RIVANCH

A conman in Gujarat’s Chhota Udepur district allegedly set up a bogus government office in Bodeli taluka of the tribal district, then posed as a government officer complete with forged signatures, government seals and official documents and availed of government grants worth more than Rs 4 crore. The massive scam came to light on October 25, following which the conman, Sandeep Rajput, and his accomplice, Abu-Bakr Saiyyad, a government contractor, were arrested and remanded to 12 days in police custody late on Friday. Rajput allegedly introduced himself as an executive engineer with the ‘Irrigation Project Division’ in Bodeli and used fake government seals and signatures to communicate with government departments, the FIR registered at Chhota Udepur police station states. The money from the government allegedly came via e-payment, in multiple instalments, under the name of ‘Executive Engineer, Irrigation Project Division, Bodeli’. The bogus department, the FIR further states, was cre

It was yet another action-packed week. India’s diplomatic challenges continue. Canada has been a pain point for weeks now. New Delhi continues to walk the diplomatic tightrope in West Asia, as the Israel-Hamas war enters its third week. And now Qatar has given New Delhi reasons to worry. We’ll tell you all about it. Domestic politics continues to be dirty with the usual mudslinging. The spotlight is now on Trinamool’s Mahua Moitra, who has been accused of taking bribes for asking questions in Parliament. She will have to appear before the Lok Sabha Ethics Committee . Wonder what it is. We explain. The season of festivities has begun in India. This week, the country celebrated Dussehra, which was preceded by nine nights of dancing the garba. But for some, it didn’t turn out to be a joyous time. All this and more in our weekly roundup of explainers. 1. The week began on a heartbreaking note. Festivals are a time of revelry. Navratri is synonymous with garba. But this year, the dancin

When the Vikram lander of the Chandrayaan-3 mission made a soft landing on the moon it raised a lot of dust that led to creation of a bright patch, called as the ejecta halo, around the spacecraft, the ISRO said on Friday. According to a research paper published in the Journal of the Indian Society of Remote Sensing, scientists at ISRO used the Orbiter High Resolution Camera (OHRC) onboard the Chandrayaan-2 orbiter to study the lunar surface hours before and after the soft-landing of Vikram lander on the moon on August 23. “During the action of descent stage thrusters and the consequent landing, a significant amount of lunar surficial epiregolith material got ejected, resulting in a reflectance anomaly or ‘ejecta halo’,” scientists at the National Remote Sensing Centre (NRSC) said in the paper. They estimated that the landing event had ejected 2.09 tonnes of lunar regolith over 108.4 square metre area. The scientists examined pre-and post-landing images of the landing site acquired

During his visit to poll-bound Madhya Pradesh’s Chitrakoot, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday said the Ram Temple in Ayodhya was on the verge of completion and that he felt it was a great privilege for him to receive an invitation for the consecration ritual of the temple. Speaking at a public event at Tulsi Peeth of Jagadguru Rambhadracharya, PM Modi said that “in the thousand years of slavery, various attempts were made to uproot India in different ways” and one of these was the “complete destruction of Sanskrit”. “Though we gained independence, some individuals still harbour antipathy towards Sanskrit. If someone discovers a forgotten language script, such people celebrate it, but they do not respect Sanskrit, which has existed for thousands of years. If people in other countries know their mother tongue, they appreciate it, but these individuals consider knowing Sanskrit as a sign of backwardness,” PM Modi said. The prime minister added that “those with this mind-set have b

In a move to step up monitoring activities along the borders with neighbouring China and Pakistan, especially along the Himalayas, India is setting up a surveillance system with drones to avoid surprise attacks like the one from Hamas in Israel. The country’s defence officials met with six home-grown vendors of surveillance and reconnaissance drones over the past week and an order is expected to be announced as soon as next month, Bloomberg quoted people who did not wish to be named as saying. In the past, India has experienced unexpected surprise attacks. For instance, in 2008, assailants hailing from Pakistan, armed with assault weapons and grenades, managed to infiltrate Mumbai by sea and killed 166 people. Meanwhile, South Korean and US troops have started live-fire exercises this week to hone their ability to respond to potential “Hamas-style surprise artillery attacks” by North Korea, South Korea’s military said Friday. The two forces regularly conduct live fire and other tra

