Two Indian-origin former Rutgers University students, identified as Navam Kaul and Malaika Chitre, died after being struck by a Number 4 train at Canal Street Station in Manhattan on Sunday. A viral video showed the pair sitting on the tracks before the train arrived. Police are investigating whether drugs or alcohol were involved, and are also examining the possibility of suicide, though no note has been found. The train operator reportedly saw the two on the tracks moments before the collision. Around 100 passengers aboard were evacuated safely. The incident remains under investigation by New York transit authorities. (PC: HT)

The United States has publicly confirmed, for the first time, that it has deployed a weapon in Earth's orbit. US Secretary of the Air Force Troy Meink said the "on orbit" weapon was needed to protect American forces from hostile action, speaking at the Air, Space and Cyber Conference. He gave no details on its capabilities or deployment date. The admission follows years of warnings about Russian and Chinese programmes targeting US satellites. A 1967 treaty bans weapons of mass destruction in space, but other military capabilities remain unregulated. The disclosure comes as the US pushes its "Golden Dome" missile defence system. (PC: BBC)

Oracle began a new round of layoffs on Tuesday, sending termination emails to employees at around 6 am local time, citing "broader organisational change." Reports suggest the cuts could affect up to 30,000 employees globally, including around 12,000 in India, across the US, Canada, Mexico and other countries. Some workers lost system access and badge entry before receiving formal notice. The email said the recipient's role was eliminated and that day was their last working day, with severance subject to company terms. The layoffs come as Oracle ramps up spending on AI data centre infrastructure. Oracle has not officially commented on the total numbers. (PC: X)

Pakistan's men's hockey team will travel to India for the 2026 Asian Champions Trophy, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann confirmed, with the tournament set for October 27 to November 5 in Jalandhar and Mohali. Pakistan Hockey Federation president Mohyuddin Ahmed Wani said the team's participation still depends on formal government clearance, adding the federation will follow whatever its government decides. India, Pakistan, China, Japan, Malaysia and South Korea make up the six-team field, with India and Pakistan set to clash on November 1. Bilateral series between the two nations remain suspended, though multinational tournaments are permitted under current policy. (PC: NDTV)

Several Delhi schools received bomb threats on Tuesday morning, triggering emergency evacuations as mid-term exams were underway. The British School, Sardar Patel Vidyalaya, Springdales and Air Force Bal Bharati School were among the institutions affected, with police, bomb disposal teams, sniffer dog squads and fire services deployed. Sardar Patel Vidyalaya confirmed all students were safely evacuated and that police were informed and taking necessary steps. The school was holding its first day of half-yearly exams when the threat arrived; senior school students had already finished most papers. Authorities are investigating; officials say the threats appear to be hoaxes, as in past incidents. (PC: HT)

Gurugram Police on Tuesday arrested Kalyan Bainsla, the car driver accused of ramming a woman biker on Golf Course Road, from Rajgarh in Rajasthan. Police said the arrest followed the addition of an attempt-to-murder charge under Section 109 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. The victim, known online as "Sia," sustained injuries after her sports bike was struck on Sunday. A viral video showed the car chasing and colliding with her before fleeing the scene. Bainsla has claimed the crash was accidental, saying he panicked and left fearing mob violence. The case has sparked nationwide outrage over women's safety on Gurugram roads. (PC: X)

US President Donald Trump has dismissed warnings about artificial intelligence, saying claims that AI could turn against humans are false. In social media comments Monday, Trump rejected concerns about rogue AI and argued that efforts to limit the technology are part of what he called a “sick conspiracy.” He said the idea of AI taking over the world and harming people is untrue. Trump also compared warnings about AI’s potential dangers to concerns about climate change, which he said he does not believe. His remarks come amid debate over risks posed by increasingly advanced artificial intelligence and calls from some technology figures and researchers for safeguards and limits on its development.

Josh Engels, Google DeepMind AGI safety researcher, has left the company for AI evaluation organisation METR, warning that advanced AI systems could cause “immense harm” within five years. Engels said he enjoyed his work at DeepMind and turned down offers from Anthropic and OpenAI, but considers AI safety the world’s most important problem. He is concerned about recursive self-improvement, where AI systems improve other systems, potentially creating dangerous feedback loops if misaligned with human goals. Engels cited models colluding, hacking companies, hiding actions and socially engineering humans, saying current systems appear “less aligned over time, not more”. He called for slower development, stronger safety research and independent evaluation of AI companies.

A newly released US government watchdog report details the impact of the ongoing conflict with Iran, highlighting shortages of advanced weapons, munitions resupply bottlenecks and extensive damage to American military and diplomatic facilities across West Asia. Covering April 1 to June 30, the report was compiled by inspectors general from the Pentagon, State Department and USAID. It found strategic inventory shortfalls and pressure on advanced missiles and defensive interceptors. Hundreds of buildings at US installations in Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, UAE, Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Oman and Jordan were damaged or destroyed. Dozens of aircraft and drones were also destroyed or damaged, including up to 30 MQ-9 Reapers and several KC-135 refuelling aircraft. (PC: Reuters)

Meta has agreed to report child safety-related matters, including cases involving child sexual abuse, to law enforcement agencies, government sources told CNN-News18. The move follows sustained government engagement with social media platforms and scrutiny of Meta-owned Instagram after a media probe found 30 unique advertisements in India allegedly using terms related to child sexual abuse and directing users toward Telegram channels offering such material. The government said online safety of children is a “fundamental principle” for social media platforms operating in India. Sources described Meta’s agreement as a “first step” and said much more needs to be done. The Centre is continuing engagement with other social media platforms to improve child safety. (PC: X)