With the government miffed with wide ranging protest against the One Rank, One Pension (OROP) scheme, former chief of Army staff Ved Prakash Malik has said there has been "erosion" of soldiers' status within the government and in the society while adding that the military is no longer becoming a "prime choice" among the youth.

Speaking at the India Ideas conclave, Malik said that honour, status and emoluments have sustained the armed forces and enabled them for the right kind of leadership that is required in wars.

"By taking away its pride and status and making the career unattractive, the military is no longer a prime choice today which I believe is neither good for military or nation. I am not only talking about what the government sometimes gives, but the manner in which it's given," Malik said.

The Samajwadi Party is all geared up for the party's mega silver jubilee celebrations on 5 November. Leaders of the JD(U), RJD and the RLD are all sharing the stage with Uttar Pradesh's first family.

"The preparations for the historic event have been made. Samajwadi and Lohiawadi leaders will be sharing the stage with 'netaji' (Mulayam Singh Yadav)", SP state president Shivpal Yadav told reporters at party office on 4 November.

Former Prime Minister HD Deve Gowda, RJD Chief Lalu Prasad Yadav, RLD Cheif Ajit Singh, JD(U) leader Sharad Yadav, Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) leader Abhay Chautala and KC Tyagi (JD-U) are some of the prominent names attending the event.

As Americans gear up to cast their votes on 8 November, and with national tracking polls putting Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton in a neck-and-neck competition, both the Republican and Democrat camps are working to strengthen their existing supporter base.

In the wake of the latest developments surrounding Clinton's email scandal, and with the FBI reviewing new emails found on the laptop of former congressman Anthony Weiner, there has been a certain dip in enthusiasm among the Democrat voters. This has prompted Clinton's team to engage in some furious campaigning in the pro-Democrat states.

With thirty-seven million early ballots already cast, both Clinton and Trump held rallies in Ohio and Pennsylvania, two states that could be very crucial for the upcoming polls on Tuesday.

Unrest continues in the Kashmir valley, as another school was set ablaze by miscreants on 4 November, making it the 32nd school to have been vandalised in the last 100 days.

Unknown attackers set fire to a government high school in Bandipora's Sodhnara area of Hajin, late on Friday night. The attackers have not yet been identified, police said.

Of the 30-odd schools which were set ablaze in the past couple of months, 25 were government-run, two private and four were run by trusts or other social organisations, reports PTI.

Chinese handset maker LeEco said that it has clocked sales of Rs 350 crore in the month of October, driven by the festive sales. "In its first-ever Diwali sales in the month of October, LeEco managed to clock revenues to the tune of Rs 350 crore. LeEco has sold 3 lakh phones and 3,500 TVs," LeEco said in a statement.

During the festive period, LeEco sold its products through multiple platforms like LeMall (its own website), Amazon India, Flipkart and Snapdeal. "We are extremely humbled with the unparalleled growth and momentum that we have seen in the Indian market. It makes us proud that in less than 1 year of our India operations, we've sold as astounding number of Superphones and SuperTVs in just one month," LeEco India COO (Smart Electronics Business) Atul Jain said.