The Enforcement Directorate on Tuesday said it has arrested two Chinese nationals who ran illegal digital loan apps to "cheat" gullible people during the COVID-19 pandemic and they used the WazirX crypto currency platform to route funds.Xiao Ya Mao and Wu Yuanlun were taken into custody on November 13 under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) from Tiruchirappalli in Tamil Nadu, the federal agency said in a statement.The two have been sent to jail under judicial custody till November 29, it said.The probe pertains to a case booked against digital loan apps operated by Chinese nationals who indulged in disbursing short-term instant loans through various mobile applications and charged "exploitative" rate of interest from people.These funds were later routed through the WazirX crypto trading platform and were withdrawn through various such (crypto currency) wallets outside the country including Hong Kong, as per the ED. Union Minister Anupriya Patel visited Mirzapur district hospital and met the Apna Dal (S) worker who was injured in an alleged attack on him. Here's what she said:"This incident happened in Vindhyachal Police Station limits, people barged into a party worker's house and consumed alcohol. when they were stopped, they tried to abduct his daughter and smashed her father's head, broke bones of her mother. It is shameful that the police is sleeping. The UP Govt works on zero tolerance policy and we will not tolerate any misdeed with women and daughters. I have given an ultimatum if 2 hours, if no action is taken by then, I will take this matter to the CM." On allegations of distributing cash against him, BJP National General Secretary Vinod Tawde says, "Today, as I was passing by that area (Vasai-Virar), our candidate Rajan Naik asked me to join them to have tea. 200-250 booth incharges were present there. Later, Hitendra Thakur and his son came there and said that they came to distribute money. Their party workers also came and caused a ruckus. It is not wrong to go and meet party workers who work day and night for the party. I have been in politics for the last 40 years and I have never been involved in a case relating to money. Why are Supriya Sule and Rahul Gandhi saying all this? After all this, Hitendra Thakur and Kshitij Thakur dropped me in their car."#WATCH | Mumbai | On allegations of distributing cash against him, BJP National General Secretary Vinod Tawde says, "Today, as I was passing by that area (Vasai-Virar), our candidate Rajan Naik asked me to join them to have tea. 200-250 booth incharges were present there. Later,… pic.twitter.com/ur2LwV47Md— ANI (@ANI) November 19, 2024 Haryana CM Nayab Singh Saini says, "BJP has set a target of 50 lakh (for membership drive). All our MLAs and leaders, taking the leading role, will participate in the membership drive and encourage the people to be a member of the BJP. This double-engine government, elected for the third time will work to take forward the development work for the people of Haryana..."#WATCH | Panchkula | Haryana CM Nayab Singh Saini says, "BJP has set a target of 50 lakh (for membership drive). All our MLAs and leaders, taking the leading role, will participate in the membership drive and encourage the people to be a member of the BJP. This double-engine… pic.twitter.com/PTEDWAtVdN— ANI (@ANI) November 19, 2024 Briefing on Cabinet decisions, Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma says, "Assam cabinet today has decided to publish the voter list for Panchayat elections before 30 December. If the voter list is published by December 30, then we can complete the process of Panchayat election by February 10, 2025. The panchayat election date will be declared within the first week of January, 2025." India has achieved gender parity across all levels of education and is now prioritising increasing women's workforce participation in non conventional sectors and bridging gender pay gaps and digital divide, according to the country statement made by India at the UN Ministerial Conference on women empowerment in Bangkok, Thailand.The Asia-Pacific Ministerial Conference on the Beijing+30 review began Bangkok, Thailand on Tuesday, bringing together over 1,200 delegates from governments, civil society and youth groups, the private sector and academia to discuss progress and priority actions to support gender equality and women’s empowerment.VIDEO | India has achieved gender parity across all levels of education and is now prioritising increasing women's workforce participation in non conventional sectors and bridging gender pay gaps and digital divide, according to the country statement made by India at the UN… pic.twitter.com/shiCLRgkJI— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) November 19, 2024 Thick grey haze choked Delhi for the third straight day on Tuesday, with the pollution levels remaining alarmingly high at 488 in the 'severe plus' category. Visuals from India Gate. Vinod Tawde's Media Briefing has been Cancelled  A massive fire broke out at Ori Plastics factory in Behror Industrial Area of Alwar earlier today. No casualty or injury has been reported as of now. More details