Times of India

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu confirmed the killing of Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar, held responsible for the October 7 massacre. Netanyahu emphasized the mission's continued priority of rescuing hostages. U.S. President Biden praised the action, recognizing Sinwar's elimination as significant for global security.

Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah announced that all ST residential schools and Raichur University will be renamed after Maharishi Valmiki to honor his legacy. During Valmiki Jayanti celebrations, he highlighted Valmiki's contributions and criticized the BJP for not implementing SC Sub-Plan and Tribal Sub-Plan policies despite being in power.

UP BJP MLA Brajbhushan Rajput was surprised when a fuel station employee in Mahoba requested his assistance in finding a bride. The staffer, earning Rs 6,000 monthly and owning 13 bighas of land, asked for help based on his vote for Rajput. The MLA promised to assist.

By inducting Arti Singh Rao and Shruti Choudhry, BJP aimed to placate key figures but excluded favorites like Savitri Jindal and Shakti Rana Sharma. The party also overlooked significant candidates from the GT Road belt and newcomers like Suneel Sangwan.

The National Testing Agency (NTA) announced that starting from 2025, the JEE Main exam will revert to its pre-pandemic format, discontinuing the optional question format in Section B. Students will be required to answer all 5 mandatory numerical questions per subject. The application process for the first phase of JEE Main-2025 will commence soon.

A 20-year-old NEET aspirant, Ashutosh Chorasia from Uttar Pradesh, died by suicide in his PG room in Kota. He had been receiving treatment for a neurological disorder. This is the 15th student suicide in Kota this year. Ashutosh left behind notes to his parents and cousin, detailing his struggles.

Anant Ambani threw an extravagant birthday party for his wife, Radhika Merchant, on October 16, celebrating in style with a host of Bollywood celebrities in Mumbai. The grand celebration was a star-studded affair attended by stars such as Ananya Panday, Suhana Khan, Janhvi Kapoor, and Khushi Kapoor alongside friends and family. The guest list included other prominent personalities like Aryan Khan, Arjun Kapoor, Ranveer Singh, and cricket legend MS Dhoni.

Indian Railways has halved the advance reservation period for tickets from 120 to 60 days, effective November 1. Aimed at reducing ticket blocking and cancellations, this move follows a review of reservation trends. Currently, about 21% of reservations are canceled, and 4%-5% of passengers do not show up for their journey, leading to frauds and illegal ticket accommodations.

In Bihar's Siwan and Saran districts, 27 people have died in a suspected spurious liquor case. The administration confirmed 20 deaths in Siwan and seven in Saran. Authorities have arrested 13 individuals, with many victims still hospitalized. CM Nitish Kumar has called for strict action against those responsible.

Captain Renu Tanwar's last wish to be cremated with her husband Flight Lieutenant Deen Dayal Deep could not be fulfilled as her body was sent to Rajasthan. The couple, who had a love marriage in December 2022, both took their own lives due to suspected personal issues.

Indian carriers, including Air India, IndiGo, Vistara, and AI Express, faced multiple hoax threat messages affecting around 13 flights on Thursday alone. The Union aviation ministry is working on new rules to tackle and punish such incidents severely, consulting with global best practices and the International Civil Aviation Organisation.

Byju's founder Byju Raveendran addressed various issues, including major setbacks, investor exits, and disputes, revealing that Byju's current worth is zero. He plans to repay the company's outstanding debts but faces challenges due to aggressive lender tactics. Despite hurdles, he remains committed to teaching and has future plans to return to India.

An inquiry concludes sabotage in the Bagmati Express accident due to removed nuts and bolts, leading to derailment and collision with a stationary goods train at Kavaraipettai. Railway personnel and officials confirm no technical fault, pointing to deliberate tampering of the tracks.

Horoscope Today: Read daily horoscope predictions for October 18, 2024. Know all about the astrological events and influences that will be affecting each of the 12 zodiac signs. Get ready to discover what the stars have in store for you today.

Google has announced a leadership reshuffle with Prabhakar Raghavan becoming Chief Technologist and Nick Fox taking over his roles in Search and Ads. Additionally, the Gemini app team will integrate into Google DeepMind, and the Assistant team will join the Platforms & Devices division.

CBDT has introduced Form 12BAA to enable employees to inform their employers about TDS and TCS from other income sources, aiding in reducing tax deductions from salaries and increasing take-home pay.

India extends Rs 487.60 crore rupee-denominated credit line to Mauritius for a water pipeline replacement project under IDEAS scheme. This initiative, marking the first of its kind, aims to enhance the outdated water infrastructure, ensuring reliable clean water access for Mauritian residents.

India's innings collapsed for a record low of 46 runs against New Zealand in the 1st Test at M Chinnaswamy Stadium. Mohammed Siraj had a heated moment with Devon Conway, who later scored 91. Siraj was recently appointed Deputy Superintendent of Police in Telangana.

The National Testing Agency (NTA) has declared the results for UGC NET June 2024 on October 17, 2024. Out of over 11.21 lakh registered candidates, 6.84 lakh appeared for the exam, and more than 1.12 lakh qualified for Ph.D. admissions. The Computer Based Test (CBT) was held from August 21 to September 5, 2024, across 280 cities in India. Candidates can view their results on the official NTA website. Certificates for qualified candidates will be issued shortly.