Times of India

Punjab Kings, armed with the largest IPL 2025 budget, secured batter Shreyas Iyer for a record-breaking Rs 26.75 crore. Bolstering their squad, PBKS acquired Arshdeep Singh and Yuzvendra Chahal for Rs 18 crore each. Retaining Shashank and Prabhsimran Singh, PBKS aims to end their title drought under Ricky Ponting's leadership.

Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) revamped their squad for the 2025 IPL season at the Jeddah auction. Retaining Kohli, Patidar, and Dayal, they acquired Livingstone, Salt, Jitesh Sharma, Hazlewood, and Suyash Sharma. RCB spent significantly to strengthen their batting and bowling lineups, aiming for their first IPL title.

The Supreme Court upheld GRAP-4 restrictions, directing states to utilise labour cess for worker support during the construction ban. It criticized the Delhi government's non-compliance with truck entry restrictions and instructed CAQM to take action. While allowing physical classes with some relaxations, the court emphasized the need for consistent AQI improvement before further easing GRAP measures.

Mumbai Indians made strategic moves at the IPL 2025 auction, splashing Rs 12.5 crore to secure Trent Boult's return. They also rebought uncapped player Naman Dhir for Rs 5.25 crore. With a remaining purse of Rs 45 crore after retaining core players like Bumrah, Suryakumar, and Rohit Sharma, MI added Robin Minz and Karan Sharma to their roster.

Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) retained a core group of five players, including Heinrich Klaasen and Pat Cummins, for the IPL 2025 auction. Spending Rs 75 crore of their Rs 120 crore budget, SRH entered the auction with Rs 45 crore to bolster their squad.

Google has sued former Bengaluru engineer Harshit Roy for allegedly stealing and sharing trade secrets about Pixel chip designs. Roy, who resigned in February, reportedly boasted about the stolen data on social media, tagging competitors like Apple and Qualcomm.

E. coli outbreaks linked to contaminated food like carrots and onions have raised concerns. While most E. coli strains are harmless, some, like O157:H7, can cause severe illness. Spread through contaminated food, water, or contact with infected individuals, E. coli infections can lead to symptoms like cramps, bloody diarrhea, and fever.

Bhuvneshwar Kumar, out of India's national team for two years, fetched a hefty Rs 10.75 crore from RCB in the IPL 2025 auction. Indian pacers saw high demand despite some big names going unsold. Deepak Chahar and Mukesh Kumar also secured lucrative deals. Rishabh Pant became the most expensive player on Day 1, going to LSG for Rs 27 crore.

Iran's Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, called for death sentences against Israeli leaders following the International Criminal Court's issuance of arrest warrants for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, his former defence chief, and Hamas leader Ibrahim Al-Masri. The ICC cited alleged war crimes in Gaza, a charge Israel vehemently denies. Khamenei deemed arrest warrants insufficient, demanding capital punishment.

Supporters of former Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan staged protests in over 60 locations globally, demanding his release following his arrest. The Pakistani government, labeling the protests a "well-thought-out conspiracy," detained over 1,200 PTI workers and implemented internet restrictions to curb the demonstrations.

Five individuals, including four women, tragically lost their lives in a collision between an SUV and a bus in Uttar Pradesh's Mallawan area. The accident, which occurred early Monday, also left four others injured. Both vehicles were carrying passengers returning from weddings. Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath expressed condolences and directed the administration to ensure proper medical care for the injured.

Indian-Americans in Silicon Valley rallied against attacks on Hindu minorities in Canada and Bangladesh. They demanded government action to protect Hindus, citing the recent attack on a Brampton temple by Khalistani groups and the lack of protection from Canadian authorities.

KL Rahul's impressive 77 in the second innings of the first Test against Australia might not be enough to secure his opening spot. With Rohit Sharma's return from injury, Rahul is prepared to move down the order for the second Test in Adelaide.

Rohit Sharma returned from paternity leave to join the Indian cricket team in Perth, where the visitors have dominated the first Test against Australia. Yashasvi Jaiswal and Virat Kohli's centuries, along with Jasprit Bumrah's five-wicket haul, propelled India to a commanding position, setting Australia a daunting 534-run target to win.

Stock market today: BSE Sensex and Nifty50, the Indian equity benchmark indices, rallied strongly in opening trade on Monday. While BSE Sensex climbed over 1,100 points, Nifty50 was above 24,250.

Elon Musk, the world's richest person, jokingly claimed to be a 'time-traveling vampire alien' on his X (formerly Twitter) profile. His profile humorously displayed a verification date of 3000 BCE, fueling playful speculation among his followers. This comes as Musk's net worth hit a record-breaking $334.3 billion, solidifying his position as the wealthiest person in history.

Bitcoin's surge towards $100,000 faltered, prompting speculation about the sustainability of the rally fueled by President-elect Trump's pro-crypto stance. Despite reaching a near-historic peak, the digital currency retreated, with analysts noting signs of market exhaustion and potential consolidation around the symbolic threshold.

The opening day of the IPL auction in Jeddah saw the 10 teams spending a massive Rs 467.95 crore collectively, with Rishabh Pant fetching the highest bid of Rs 27 crore from Lucknow Super Giants. Punjab Kings emerged as the most aggressive buyer, splurging Rs 88 crore on eight players.

Hezbollah launched approximately 250 projectiles into Israel from Lebanon, targeting areas including Tel Aviv and an Ashdod naval base. The attacks, involving drones and missiles, resulted in injuries in both Israel and the West Bank. This escalation follows increased Israeli airstrikes and ground operations in Lebanon since September 23rd, marking a significant intensification of the conflict.