IBTimes

Union Home Minister Amit Shah accepted Rahul Gandhi's debate challenge, urging him to discuss the SIR exercise and other issues in Parliament. Shah said the government is ready to convene a special session if Congress formally requests one.

A Delhi-based company has surprised its employees with brand-new iPhone 16 smartphones as Diwali gifts. The gesture has gone viral on social media, with netizens praising the company for recognising its employees' contributions and making the festive occasion memorable.

Alia Bhatt shared adorable behind-the-scenes pictures of Ranbir Kapoor and daughter Raha from the sets of Ramayana as the film arrived in theatres. Praising her husband for his dedication, Alia wrote that he poured his heart and soul into the project.

Mehbooba Mufti has been re-elected PDP president for a fifth consecutive term. With the party weakened by defections and organisational setbacks since 2018, her biggest challenge will be to rebuild the organisation and regain its political relevance in Jammu and Kashmir.

Cristiano Ronaldo has officially announced his retirement from international football, bringing an end to an illustrious career with the Portugal national team that spanned more than two decades. The five-time Ballon d'Or winner made the announcement through an emotional video message shared on his social media accounts.

The move is part of the tech giant's efforts to streamline operations and manage expenses as it increases spending on AI infrastructure and development. The development comes amid a wider wave of workforce reductions across the global technology sector, with several major companies announcing layoffs and restructuring plans in 2026.

Virat Kohli celebrates his 38th birthday on November 5, with wishes pouring in from fans, former cricketers, celebrities & the cricket fraternity. Social media is flooded with heartfelt messages celebrating the Indian batting star's incredible career and achievements.

The case relates to an October 13 protest against alleged irregularities in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, during which the activists allegedly trespassed into the de-notified protest site and raised slogans against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.

Former NC MP Aga Syed Ruhullah Mehdi has intensified his political offensive against the BJP and the National Conference leadership, rejecting Ram Madhav's remarks about his Budgam rally. He reiterated his opposition to the BJP's policies in Jammu and Kashmir and indicated plans to build a broad-based movement for restoring people's rights and dignity.

Muhurat Trading is a special one-hour trading session conducted by Indian stock exchanges every year on Diwali. The tradition is considered auspicious by many investors and traders, who believe that buying shares during this period brings prosperity and financial growth.

The controversy began in September 2024 after Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu alleged that animal fat was used in Tirupati laddu preparation. CBI-led SIT charge sheet stated that laboratory tests found no lard or animal fat in the samples, while investigators alleged adulteration using vegetable oils

The incident reportedly occurred after a leaking cylinder came into contact with a lit oil lamp near a house entrance. CCTV footage captured the dramatic moment, showing the agent running away as flames engulfed the cylinder. Fire brigade personnel and police reached the spot following the incident.

Salman Khan grabbed attention with his casual appearance at film producer Ramesh Taurani's star-studded Diwali bash in Mumbai. A viral video shows Urvashi Rautela posing for the paparazzi when Salman makes his grand entry

A content creator shared a viral video claiming that the film initially played in 2D before switching to 3D and subsequently being paused. Viewers expressed disappointment over spending Rs 1,500 on the experience and urged the filmmakers and Cinepolis management to address the issue.

The minimum BMTC fare has increased from Rs 6 to Rs 10. Ashoka alleged that the hike would burden commuters, students and daily-wage workers. The Shakti scheme offering free bus travel to eligible women remains unaffected.

Abdul El-Sayed, born in Michigan to Egyptian parents, was elected as the first Muslim member of the US Senate on Wednesday. In his victory speech, El-Sayed jokingly addressed Vice President JD Vance as habibi, an Arabic term of endearment.

The move provides an alternative to Aadhaar, PAN cards and driving licences for applicants who do not possess these documents. Candidates can apply through the official JEE Main website within the prescribed deadlines.

The benchmark Nifty50 index reclaimed the 24,000 mark for the first time since September 4, according to data on Bloomberg. The large-cap gauge rose as much as 2.01 per cent to 24,442.20 in the intraday trade.

Fast cross-border payments require financial crime compliance built directly into payment infrastructure to ensure security, accountability, and fraud prevention across jurisdictions.

Democrat Chris Pappas has defeated Republican John E. Sununu in New Hampshire's Senate race, becoming the first openly gay man elected to the US Senate. The 46-year-old celebrated his historic victory with his husband, Vann Bentley, and thanked him for his support.

A Kashmiri MBBS student from Sopore, Adnan Altaf Rathar, was found dead in Bangladesh after going missing for nearly two days. His family seeks urgent government intervention to repatriate his mortal remains, while JKSA approaches External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar for assistance.

Amul has increased the prices of ghee and butter across India ahead of Diwali, with some products becoming costlier by up to Rs 50. The price revision, effective October 2, comes amid rising milk production costs and increased festive demand.

Gold prices in Delhi jumped 4,800 to 1,46,600 per 10 grams, while silver surged 9,000 to 1.93 lakh per kg on November 4. Festive demand, a weaker US dollar and a global bullion rally supported the recovery, with international gold rising 3% and silver gaining 4.5%.

NCP (SP) chief Sharad Pawar was admitted to Mumbai's Breach Candy Hospital, hours after being discharged from a hospital in Pune. PM Modi spoke to Pawar over the phone and advised him to take complete rest, Pawar's aide said.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi attacked Punjab's AAP government over the state's drug menace at an election rally in Sangrur, questioning CM Bhagwant Mann's handling of the issue and alleging he appeared intoxicated in Parliament.

Canva is cutting 1,271 jobs, affecting 22% of its global workforce, as part of its first major restructuring in 13 years. The company is offering departing employees at least six months' salary, free MacBooks, one year of LinkedIn Premium, healthcare coverage and career support.

