Mumbai, Oct 19 (SocialNews.XYZ) Music composer Salim Merchant celebrated Diwali in a grand style at New York’s Times Square, sharing a special moment with Sonu Nigam. As part of the festivities, Salim presented Sonu Nigam with a thoughtful Diwali gift, marking a joyous occasion while highlighting the global reach of Indian music with the upcoming project Bhoomi 2025. On Sunday, Salim took to his Instagram and shared a video of himself standing in front of Times Square, showcasing their song on the big screen.

New Delhi, Oct 19 (SocialNews.XYZ) The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Sunday hit out at Samajwadi Party (SP) chief Akhilesh Yadav for his remarks questioning the need to spend large sums on lighting diyas and candles during Diwali, calling his statement "shocking" and "insensitive" towards Hindu traditions. A controversy erupted after Yadav said on Saturday, "Throughout the world, cities become beautifully illuminated during Christmas, and this festive lighting can last for months.

Mumbai Oct 19 (SocialNews.XYZ) The pre-Diwali celebration has commenced for Soha Ali Khan, who used social media to drop sneak peeks from the festivities with her loved ones. The photos uploaded by Soha on her Instagram included brother Saif Ali Khan, sister-in-law Kareena Kapoor Khan, Karisma Kapoor, Amrita Arora, husband Kunal Khemu and daughter Inaaya Naumi Khemu. While Soha, Saif, and Amrita were seen twinning in red ethnic attires, Bebo looked her stylish self in a blue lehenga with golden embellishments.

Mumbai Oct 19 (SocialNews.XYZ) Actress Manisha Koirala couldn't help but feel a little emotional as she returned to working out after 3 long months. The 'Dil Se..' actress took to her Instagram handle and posted a photo of her in the middle of an exercise. Expressing how fragile human strength can be, Manisha penned on the photo-sharing app, “After three months away, stepping back into my workout felt strangely emotional.

Hyderabad, Oct 19 (SocialNews.XYZ) A woman and her six-year-old child died when an overhead water tank collapsed in Telangana’s Nalgonda district, police said. The incident occurred late on Saturday night in Peddakaparthy village of Chityala mandal. Tragedy hit the family hours before the inauguration of their hotel. A water tank installed on the roof of corrugated sheets collapsed, killing P. Nagamani (32) and her son, Vamshi Krishna.

Washington, Oct 19 (SocialNews.XYZ) The US Department of State said it has received credible reports suggesting Hamas is planning an imminent attack against Palestinian civilians. The United States has alerted the guarantor nations of the Gaza peace agreement to those reports, it said in a statement on Saturday. Such an attack would undermine recent mediation efforts and the progress made toward peace, and "should Hamas proceed with this attack, measures will be taken to protect the people of Gaza and preserve the integrity of the ceasefire," the department added.

New Delhi/Mumbai, Oct 19 (SocialNews.XYZ) In the ongoing festive season, India is witnessing record-breaking sales — be it automobiles, gold or electronics and home appliances — driven by robust consumer demand and GST 2.0 reforms. While gold and silver sales on Dhanteras was more than 25 per cent higher in value, as consumers anticipate further rally, the auto industry saw surge in sale volumes.

Bengaluru, Oct 19 (SocialNews.XYZ) The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) has approached the Kalaburagi Bench of the High Court challenging the Chittapur Tahsildar's order denying permission for its centenary procession in Chittapur town. The centenary march was scheduled for Sunday, but earlier, the authorities had removed saffron flags, the Bhagwa Dhwaj, banners, and buntings in Chittapur. The development has drawn keen interest, with all eyes now on the court's verdict.

Kolkata, Oct 19 (SocialNews.XYZ) Leader of Opposition in the state Assembly Suvendu Adhikari strongly condemned the alleged attack on Darjeeling MP Raju Bista in North Bengal, accusing the Trinamool Congress of the "heinous" act by its goons. On Saturday evening, BJP MP Raju Bista's convoy was attacked by miscreants in the Sukhia Pokhari area in Darjeeling district while returning from Rimbik after undertaking relief work.

Mumbai, Oct 19 (SocialNews.XYZ) Actress Sonam Khan recently took a nostalgic trip down memory lane, fondly recalling her early film days and the special bond she shared with Govinda. Reflecting on their time together on set, she spoke about how the superstar’s warmth, humility, and constant encouragement helped her overcome her initial struggles as a newcomer in the industry. On Sunday, Sonam took to her Instagram handle and shared their throwback photo, where the duo can be seen striking a pose together.

Los Angeles, Oct 19 (SocialNews.XYZ) The bassist and founding member of the popular metal band Limp Bizkit, Sam Rivers, passed away on Saturday at the age of 48. Confirming the unfortunate news, the band paid a heartfelt tribute to Rivers through a heartbreaking social media post. The post read, "In Loving Memory of Our Brother, Sam Rivers (Broken heart emoji) Today we lost our brother.

