TVK—are reportedly exploring tactical manoeuvres to navigate the hung Assembly.
The TVK, with 108 seats and the support of Congress’s five MLAs, is still short of the majority mark. The DMK and AIADMK secured 59 and 47 seats, respectively.
