News Broadcasting
CNN expands to Afghanistan, China, UAE with new appointments
MUMBAI: In a bid to expand its coverage and reach across Asia and the Middle East, CNN Worldwide is adding three new international correspondents in Afghanistan, China and the United Arab Emirates.
The announcement was made by CNN senior VP president international newsgathering Parisa Khosravi.
Over the past 12 months, CNN has appointed more than a dozen correspondents in seven new locations as part of an aggressive content ownership strategy. These latest hires boost CNN’s international newsgathering locations to 33.
Khosravi says, “The resources available to CNN’s international newsgathering team have never been more robust. By adding correspondents in these three strategic areas, CNN underscores its international newsgathering heritage.”
In Kabul, Afghanistan, Atia Abawi will serve as correspondent. He will be responsible for covering the country and the on-going war there. Abawi, a former assignment editor and producer for CNN’s international desk in Atlanta, joined CNN in 2004 and has worked on a number of stories including the assassination of former Pakistani Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto, the Afghanistan-Korean hostage situation and Youssif, the young Iraqi boy burned by insurgents in Iraq.
Meanwhile, Stan Grant has returned to CNN after spending two years in Australia and will take up the new post of UAE-based correspondent. He will serve to cover both the UAE and the surrounding region from his base in CNN’s new Abu Dhabi newsgathering and production center slated to open later this year. Previously, Grant served as a Hong Kong-based anchor for CNN International and later as the network’s Beijing-based correspondent, where he gained recognition for his exclusive coverage of the Tamil Tigers in Sri Lanka in the aftermath of the South Asian tsunami.
Emily Chang, who joins John Vause as the second correspondent in Beijing, boosts CNN’s presence in China at a time when many media outlets are reducing their coverage in the post-Olympic climate. Chang has already reported on a variety of stories including the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games, the tainted milk scandal and the effects of the global financial crisis on China.
Over the past year, CNN has also announced the opening of newsgathering operations in Chennai, India; Lagos, Nigeria; Mumbai, India; Nairobi, Kenya; and Santiago, Chile, where CNN Chile launched late last year. In addition, CNN has placed correspondents in Istanbul, Turkey; Islamabad, Pakistan; Johannesburg, South Africa; London, Great Britain and Tokyo, Japan.
News Broadcasting
Kamlesh Singh receives Haldi Ghati Award from MMCF
India Today Group editor honoured for three decades of journalism at Udaipur ceremony.
MUMBAI- Kamlesh Singh just turned a lifetime of sharp words into a shiny shield because when journalism wakes up a society, even the Maharana of Mewar wants to pin a medal on it.
The Maharana of Mewar Charitable Foundation (MMCF) conferred its prestigious Haldi Ghati Award on Kamlesh Singh, a senior editor at the India Today Group, during a ceremony in Udaipur on 15 March 2026. The national award, instituted in 1981-82, recognises “work of permanent value that initiates an awakening in society through the medium of journalism.”
Singh, who leads several editorial initiatives including Aaj Tak Radio, the Teen Taal community and The Lallantop, was presented the honour by Lakshyaraj Singh Mewar, Managing Trustee of MMCF. The citation highlighted his three decades of contributions to Indian media, innovations in digital journalism, mentoring young reporters, and his popular podcast persona “Tau” on Teen Taal, which fosters thoughtful public discourse.
The Haldi Ghati Award, named after the historic Battle of Haldighati symbolising valour and resilience, is one of four national awards given annually by MMCF. Past recipients include Tavleen Singh, Piyush Pandey and Raj Chengappa.
Other honourees this year included Padma Vibhushan Pt Hari Prasad Chaurasia, Vedamurti Devvrat Rekhe, Treeman of India Marimuthu Yoganathan, Vir Chakra Capt Rizwan Malik, and US-based researcher Molly Emma Aitken, who received the Colonel James Tod Award for contributions to understanding Mewar’s spirit and values.
In an era where headlines often shout louder than substance, the MMCF quietly reminded everyone that real journalism isn’t about noise, it’s about the quiet, persistent work that stirs society awake, one thoughtful story at a time.
