Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton are separated by a single point in the latest ABC News/Washington Post poll one week after that survey showed Clinton holding a 12-point lead.

The poll, released Sunday, has Clinton with 46 per cent voter support and Trump with 45 per cent.

The candidates were within 2 per cent of each other on September 22, but Clinton built a double-digit lead after her challenger's erratic debate performances and mounting sexual harassment accusations. Sunday's poll says Trump also took a hit by having House Speaker Paul Ryan refuse to keep campaigning for him. 

But Clinton's lead has diminished after FBI Director James Comey announced Friday the bureau is investigating new emails that could be related to Clinton's use of a private email server.

Boxer Vijender Singh also congratulated the Indian hockey team for the win saying, "Best Diwali gift by @TheHockeyIndia win #championstrophy."

Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton took time out of her busy schedule to wish Indians and other Hindus on the occasion of Diwali. 

In a statement, she said, "On Sunday, nearly a billion Hindus, Jains, Sikhs, and Buddhists around the worldincluding more than two million Americanswill celebrate Diwali, the festival of lights.  For members of these faiths, lighting the lamp (the diya) is a reminder that light prevails over darkness, knowledge over ignorance, and good over evil.

Here in the United States, it is a tribute to the Indian American community that Diwali is celebrated with such beauty and joy. Regardless of our personal faith, Diwali reminds us that diversity is one of our greatest strengths as a nation, that light prevails over darkness, and that dharmarighteousness or goodnessmust guide us toward a better tomorrow.  If I have the honor of serving as president, I will be committed to building an Administration that reflects such diversity, including continuing White House celebrations of Diwali.

To those of you celebrating this joyous occasion, I wish you and your loved ones a Happy Diwali and Saal Mubarak.

The trend of celebrating green and cracker-free Diwali is taking a toll on cracker traders who were hoping to do good business this Diwali.

This depreciation in sale of crackers also is credited to the many 'anti-cracker' campaigns in educational institutions.

Sale of firecrackers in Sadar Bazaar, which is a wholesale market located in Old Delhi area, witnessed a visible decline.

Surprisingly, the ban on Chinese crackers has also contributed to low sales this year as people find India made crackers costlier.

"We have bought less firecrackers this time, as a buying firecrackers is like burning your own money and it also causes lots of pollution as well," said a Dilshad Garden resident who came to shop for crackers.

"We are only buying Indian made firecrackers only and pollution is also very important factor as it affects kids and animals," a firecrackers buyer Manish Chopra said.

Shopkeeper claim, that less sale of firecrackers this Diwali is due to the occurrence of four festivals in same month which puts a burden on salaried employees.

"The sale of firecrackers have dropped, Diwali is in end of the month. So it makes four festivals in one month so it becomes a burden for a salaried employee," Rajiv Gupta, a wholesaler said.

Opposition National Conference's working president Omar Abdullah on Sunday expressed disappointment and grief over incidents of schools being burnt in various parts of Kashmir saying this was an "abhorrent ploy to destroy the future of the children" and blamed the state government as well as separatists for the situation.

"Our schools hold the key to the self-reliance, dignity and empowerment of our future generation. An assault on our schools is an assault on our children, their future and their dreams.

"These are clear, unambiguous attempts to rob our children of education and intellectual growth and there can be no doubt that these elements who attack our schools are the enemies of our children and the enemies of enlightenment," Omar said in a statement.

The former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister said the administration is responsible for protecting the education infrastructure in the state and it should take the "sternest possible action" against those found guilty of such incidents of arson.

Omar also hit out at the separatist Hurriyat Conference saying its leadership should realise the "cost of its reluctance and delay" to condemn such behaviour unequivocally.

He blamed both the administration and the Hurriyat leadership for "failing to speak up and act in time" to prevent such incidents.

On Sunday, two schools, including a Jawahar Navodya Vidyalaya, were damaged in mysterious fire incidents in south Kashmir's Anantnag district, police said.

At 6:31 pm, the 30-share Sensex was up 73 points at 28,015 and the 50-share Nifty was up 20 points at 8,658.

