Image source: Wikimedia Commons, The Hindu and The Tribune; Edited by Dinesh Raj M   India’s democracy enters another test of trust today as the Election Commission’s Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls begins across 12 States and Union Territories—covering over 51 crore voters. What’s meant to be a clean-up of voter lists has instead sparked fears of disenfranchisement, legal challenges and political unease. Hot off the Press The Times of India reported that the DMK has moved the Supreme Court, calling the SIR “arbitrary” and warning it could “disenfranchise lakhs of voters.” Senior leader R.S. Bharathi argued that Tamil Nadu had already completed a voter revision earlier this year and that a fresh enumeration, similar to Bihar’s, risks removing names without due process. The Hindu Bureau detailed how the exercise will run from November 4 to December 4 across Tamil Nadu, Kerala, West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh, and others, with final rolls set for

Tech PR Agency AZK Media has launched its new AI Search PR Solution, providing tools for B2B companies to be ‘AI search ready’.  It’s a solution that, according to AZK Media Founder Azadeh Williams, that was at least six months in the making, and it took that long to make sure it worked faultlessly.  “We did an intense amount of research and tested many different tools and strategies. We re-evaluated our entire workflow and put so much effort into creating a neat and practical way to help our clients without over-engineering it.” Williams told Influencing.  “It took about six months from the time we decided to pivot until we did all the research.” Williams described the new solution as “a PR strategy that is Generative Engine Optimised first to make our clients search-ready in the age of AI and ready for new ways prospects are finding them”.  The research by AZKMedia found potential clients were increasingly conducting AI-led searches and obtaining AI-gene

Morning and welcome to Tuesday on a day Liberal leader Sussan Ley very soon has to make a decision - and no it's not which horse to back in the Melbourne Cup. They say a picture is worth a thousand words and that couldn't be truer this morning thanks to a great shot by Nine newspapers' Alex Ellinghausen whose work graces the front page of The Sydney Morning Herald this morning, and which shows the pressures a somewhat lonely-looking leader faces. The serious papers, as they are sometimes called, are certainly analysing, dissecting and reporting in depth on the challenges facing Ley after the Nationals ditched any aim of going for net zero emissions by a set date, though in fairness, as pointed out in the Sydney Morning Herald lead story, Ley has never advocated for net zero herself.  At the SMH, and The Age ('Coalition in crisis as Ley fights for her job' - SMH) there are certainly a good number of journos working on the ever-evolving saga. The lead is penned by Paul Sakka

The Arunachal Pradesh Union of Working Journalists (APUWJ) and the Arunachal Press Club (APC) have condemned a media outlet for allegedly publishing an interview video featuring a child allegedly involved in a recent abuse case in Mebo, East Siang district. In a joint statement, the organisations called the act a violation of media ethics and child protection norms. They cited guidelines from the Press Council of India (PCI) and provisions under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, which prohibit disclosing the identity of minors in cases involving alleged sexual or physical abuse. The statement said that broadcasting such content compromises the dignity of the child and breaches legal safeguards. It further urged journalists, media organisations, and digital creators to exercise restraint and uphold ethical standards when reporting on sensitive cases. “Responsible journalism means informing the public without compromising a victim’s dignity or rights

Veteran and emerging journalists from Jharkhand were honoured at the Media Excellence Awards 2025, organised by the Ranchi Press Club on Sunday, November 2. The event celebrated excellence across print, electronic, and visual journalism, recognising outstanding contributions to the field. According to The Stateman, senior journalist Srinivas, formerly associated with Prabhat Khabar, received the Lifetime Achievement Award along with a cash prize of Rs 51,000 for his decades of work in regional journalism. Awards carrying Rs 25,000 each were presented to Shakeel Akhtar (Best Reporting – Print, Prabhat Khabar), Rajkumar Singh (Best Reporting – Electronic, Samachar Wala), Manik Bose (Best Photography – Print, Dainik Bhaskar), and Rakesh Tiwari (Best Video Journalist, Aaj Tak). In the outstanding category, Sonali Das, Brajesh Rai, Chandan Mishra, Dilip Srivastava, Neelu, and Shyam Kishore were recognised for their work, while Gauri was honoured as an emerging journalist. The awa

Image source: TOI and Mint; Edited by Dinesh Raj M   Indian women cricketers created history before a packed DY Patil Stadium on Sunday winning the Women's ODI World Cup defeating South Africa by 52 runs. The maiden championship win is the fulfilment of a gritty effort to match promise with performance. Hot off the Press Capturing the emotions behind the historic win, Rasesh Mandani for Hindustan Times wrote that Sunday's final was a moment in time "when a sport elevates itself from the boundaries of skills and tactics. When it receives such widespread support that it takes the form of a revolution." The 1983 ODI World Cup win when the men beat the mighty West Indies was one such moment. The 2025 World Cup win by Harmanpreet Kaur and her team in front of a 45,000-strong capacity crowd in Navi Mumbai on Sunday could well prove to be another such moment, he added. India’s women’s team, ever since they came under the aegis of the BCCI have been threatening to become world

Think of a world in which AI processing can be done with our brains. That idea is a bioprocessor, and Swiss company, FinalSpark, are attempting to make that theory a reality.  “We’re trying to build the first bioprocessor – a processor where you replace transistors with living neurons.” Co-Founder Fred Jordan told Influencing.  Jordan added that FinalSpark is attempting to cut out the use of the middleman in processing endeavours, describing it as “an alternative specifically for artificial intelligence applications”.  So how do you connect it all? Jordan explained that the process begins with human stem cells derived from skin samples. These stem cells are then used to create neurons, which form a tiny brain-like structure known as an organoid.  The company then connects electrodes to the organoid, allowing it to both send and receive electrical signals. Final Spark Scientist Dr Ewelina Kurtys added those signals worked via “bi-directional communication betwe