Mamata Banerjee’s Trinamool Congress is facing the heat. While MP Mahua Moitra is facing scrutiny in the cash for query scam, West Bengal forest minister Jyotipriya Mallick was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate early Friday morning (27 October) after being questioned for over 20 hours in connection to the ‘ration scam’. The arrest came after the ED authorities carried out marathon raids at Mallick’s residence in Kolkata’s Salt Lake area. They also raided his ancestral house on Amherst Street in central Kolkata. On being whisked away by the ED personnel, the minister said he was the “victim of a grave conspiracy”. Reacting to the raids and his consequent arrest, TMC chief Mamata Banerjee called it a “dirty political game” by the BJP”. “What atrocities and lawlessness are occurring? BJP is playing a dirty game. I want to know whether they there has been even one such raid at the residence of any BJP leader? Neither they nor we will remain in power forever. New generation will co

Poll season is here again. We are just days away from elections. Starting 7 November, five states will go to the polls with the collective results to be announced on 3 December. On 7 November, Mizoram will go to polls along with the state of Chhattisgarh. The latter will see a second round of polling on 17 November along with Madhya Pradesh. This will be followed by polling in Rajasthan on 25 November and Telangana on 30 November. These elections not only hold significance at the state level, but also at the national level, as they will be the last such poll to be held before the 2024 general election, scheduled to be held sometime in May. As we gear up for this political activity, here’s some interesting trivia and facts about Assembly elections – from the cost of conducting such an exercise to how much can a candidate spend during his campaigning. All creatives designed by Network18 from Firstpost India Latest News https://ift.tt/wSRmLqU FP Explainers

Attacking Bhupesh Baghel, his counterpart from Chhattisgarh, as a “big market of religious conversion” in the state to undermine Sanatan Dharma, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma criticized Baghel on Thursday. The senior leader of the Bharatiya Janata Party asked supporters to vote for the BJP in Chhattisgarh so that a double-engine administration could work for the state’s development while speaking at a public gathering in Mahasamund city, the state that is headed for elections. He also took aim at Rahul Gandhi, claiming that the Congressman has never been to the Ayodhya Ram temple. Prior to the BJP candidates’ nominations from four constituencies in the Mahasamund district—Mahasamund, Khallari, Basna, and Saraipali—a rally led by Sarma was organized. “…We have to think about the situation to which the Bhupesh Baghel government has pushed Chhattisgarh. Religious conversions are taking place. A conspiracy is being played to convert tribals in every part of the state. Sanata

Trinamool Congress MP Mahua Moitra has been summoned by the Ethics Committee of the Lok Sabha on October 31 in connection with the “cash-for-query” allegations against her. The Ethics Committee held its first meeting today where its head and BJP MP Vinod Kumar Sonkar said that the panel will seek assistance from the Ministries of Home Affairs and IT in probing the allegations against the TMC MP. On Thursday, BJP parliamentarian Nishikant Dubey, along with advocate Jai Anant Dehadrai submitted their statements to the committee in connection with the matter. “Committee heard both the people who were summoned today – the lawyer and Nishikant Dubey. Their evidence were looked into. Looking into the seriousness of it, the Committee decided to summon Mahua Moitra asking her to appear before it on 31st October,” Sonkar said. #WATCH | Delhi | Chairman of Parliament Ethics Committee, Vinod Sonkar says, “…Committee heard both the people who were summoned today – the lawyer and Nishikant Du

