Meant to say 9 of my kin killed under RJD rule: Bihar JD(U) MLA's 'nine murders' clarification

JD MLA Anant Kumar Singh said his “nine murders for Nitish Kumar” remark was misunderstood: he meant nine family members were killed under Lalu Prasad’s party because of his ties to Nitish. The dispute follows his opposition to Neeraj Kumar in council polls; Singh backs Jan Suraaj’s Anuj Singh, despite two decades of Nitish’s patronage.

Now you see them... now you don’t?: The evolution of camouflage

Camouflage is evolving beyond uniforms, with smart textiles and clothing designed to evade drones, thermal sensors and AI-powered surveillance. Modern gear can mask body heat, while patterns may confuse cameras as detection systems advance. Developed over millennia, concealment progressed from animal skins to World War I dazzle ships, digital prints and anti-war fashion statements.

Navi Pillay’s grandparents were ‘indentured labourers’: The story of how Indians reached Africa

Pillay, a South African jurist and Nobel Peace laureate, is serving as an ad hoc International Court of Justice judge in The Gambia’s genocide case against Myanmar. A former UN rights chief and Rwanda tribunal president, she warned that weakening justice lets power eclipse law. Her Tamil grandparents came from India as indentured labourers.

Cruise passenger rescued near Greece says she jumped off ship because she ‘wanted to disembark’

Royal Caribbean’s Odyssey of the Seas passenger was rescued near Greece’s Zakynthos after drifting for nearly 20 hours, officials said. She reportedly jumped because she “wanted to disembark”; authorities were alerted nearly three hours later. Taken to hospital, she was ordered to undergo psychiatric evaluation, while port officials investigated. The ship is among the fleet’s largest.

What does your coffee order say about you? Decoding the personality traits behind your caffeine fix

Your coffee order may reveal more about daily routines and emotional associations than personality, psychiatrist Dr Priya Raghavan says. Familiar drinks offer predictability amid stress, while changing choices may reflect enjoyment of variety, but neither defines character. Coffee rituals can signal work, connection or reward; reliance may reveal stress-management patterns. Orders are not psychological tests.

Lying on woman, covering her mouth not enough to prove rape attempt, holds Patna HC; limits sentence

Patna High Court ruled that lying on a woman and covering her mouth did not constitute attempted rape without evidence of an act toward penetration or proof the accused had moved beyond preparation. It reduced his four-year sentence to time served, citing the evidentiary gap and his record during 13 years on bail.

Chakra Horoscope Today, October 17, 2026

October 17’s horoscopes urge signs to reclaim power, trust inner guidance and assess challenges, as patience, reflection and communication can prevent reactive decisions. Aries and Leo confront self-doubt; Taurus and Capricorn practice acceptance, while Scorpio and Pisces face relationship conversations. Others should balance intuition with evidence and recognize progress; chakra rituals, foods and crystals provide guidance.

Asian Para Games: India look for sustained growth in medal count

India’s 168-member contingent begins competition at the Asian Para Games in Aichi-Nagoya on Sunday, seeking to build on its record 108-medal haul in Hangzhou despite a smaller squad. Eighteen of its 27 gold medallists return, including Sheetal Devi, Avani Lekhara, Sumit Antil and Pramod Bhagat. India’s medal tally has risen from 14 in 2010 to 108 in 2023.

The remarkable plainness of the Peter Nagy I knew

Peter Nagy, the American artist and gallerist who founded Nature Morte, died October 13 at 67 after a long illness, having lived in Delhi for three decades. He helped shape contemporary Indian art, reopening the gallery in 1997 and championing Subodh Gupta, Bharti Kher and Jitish Kallat. His New York-trained perspective and dry wit endured.

Time for New Delhi to assert itself with action

India should answer Washington’s tariffs, sanctions threats and anti-Indian signals with calibrated costs, not passive “strategic patience,” while avoiding a rupture that would hurt its economy. New Delhi could slow defence and Boeing purchases, scrutinize US tech firms, and diversify partnerships. This reflects stalled trade talks, waning US interest in India, and repeated diplomatic slights.

Wait out Trump’s term without rocking the boat

India should meet a difficult, transactional United States through patient, candid engagement and diversification—not retaliation or replacement. New Delhi should deepen ties with Europe, Japan, Russia and Gulf partners, preserving freedom to disagree while recognizing that alternatives cannot create leverage by themselves. It must build manufacturing, technological and military strength; ties with Washington took decades to develop.

