Late on October 15, users around the world began encountering blank screens, error messages, or endless buffering when trying to access YouTube, YouTube Music, or YouTube TV. Reports flooded platforms like Downdetector, with over 360,000 users in the U.S. alone registering complaints at the peak of the outage.YouTube later confirmed that services had been restored globally, but the company did not provide a full explanation for what broke. Many users could open the site interface, but video playback failed. Others reported blank homepages, crashed apps, or sudden login issues across devices.

Diwali in 2025 will be celebrated over five days, beginning with Dhanteras and ending with Bhai Dooj. Each day holds deep cultural meaning, symbolising wealth, victory, devotion, and love. This year, the celebrations will fall in October. Families across India are already looking up the right muhurat timings to perform their rituals. The festival begins with Dhanteras, which people will celebrate on Saturday, October 18, 2025. It marks the thirteenth day of the dark fortnight of Kartik month and is considered ideal for buying gold, silver, and new utensils. People believe Goddess Lakshmi and Lord Kuber visit homes on this day to bless them with prosperity.

In a dramatic escalation, Donald Trump announced a 100 percent tariff on Chinese imports starting November 1 and threatened to cancel his planned meeting with Xi Jinping. He framed the move as retaliation for what he called Beijing “extraordinarily aggressive” actions. The tariffs will stack on top of existing duties, and he also floated export controls on critical software and technologies to amp up pressure. Stocks reacted sharply, with the Nasdaq dropping 3.6 percent and the S&P 500 falling 2.7 percent. Markets flagged concerns about the broader spillovers this trade escalation might produce.

Razorpay, NPCI and OpenAI have teamed up to roll out something they call Agentic Payments in India. At its core, this project aims to embed conversational payments right inside ChatGPT, letting users make purchases without leaving the chat. It is pilot stage for now. The idea is that ChatGPT could suggest products, take your consent, and then initiate payments using India UPI system. NPCI brings its trusted payment backbone, Razorpay provides the fintech plumbing, and OpenAI provides the conversational intelligence. Banking partners in the pilot include Axis Bank and Airtel Payments Bank.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi revived his pitch for Make in India at the India Mobile Congress in New Delhi. Insisting now is the best moment to invest, innovate and manufacture in India. He called for acceleration of reforms, presenting the nation as a friendly destination for businesses and startups. Modi highlighted sectors such as mobile phones, semiconductors and electronics as major areas of opportunity. He noted that over the last decade, India transformed its digital infrastructure 1 GB of wireless data now costs less than a cup of tea. He pointed to India’s launch of a Made in India 4G Stack, putting the country among just five in the world with that capability.

To begin with, AI now tackles tasks once reserved for doctors, lawyers, consultants, even analysts. For example, companies like Mercor design assignments in law, medicine, finance and management that mimic real high-value work. In turn, they pay experienced professionals to create those tasks and judge AI output against their standards. Mercor rolled out 200 “knowledge work” tasks to test whether models can do jobs that pay real money. They hired professionals with 7+ years’ experience people who once worked at top banks, hospitals and firms to build each scenario. These experts aim to push AI past simple pattern matching and into nuanced reasoning.

The US government shutdown began when Democrats and Republicans hit a wall over funding the Affordable Care Act. Democrats insisted on extending health subsidies to prevent insurance premiums from crashing upward; Republicans refused to include those in the bill. With no compromise reached, federal funding expired and the shutdown kicked in. Every single day that the shutdown continues costs about $400 million. That figure comes from the Congressional Budget Office. Federal contracts are stalled, services delayed, and research grants put on hold. Essential workers like border security staff, air traffic controllers, and military personnel are still on the job, but without pay.

Snapchat has changed how its Memories feature works by introducing a 5GB Snapchat Subscription Plans cap on free storage. Earlier, users could save unlimited Snaps without worrying about space. Now, anyone crossing the 5GB threshold must either pay for extra storage or risk losing access after a grace period. The company clarified that memories beyond the free limit will remain accessible for 12 months. During this time, users can either upgrade to a paid plan or download their data locally. If no action is taken, those extra memories will eventually get deleted.

