Pune police file FIR against Rapido operator for allegedly running bike taxis without permits

Pune police filed an FIR against Rapido operator Roppen Transportation Service Pvt. Ltd. for allegedly running bike-taxi services without permits, following an RTA order to halt operations. An RTO inspector booked a 13-km ride for ₹179 in Yerawada; officials seized the arriving private motorcycle and issued a challan. Investigation continues, and Rapido has not commented.

Saudi executes 5 nationals over 'terrorism-related' offences

Saudi Arabia executed five nationals convicted of “terror-related offences,” Reuters reported Saturday, after they were accused of joining a foreign organisation designated as terrorist, attacking security forces and supporting attacks inside the kingdom. The report did not identify the organisation or provide further details about the cases. The story remains developing and will be updated.

Patna court sentences man to two years in jail under anti-triple talaq law

A Patna court sentenced Naushad Ahmed to two years’ rigorous imprisonment for pronouncing instant triple talaq on his wife, convicting him under the Muslim Women Act, 2019, and IPC provisions for assault and wrongful restraint. He was fined Rs 6,500 and acquitted of an acid-attack charge; his lawyer plans to appeal. The Act criminalizes instant triple talaq.

Step inside Theo James' London restaurant Lupa: Yellow facade, warm minimalism and an Italian menu

Theo James’ Lupa, a Roman-inspired north London restaurant, rejects celebrity glamour in favour of warmth, simplicity and an unhurried neighbourhood feel. Its muted-yellow facade opens onto sunlit, wood-filled dining rooms and a nostalgic bar stocked with Italian staples. Milanese chef Naz Hassan serves around 20 regional sharing plates, and the restaurant is James’ first hospitality project.

In world first, injured hornbill gets 3D-printed upper and lower beak prostheses at Amsterdam zoo

An injured southern ground hornbill at Amsterdam’s Artis Zoo received 3D-printed prostheses restoring both broken beak sections in a procedure believed to be a world first. It used the beak on surgery day and picked up a mouse the next morning; specialists will monitor long-term effectiveness. The injury had limited the bird’s ability to forage and preen.

Punjab opinion poll projects 69–82 seats for AAP ahead of 2027 elections

An opinion poll projects Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) winning 69–82 seats in Punjab’s 117-member Assembly, retaining a majority ahead of 2027. SCORE Intelligence surveyed 28,347 people from September 13 to October 14, 2026. Congress is forecast at 17–34 seats. AAP’s projected vote share falls to 38%, though 57.7% rate its government positively; these projections are not results.

15-year-old gives birth in Gurugram, police probe rape by man she met on Instagram

A 15-year-old girl gave birth at a Sohna hospital after allegedly being sexually assaulted by a 22-year-old man she met on Instagram, prompting a case under India’s POCSO Act. Police said she hid the abuse, unaware of pregnancy, returning ill after an August 1 disappearance. The Nuh suspect was being traced; mother and baby were stable.

Greater Noida deaths: Food safety officer suspects 'poisoning' after 5 of family die

Five members of a Greater Noida family, including three children, died after reportedly eating noodles Friday night, and a food safety officer says poisoning—not food poisoning—is suspected. Officials found no expired or suspicious food packets; the absence of vomiting or diarrhoea raised doubts about food poisoning. Police have not established the cause, and investigations continue.

Yogi Adityanath says power comes from people’s mandate, not anarchy

Yogi Adityanath accused unnamed forces of seeking a Bangladesh-style change of power, warning that efforts to foment instability through youth mobilisation and debates on electoral reforms and justice would fail. He said power comes from voters and urged young people to focus on nation-building. His statement named no groups or examples, but portrayed Indian democracy as resilient.

Gurugram man booked for ramming 5 cars with SUV in suspected drunk driving

A Gurugram man was booked after allegedly driving his Scorpio into five cars, injuring at least three people, and assaulting and threatening a woman, police said. Wednesday’s crash on the Sector 83–Jaimal Chowk road also hurt the woman’s husband and recently operated-on mother-in-law. Police seized vehicles and served the driver notice; his alcohol test remains pending.

More girls than boys find new homes in Delhi; six with special needs adopted in 2025-26

Girls have outnumbered boys in Delhi adoptions since 2015-16, with more than 1,000 girls and about 760 boys finding families; six children with special needs were adopted in 2025-26. Delhi recorded 109 adoptions that year, nearly unchanged from 110 in 2024-25, but below the 178-adoption peak in 2015-16. Adoptions follow legal safeguards and matching procedures.