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday performed puja at the revered Shri Saibaba Samadhi Temple in Shirdi and offered prayers there. Modi was accompanied by Maharashtra Governor Ramesh Bais, Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and Deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis. #WATCH | Ahmednagar, Maharashtra: Prime Minister Narendra Modi performs the Jal Pujan of Nilwande Dam and dedicates a canal network of the dam to the nation pic.twitter.com/WwcHb1KYuN — ANI (@ANI) October 26, 2023 The prime minister will later attend a public programme in Shirdi to inaugurate and lay the foundation stone of development projects worth about Rs 7,500 crore in sectors like health, rail, road and oil and gas. The PM will also travel to Goa to inaugurate the 37th National Games. from Firstpost India Latest News https://ift.tt/mfwksuX FP Staff

Delhi and Mumbai are competing once again. But this time, none of the metro cities would want to win the race of which of the two has worse air. There were many days this month when Mumbai’s air quality deteriorated more than the National Capital’s. The authorities in both cities have announced measures to curb air pollution, which can trigger several health issues. Let’s look at how Delhi and Mumbai are reeling from bad air and what steps are being taken to mitigate the issue. Delhi, Mumbai choke again The overall air quality in Delhi improved on Wednesday (25 October) morning but remained in the ‘poor’ category. According to the System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting and Research (SAFAR), the Air Quality Index (AQI) in the National Capital stood at 202, reported Business Standard. The air quality in the Delhi University area was at 312 (very poor) as of 10 am, and at 225 (poor) in IIT Delhi. Stage II of GRAP has been implemented in Delhi-NCR amid worsening air quality. P

With an aim to extend benefits to over 86 lakh farmers in Maharashtra, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will on Thursday launch a scheme and projects worth over Rs 7,500 crore and then travel to Goa to inaugurate the 37th National Games. An official statement said Modi will begin his Maharashtra tour by offering prayers at the famous Shri Saibaba temple in Shridi and inaugurate its new “darshan queue complex”. He will perform “Jal Pujan” of Nilwande Dam and dedicate a canal network of the dam to the nation and later attend a public programme in Shirdi to inaugurate and lay the foundation stone of multiple development projects worth about Rs 7,500 crore in sectors like health, rail, road and oil and gas. The statement said the new “darshan queue complex” at Shirdi is a state-of-the-art modern mega building envisaged to provide comfortable waiting areas for devotees. It is equipped with several waiting halls with a cumulative seating capacity of more than 10,000 devotees. Its foundation

Indian tax authorities have issued show cause notices worth about 1 trillion rupees ($12.03 billion) to online gaming companies, a government official said on Wednesday. “The total amount of show-cause notices sent to online gaming companies is around Rs 1 lakh crore,” an official said on October 25, requesting anonymity. The government and online gaming are in a tussle over the payment of 28 per cent Goods and Services Tax (GST) instead of 18 per cent for the period up to October 1, 2023. While the online gaming firms feel the 28 per cent tax is applicable only starting October 1, the government is of the opinion that the October 1 revision only provided clarity to a law that was already in force. The official, however, said that there is no data yet of foreign gaming companies registering in India since October 1. The government has amended the GST law, making it mandatory for overseas online gaming companies to register in India from October 1. The GST Council had in August c

India will treat a reference by Pakistan to Kashmir during a United Nations Security Council (UNSC) meeting on the Israel-Gaza situation with the contempt it deserves and will not dignify it with a response, India’s Deputy Permanent Representative at the UN, Ambassador R Ravindra said. “Before I end, there was a remark of habitual nature by one delegation referring to Union Territories that are integral and inalienable parts of my country,” Ravindra said. “I would treat these remarks with contempt they deserve and not dignify them with a response in the interest of time,” Ravindra said. Ravindra’s remarks came on Tuesday after Pakistan’s UN envoy Munir Akram made reference to Kashmir at the Security Council meeting on the situation in the Middle East. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has also drawn a parallel between the terrorist attacks by Lashkar-e-Taiba in Mumbai and Hamas in Israel, emphasising that all acts of terrorism are “unlawful and unjustifiable.” Speaking at the U

