Digital Life Writer, Peepals Yuva
Rhea Malhotra
Rhea Malhotra is a pen name of the Peepals Global Editorial Team, which researches, fact-checks and publishes every story. The portrait is an illustration. About the team · Editorial policy
62 recent articles on Peepals Yuva
AI video of fake Vidhana Soudha blast leads to arrest in Bengaluru
Bengaluru police arrested a 25-year-old worker this week over an AI-made Instagram video showing a fake blast at Vidhana Soudha, a warning for anyone sharing AI clips.
Harvard Youth Poll: more young Americans expect to be worse off than parents
Harvard's fall 2026 Youth Poll, out Oct 22, found 27% of US 18-29s expect to be worse off than their parents vs 25% better off, a first; 64% fear AI job losses.
Rajasthan Police warns of WhatsApp hijacks used to ask friends for money
Rajasthan Police's cyber crime wing warned on 21-22 October 2026 that fraudsters are taking over WhatsApp accounts through fake QR codes and stolen OTPs, then asking contacts for money.
22% of Indian college students have started a business: IIT Mandi survey
The GUESSS India survey led by IIT Mandi, released on 22 October 2026, found 22% of 25,783 college students have started a business and 43% want to.
Sony LIV subscription now inside Prime Video India at Rs 399 a month
Prime Video India added Sony LIV as an add-on subscription on 21 October 2026, at Rs 399 a month or Rs 1,499 a year, with billing managed inside the Prime Video app.
Kindle Plus: Amazon renames Kindle Unlimited, adds AI-narrated audiobooks
Amazon renamed Kindle Unlimited as Kindle+ around October 22, 2026, adding AI-narrated and other audiobooks for US members at the same $11.99 price.
MW4 launches today: campaign wins 90% Steam approval as multiplayer opens
Modern Warfare 4 launched in full on October 23, 2026 with multiplayer, after its campaign drew 90% positive Steam reviews from early players.
Sabeer Bhatia video: Mumbai Police notices over 24 X posts sharing it
Mumbai Police notices dated October 18, 2026 asked at least 24 X users sharing Sabeer Bhatia's video essay to remove posts, citing BNS defamation and insult sections.
Preschool social-skills lessons linked to less loneliness at 21, Penn State finds
Young adults taught social skills in preschool reported less loneliness and depression at 21-22, a Penn State study announced October 20, 2026 found.
GTA 5, Red Dead Redemption 2 leave PS Plus on November 17
GTA V and Red Dead Redemption 2 leave PlayStation Plus Extra and Premium on November 17, 2026, two days before GTA VI launches.
Xbox cloud gaming new pricing: $3.99 for 10 hours, no Game Pass
Xbox began testing Cloud Playtime on October 21, 2026: stream owned games without Game Pass, from $3.99 for 10 hours, wider rollout in November.
Short self-compassion meditation lifts young adults' body image, La Trobe trial finds
A La Trobe University trial of 227 adults aged 18-39, published in October 2026, found three short self-compassion meditations improved body image.
China youth unemployment eases to 18% in September after graduate surge
China's jobless rate for urban 16- to 24-year-olds eased to 18% in September 2026 from 18.9% in August, data released on October 21 showed.
Vishal Rattewal case: HC says criticising a brand online is not infringement
Delhi High Court let Niva Bupa withdraw a Rs 5 crore trademark suit against influencer Vishal Rattewal, ruling naming a brand in criticism is not infringement.
GTA VI launch could cost US $1 billion in a day: economist
Grand Theft Auto VI's November 19 launch could cost the US about $1 billion in one day if 1.5 million workers stay home, an economist estimated this week.
FM27 free: play Football Manager 27 from October 29 to November 3
Sega said on October 21, 2026 that anyone can play Football Manager 27 free on PC and Mac from October 29 to November 3, ahead of its November 10 launch.
Teen loneliness: 47% feel lonely, but connection helps, Child Mind study finds
A Child Mind Institute survey of 1,000 US teens released in October 2026 found 47% report moderate to severe loneliness; connection to family and school helps.
Fight Night boxing game returns: EA Sports confirms comeback after 15 years
EA Sports confirmed on October 20, 2026, that its Fight Night boxing game series is returning after about 15 years; no date or platforms yet.
SBI confirms 3,897 customer records found on dark web, starts probe
State Bank of India told stock exchanges on October 21, 2026 that 3,897 customer records with personal details were found among about 3.75 lakh records on the dark web.
GTA 6 pre-orders reach 6.45 million, PlayStation takes 74%
GTA 6 has about 6.45 million digital pre-orders worth $630 million as of October 18, 2026, Sensor Tower estimates, with PlayStation taking about 74%.
Hush Valorant: Riot's new Duelist reaches India on October 28
Riot revealed Hush, Valorant's 31st agent and a Duelist, on 18 October 2026; she launches in India on 28 October and unlocks for 200,000 XP or 1,000 VP.
