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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4-year-old thrown in well, killed; mother stabbed during home invasion in UP's Muzaffarnagar
Muzaffarnagar (UP) (PTI): A four-year-old girl was killed after being allegedly thrown into a water tank by unidentified assailants while her mother sustained severe stab injuries in an alleged attack at their home here late on Monday, police said.
Three other children of the injured woman -- identified as Firdosh (40) -- also sustained minor injuries in the alleged incident which took place in Basikala village under Shahpur police station limits, they said.
Her husband, Imran, was not present at home at the time of the incident.
Shahpur Station House Officer Gajendra Singh told reporters on Tuesday that the injured woman was rushed to hospital. Three of her children sustained minor injuries in the incident while her four-year-old daughter was killed. The body of the deceased has been sent for postmortem examination.
According to local residents, the incident possibly took place as Firdosh opposed an alleged illicit relationship between her sister-in-law and another man.