In the forthcoming Assembly elections scheduled for November 25 in Rajasthan, the constituency of Danta in the state’s Ramgarh region is poised for a captivating political showdown. The Jannayak Janta Party (JJP), hailing from Haryana, has announced Rita Chaudhary as its candidate, while the Congress is likely to renominate her husband, Virendra Singh, for the same constituency. Meanwhile, in Alwar’s Ramgarh constituency, the incumbent MLA, Shafia Zubair, was denied a ticket by the ruling Congress, which opted to field her husband, former legislator Zubair Khan, as the party’s representative. The Rajasthan Assembly elections are set to take place on November 25, with the results for the 200-member House slated for declaration on December 3. Virendra Singh, the son of former PCC chief and seven-time MLA Narayan Singh, has traditionally been affiliated with the Congress. However, his wife made a surprising move by joining the Jannayak Janta Party (JJP) in August, subsequently becoming

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Tuesday  paid tribute to the soldiers’ at Tawang War Memorial in Arunachal Pradesh, and appreciated the soldiers for shouldering the responsibility of guarding the borders. #WATCH | Defence Minister Rajnath Singh pays tribute to the Bravehearts at Tawang War Memorial in Arunachal Pradesh. pic.twitter.com/HeYtwXfawU — ANI (@ANI) October 24, 2023 “The tough situation in which you are shouldering the responsibility of guarding the country’s borders – the more it is appreciated, the less it is. I would like to tell you that the countrymen are proud of you. All of you know the importance of your uniform,” he said. #WATCH | Tawang, Arunachal Pradesh | Defence Minister Rajnath Singh says, “The tough situation in which you are shouldering the responsibility of guarding the country’s borders – the more it is appreciated, the less it is. I would like to tell you that the countrymen are proud of… pic.twitter.com/CeLptiW1Mu — ANI (@ANI) October 24, 202

After being refused a ticket for the assembly poll, veteran BJP politician Umashankar Gupta, 71, suffered a heart attack and was admitted to the hospital on Monday afternoon. He’s steady. As per the reports, the BJP chose not to give Gupta another chance, despite fielding a number of older politicians, including 76-year-old Jayant Malaiya, 74-year-old Maya Singh, 73-year-old Sitasharan Sharma, and 80-year-old Nagendra Singh. Digvijaya Singh, a Congress leader, paid him a visit in the hospital. Former home minister, mayor of Bhopal, and three-term MLA from Bhopal South West Gupta had hoped to be fielded from the same seat, but general secretary Bhagwandas Sabnani, a newcomer, was chosen by the BJP. After suffering a heart attack, the patient had an angiography, which revealed a problem with an artery. As a result, an angioplasty surgery was performed,” an Anant Shree Hospital physician stated. Gupta should be released within the next 48 hours. Chief of the state BJP media cell Ashis

Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) Chief Mohan Bhagwat addressed the RSS Vijayadashmi Utsav in Nagpur on the occasion of Dussehra. “Every year, India’s pride is increasing in the world… The G20 summit held here (in India) was special. The hospitality of Indians was praised. People from different countries experienced our diversity…They saw our diplomatic skills as well as our honest goodwill,” Bhagwat said. #WATCH | Nagpur, Maharashtra: While addressing RSS Vijayadashmi Utsav, RSS Chief Mohan Bhagwat says, “…Every year, India’s pride is increasing in the world… The G 20 summit held here (in India) was special. The hospitality of Indians was praised…People from different… pic.twitter.com/ivmFyV4gn6 — ANI (@ANI) October 24, 2023 Earlier in the day, RSS also organised ‘Path Sanchalan’ (route march) in Nagpur. #WATCH | RSS holds annual Vijaydashmi Utsav in Nagpur, Maharashtra. pic.twitter.com/oDci1JUSnI — ANI (@ANI) October 24, 2023 Talking about the forthcoming inauguratio

