Bollywood's biggest stars have already begun their Diwali celebrations, dazzling in traditional wear at the IBTIDA Ek Mehfil Diwali Party, setting a glamorous tone for the upcoming festival.
Diwali parties are basically fashion week with better lighting, and Valentino's Mumbai celebration gave the guest list another reason to dress up.
The Union Cabinet has approved a 3 per cent increase in Dearness Allowance (DA) and Dearness Relief (DR) for over 1.17 crore central government employees and pensioners, effective from July 1, 2026, ahead of Diwali.
The Supreme Court has permitted Ashish Mishra, an accused in the 2021 Lakhimpur Kheri violence case and son of former Union minister Ajay Mishra, to travel to his hometown for Diwali celebrations. The court also emphasised the need for a timely conclusion of the trial, noting that 90 out of 131 witnesses have been examined and a new judge and prosecutor have been appointed.
Delhi Police seized approximately 570 kg of illegal firecrackers from a residential premises in Dwarka, southwest Delhi, ahead of Diwali. A 79-year-old man was booked for storing the firecrackers for clandestine sale without a valid licence.
Leading Indian stock exchanges, NSE and BSE, will conduct a special Muhurat trading session on Sunday, November 8, from 2:20 pm to 3:30 pm, to mark Diwali and the beginning of the new Hindu calendar year.
Swarovski's Diwali celebration in Mumbai transformed the city's festive glow into a full-blown fashion moment.
Jaipur police arrested a man with counterfeit currency notes worth Rs 3.45 lakh, primarily in Rs 500 denominations, ahead of Diwali. The accused, Shahbaz Khan, allegedly procured the fake notes from Old Delhi for circulation during the festive season. An investigation is underway to uncover the source and other members of the racket.
The National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) has deferred the implementation of a 0.4 per cent Merchant Discount Rate (MDR) on Person-to-Merchant (P2M) UPI payments above Rs 2,000, originally set for October 15, until after Diwali.
The Chamber of Trade and Industry (CTI) has requested a meeting with Congress leader Rahul Gandhi to discuss postponing the INDIA bloc's November 1 rally at Ramlila Maidan. Traders fear significant business disruption during the festive Diwali season due to the expected large crowd. CTI proposes a dialogue, offering to withdraw protests if convinced of benefits or seeking postponement if losses are proven.
Ranbir Kapoor recently revealed the thrilling details of his proposal to Alia Bhatt in Kenya's Maasai Mara, where three lions unexpectedly became witnesses to the romantic moment.
Ramayana: Part 1 had its grand premiere in Los Angeles, drawing attention ahead of its global release on November 5.
Madurai-based content creator Veeramani faced an unprecedented ordeal, being forced to abandon his home after a simple online request for Deepavali sweets led to an overwhelming barrage of expensive cash-on-delivery pranks from mischievous followers.
Delhi Police seized 167.94 kg of illegal firecrackers from a house in Sangam Vihar and arrested a 34-year-old man for storing them without a licence. The seizure was part of a drive against illegal firecracker storage ahead of Diwali.
Odisha Police have arrested 470 individuals and seized over Rs 12.65 lakh in cash during a pre-Kumar Purnima crackdown on gambling dens in Ganjam and Berhampur police districts. The arrests were made on Wednesday night and Thursday, targeting traditional gambling activities associated with the festival.
Actor Dhanush has reorganised his fan club into a welfare movement, 'Dhanush Narpani Iyakkam', sparking widespread speculation in Tamil Nadu about his potential entry into politics, despite the actor not officially announcing any such ambitions.
Amazon's ultra-fast delivery service, Amazon Now, has achieved $1 billion in annualised gross sales in India over the last three months, marking it as the fastest-growing e-commerce business in Amazon India's history, with orders doubling every quarter.
A LinkedIn post by Pooja Sahu, detailing her husband Sourabh's sudden layoff from Oracle after 12 years of dedicated service, including working through holidays and even from a hospital, has gone viral, capturing the emotional toll of the tech giant's latest job cuts.
Maharashtra is grappling with an escalating drought crisis, with 305 talukas now declared drought-hit, prompting the state government to announce Rs 5,000 in financial aid for farmers before Diwali and extend comprehensive relief measures.
Sivakasi, India's fireworks capital, is eyeing global markets as green crackers, rising demand and interest from overseas buyers offer a chance to challenge China's dominance.
'He batted with the freedom of a small boy on a Friday evening who is free in the mind.'
The Supreme Court stated it is not inclined to completely ban firecrackers but emphasised the need for authorities to implement existing orders on the ground to combat air pollution in Delhi-NCR. The court highlighted that annual orders become a "mockery" without proper enforcement and urged serious action, public awareness campaigns, and on-ground officer presence. It also noted ongoing consultations regarding the use of Barium in firecrackers and discussed measures taken by the Delhi government and CAQM to tackle pollution, including curbs on vehicles and construction. The court reiterated its stance of finding a middle ground rather than a complete ban or round-the-clock fireworks.