Over the past three months, consulting giant Accenture layoffs or has cut more than 11,000 jobs globally. The leadership says this is part of an $865 million restructuring plan aimed at reshaping the workforce for an AI-led future. CEO Julie Sweet told analysts that the company is “exiting people on a compressed timeline where reskilling is not a viable path for the skills we need.” Many of those affected were employees whose roles don’t align with Accenture evolving client focus. At the end of August, Accenture global workforce stood at around 779,000, down from 791,000 a few months earlier.

OpenAI just flipped how ChatGPT begins your day. With the launch of ChatGPT Pulse, the app now crafts a tailored morning briefing running overnight that draws on chat history, memory, feedback, and even linked apps such as Gmail and Calendar. This new feature clears the fog of information overload. Each morning, Pulse presents a set of visual cards covering topics that matter to you: a suggested dinner based on your preferences, a follow-up idea from prior conversations, or reminders tied to your calendar. You can tap any card to dive deeper, ask ChatGPT for details, or save it as a chat thread.

President Droupadi Murmu is scheduled to travel to Mathura and Vrindavan this Thursday on a special train. Marking a rare and significant journey by a sitting President through the Indian Railways network. The visit highlights her interest in directly engaging with regions of cultural and spiritual prominence. The President will board the train from Delhi and reach Mathura. She will interact with local officials and review development initiatives in the district. Mathura, known as the birthplace of Lord Krishna, continues to be a focal point for heritage tourism and ongoing infrastructure projects aimed at improving pilgrim facilities.

Aryan Khan, the eldest son of Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan and interior designer Gauri Khan. Has always lived under the glare of public attention. Born in 1997, Aryan grew up in the limelight, often photographed alongside his father at events, matches, and international outings. Over the years, he has developed a distinct identity, balancing the privilege of being a star kid with the pressures that come with it. Educated at prestigious institutions like Sevenoaks School in London and later the University of Southern California. Aryan pursued filmmaking rather than acting, showing early signs that he wanted to carve his own path in cinema.

Shah Rukh Khan finally bagged the National Film Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role after more than thirty years in Bollywood. The honor arrived at the 71st National Film Awards ceremony in Delhi where President Droupadi Murmu presented the trophy. Gauri Khan, his wife, shared a celebratory post on Instagram praising his years of hard work, perseverance, and dedication. She promises to design a special mantle to display this achievement. He was overseas shooting for King when news of his win came. Despite tight schedules he flew back to Delhi for the ceremony.

The buzz around OG Movie is real. Telugu superstar Pawan Kalyan is back on the big screen in what promises to be one of the most expensive and ambitious gangster dramas of 2025. Directed by Sujeeth, known for his work on Saaho. The film is set to hit theaters on September 25, 2025, aligning with the Dussehra festivities. Fans have been waiting for a decade for Kalyan’s return to an action-packed. High-octane role, and OG movie is shaping up to deliver just that. Pawan Kalyan plays Ojas Gambheera…

A massive earthquake shook Russia Far East Kamchatka region on Friday. Sending shockwaves across the Pacific and triggering a tsunami alert. The quake measured 7.8 in magnitude and struck near the Kamchatka Peninsula, one of the most seismically active zones in the world. The tremors hit in the early hours and were strong enough to be felt in nearby towns and settlements. According to Russia emergency services, no immediate reports of large-scale damage or casualties have come in. But assessments are still underway. The epicenter was located offshore, deep under the seabed, which reduced the impact on land but raised concerns about possible ocean waves.

Zubeen Garg, born Zubeen Borthakur on 18 November 1972 in Tura, Meghalaya, was more than a singer. He was a cultural force from Assam actor, composer, filmmaker whose voice reached across regional lines. His sudden passing on 19 September 2025 in Singapore has stirred mourning, reflection, and serious questions. He belonged to a deeply artistic family his father Mohini Mohon Borthakur wrote poetry and lyrics, his mother Ily Borthakur was a singer. He lost his sister Jonkey in 2002, a blow that affected him deeply. Though he enrolled in B. Borooah College for science, his true calling was music.

Images of saffron robed Buddhist monks confronting riot police in Thailand have shocked many across the world. These clashes, though rare, have surfaced during moments of deep tension between the clergy and the state. Far from their image of calm meditation, some monks have been seen pushing back police shields. Kicking barricades, and even scuffling with security forces in defense of their religious institutions. The most widely reported confrontations happened in February 2016 and February 2017. In 2016, monks joined mass demonstrations after disputes over the selection of the Supreme Patriarch, the top Buddhist leader in Thailand.

