Pakistan: Shrine custodian hacks 20 devotees to death

Vote counting is underway in Israel's high-stakes general election, pointing to a cliffhanger with no faction securing a 61-seat majority in the 120-member Knesset. Partial tallies show Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's bloc at 54 seats, outperforming prior forecasts though down from earlier tallies. The opposition bloc led by Gadi Eisenkot stands at 47 seats, with Eisenkot pledging to work towards replacing Netanyahu. Arab parties have emerged with a significant 19 seats, placing factions such as Ra'am in a potential kingmaker role amid discussions on outside support. Mobilised IDF reservist David Macklin notes that soldiers' double-envelope ballots are still being counted, which could marginally shift numbers before final official results are certified. Experts discuss how either outcome will navigate core regional security policies concerning Hamas, Hezbollah, and Iran.

Jio Platforms made a blockbuster debut on Dalal Street, listing at 1,358 rupees per share and delivering a 21% gain to IPO allottees within five days. The landmark debut pushed Reliance Group ahead of Tata Group to become India's most valuable conglomerate by combined market capitalisation. At the National Stock Exchange listing event, Reliance Industries Chairman Mukesh Ambani was visibly moved as the next generation took charge. Anant Ambani expressed gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the Digital India vision and pledged full commitment toward achieving a Viksit Bharat. Attention now shifts toward Reliance's expansive retail business as the potential foundation for the group's next major market listing.

On India First, political panelists debate the outcomes of recent MLC elections across multiple states and the opposition's persistent demand to return to paper ballots. Following electoral setbacks where the Congress failed to secure seats across four states, including Karnataka, party spokesperson Bhavya Narasimhamurthy defended allegations regarding electronic voting machines and questioned the ruling party's record in Varanasi. In response, BJP National Spokesperson Sanju Verma pointed to the Congress's zero-seat tally across 28 Legislative Council seats and highlighted the BJP's electoral performance in Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, and other regions, arguing that the opposition makes excuses instead of introspecting. Columnist Swati Chaturvedi and political analyst Rajat Sethi analyzed the broader electoral implications, addressing internal political dynamics facing Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath ahead of assembly elections, opposition demonstrations targeting the Election Commission, and shifting voter alignments.

A major political clash has erupted between the BJP and the opposition over election outcomes and voting integrity. The BJP targeted Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, claiming the party suffers defeats even in ballot paper elections, citing recent MLC results where the Congress was reduced to zero. Ruling party leaders asserted the failure lies with party leadership rather than voting machines or voter rolls. Meanwhile, the opposition INDIA bloc has scheduled a public impeachment initiative against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, with Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge inviting opposition MPs for a gathering on October 30. Opposition leaders also questioned the ruling party over poll rigging allegations, while the BJP warned Congress faces political wipeout under its current leadership.