The Congress party has questioned the Modi government's decision to defer the Merchant Discount Rate (MDR) on UPI transactions, alleging a potential "U-turn on the U-turn." Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh highlighted previous denials by the finance minister regarding MDR imposition, only for it to be announced later and now deferred. He expressed concerns about future charges on UPI transactions.
Paralympic champion Navdeep Singh is appealing for the inclusion of men's F41 javelin throw in the Los Angeles 2028 Paralympics. Faced with uncertainty, he has also taken up shot put, winning a national gold, and is now training for both events to keep his options open. He expresses disappointment over the potential exclusion of javelin but embraces the challenge of learning a new discipline while maintaining his consistency in performance.
The main culprit behind this cost escalation are rising prices of sugar and milk that go into making the sweets.
The National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) has deferred the implementation of a 0.4 per cent Merchant Discount Rate (MDR) on Person-to-Merchant UPI transactions above Rs 2,000. Originally set for October 15, the new date will be announced after Diwali, providing relief to users and merchants, especially during the festive season. The decision came amidst opposition concerns about the levy burdening consumers.
Ayushmann Khurrana's Udta Teer managed a decent first week at the box office, navigating a crowded release schedule where several new Hindi films struggled to find an audience.
Amid the ongoing protests in the national capital, the Bharatiya Udyog Vyapar Mandal (BUVM), Delhi Pradesh, has written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi and Aam Aadmi Party national convenor Arvind Kejriwal, appealing for political demonstrations in the capital to be postponed until January 31, 2027, citing the festival and wedding season.
Over a dozen mutual fund houses in India have temporarily suspended fresh subscriptions in their gold fund of funds (FoFs) and gold-silver FoFs, a move believed to be influenced by directions from the Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi) ahead of the festive season.
Asian Games gold medallist Sujeet Kalkal is focusing on improving his ground game, identified by coaches as a crucial area for his 2028 Los Angeles Olympics aspirations.
A new Rs 6,000 crore integrated phenol and acetone plant, India's largest, has been inaugurated in Haldia, West Bengal. Developed by Adperma Private Limited, a subsidiary of Haldia Petrochemicals Limited (HPL), the facility aims to reduce India's reliance on imported industrial chemicals and boost the domestic specialty chemicals sector. West Bengal's Chief Minister announced a new industrial policy following the inauguration.
Alia Bhatt's heartfelt birthday post for Ranbir Kapoor includes a glimpse of baby Raha.
Electric vehicle (EV) sales in India are growing faster than the industry's ability to produce and deliver them, leading to supply shortages at dealerships during the peak festival season. This surge in demand is attributed to rising conventional fuel prices, making EVs a more attractive option for cost-conscious buyers.
The Kerala Legislative Assembly has passed a motion urging the central government to completely withdraw the proposed Merchant Discount Rate (MDR) on UPI transactions exceeding Rs 2,000. Chief Minister V D Satheesan and CPI MLA K Rajan highlighted concerns that the MDR would increase business costs, harm small businesses, and reduce the appeal of digital payments, while the BJP argued it would not affect general public or small merchants.
India's smartphone market experienced a significant 20 per cent year-over-year decline in the third quarter of 2026, reaching its lowest level in a decade, primarily due to soaring memory chip prices that increased device costs. Samsung reclaimed the top position with a 17 per cent market share, while Chinese brands saw a decline in supplies.
Rajinikanth's latest film Jailer 2 has defied expectations by achieving a remarkable score at the box office over its extended four-day weekend, despite a limited release and competition from new Bollywood offerings.
Ramlila Maidan, recently designated as one of Delhi's new protest sites, is proving to be a costly and difficult option for demonstrators. With no free dates for the next two and a half months and booking fees exceeding Rs 1 lakh, it contrasts sharply with the previously free Jantar Mantar. The ground, rich in political history, also poses logistical challenges due to its busy commercial location and impact on traffic.
Leading appliance and consumer electronics manufacturers are set to increase prices of air conditioners, LED TVs, washing machines, and other products by 5 to 8 per cent from October 1, citing rising input costs for metals like copper and steel, crude derivatives, and currency exchange volatility due to the West Asia crisis.
It was beautiful to watch two successful actors speak about their career and personal journeys -- the highs and lows -- with such mutual admiration, notes Divya Nair.
Following the death of veteran actor Nana Patekar, a Maharashtra village, Dhondalgaon, recalls how his NAAM Foundation funded a water conservation project ten years ago, transforming it from a drought-prone area to a 'tanker-free' and economically thriving community. The project, which involved desilting barrages, boosted agriculture and dairy farming, and eliminated farmer suicides.