awaited.VIDEO | A massive fire broke out at Ori Plastics factory in Behror Industrial Area of Alwar earlier today. No casualty or injury has been reported as of now. More details awaited. pic.twitter.com/LlKiekJUxZ— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) November 19, 2024 Chhattisgarh CM Vishnu Deo Sai says, "Our Jawans have been fighting with the naxals and achieved huge success in the last 10-11 months. We appreciate the bravery of the Jawans. There is a camp near Jagdalpur. I went there to meet them (CRPF Jawans). I had dinner with them and they presented a cultural program...We sat for hours and they shared their experiences..."On the film 'The Sabarmati Report', he says, " We will also make this movie tax-free in Chhattisgarh." On Congress leader P Chidambaram's statement, Manipur CM Biren Singh says, "P Chidambaram is a senior Congress leader and I am surprised to see his 'X' handle mentioning about the division and alleging the present crisis is due to the CM of Manipur. There are a few problems that we are facing due to the ignorance of the Central leaders during the Congress time... P Chidambaram is the root cause of the present crisis. When he was the Home Minister in the then Congress government and Okram Ibobi Singh was the CM (of Manipur), they brought a Myanmarese foreigner, Thanglianpau Guite... That person was the chairman Zomi Re-Unification Army, which is banned in Myanmar... Here is a photograph where P Chidambadam is meeting Thanglianpau... They never cared about the North East and the indigenous people... The present crisis is the problem of the illegal migrants from Myanmar and they try to dominate the indigenous people of Manipur and the entire North East... Whatever the problem is there in Manipur is created by Congress... They cannot wash their hands so easily..." The Manipur government has conditionally lifted the suspension on broadband services three days after imposing it, considering the hardships faced by common people, healthcare facilities, educational institutions and other offices.Mobile internet services, however, remained suspended, according to an order issued by Home Commissioner N Ashok Kumar.Amid escalating violence, the administration clamped the restriction order in seven districts on November 16. Enforcement Directorate (ED) has arrested two persons, Gian Chand and Sanjay Dhiman, in the case pertaining to illegal mining along the Beas River, Himachal Pradesh and Yamuna River, Saharanpur, Uttar Pradesh: ED Meeting between Vinod Tawde and BVA supremo underway   Madhya Pradesh CM Mohan Yadav hails the mythological, cultural, mineral resources,  water sources significance of the state, and its contribution to the country addressing people at the Bharat Mandapam in Delhi.VIDEO | Madhya Pradesh CM Mohan Yadav (@DrMohanYadav51) hails the mythological, cultural, mineral resources, water sources significance of the state, and its contribution to the country addressing people at the Bharat Mandapam in Delhi.#MadhyaPradesh pic.twitter.com/2qbRQaML6O— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) November 19, 2024 On SC asks Centre to formulate a plan of action to construct feeding and child care rooms in public places, Advocate Animesh Rastogi says, "Today the matter 'Matri sparsh, an initiative by Abhiyan Foundation vs The Union of India was listed... The court was of the view that it would lay down some guidelines and the same shall be sent to various state Chief Secretaries for implementation. The court has also directed the Union of India to come up with a plan for the implementation of the said guidelines..." A Pune court ordered Congress leader Rahul Gandhi to appear in person before it on December 2 in connection with a defamation complaint filed against him by Hindutva icon V D Savarkar's grandnephew.Satyaki Savarkar had filed a complaint in a Pune court claiming Gandhi, in his speech in London in March 2023, stated that Savarkar had written in a book that he and five to six of his friends once beat up a Muslim man and he (Savarkar) felt happy. As per the plea, Savarkar has not written this anywhere.The court had asked the police to investigate the allegations and file a report. The Vishrambaug police station had carried out the enquiry and said that there is a prima-facie truth in the complaint.On October 4, Special court for MP/MLA, presided over by Joint Civil Judge and Judicial Magistrate (First Class) Amol Shinde, had issued summons to Gandhi asking him to appear before it on October 23.However, Gandhi did not appear as it was told that he did not receive the summons. BJP National General Secretary Vinod Tawde says, "...a meeting of MLAs of Nalasopara was underway. The Model Code of Conduct for the day of voting, how will voting machines be sealed and how to go about if an objection has to be made...I went there to tell them about it. The workers of the party (Bahujan Vikas Aghadi), Appa Thakur and Kshitij thought that we were distributing money. Let the Election Commission and Police inquire, let them get CCTV footage. I have been in the party for 40 years. Appa Thakur and Kshitij know me, the entire party knows me...Still, I believe that Election Commission should conduct an impartial investigation."