APPSC AEE recruitment 2026: 503 engineer posts, apply November 2-22
APPSC has notified 503 Assistant Executive Engineer posts; engineering graduates aged 18-44 can apply online from 2 to 22 November 2026.
Norway's under-16 social media ban to cover harmful games such as Roblox
Norway said on October 19, 2026 its planned under-16 social media ban will also cover games and messaging apps judged harmful, naming Roblox, TikTok and Snapchat.
CBI says Kerala fraud network paid students Rs 3,000-7,000 per ATM card
The CBI arrested a Kerala man on October 17, 2026 over a fraud network it says bought students' ATM cards for Rs 3,000-7,000 to withdraw stolen money in Dubai.
US court lets Florida enforce social media ban for under-14s
A US appeals court on October 14, 2026 let Florida enforce HB 3, which bars under-14s from social media accounts and needs parental consent for 14-15s.
UP Startup Policy 2026: E-Cells, Startup Express and Rs 25,000 Junior Ideathon
Uttar Pradesh's Startup Policy 2026 sets out E-Cells, a Startup Express campus programme and a Junior Ideathon paying up to Rs 25,000 per idea for Classes 8-12.
GTA VI romance: one in four Britons object to partners' game dating
A YouGov poll of over 4,000 British adults, reported on October 19, 2026 as GTA VI nears, found 6% see video game romance as cheating and 19% more would not be okay with it.
Loud music on trains: Southern Railway warns of Rs 1,000 fine, jail
Southern Railway warned on October 19, 2026 that playing phone audio on speaker or loud calls in trains can bring a Rs 1,000 fine, and jail if it continues.
UPSSSC PET 2026 admit card out; exam starts October 25
UPSSSC began releasing PET 2026 admit cards on October 17, 2026; the OMR exam runs October 25, 30 and November 1 in two shifts a day.
Amazon Influencer Program doubles to 2 lakh creators; tags come to YouTube
Amazon India says its Influencer Program has 2 lakh creators and creator-led shoppers rose 107% in Jan-Sep 2026; YouTube, Pinterest tagging added.
UPSSSC Inter Level recruitment 2026: 1,784 Class 12 level jobs, apply from Nov 10
UPSSSC notified 1,784 Class 12 level posts on October 16, 2026; PET 2025 scorecard holders can apply online from November 10 to December 1.
Income Tax Delhi sports quota recruitment: 119 jobs for athletes, apply by Nov 10
The Income Tax Department, Delhi, is hiring 119 sportspersons as Tax Assistant, Stenographer and MTS; online applications close on November 10, 2026.
Jantar Mantar Chalo: Delhi protests turn into viral browser games
Jantar Mantar Chalo, a satirical browser game on Delhi's protests released October 14, 2026, hit 2,000 players at once, its creator said.
Orionid meteor shower 2026 peaks October 21-22: best pre-dawn times in India
The Orionid meteor shower peaks on the night of October 21-22, 2026; from India the best view is before dawn on October 22, after moonset.
Galaxy F70 5G launched at Rs 19,999 with 50MP OIS camera; sale from October 20
Samsung launched the Galaxy F70 5G in India on October 18, 2026, at Rs 19,999 (Rs 17,999 with a bank offer); sales start October 20 on Flipkart.
Team SouL win BMSD 2026 in Hyderabad, take Rs 30 lakh and PMGC spot
Team SouL won the BGMI Showdown (BMSD) 2026 in Hyderabad on 18 October with 155 points, taking Rs 30 lakh and a PMGC 2026 spot; Gladiators and 8Bit followed.
MVSR Engineering College Dandiya night: student killed as lighting frame collapses
A first-year student was killed and about 14 hurt when a metal lighting frame fell on dancers at MVSR Engineering College's Dandiya event near Hyderabad on 17 October 2026.
TikTok permanently suspends ad account of 'Musk' documentary, citing political content
TikTok on 16 October 2026 permanently suspended the paid ad account of Alex Gibney's film 'Musk', citing political-content violations; the distributor is appealing.
Dhruv Rathee gets bailable warrant in 2018 defamation case over YouTube video
A Delhi court issued a bailable warrant against YouTuber Dhruv Rathee on October 17, 2026, in a 2018 defamation case over a video; next hearing is October 31.
League of Legends Classic to shut on January 6, 2027; Riot to refund exclusive skins
Riot Games said this week it will end League of Legends Classic on January 6, 2027 as players drift back to the main game, and will refund RP spent on Classic-only items.
Runner Yoo Ji-won, 25, dies 500 m from Seoul half-marathon finish
South Korean running influencer Yoo Ji-won, 25, collapsed 500 m from the Seoul Race finish on October 11, 2026, and died, prompting a debate on amateur racing.