The stock exchanges will remain closed for trading on Monday, October 31, 2016 on account of Diwali Balipratipada.

The Maharashtra government today announced Rs 15 lakh financial aid to kin of BSF jawan Nitin Subhash Koli who was killed in ceasefire violation by Pakistani troops in Macchil sector along the Line of Control in Jammu and Kashmir.

Koli,a 28-year-old constable, hailing from Dudhgaon village Sangli in Maharashtra, was martyred yesterday in firing by Pakistani security forces.

Koli had joined BSF in 2008 and is survived by his wife and two sons aged four years and two years.

"I salute our brave martyr Nitin Koli from Sangli who lost his life protecting our nation. We stand by his family in their tough time," Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said today.

"We have taken a decision to provide financial aid of Rs 15 lakh to the family of our martyred soldier," he said.

After the news broke out of Koli being killed, villagers from Dudhgoan yesterday decided not to celebrate Diwali.

PM Narendra Modi telephoned Malcolm Turnbull, the Prime Minister of Australia today to wish him Diwali greetings.

PM Modi also conveyed a sense of concern being felt in India over recent brutal killing of Manmeet Alisher, a person of Indian origin. 

On Friday, Alisher was burnt to death when a man poured some flammable liquid on him in front of several shocked passengers in Australias Brisbane city. 

Alisher died on the spot while several passengers on board the bus at the time managed to escape through the rear door, said police in Brisbane. 

Police said there was no apparent motive including terror or race related.

This is the third school set ablaze since yesterday and the 20th one in the last two months. 

Chasing 273 to win, the tourists suffered a woeful collapse in the final session on day three, losing all ten wickets for just 59 runs.

The Rang Mahal in Lal Quila (Red Fort) was the designated centre for the royal celebrations of Jashn-e-Chiraghan or festival of lights and the festivities were carried out under the Mughal king himself.

They exchanged documents and received payments in the open in crowded places, often passed as they brushed past each other. The drop points include metro stations, where the stolen paper would be left on the staircase from where the receiver retrieved them.

Both ISI agent Mehmood Akhtar and his Indian associate Shoaib have disclosed that the spies used a special USB device that extracted data from government computers in a jiffy. According to police, the device had a program that automatically extricated information from the computer. 

These are three of the nearly 6,000 women from Saudi Arabia who wrote to The New York Times last week about their lives.

A stampede-like situation was created and some people injured in it as a large crowd gathered at a Janata Darbar programme of Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav.

The crowd at the PWD Guest House became unmanageable and some people fell down while trying to push their way to hand over their applications to the chief minister, police said.

Some mediapersons covering the event were also injured in the melee, they said.

All the injured were rushed to a hospital in Saifai, police said.

Eyewitnesses said that when the chief minister was meeting people and exchanging pleasantries with them, the crowd surged towards him and in the stampede-like situation some fell down and got hurt.

Police had a trying time to manage the crowd as the number of people who had turned up at the Janata Darbar was far beyond their expectation.

Apple CEO Tim Cook has wished peace and happiness to everyone this Diwali. This is the first time that the CEO of world's most-valuable company has greeted on an Indian festival.

"Wishing everyone peace and happiness this #Diwali! Stunning photos by @prashvish," tweeted the Apple CEO.

Cook also shared New-Delhi based photographer Prashanth Viswanathan's photos with his tweet. Prashanth is a freelance photographer, working on news, documentary and assignment stories, as per his profile on Twitter.

A day after Rahul Gandhi accused Narendra Modi of lowering the morale of armed forces by creating hurdles in the implementation of the One Rank, One Pension scheme, the Bharatiya Janata Party on Sunday retorted that the Indian armed forces dwell in the prime minister's heart and asked the Congress vice-president not to waste his time with something he is not concerned about.

"In the prime minister's 'Mann Ki Baat' speech, he dedicated this Diwali to our soldiers. His effort was to reach to the army's heart. So, Rahul Gandhi need not worry about the welfare of our army. The Indian Army resides in Narendra Modi's heart. Since Independence, Congress did not do anything for the welfare of the army. Prime Minister Narendra Modi's prime concern is to redress the concern of our armed forces," BJP leader Shahnawaz Hussain said. 

