Image source: The Hindu, TOI, India Today, The Reporters' Collective and Law and Other Things; Edited by Dinesh Raj M   Senior Congress leader and Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi has accused the Election Commission of India (ECI) of “criminal fraud” and collusion with the BJP to steal elections claiming that 1,00,250 “fake votes” were created in the Mahadevapura Assembly seat under the Bangalore Central Lok Sabha constituency in order to ensure a win for the BJP. Hot off the Press Gandhi took reporters through a detailed presentation of the alleged fraud at Congress headquarters and listed out five different ways through which the alleged vote chori (theft) was done: duplicate voters, fake and invalid addresses, bulk voters at a single address, invalid photos, and the misuse of Form 6, reported Sandeep Phukan for The Hindu. Explaining how and why the Congress undertook a six-month-long investigation, he said the party’s internal survey had predicted a

<>   The travel industry is experiencing a significant transformation as women increasingly dominate travel decisions and solo female adventures surge, according to Robyn Foyster, founder of Women Love Travel. “Eighty-two per cent of women are the deciders in all travel decisions," Foyster reveals. "And solo female travellers, the number of them has surged by 131% since 2024. We are seeing a rapid growth in the number of women who are travelling and they're doing more solo travel than ever." The trend has prompted travel companies to adapt their offerings. Foyster notes that major global and local operators are now tailoring experiences specifically for female travelers.  "Even in Deer Valley Park, they have many more women's events that they're doing. Things are being tailored just for women because these travel companies are seeing the trend,” Foyster told Influencing. "Safety remains a primary concern for female travellers. Women feel comfortable with other women,

The Seven Network has today announced it has secured the exclusive Australian free-to-air television rights for the National Football League for the 2025 season.     Seven’s broadcast of the NFL on Seven, 7mate and 7plus Sport will include the 2025 Kickoff matchup between the Dallas Cowboys and Super Bowl LIX Champions the Philadelphia Eagles, Thursday night games (broadcast late Friday mornings in Australia) and two Sunday afternoon games (broadcast Monday mornings in Australia), plus all the action from the playoffs and Super Bowl LX.   Seven’s Commercial Director, Sport, Renee Quirk, said: “We’re thrilled to continue our long-term partnership with the NFL to broadcast the most popular sport in the US to passionate Australians, live and free on Seven and 7plus Sport.  “Since we first brought the NFL to Australian free-to-air audiences in 2014, it’s been a key pillar of our sport offering, and we’re excited to take it even further.  “With the addition of

  Taxing times? Blame the boomers In the Sydney Morning Herald (“Company tax hurting wages productivity”) and The Age (“Albanese shies away from tax reforms”), senior economics correspondent Shane Wright reports the federal Treasury has conceded Australia’s company tax system is contributing to the nation’s poor productivity performance and hurting workers’ wages, while warning young people increasingly shoulder the pain of propping up the budget. I don't know about you, but this sounds rubbish. Even so, that's not going to change Albo's mind at the upcoming economic summit, as he is committed to only implementing the one tax policy: income taxes.” In short, Treasury’s issues paper warns of mounting tax system problems, from inconsistent capital gains and superannuation rules to a company tax rate well above global norms. With half of government revenue coming from personal income tax, younger workers face the heaviest burden as fewer over-70s pay tax. M

Data For India, a research-based service organisation that supports newsrooms in strengthening reporting and storytelling, has announced a curated learning session for journalists.  The session, aimed at helping participants use data for impactful and well-researched storytelling, is open to both new and experienced journalists, including reporters, producers, editors, and desk teams.  The event will be held on Friday, August 29, at 4 PM.  Register here to participate: https://lu.ma/r41jt04m. 

Communications consultancy and PR firm Treize Communications has been appointed PR partners for EMERGE 2025. This marks the second year of their association with Ad Tech Today’s premium property.   The PR agency will collaborate with the Ad Tech team to help them strengthen the property and strategically increase its media presence.   This year, the event will feature various sessions from industry leaders covering topics such as “Short-form Content & Commerce, “Thriving Independently: Adapting to Tech,” “Media Shifts & Competing with Giants,” “The Future of Performance Marketing,” and “Unfiltered: What It Really Takes to Run an Independent Agency Today,” amongst others.  Sonam Shah, founder and CEO of Treize Communications, said, “We are glad to partner with Ad Tech Today yet again this year for EMERGE. As an independent agency ourself, we understand the need to have a platform like this which allows a place for bold and interesting conversation

Navika Kumar, group editor-in-chief of Times Now and Times Now Navbharat, has been conferred with the Sarvottam Nagrik Sanman 2025, one of India’s most prestigious civilian honours, presented by Meghashrey Foundation. She has been recognised for her work and contribution to Indian journalism and commitment to the nation’s progress. Navika took to X to share her happiness, stating, “Honoured to be conferred with the Sarvottam Nagrik Samman. A moment of pride and a reminder to continue serving with integrity, courage and responsibility”. According to its official Instagram handle, the Sarvottam Nagrik Sanman celebrates individuals who have made outstanding contributions to Indian society in various fields, such as science, education, medicine, social work, the arts, and more. Other awardees included Padma Shri Dr Shankar Mahadevan, Padma Shri Raveena Tandon, film-maker Imtiaz Ali, Padma Shri Kumar Sanu, Padma Vibhushan Dr Anil Kakodkar, and Padma Bhushan Vijay Bhatkar among