Samsung has fired shots at Apple with a cheeky front-page ad in The Times of India. The ad, which appeared ahead of Flipkart Big Billion Days sale, shows what looks like an iPhone cleverly morphed into a lunchbox. The caption reads: “Without AI, your phone is just another dabba. The word dabba is a colloquial Hindi term for a plain metal lunchbox, instantly familiar to Indian audiences. By comparing the iPhone to a simple box, Samsung is suggesting that without advanced AI features, Apple latest iPhones don’t offer much innovation.

YouTube introduced several generative AI features for Shorts that change how creators produce content. New tools aim to speed up editing, spark creativity, and let users remix content in novel ways. Veo 3 Fast now powers Shorts with text-to-video generation at 480p, with sound included, and lower latency compared to earlier versions. Users can animate still images by transferring motion from other videos. Those tools also let creators apply artistic styles like pop art or origami, and insert props or characters via text description. A new remixing tool called Speech to Song transforms dialogue from eligible videos into custom soundtracks.

The Nano Banana saree trend on Google Gemini has gone viral for transforming casual selfies into glamorous portraits. Users flocked to the tool to see themselves styled in sarees with dramatic backgrounds. Making it one of the most talked-about filters of recent weeks. What began as a lighthearted experiment, however, took a strange turn for one woman. After uploading her picture, she noticed that the AI-generated image included a mole on her arm that was not present in her original photo. In a video that quickly spread online, she asked how the system could know about such a detail.

The National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) has announced a significant revision in the Unified Payments Interface (UPI) framework. Enhancing the transaction limit for Person to Merchant (P2M) payments. The new cap stands at ₹5 lakh per transaction in selected categories. Marking a notable increase from earlier limits which typically ranged between ₹1 lakh and ₹2 lakh. This decision directly benefits sectors such as insurance, capital markets, travel, and the Government e Marketplace. For insurance premium payments and investments, users can now make single transactions of up to ₹5 lakh. On the Government e-Marketplace, which also facilitates tax payments and earnest money deposits, the maximum per transaction limit has similarly been revised upward.

IIT Roorkee issued a strong warning to anyone spreading false material meant to tarnish the institute reputation. It responded to a video of a student dancing to Jalebi Bai at a college festival that stirred controversy on social media. Many accused the institute of endorsing inappropriate behaviour. Official statement clarified that this claim is misplaced. Media Cell In-charge Sonika Srivastava clarified that IIT Roorkee has noticed misleading content circulating online with the aim of harming its image. The institute mentioned legal action as a possibility against individuals or groups who share defamatory or false information.

Apple iOS 26 drops in India tonight at 10:30 PM IST. The update brings the biggest design refresh since iOS 7. What users get is much more than just a fresh look. Liquid Glass introduces translucent materials that reflect surroundings, emphasizing content, controls, widgets, and icons in a whole new way. Call Screening now lets unknown callers state their name and reason before connection. Hold Assist waits on hold and notifies user when someone picks up. Messages gets many upgrades: conversation backgrounds, typing indicators, polls in group chats, and missing contacts can be added straight from chats.

Albania has appointed Diella as its first AI-created minister, aiming to reform the way public tenders work. Prime Minister Edi Rama introduced Diella following his party’s victory in the May election. Leaders expect the virtual minister to oversee every public tender decision, ensuring full transparency and zero corruption. Diella will handle the processes that distribute millions in public funds across procurement contracts, removing the opacity that has plagued such systems for years. Corruption via public tenders has long undermined public trust in Albania. Experts point out that such contracts often become vehicles for graft, favouritism, or money laundering.

C. P. Radhakrishnan took oath today as the 15th Vice President of India. The ceremony happened at Rashtrapati Bhavan, New Delhi. President Droupadi Murmu administered the oath. Alongside were senior dignitaries and leaders from various parties. Radhakrishnan will also serve as Chairman of the Rajya Sabha. He defeated B. Sudershan Reddy, the Opposition candidate, in the vice presidential election held 9 September 2025. Radhakrishnan secured 452 votes while Reddy got 300. The margin of 152 votes confirmed Radhakrishnan’s win. Total turnout among Members of Parliament stood at over 98 per cent.