UK author releases second instalment of Indian-Irish cosy crime mystery

Author Paul Waters launched *Death At the Elephant House* in London, the second novel in an Indian-Irish cosy-crime series, ahead of its India release next week. It reunites Irish nun Sister Agatha Murphy and Delhi hotelier Avtar Mehta to solve a locked-room murder involving a gangster, police siege and cigarette-stealing elephant. Waters drew on family links to India.

DMK backs student protests against CEC Gyanesh Kumar, accuses Congress and TVK of ‘double standards’

The DMK, led by MK Stalin, called for Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar’s removal over alleged irregularities in voter-roll revision and backed protests against SIR. It demanded cancellation of the exercise, a return to paper ballots, and a petition to the President, accusing Congress and TVK of double standards. Stalin opposed SIR after deletions in Bihar in 2025.

Nana Patekar or Smit Machchhar? Row erupts in Mumbai over naming Vidyavihar bridge

Mumbai’s East-West Vidyavihar bridge faces a naming dispute: Shiv Sena (UBT) seeks “Padma Shri Nana Patekar Setu,” while BJP MLA Parag Shah proposed Captain Smit Machchhar, the flydubai pilot praised for averting an accident. BMC leader Ganesh Khankar says a theatre would better honour Patekar. The 650-metre, two-lane bridge links Vidyavihar’s east and west sides.

How Google is giving Indian farming an AI upgrade to help grow better crops

Google is extending AI in India beyond chatbots, targeting small businesses, farming and education. Google.org will give The/Nudge $15 million for business tools and multilingual training; Google says its models supported 900 million advisories for 600,000 Gujarat farmers. Researchers are mapping jowar genetics, developers gain agricultural AI models, and more than 80,000 educators have trained, though impacts remain uncertain.

The Things We Never Say: Read an excerpt from the new novel by Elizabeth Strout

Teaching World War II, Artie describes the Holocaust to students who know little, prompting Tamera to ask why Jews did not revolt. He acknowledges resistance but says Nazi support overwhelmed it, noting Hitler transformed Germany in seven weeks. His answer reassures Tamera her question is not foolish, while tracing fascism’s rise through earlier wars.

Big Bash League eyes global expansion with historic Chennai opener

The BBL’s India debut has drawn 5,000 tickets, including 2,000 within 30 minutes, for the Melbourne Renegades–Perth Scorchers opener in Chennai on December 12. Cricket Australia targets a sellout at the 35,000-seat stadium as the league expands globally. The match has no reserve day despite rain and marks the first overseas T20 fixture in India.

Film producer Amardeep Grewal, a relative of CM Bhagwant Mann's wife, detained at Delhi airport

Punjab filmmaker Grewal, a relative of Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann’s wife, was detained at Delhi airport and questioned by the Enforcement Directorate over an alleged ₹5-crore bribery plot, but has not been arrested. A Look Out Circular followed missed summonses. The probe alleges money was sought to derail a rape-abduction case; Gurpreet Kaur Mann denies involvement.

Nayyi Navelli box office collection day 1: Yami Gautam's mythological film opens at ₹3 crore

Yami Gautam and Adinath Kothare’s drama *Nayyi Navelli* opened to ₹3.25 crore, according to Sacnilk, outgrossing Rajkummar Rao’s *Prahaar* ( ₹2.35 crore) but trailing Gautam’s *Article 370* ( ₹5.90 crore). The film faces competition from other releases, with its weekend performance key. Set in Meerut, it blends folklore, comedy and mythology; critics faulted its overstuffed, confusing screenplay.

JPMorgan CEO Jamie Dimon predicts shorter workweeks, higher incomes as AI transforms jobs

JPMorgan CEO Jamie Dimon likened AI’s advance to a tsunami governments may struggle to stop, but said it could eventually deliver shorter workweeks and higher incomes. He said capabilities emerge within weeks, making AI hard to contain. Dimon also warned autonomous systems could trigger cyberattacks and threaten bank accounts, urging stronger cybersecurity as investment surges.