In a letter addressed to the Prime Minister yesterday, Gandhi asserted that the decisions taken over the last few weeks by the government have adversely affect the morale of the armed forces, adding that it was the government's duty to show the soldiers, who risk their lives each day to defend the nation, that they are cared for.

Further accusing the government of downgrading the status of military officers vis a vis their civilian counterparts in a letter dated October 18, 2016, Gandhi stated the OROP implemented by the ruling dispensation does not fully meet the genuine demands of the ex-servicemen, adding they have been forced to come out on the streets to make their voice heard on this vital issue.

The Congress vice president also emphasized that the anomalies in the 7th Pay Commission must be addressed at the earliest, as soldiers should not have to struggle to claim what is surely due to them on behalf of a grateful nation.

Officials said there are inputs of an increased movement of militants in the city. Road barriers comprising metallic barricades and sand bunkers have been set up at entry and exit points of Srinagar, and Gupkar area, which houses several politicians, including Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti and former CM Omar Abdullah.

Armed forces have been positioned in bunkers at Naseem Bagh, Nishat, Gupkar road and Pantha Chowk, which is the entry point of Srinagar for people travelling from south Kashmir.

He says he will watch the movie now and it will be his contribution to the Army Welfare Fund. 

Sepoy Mandeep Singh of the 17 Sikh battalion --mistakenly identified as Manjeet Singh by an army officer last night -- was beheaded by a militant at Machhil in Kupwara, north Kashmir, who was given covering fire by Pakistan's army, Indian Army sources say.

The incident takes India and Pakistan back to January 2013, when two Indian soldiers were mutilated by a Border Action Team of the Pakistan Army. Sushma Swaraj, then Opposition leader and now external affairs minister, had demanded 10 Pakistani heads for every Indian head.

The acrimonious battle at India's largest conglomerate is showing no signs of resolution as more officials resigned amid reports that an attempt at mediation between the scion of the founding family and ousted head of Tata Sons Ltd has started. 

Tata Group Chief Human Resources Officer NS Rajan resigned Friday, according to a company spokesman. On Saturday, Madhu Kannan and Nirmalya Kumar, members of former Chairman Cyrus Mistry's Group Executive Council quit. 

Meanwhile, the CNBC-TV18 network reported that a trustee of Tata Trust, the biggest shareholder of the group, Darius Khambata, has initiated talks between Mistry and Ratan Tata, Mistry's predecessor who has temporarily assumed charge. 

Mistry and Ratan Tata have been trading accusations since Tata Sons, the group holding company, abruptly ousted Mistry as chairman and replaced him with the 78-year-old Tata. 

Tata Group on Thursday said it ousted Mistry because of a growing "trust deficit," after Mistry said he inherited a debt-laden enterprise and singled out units including power. 

In a statement on Friday, Mistry refuted a claim that he hadn't informed the family trust and Tata Sons' board about Tata Power Ltd's plan to acquire Welspun Renewable Energy Pvt earlier this year in a deal valued at Rs 92.49 billion.

Earlier in the day, Modi in his radio address, Mann ki Baat, praised the valour and sacrifices of the Indian soldiers and dedicated Diwali to the countrys security forces. 

Our jawans have been sacrificing their lives in the last last few months. We should celebrate this Diwali in their name, PM Modi said, during the 25th edition of the popular radio programme.

This encounter comes amid the constant ceasefire violations by Pakistani troops along the Line of Control and International Border. 

According to TV reports, gunshots have been heard as the encounter is underway. 

Early this morning, the Indian Army also destroyed four Pakistani posts in a massive assault across the Line of Control in the Keran sector of north Kashmir's Kupwara district. 

>> PM expresses gratitude to soldiers, says their sacrifice is deeply touching

Designer Malini Ramini shared the news on Instagram as she posted two pictures of the newly-weds.

"It's love... Wedding bliss. Congratulations Dino and Lisa," Malini captioned one of the photos, where she is posing with the couple. 

Lisa stunned in an all-white long gown while the groom looked dapper in a blue shirt teamed with a white blazer.