Perth, Oct 19 (SocialNews.XYZ) Indian batting stalwarts Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma made a subdued return to international cricket, falling for low scores in the opening ODI of the three-match series against Australia at the near sell out Optus Stadium on Sunday. Following their retirement from Test and T20I formats, the first of three ODIs in Australia was highly anticipated, marking the return of former India skippers Kohli and Rohit.

Gaya, Oct 19 (SocialNews.XYZ) As the Bihar Assembly elections heat up, internal discontent within Congress has surfaced in Magadh after Gaya District Council President and party leader Naina Kumari launched a sharp attack on the state leadership, accusing it of "openly betraying" the party's ideology and "Rahul Gandhi's vision of social justice". Addressing reporters, Naina Kumari said, "Among the supporters, workers, and Congress family members who have faith in the people's leader Rahul Gandhi, there is today deep sorrow and anger.

Mumbai, Oct 19 (SocialNews.XYZ) Veteran actor Puneet Issar reflected on his enduring friendship with fellow actor Pankaj Dheer, revealing that their bond has remained strong for over four decades. Puneet recently took to his Instagram handle to share a series of nostalgic photos with Pankaj from their show Mahabharat. Alongside the images, the actor penned a heartfelt emotional tribute where he spoke about the depth of their friendship, the memories they’ve created over the years, and the unwavering support they’ve shared through every phase of life.

New Delhi, Oct 19 (SocialNews.XYZ) India’s trade deficit is likely to remain manageable, as exports to other Asian partners such as China, Hong Kong and South Korea have been higher than last year, both in terms of growth as well as a proportion of total exports, according to a new report. Similarly, exports to European countries such as Spain and Germany too have shown significant traction this year.

Mumbai Oct 19 (SocialNews.XYZ) Actor Adarsh Gourav enjoyed some yummy food on a banana leaf by the riverside. He took to the Stories section of his Instagram handle and posted a picture of himself holding appetizing food on a banana leaf while sitting on a rock. According to the text on the picture, the 'Superboys of Malegaon' actor enjoyed Brinjal fry, rice, egg daal, and salad during his wild getaway.

Mumbai, Oct 19 (SocialNews.XYZ) Foreign institutional investors (FIIs) have substantially reduced their selling in the Indian market and have even turned buyers in some days, analysts said on Sunday. A marginal change in FII activity is discernible in recent days. Till October 17, FII selling has drastically reduced to only Rs 4,114 crore. “The principal reason for this change in FII strategy is the reduced valuation differential between India and other markets.

Chandigarh, Oct 19 (SocialNews.XYZ) Haryana's Director General of Police (DGP) O.P. Singh has issued a cautionary message to parents about the dangers of excessive screen time for children, following a mistaken late-night phone call he received from a child. Recounting the incident on X, Singh wrote, "Got a late-night call -- turned out the caller's child had dialled by mistake. Before hanging up, I reminded him: phones teach quick swipes, not slow smiles."

Washington, Oct 19 (SocialNews.XYZ) US President Donald Trump has announced that Washington had destroyed a "drug-smuggling submarine" in the Caribbean and was sending two surviving suspects back to their home countries, Ecuador and Colombia, following a military strike that killed two others on board. "It was my great honour to destroy a very large drug-carrying submarine that was navigating towards the United States on a well-known narcotrafficking transit route," Trump said on his Truth Social platform on Saturday (local time), claiming that the vessel was loaded with fentanyl and other narcotics.

Mumbai Oct 19 (SocialNews.XYZ) Ibrahim Ali Khan said "Teeno bhai teeno tabahi" as he posed with his kid brothers Taimur and Jeh during the Diwali celebration. The 'Nadaaniyan' actor took to his official Instagram handle and dropped a festive picture where he was seen posing for a selfie with Taimur and Jeh. While Ibrahim posed in a black sherwani, Taimur looked adorable in a red Kurta.

Doha, Oct 19 (SocialNews.XYZ) Afghanistan and Pakistan have agreed to an immediate ceasefire following more than a week of intense fighting that left dozens dead and hundreds injured, Qatar's Foreign Ministry announced on Sunday. According to the Qatari statement, the two neighbouring countries also agreed to establish mechanisms aimed at consolidating lasting peace and stability, with follow-up talks scheduled in the coming days to ensure the sustainability of the ceasefire.

Chennai, Oct 19 (SocialNews.XYZ) The ruling DMK is learnt to have rejected overtures from Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK) founder Dr S. Ramadoss’ camp seeking to rejoin the DMK-led alliance ahead of the 2026 Assembly elections. Party sources said the decision was taken to preserve the cohesiveness of the existing alliance, particularly with VCK, a key DMK partner with a strong base among Dalits in northern Tamil Nadu.

Chennai, Oct 19 (SocialNews.XYZ) In what residents describe as the worst flood in three decades, torrential rains and the overflowing Mullaperiyar River have inundated several villages in Tamil Nadu’s Theni district, leaving behind widespread destruction and despair. The swelling river breached its banks early Sunday morning, flooding low-lying areas across Uthamapalayam, Veerapandi, Uppukottai, and Palanichettipatti. As the water level kept rising, houses, farmlands, and roads were quickly engulfed.