According to the Thiruvananthapuram International Airport Ltd (TIAL), flight services at the international airport will be temporarily suspended for five hours on Monday to enable the traditional “Arattu” procession of Sree Padmanabhaswamy temple to pass through the runway. The ritual aligns with a long-standing tradition associated with the Travancore Royals. TIAL announced that flight services would be suspended between 4 pm and 9 pm to accommodate the Alpassi Arattu procession at the Sree Padmanabhaswamy temple. The services of four flights have been rescheduled due to the ceremony, the airport said. After the procession returns to the temple, the tarmac would be cleaned and inspected and only after that the flight services would resume, it said. The airport has been pausing operations and rescheduling flights twice every year for decades to enable the bi-annual centuries-old ceremonial procession of the shrine to pass through the runway. The practice of the temple procession pa

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Monday said that overall there was a sense in global diplomacy that this G20 actually delivered very substantively on what were the most pressing issues of the day. #WATCH | EAM Dr S Jaishankar addresses the G20 Tree Plantation Ceremony at Nehru Park in Delhi. He says, “About 3 weeks ago, I was in New York for the United Nations General Assembly. I must share with you that the G20 was very much the subject of conversation. A lot of people… pic.twitter.com/JGe7ZSvt5Z — ANI (@ANI) October 23, 2023 Addressing the G20 Tree Plantation Ceremony at Nehru Park in New Delhi, Jaishankar said, “About 3 weeks ago, I was in New York for the United Nations General Assembly. I must share with you that the G20 was very much the subject of conversation. A lot of people were still a little surprised that the G20 could bridge what were strong positions and deep divides. Many other countries also took particular satisfaction at the permanent membership of

Chinese scammers have found a new way to exploit Indians, and people in other developing countries. What’s worrying though, in India’s case, these Chinese scammers are exploiting India’s digital payments ecosystem, mainly UPI, to not only scam Indian citizens, but also to get them to launder their loot to China. But how exactly are these Chinese scammers exploiting people? By posing as instant loan apps, real-money gaming apps, and fraudulent investment apps. By now we have heard of stories and seen countless news articles on how certain loan apps have duped people into taking a loan from then and then wrecked their lives. Instead of going through the trouble of actually paying loan seekers and then unleashing their collection agents after them, Chinese scammers have now found a new way. Trapping people using loan offers, games An investigative report from CloudSEK has revealed that scammers are now using illegal instant loan apps to lure thousands of victims with false promises o

It’s a new dawn and the starting of a brand new week. The week gone by was news-heavy and we received heartbreaking news as the Israel-Hamas war unfolds. The death toll continues to rise, and there’s no resolution in sight. But with a new day, comes new hope and the expectation of more news to come from all corners of the world. We prep you for a busy Monday with some of the news expected to take place and shape the upcoming week. A Gaza war protest in Hyderabad After a bomb exploded on the Al-Ahli Arab Hospital in Gaza last week, anger erupted across the world , with many countries condemning Israel for the attack, though it denied carrying out the explosion. Now, on Monday, the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen led by firebrand MP Asaduddin Owaisi, will carry out a protest march in Hyderabad against the atrocities in Gaza and Palestine. Owaisi said the meeting would be held at the party headquarters in Darussalam and also invited the heads of all political parties and var

The air quality in the national capital Sunday took a nosedive to the ‘very poor’ category “Overall air quality in Delhi deteriorates to ‘Very Poor’ quality with the latest AQI (overall) being 306,” news agency ANI reported on X. #WATCH | Overall air quality in Delhi deteriorates to ‘Very Poor’ quality with the latest AQI (overall) being 306. (Visuals from India Gate) pic.twitter.com/yZau90WUyY — ANI (@ANI) October 22, 2023 Air quality in and around Delhi NCR deteriorates every year during late October and November. While stubble burning in states around Delhi also plays a role in the poor air quality, a particular air pattern around the same time also ensures that the smoke stays over the region and doesn’t clear up. Meanwhile, the Centre’s air quality panel on Saturday directed authorities in the National Capital Region to increase parking fees to discourage private transport and enhance the services of CNG or electric buses and metro trains. The action comes as part of ‘