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman changed his display name on X to Ram Altman after facing backlash over his comments about the use of RAM in personal computers. He accepted the name suggestion from a user and clarified that he supports increasing global memory production so consumers can install as much RAM as they want.

Mumbai Police arrested IT engineer Vaibhav Mishra in Bengaluru on Wednesday for allegedly threatening Bollywood actors Ayushmann Khurrana and Tusshar Kapoor in the name of the Lawrence Bishnoi gang. The accused reportedly sent threatening audio messages and demanded crores of rupees from the actors.

It is important to note that the Rs 250 denomination does not mean the coin can be used as a regular Rs 250 currency coin. Its purchase price is higher because of its precious-metal content and commemorative value.

The National Conference has accused the BJP of executing 'Operation Lotus' in Kashmir to engineer Aga Syed Ruhullah Mehdi's exit from the party. NC MLA Salman Sagar and Deputy CM Surinder Chowdhary have targeted the BJP amid escalating political tensions

The Sensex advanced 383.55 points, or 0.5 per cent, to close at 77,301.40, while the Nifty gained 149.75 points, or 0.63 per cent, to end the session at 23,960.60.

In his victory speech, El-Sayed delivered a pointed message to Vice President JD Vance, noting the delicious irony that Vance is constitutionally obligated to swear him into office in January.

Iranian lawmaker Amir Hayat-Moghaddam said the exemption for Indian vessels would facilitate medicine imports into Iran, while China's exemption was intended to secure Beijing's political support. Indian and Chinese vessels will still have to pay transit fees, while Qatari ships can pass without charges.

Sandeep Reddy Vanga has reacted to the debate surrounding the alleged influence of violent films on real-life crimes after a reported school attack in Andhra Pradesh. Taking to X, he accused some actors, directors and producers of appointing themselves social reformers to criticise others' work.

US President Donald Trump claimed that Republicans would have won the midterm elections by a landslide if he had been on the ballot, following the party's major setback as Democrats took control of Congress. Trump blamed the outcome on the absence of his name from the ballot and said he would analyse why candidates won or lost.

Indian-American Congressman Suhas Subramanyam has been re-elected to the US House of Representatives from Virginia's 10th Congressional District, securing over 61.5% of the vote. The former White House technology policy advisor to Barack Obama defeated Republican Dave Beckwith.

Virat Kohli stole the spotlight during the India vs New Zealand first ODI with a spectacular one-handed catch to dismiss Nathan Smith, followed by his trademark 'bow and arrow' celebration. Fans also surprised him by singing 'Happy Birthday' at the stadium ahead of his birthday on November 5.

India's unofficial gold imports surged over 1,500% to 50 tonnes during July-September, their highest level since 2023, according to the World Gold Council. Higher import duties encouraged informal trading channels, while elevated prices and cautious jewellers clouded demand prospects.

Buying gold, silver, utensils, Goddess Lakshmi and Lord Ganesha idols, electronics, a new broom (jhadu), and whole coriander seeds (sabut dhaniya) is considered auspicious. While gold and silver symbolise wealth and prosperity, traditional purchases such as a broom and coriander seeds are believed to remove negativity

His sons, Raj Kapoor, Shammi Kapoor and Shashi Kapoor, carried the legacy forward, carving their own identities as celebrated actors, filmmakers and entertainers. Raj Kapoor further strengthened the family's standing, with his sons Randhir Kapoor, Rishi Kapoor and Rajiv Kapoor also making their mark in the film industry.

Donald Trump has acknowledged that the Iran war may have contributed to Republican losses in the 2026 US midterm elections. Expressing surprise at the results, he defended military action against Tehran and indicated that he could use his veto powers against legislation passed by a Democratic-controlled Congress.

Growing confrontation between the Delhi Police and the legal fraternity following the suspension of ACP Manasvi Vashishtha after protests by police personnel over an incident involving advocate Lalit Bansal at Shahdara Police Station

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi renewed his challenge to Prime Minister Narendra Modi for an open debate, saying 24 hours had passed since his invitation. He raised questions about the US deal, alleged foreign influence, India's financial system and the Adani case, urging Modi to debate him in front of the media and young people.

Tamil Nadu government has permitted theatres across the state to screen newly released Tamil films up to six shows a day for one week from the date of release. Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay approved the decision, allowing screenings between 6 am and 2.30 am the following day.

This 10.5% jump in his fortune helped Ambani climb to the 23rd spot on the global billionaire index. Mukesh Ambani edged past China's Yiming, the former CEO of the TikTok parent company, who currently ranks 25th with an estimated net worth of $84 billion.

Orry has opened up about his bitter fallout with childhood friend Sara Ali Khan, recalling how he supported her during the 2020 NCB drug probe. However, he claimed Sara failed to check on him during his lowest phase, leaving him hurt.

India strongly condemns the recent attack on a commercial vessel near Limah, Oman, which resulted in the tragic death of an Indian sailor, renewing calls for immediate de-escalation and a diplomatic solution to the escalating West Asia conflict.

The initiative aims to encourage commuters to use public transport instead of private vehicles to help reduce road traffic and pollution. Passengers can also benefit from metro and railway connectivity, parking facilities and the live parking tracking feature on the Namo Bharat Connect app.

Sanya Malhotra wore a bold black bralette and mini skirt with gold zardozi embroidery, ditching traditional festive wear. While some netizens slammed her revealing outfit, Priyanka Chopra's burgundy embellished gown also received mixed reactions online.

Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar has sought a Rs 2 reduction in Nandini curd prices following backlash over the recent dairy price hike. The Karnataka Milk Federation (KMF) has reportedly agreed to the proposal, which would bring the price of a one-litre curd pouch down from Rs 68 to Rs 66.