Journalist Siddique Kappan has said his two bank accounts remain frozen as he awaits a Supreme Court hearing on November 2 on his plea for the release of his passport for renewal. “My two bank accounts are frozen. And my passport is already expired in 2021,” Kappan told Influencing India. He said his salary account with the State Bank of India in New Delhi was also frozen and confirmed that he had sought relief for the account through the same plea. Asked whether he expected to get his passport back at the next hearing, Kappan said, “Yes, sure, sure, sure.” He clarified that he was seeking the passport only for renewal. The Supreme Court on October 27 deferred the hearing on his application after the Uttar Pradesh government sought time to obtain instructions. The matter will now be heard on November 2. Notably, Kappan's passport was deposited with investigating authorities as part of the Supreme Court's bail conditions in the Hathras conspiracy c

Fifteen days after seeking an urgent meeting with the Centre and Delhi Police over the alleged harassment and detention of digital and independent journalists at Jantar Mantar, DIGIPUB News India Foundation is awaiting a response and exploring legal options. “We are waiting for a response to the meeting request. However, we are also looking at the legal aspect,” Dhanya Rajendran, co-founder and Editor-in-Chief of The News Minute and founding chairperson of DIGIPUB News India Foundation, told Influencing India. In a letter dated October 12, addressed to Union Information and Broadcasting Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw and the Delhi Police Commissioner, the foundation sought an urgent meeting to raise concerns over the treatment of journalists covering events at the protest site. Protests at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar over alleged irregularities in the Election Commission’s voter roll revision sparked tensions with police. Notably, as many as 37 digital and independent

Wednesday, 28 October 2026 #1  ·  National/Business  ·  Breaking news / In-depth feature Govt identifies 120 items for local production push By Sidhartha   ·   The Times of India, New Delhi  ·  Page Page 17 The government, driven by DPIIT, has identified around 120 products including chemicals, pharma inputs, medical technology, machine tools, aerospace MRO items, and consumer goods for domestic manufacturing support, with three types of intervention planned: short-term protection from Chinese competition, cost-disability incentives, and R&D assistance. The move is part of the Atmanirbhar Bharat strategy, given renewed urgency by the West Asia crisis and China's restrictions on tunnel boring machine shipments. Sources familiar with discussions told TOI the plan aims to replicate the mobile phone manufacturing model across a broader swathe of strategic sectors. Sourced from persons familiar with internal

Albanese retreats on Marrickville Golf Club grant claim Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has conceded he was wrong to describe a $6 million Marrickville Golf Club grant as being for sewage works, after departmental evidence contradicted the line. The backdown sharpens scrutiny on ministerial accuracy in parliament and gives the opposition ammunition on integrity and accountability. Covered by: Daily Telegraph, The Australian. Taxpayer-funded “advice to pedophiles” ignites child-safety fight The federal government is defending a publicly funded website that critics say downplays guilt for people with sexual fantasies about minors, triggering a fierce Coalition attack over child-protection priorities. The controversy lands amid heightened community concern about online harms and the boundaries of prevention messaging versus perceived normalisation. Covered by: The Australian. Victoria’s Big Build hit with fresh fraud and misconduct allegations New federal data show

4WD Tech PR, a specialist in the space of emerging technology, gaming and AI, has been appointed to lead the public relations and strategic communication mandate for the India Game Developer Conference (IGDC) 2026. IGDC, led by Game Developer Association of India (GDAI) is the country’s foremost industry platform bringing together all stakeholders including investors, game publishers, developers, and enthusiasts.   With this mandate, 4WD Tech PR will work closely with the GDAI to strengthen IGDC’s global relevance and positioning as the pivotal platform connecting India’s gaming ecosystem with the world. Through strategic storytelling and engagement the mandate will amplify IGDC’s role in empowering the industry, enabling startups and businesses to scale, and nurturing a globally competitive talent pipeline. This year IGDC 2026 will host 10,000+ enthusiasts from India, Japan, USA, and Korea, among other countries. Taking place from October 28 at th

PRAXIS India 2026   PRAXIS India 2026 brought together leaders from public relations, corporate communications, journalism, healthcare, technology and entertainment to examine how their professions are evolving in an increasingly complex information environment. From artificial intelligence and reputation management to misinformation, storytelling and corporate accountability, the discussions explored a common question: what does it take to earn trust and create meaningful impact? Speakers shared practical experiences, challenged established approaches and offered perspectives on the responsibilities and opportunities facing communications professionals. Influencing India brings together the key insights from these conversations, with links to our detailed coverage of each session.   1. Joyce Lorigan | Springer Nature AI makes content abundant, but trust remains scarce Joyce Lorigan argued that while AI can produce content at unprecedented speed, it cannot replace h