CMRL case: ED pastes summons at ex-CM Vijayan's house, asks him to appear for questioning on Oct 23

Enforcement Directorate officials pasted a summons at Opposition Leader Pinarayi Vijayan’s residence, ordering him to appear October 23 in a money-laundering case linked to CMRL. Vijayan was away at a meeting; CPI leader V Sivankutty condemned the action. The case alleges ₹2.78 crore in payments to his daughter’s company, and Vijayan has challenged it before the Supreme Court.

Canada to revamp Express Entry points from November 3: How Indian applicants could be affected

Canada will revise Express Entry scoring November 3, 2026, giving workers points for eligible Canadian experience or job offers in high-wage occupations, potentially affecting Indian professionals’ permanent-residency prospects. Bonuses range from 20 to 100 points, with candidates receiving whichever route scores higher; qualifying offers will no longer require an LMIA, while permanent-residency invitations remain competitive.

10 smartwatches with features that could make your phone less necessary

Ten popular Flipkart smartwatches from Apple, Samsung, Google, Garmin, CMF, Amazfit, Realme and Redmi span everyday tracking to outdoor training. Buyers should compare phone compatibility, battery life, GPS and comfort; premium and affordable models differ in features and charging demands. Smartwatches increasingly combine fitness and health tracking with sleep insights, calls and everyday phone notifications.

Sandeep Reddy Vanga calls Vijay Deverakonda defining action hero of Indian cinema after Ranabaali

Filmmaker Sandeep Reddy Vanga praised *Ranabaali*, calling Vijay Deverakonda the “next defining action hero of Indian cinema” and urging audiences to watch his performance. He also lauded Rashmika Mandanna’s portrayal, their connection, and Ajay-Atul’s score, while praising director Rahul Sankrityan for exploring neglected history. Set in 1800s Madras, the film depicts British-engineered famine and resistance.

CJI Surya Kant urges law graduates to uphold justice, defend liberty and remain true to values

Chief Justice of India Surya Kant urged graduates at NLSIU’s 34th convocation to defend justice and liberty, uphold constitutional values and hear overlooked voices, saying the profession demands courage, integrity and humility. He warned against shortcuts or compromised principles, saying legal education should encourage openness and service to society, while calling graduates “heralds of hope.”

Woman dies of kidney complications post C-section at Kota hospital; family alleges negligence

A 40-year-old woman died Friday night at Kota’s New Medical College Hospital after kidney complications following a Caesarean delivery, as her family alleged negligence; police registered a case, and the cause awaits autopsy findings. Another woman remains in intensive care. In May, 12 women developed kidney problems after childbirth at the hospital, and five died.

Trump mocks popularity of the name ‘Mohammad’, common among Muslims

At a Georgia campaign rally, President Donald Trump mocked Mohammad’s prevalence among Muslims, joking he could address anyone by that name while discussing Iran’s presidency; the crowd responded mutedly. His remark came amid attacks on Muslim and Somali Americans, which rights groups link to rising Islamophobia and his immigration crackdown and restrictions on pro-Palestinian protests.

Five workers killed, as many injured in blast at chemical unit in Gujarat's Bharuch

An explosion at SynZeal Pharmachem in Gujarat’s Bharuch district killed five workers and injured five others Friday night, after a reactor ruptured during hydrogenation and released toxic methylene dichloride gas, officials said. The blast scattered machinery across the Saykha GIDC plant, and authorities are investigating. Established a year ago, the unit manufactures pharmaceutical intermediates.

Amit Shah to arrive in Kolkata on Saturday evening to visit Durga Puja pandals

Amit Shah will make his first Durga Puja visit to West Bengal since the BJP came to power, arriving in Kolkata Saturday evening for a two-day tour. On Sunday, he will visit Belur Math, Bally’s Deshbandhu Club, historic Sovabazar Rajbari for prayers and Sreebhumi pandal before leaving for Delhi, following an overnight stay in Alipore.

US Congressman claims H-1B holders from India, China replacing American graduates with cheap labour

Congressman Riley Moore alleged H-1B and OPT replace US graduates with cheaper foreign workers, citing 650,000 computer-science graduates versus over 500,000 H-1B holders. He argued employers prefer lower-paid labor and claimed visa holders bring families, calling it chain migration. DHS proposed ending extension-review deference; Indian nationals accounted for 70% of fiscal 2025 H-1B beneficiaries.