Rashmika Mandanna compares Vijay Deverakonda's performance in Ranabaali to Allu Arjun's Pushpa 2

Rashmika Mandanna praised husband Vijay Deverakonda’s transformative performance in *Ranabaali*, calling him a “one-man show” and comparing his on-screen shift to Allu Arjun’s transformation in *Pushpa 2*. She said their lives and successes are now shared. The film opened October 16 to reviews, earning ₹9.25 crore net in India and ₹16.15 crore worldwide.

Mysuru court sentences man to death for rape and murder of 9-year-old during 2025 Dasara festival

Mysuru’s Fast Track Special Court-1 sentenced 32-year-old Karthik to death Saturday for raping and murdering a nine-year-old girl during Dasara festivities in October 2025. The court convicted him after a trial supported by DNA, forensic and post-mortem evidence; police arrested him within 24 hours. The girl had come from Kalaburagi with her family to sell balloons.

Neha Sharma issues stern warning against using her face or likeness to create AI-generated content

Actor Neha Sharma has warned she will take legal action against anyone creating or circulating AI-generated content using her face without consent, demanding existing posts be removed immediately. She said misuse harms her reputation, warning neither fake accounts nor AI can protect offenders. It comes amid rising deepfake concerns and celebrity lawsuits over identity rights.

Indian refiners de-risked in advance, Trump's Russia sanctions waiver a ‘temporary’ relief: Experts

US relief from threatened 100% tariffs on India for buying Russian oil is temporary: refiners cut Russian imports 33.3% and shifted to costlier suppliers, lifting the April–September import bill 46.4% annualized to $90.6 billion. Graham Act sanctions remain available, leaving tariff pressure as leverage in trade talks. Discounted Russian oil had supplied nearly one-third of India’s imports.

Pinarayi Vijayan gets ED summons in CMRL laundering case, asked to appear on Oct 23

ED officials pasted a summons at Pinarayi Vijayan’s residence Saturday, directing him to appear October 23 and provide records in the CMRL-Exalogic payoff case. Issued under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act after a state police FIR, the notice was served while Vijayan attended a party conference; he has challenged the High Court ruling enabling the case.

Women protest outside Delhi Police HQ against ‘sexual violence’ during anti-SIR stir

Women’s groups marched to Delhi Police headquarters demanding accountability for alleged sexual and gender-based violence against anti-CEC protesters, citing videos, photographs and testimony describing harassment and assaults since July 20, with reports increasing October 2. Organisers alleged abuse in police buses and detention centres; three journalists reported officers allegedly touched them while covering protests there.

Hex marks the spot: An exhibition explores how magic has evolved

An exhibition of 75 artefacts shows that magic began not as deception but as a means of protection, healing, divination and controlling forces beyond understanding, before becoming stigmatized in Greece and Rome. Drawn from Egypt, Mesopotamia and the Mediterranean, the objects include wands, amulets and curse tablets. Once bound to religion, practices endure today.

I'd have left Real Madrid if I were Vinicius Jr, says Jose Mourinho

Mourinho said he would have left Real Madrid this summer if he were Vinicius Junior, citing the winger’s repeated racist abuse and hostility from rival fans. Vinicius instead renewed through 2032, but a four-match ban for hair-pulling rules him out of the October 25 Clasico. Mourinho praised his resilience as Madrid trail Barcelona by six points.

Yash confirms Ramayana’s ₹4,000 crore budget, asks fans to speak about the film with pride

Yash confirmed the two-part *Ramayana* franchise has a combined ₹4,000-crore budget, including post-production and promotions, saying its scale is meant to showcase Indian cinema’s strength globally. The actor, who plays Ravana and co-produces the films, defended producer Namit Malhotra’s estimate. Directed by Nitesh Tiwari, the first instalment is due Diwali 2026, with Part Two following in 2027.

Woman's post-death rituals performed outside hospital as landlord bars body at home citing Navratri

A cancer-stricken 31-year-old woman’s family performed rites outside Guna hospital’s mortuary after their landlord refused to let her body enter their rented home during Navratri. Pooja Rajak died during treatment, leaving three children. Her financially struggling father accepted the request, while social workers helped complete the rituals before her cremation; her estranged husband later joined.

Those little ribbons inside your tops and dresses help prevent them from stretching. Here's how

Have you ever found thin ribbons hanging inside a new top, blouse or dress and wondered what they are actually for? Often tucked near the shoulder seams or inside the neckline, these little loops are easy to overlook. Some people cut them off, while others leave them hidden inside their clothes without giving them much thought. But these tiny ribbons are not just random additions to your clothing. They serve a surprisingly useful purpose that many people may never have stopped to think about.

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.