Internet access is a fundamental right for children too, Supreme Court rules
On October 15, 2026, the Supreme Court held internet access is a fundamental right of every person, including children, and rejected blanket bans.
Shark Tank India 6 opens registrations for a Young Founders Special
Shark Tank India season 6 has opened registrations for a Young Founders Special, inviting young entrepreneurs, even at school-project stage, to pitch to the Sharks.
Philippine House votes to bar under-13s from social media; stricter Senate bill looms
The Philippine House of Representatives passed a bill on October 12, 2026 barring children under 13 from social media and limiting teens' access; a stricter Senate bill targets all under-18s.
MW4 release date: Modern Warfare 4 out Oct 23 as standalone, skips Game Pass
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 launches October 23, 2026 as a standalone game; campaign early access began October 16 and it skips Game Pass at launch.
Gen Z Diwali shopping: 71% plan to buy a phone, friends' advice comes first
A Snapchat-GWI study of 1,008 young Indians finds 71% plan to buy a phone this Diwali, 52% ask friends or family first and 61% use quick commerce for essentials.
UK graduates now chase school-leaver jobs as 141 apply for each graduate post
A UK employers' survey released this week finds 141 applications per graduate job, internship demand up 27% and more graduates applying for school-leaver roles.
GTA VI launch trailer is out: Rockstar's last look before the November 19 release
Rockstar released the GTA VI launch trailer on October 15, 2026, with a new Justice, SZA and Tame Impala song, ahead of the game's November 19 release.
YouTube creators added Rs 18,000 crore to India's GDP in 2025, says Gunjan Soni
YouTube India MD Gunjan Soni said on October 15, 2026 that its creator ecosystem added over Rs 18,000 crore to GDP and about 9.6 lakh jobs in 2025.
PS5 games boot on Xbox Series X through a modder's emulator, but barely run
A modder's PS5X emulator, a port of KytyPS5, now boots four PS5 games on the Xbox Series X via Developer Mode, but performance is poor and no PS5 exclusives run.
Al Jazeera devices hit by zero-click spyware hidden in online ads, Citizen Lab says
Citizen Lab said on October 15, 2026 that ads from Israeli firm Discover-Tech delivered zero-click spyware, targeting at least 45 Al Jazeera devices.
South Korea adds 113,000 jobs, but youth employment falls for 29th month
South Korea added 113,000 jobs in September 2026, but jobs for 15-29-year-olds fell by 147,000 and youth unemployment rose to 5.4%, data released on October 16 show.
Breakfast, sleep and 20 minutes of exercise linked to handling stress better: study
A Binghamton University survey of about 400 students, reported Oct 12-16, 2026, links breakfast, 6+ hours of sleep and exercise to better coping with stress.
Caller name display mandatory from November 1: what CNAP means for your phone
A DoT circular dated 13 October 2026 makes operators show callers' KYC-registered names on 4G and 5G phones from 1 November 2026.
BGMI Air: Krafton renames BGMI Lite, crosses 10 million pre-registrations
Krafton India renamed BGMI Lite as BGMI Air on October 15, 2026; the 1 GB game has 10 million pre-registrations and launches by the end of 2026.
Festive travel: Zostel bookings up 50% as young Indians take short two-night trips
Zostel's Festive Travel Pulse 2026, out October 9, shows Oct-Dec bookings up about 50% and an average two-night stay as young Indians take short trips.
CERT-In warns of critical Chrome flaws; update to version 155 now
CERT-In warned Chrome users on 14 October 2026 of critical flaws; Google's Chrome 155 update fixes 37 vulnerabilities, seven critical, and needs a browser restart.
Garba glow on a drip: doctors warn as Ahmedabad youth pay up to Rs 15,000 for IV therapy
Young people in Ahmedabad are paying Rs 4,000-15,000 for IV drips to look fresh for Navratri garba, reports this month say; doctors warn it is a medical procedure, not a beauty boost.
PS Plus games for October: Mafia, Horizon Forbidden West join catalogue on October 20
Sony announced on October 14, 2026 nine PS Plus Extra and Premium games for October, led by Mafia: The Old Country and Horizon Forbidden West, arriving from October 20.
Uttarakhand scheme lands 106 young people jobs abroad, most in Japan
Uttarakhand's skill upgradation and global employment scheme has placed 106 young people in jobs abroad, mostly in Japan, the state said on 9 October 2026.
Xbox Nano Controller: Microsoft's smallest gamepad costs $50, out in November
Microsoft announced the Xbox Nano Controller on 14 October 2026, a $50 gamepad for younger players and smaller hands that goes on sale in the US on 4 November.
Dhruv Rathee defamation case: Delhi court issues fresh summons, hearing Oct 17
A Delhi court has issued fresh summons to YouTuber Dhruv Rathee in a 2018 criminal defamation case over a video, after the 2019 summons went unserved; hearing is on 17 October.