Times of India

With the IPL franchises finalizing their retained player lists by 5 pm today, the maximum retains are six players including five capped and two uncapped. The salary cap stands at Rs 120 crore, a 20% increase from last year. Teams can utilize Right to Match (RTM) cards during the auction for released players.

Mumbai's Muslim population, making up 20%, has few candidates in major parties' lists despite significant representation in some constituencies. Congress and NCP lead with the highest number of Muslim nominees. However, dissatisfaction looms over the MVA's minimal consideration. The situation might benefit smaller parties such as AIMIM and VBA in upcoming polls.

Israel has demanded the resignation of UN expert Francesca Albanese after she accused Israel of carrying out a genocidal campaign against Palestinians. Israeli officials have labeled her remarks as anti-Semitic and a distortion of the law. Albanese defended her statements, highlighting the risk of Palestinians being eradicated from their land.

Former President Trump criticized President Biden's comments likening his supporters to 'garbage' by appearing in a garbage truck. Trump’s rally response continued to mock Biden and also addressed Tony Hinchcliffe's controversial remarks about Puerto Rico. Vice President Harris distanced her campaign from Biden's statement, opposing personal attacks on voters.

Movie Trade Expert Girish Wankhede gives us a thorough low down on the entire scenario. He says, "This Diwali promises to be a significant event at the Indian box office, with two highly anticipated films, “Singam Again” and “Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3,” set to clash. Both films come with strong franchise backing, a star-studded cast, and considerable brand recognition, making them well-positioned for success."

England cricket captain Ben Stokes revealed that his home in Castle Eden was burglarized while he was in Pakistan. The robbers stole his OBE medal, jewelry, and other items of sentimental value. His family was inside but unharmed physically, though emotionally affected. Stokes shared the incident to aid police in catching the culprits.

Goldman Sachs estimates India needs to create 10 million jobs annually to sustain 6.5% GVA growth. Key policy recommendations include incentivizing affordable social housing, diversifying IT hubs to smaller cities, and reallocating fiscal incentives towards labour-intensive manufacturing sectors to boost employment.

This Dhanteras saw an unprecedented surge in silver sales, overshadowing gold for the first time due to soaring gold prices. Silver sales increased by 30-35% despite a 40% price hike. The demand was driven by the affordability compared to gold and anticipated industrial use, especially from the electric vehicle sector.

Air India, owned by Tata Group, has cancelled around 60 US flights scheduled for November and December due to aircraft maintenance delays and supply chain issues. The cancellations, affecting routes from Delhi and Mumbai to major US cities, are expected to increase airfares further. Affected passengers have been offered alternatives, including rebooking or refunds.

PM Narendra Modi will visit Guyana and Nigeria next month, marking his first trip to both countries. This visit aligns with his attendance at the G20 summit in Brazil. In Guyana, Modi will participate in a CARICOM-India summit, and in Nigeria, he will highlight India’s strategic partnership and discuss hosting the India-Africa summit.

Indian citizens aged 70 and above can now access Ayushman Bharat's expanded healthcare scheme, regardless of income. This initiative offers Rs 5 lakh health cover annually for hospitalisation. Enrollment requires Aadhaar-based e-KYC via the website or Ayushman App. Over 30,000 empanelled hospitals ensure cashless treatment, addressing nearly all treatment needs effectively.

At TechCrunch Disrupt 2024, Tony Fadell, inventor of the iPod, criticized OpenAI CEO Sam Altman and the reliability of large language models, highlighting their risks and the need for greater transparency and regulation in AI development to ensure responsible and safe integration into daily life.

During a visit to Tezpur and Tawang, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh emphasized India's commitment to restoring peace along the LAC with China based on reached consensus. He highlighted the role of discipline and courage of Indian soldiers and announced initiatives honouring Major Ralengnao Bob Khathing and Sardar Patel.

A Centre-instituted panel recommends a digital exam platform with biometric authentication to prevent fraud, multi-stage testing for NEET, and 1,000 government institutions as testing centres. It also suggests the restructuring of the National Testing Agency and enhanced oversight of coaching centres.

Canada's government admitted leaking sensitive information to The Washington Post about alleged involvement of Indian officials in criminal activities, leading to the withdrawal of six Indian diplomats. Canada's NSA Nathalie Drouin confirmed the leak to counter Indian disinformation, while India declared the accusations as baseless and backed by weak evidence.

Diwali 2024 will be vibrant with digital celebrations. People can share festive cheer through WhatsApp stickers, GIFs, Instagram stories, and Facebook status updates. Customised Diwali greetings and moments can be sent using tools available on these platforms. This guide provides steps to create personalised and engaging festive messages for loved ones.

New Delhi's air quality deteriorated to 'very poor' the day before Diwali due to calm winds and high local pollution, primarily from transport emissions. The Air Quality Index (AQI) rose to 307, with some areas reporting severe levels. The situation may worsen on Diwali and November 1 if firecracker and stubble burning emissions increase.

Lichtman's prediction is not based on polls but on 13 categories which he calls the "Keys to the White House" -- and Harris has the edge in eight of those metrics compared to Trump's three. ​​But there is always a possibility that he could be wrong, he conceded. “But it’s always possible that something so cataclysmic and so unprecedented could change the pattern of history.” “My predictions have stood the test of time, my indicators have always been right,” he said. “The keys are very objective and quantitative.”

In Uttar Pradesh's Jaunpur district, a 17-year-old taekwondo player, Anurag Yadav, was beheaded by relatives due to a longstanding property dispute. The gruesome killing led to tension and a large police presence. Authorities have initiated a magisterial probe and assured the victim's family of strict action against the culprits.