Mehbooba Mufti, chief of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and former chief minister, referred to the foundation day of the union territory as a “black day” for the people of Jammu and Kashmir. “What has happened to J&K has not happened anywhere before. I want to tell the LG that for the people of J&K and especially for the PDP, today is a black day and we will see it as a black day till J&K’s special privileges are not restored,” Mufti told reporters in Pulwama. Dig deeper
No Diwali celebrations are held in Sammoo village in Himachal Pradesh’s Hamirpur district, a custom they have been following since time immemorial. The villages distance themselves from Diwali celebration out of fear of the curse of a distraught woman who committed Sati on this festival generations ago. Houses are not lit, and no sounds of crackers can be heard in the village during Diwali festivities. Dig deeper
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Sports
Three top Indian players, who were once touted to replace Rohit Sharma as the next Indian captain across formats, have parted ways with their respective franchises and are all set to headline the mega auction next month, reportedly set to take place in Riyadh. Kolkata Knight Riders released their title-winning captain, Shreyas Iyer; Delhi Capitals did not retain their captain, Rishabh Pant, and Lucknow Super Giants let go of KL Rahul as all 10 franchises confirmed their retention list on Thursday evening. Dig deeper
Entertainment
Ajay Devgn’s Singham Again and Kartik Aaryan’s Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3 are all set for their big box office clash. However, the Diwali releases will be screened globally except Saudi Arabia. The censor board in the Middle-Eastern country is strict regarding the depiction of religiously sensitive material and sexual themes. Dig deeper
It’s trending
As the vibrant festival of Diwali approaches, the air is filled with excitement and anticipation across the nation. Fireworks are traditionally a major highlight of these celebrations, and this year, a viral video is adding a modern twist to the festivities. The clip, featuring a man using Amazon’s Alexa to launch a small rocket, has captured the internet’s attention, amassing over 13 million views on Instagram. Dig deeper