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Hello, I'm Rianna!

I’m a journalist with an MA in Journalism from the University of Sheffield, driven by a love for stories that reveal how culture, politics, and technology shape the world around us. I’ve reported on everything from AI and policy shifts to film and everyday cultural narratives, always looking for the human angle that connects local stories to wider global currents. With experience pitching and reporting across multiple formats, I bring an international perspective and a commitment to clear, and impactful storytelling.

Recent work

Sheffield Wire •

Sheffield student worries "financial lifeline" will be gone under PIP reforms - Sheffield Wire

For Thomas Atkin-Withers, just getting through each day is a battle. They suffer from complex neurological conditions, are in constant pain, but to make matters worse, they are now frightened that the financial lifeline they receive is about to be taken away.  


The 21-year-old disabled student diagnosed with autism, suffers from depression, chronic fatigue and hypermobile joints, and receives exactly £737.20 a month from their Personal Independence Payment (PIP) plan, which just about covers...
NationalWorld •

Labour’s cautious shift to centrist policies no match for Tory party that thrives on spectacle and provocation

She claimed the Prime Minister's welfare bill “won’t achieve anything” even as benefit spending climbs to £100 billion, delivering a sharp attack on Starmer during PMQs in the Commons.Mrs Badenoch went so far as to say that last night was a “humiliating U-turn" for the Labour Party and the Prime Minister’s welfare reform bill, especially after he suffered his largest Commons rebellion to date. She charged at Rachel Reeves as well – saying she "looks absolutely miserable", adding: "The Chancellor...
NationalWorld •

When will the UK heatwave end? Met Office outlook explained

Early forecasts suggest the hot weather could continue through much of the week, with some areas staying uncomfortably warm overnight. But what does the outlook look like beyond that — and what are the risks if this heatwave becomes a long-term trend?According to the Met Office, a heatwave in the UK is registered “when a location records a period of at least three consecutive days with daily maximum temperatures meeting or exceeding the heatwave temperature threshold”. This temperature varies b...
Sheffield Wire •

The Notts Queer History Archive comes to Sheffield's Central Library - Sheffield Wire

A queer oral history project, highlighting the lived experiences of old and young LGBTQIA+ people in Nottingham, came to Sheffield Central Library this week.


The Notts Queer History Archive project, conducted by journalist, CJ De Barra, brings together interviews and stories from over 165 people.


The non-binary author held a talk at the library last Wednesday detailing their work, with support from the Steel City Queer History project. 


The archive covers everything: stories from before...
Sheffield Wire •

Sheffield goes Dutch with accessible West Bar roundabout  - Sheffield Wire

After a series of unexpected delays, a famed Dutch-style roundabout on West Bar opened earlier this week. 


The roundabout was due to open in late October, but after facing a number of delays, was pushed back to Monday.


It contains additional cycle lanes and pedestrian crossings to give them priority, but motorists believe it will cause confusion and more accidents.


Rebecca Hammond, a cycling instructor and pharmacist, uses the roundabout frequently. 


She said she felt it filled a ga...
Sheffield Wire •

Sheffield locals express disdain at Labour's crackdown on asylum seekers  - Sheffield Wire

Residents gathered today outside Sheffield’s Home Office to show their disappointment in the UK’s uptick in deportations of asylum seekers. 


The focus of the demonstration was to show the state of asylum seekers in the UK with the new deportation policy under the Labour government, said Melinda Mo Martinez from City of Sanctuary, Sheffield. 


The policy, introduced by Keir Starmer’s government since coming to power, says that “foreign criminals and immigration offenders” will be sent back t...
Muscat Daily •

Festival of lights gets fresh fervour as COVID-19 restrictions ease

Muscat – Last year, Indian families across Oman sat despondently at home in view of the pandemic, even during this time of the year when most Indians celebrate the festival of lights – Diwali.


The festival is something every Indian looks forward to – for its delicious sweets, colourful rangolis and the excited joyfulness that surrounds the festival altogether.


Rangoli is an art form in which patterns are created on the floor using materials such as powdered lime stone, dry rice flour among...
Muscat Daily| Oman News |Business | Sports |Lifest •

‘Squid Game’ continues to top Netflix charts in Oman

Muscat – Dark, eye-opening and twisted, Squid Game has been topping Netflix charts for weeks, and Oman is no exception. The Korean show has become Netflix’s biggest show ever, gripping the attention of its 80+ million viewers from the day it was released on Netflix, alongside boasting a Rotten Tomatoes rating of 91 per cent.


Squid Game unfolds primarily in the eyes of protagonist Seong Gi-hun, a man who is soft at heart, but deep in debt thanks to his horse-betting problem. He is constantly b...
Her Campus •

The Deterioration of DBAs: How Reservations Remain Essential

In Anand Teltumbde’s ‘Republic of Caste’, he discusses how ‘reservations’ have always existed in society, regardless of positive or negative connotations. The Upper Castes, aka the privileged section, complain about caste-based reservation and how “less-deserving” students are picked over meritorious students only in the name of reservations, without realising that reading and writing — a few decades ago — was ‘reserved’ for Brahmins and other upper-caste students...

A little bit about me:

After completing my Bachelor's in Mass Media and Communications at Manipal Institute of Communications in India, I ventured into the Content Marketing side of writing, despite my lifelong dream of becoming a journalist.

I worked in this space for over two years, and realised that while I enjoyed the work, I was only delaying the steps to my real dream: journalism. I then applied for Master's programs in the UK, and became the first in my family to ever attend a Master's program.

During my course, I reported on important things like the impact of knife crime in Sheffield, how accessible roundabouts are,

disability issues and cuts to policies – these are all passions of mine and things I have a deep, personal connection to.

During my time at the University of Sheffield, I have been the student representative for the department of Journalism, Media and Communications at our Students' Union, as well as an Academic and Faculty representative for my cohort of MA Journalism and Broadcast students.

Through my course, I have experience with news and feature writing, podcasting, social media management and content creation using Canva, copy editing, and video production using Adobe Premiere Pro.

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