October 17, 2026

Today's Briefing

Tamil cinema mourns composer Deva, Sri Lanka loses power nationwide, Canada and India sign new business deals, Trump pauses new Russia sanctions, and Air India halts Saudi flights.

1
Composer Deva, the 'Thenisai Thendral' who scored more than 400 films in four languages and brought Chennai's gaana sound into mainstream cinema, died in Chennai on Saturday at 75. Chief Minister Vijay, Rajinikanth and Kamal Haasan paid respects in person, and the state announced a funeral with full honours.Read at source · BBC Tamil →
2
A grid failure cut electricity across Sri Lanka on Saturday morning and knocked all three units at the Norochcholai power station offline. Supply is returning in stages in areas including Colombo, Gampaha and Galle, and rooftop solar owners have been asked to disconnect for now.Read at source · Athavan News →
3
A Canadian trade mission to India led by Trade Minister Maninder Sidhu produced 34 commercial agreements worth close to $300 million. Both governments are aiming to finalize a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement by the end of 2026.Read at source · CityNews Toronto →
4
President Trump has put on hold the sanctions and tariffs in a new Russia sanctions law he signed only last month, citing U.S. national interests. The move spares major buyers of Russian crude such as India and China from immediate new penalties.Read at source · The Hindu →
5
Air India and Air India Express have extended the cancellation of their Jeddah, Riyadh and Dammam flights until October 24, pointing to security concerns across the Middle East. Travellers heading to Saudi Arabia should check booking details with the airline.Read at source · The Hindu →

Today's Briefing

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