The 30-year-old actress, whose brief role in the Diwali release Ae Dil Hai Mushkil has come in for fulsome praise, announced her plan to marry Dino last month.

The last train will start at 10 pm from the terminal stations of all metro lines including the Airport Express Line.

The train services will run as usual for rest of the day on Diwali from 6 am onwards on all lines and from 4.45 am on the Airport Express Line.

"On Diwali the last Metro train service will now start at 10 pm from the terminal stations of all Metro Lines including Airport Express Line (Dilshad Garden, Rithala, Jahangir Puri, Huda City Centre, Noida City Centre, Dwarka Sector-21, Vaishali, Kirti Nagar, Inderlok, Mundka, Central Secretariat, Mandi House, Badarpur and New Dellhi & Dwarka Sec-21 Metro stations of Airport Express Line). Metro train services will run as usual for rest of the day on Diwali from 6 am to 8 pm," Anuj Dayal, DMRC spokesperson said in a press release. 

"From 8 pm to 10 pm, the trains on all lines will however run with a frequency of about 30 minutes and thereafter, the last train service will be at 10 pm from terminal stations of all lines instead of the normal time of 11 pm," the release added. 

This move by the BSF is in protest against the growing incidents of ceasefire violations across the Line of Control and the International Border.

Ever since the Indian Army on September 29 carried out surgical strikes targeting terror launch pads in PoK, ceasefire violations are a daily norm along the LoC, and five Indians, including four security personnel, have been killed and 34 injured since.

The Indian Army yesterday launched retaliatory fire assaults at Pakistan Army positions, inflicting massive damage across the border by destroying four Pakistani posts in a massive assault across the Line of Control in Keran sector of Kupwara district in Jammu and Kashmir.

An Indian soldier was also killed on Friday and his body was mutilated by terrorists in an attack near the LoC in Jammu and Kashmir. The army had said "the incident will be responded to appropriately", adding the attackers had fled into Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir "under the cover of heavy firing by Pakistan army".

Sepoy Mandeep Singh, who died in the attack, was 27 years old. The attack took place under cover fire provided by the Pakistan Army. One terrorist was also killed in the strike.

On October 21, the BSF killed seven Pakistan Rangers and a terrorist in Kathua and on October 25, around three Pakistani Army personnel were reportedly killed in retaliatory firing by Indian troops in the Noushera sector of Rajouri district.

An army official said on Saturday night that heavy casualties have been inflicted on the Pakistani side.

The Indian forces retaliated after Pakistani Rangers violated the ceasefire repeatedly in Kathua and RS Pura sector along the International Border on Saturday. 

A Border Security Force soldier was killed in Pakistani firing in Machil Sector.

An Indian soldier was also killed on Friday and his body was mutilated by terrorists in an attack near the LoC in Jammu and Kashmir. 

The army had said "the incident will be responded to appropriately", adding the attackers had fled into Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir "under the cover of heavy firing by Pakistan army".

Sepoy Mandeep Singh, who died in the attack, was 27 years old. The attack took place under cover fire provided by the Pakistan Army. One terrorist was killed in the strike. 

The attack came hours after the Border Security Force said 15 Pakistani soldiers had been killed in retaliatory firing by the Indian troops after ceasefire violation along the International Border in Jammu and Kashmir.

The ABC News/Washington Post in its latest tracking poll yesterday said the 69-year-old former secretary of state has the support of 47 per cent of likely voters as against 45 per cent for the 70-year-old real estate tycoon. 

This is a significant drop from last week's tracking poll when Clinton's lead was by 12 points.

Since then, Trump has gained by seven points and Clinton has slipped by three points. 

The latest tracking poll was conducted a day before the FBI's announcement to reopen the investigation into the former secretary of state's alleged email scandal. 

"From a 50-38 per cent Clinton lead over Donald Trump in the tracking poll's first four days, October 20-23, it's a 47-45 per cent contest in the latest results," said ABC News/ The Washington Post. 

In the RealClearPolitics average of polls, Trump is trailing behind by 4.6 percentage points.