#WATCH | BJP National General Secretary Vinod Tawde says, "...a meeting of MLAs of Nalasopara was underway. The Model Code of Conduct for the day of voting, how will voting machines be sealed and how to go about if an objection has to be made...I went there to tell them about it.… https://t.co/kOupjvw0wE pic.twitter.com/3JFRdecQp1— ANI (@ANI) November 19, 2024 Poll Body Files FIR Against Maharashtra BJP's Vinod Tawde Over Cash-for-Votes Allegation  State BJP President and Union Home Minister G Kishan Reddy says, "TTD's decision that only Hindus should be near the 'Bhagwan' is welcomed. It had been a demand for the last many days. Non-Hindus should not be near God. We will not remove people from jobs, we will employ them somewhere else. I welcome the decision taken by the TTD board. I thank them for this..." More than 1,100 youth participated in a run organised in the national capital to spread awareness about expanding green cover in the city and climate related issues.The run was organised on Sunday by the Green Heartfulness Institute in three categories -- distances of 10 km, 5 km and 3 km -- starting from the India Habitat Centre.  A sub-collector and an engineer were arrested in Odisha on Tuesday after disproportionate assets were allegedly found in their possession, officials said.The two are Narayan Chandra Nayak, sub-collector, Kamakhyanagar in Dhenkanal district and Subash Chandra Panda, deputy general manager (civil), Odisha State Police Housing Welfare Corporation, Berhampur division, the vigilance department said in a statement. The Himachal Pradesh High Court has ordered the attachment of the Himachal Bhawan in Delhi for the recovery of Rs 150 crore that the state government owes to a power firm, Seli Hydropower Electrical Company. Passing the order on Monday, a single-judge bench of Justice Ajay Mohan Goel said the company may take appropriate steps for auction of Himachal Bhawan located in central Delhi's Mandi House area thereof. #WATCH | #MaharashtraElection2024 | Workers of Bahujan Vikas Aghadi created a ruckus outside a hotel in Nalasopara Assembly constituency of Palghar today while a meeting of BJP National General Secretary Vinod Tawde was underway inside. Bahujan Vikas Aghadi MLA Kshitij Thakur and… pic.twitter.com/ZoH5bnYloE— ANI (@ANI) November 19, 2024 #WATCH | Chhattisgarh CM Vishnu Deo Sai offers prayers at Maa Danteshwari Temple in Dantewada. pic.twitter.com/kKbRwFdsLe— ANI (@ANI) November 19, 2024 The Madhya Pradesh government on Tuesday decided to declare "The Sabarmati Report", a film on the Godhra train burning incident of 2002, as tax free in the state.Chief Minister Mohan Yadav made this announcement and said he will also go to watch the movie.Helmed by Dheeraj Sarna, the film revolves around the 2002 Godhra burning train incident which triggered communal riots in Gujarat. A sub-collector was arrested in Odisha's Dhenkanal district on Tuesday after disproportionate assets were allegedly found in his possession, officials said.Among the assets found were three multi-storeyed buildings and 14 plots in Bhubaneswar, deposits over Rs 34.57 lakh, Rs 1.48 lakh in cash, and gold weighting 366 gram, they said. BJP leaders on Tuesday staged a protest against the AAP government and distributed face masks at the most polluted areas of the city, Anand Vihar and ITO, as Delhi continued to grapple with severe air pollution.During an awareness-cum-mask distribution programme at Anand Vihar, Delhi BJP President Virendra Sachdeva slammed Aam Aadmi Party supremo Arvind Kejriwal and Chief Minister Atishi, alleging the government's inaction in addressing the pollution crisis. Uttar Pradesh Police has arrested Nazir Ahmad Wani, a key accused in the 1993 Deoband blast case, from Budgam district of Jammu and Kashmir, officials said on Tuesday.Wani, who unsuccessfully contested the recent assembly elections from the Budgam assembly segment against Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, was arrested by a team of the Uttar Pradesh Police with the help of J-K Police, the officials said. Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi Adityanath on Tuesday chaired a meeting with senior officers in Lucknow and issued directions regarding events to be held on the occasion of Constitution Day. Constitution Day also known as 'Samvidhan Divas', is celebrated in our country on November 26 every year to commemorate the adoption of the Constitution of India.The Constituent Assembly of India adopted the Constitution of India on November 26, 1949, which came into effect from January 26, 1950. Following Jawaharlal Nehru University's decision to conduct classes online due to severe pollution and the worsening Air Quality Index (AQI) in Delhi and the National Capital Region (NCR), Jamia Millia Islamia has also decided to shift to online classes until Saturday, November 23.In an official notification on Tuesday, the university stated that "classes shall be conducted in online mode till Saturday, November 23rd, 2024, with regular classes in physical mode to resume from Monday, November 25." The Manipur government has "relieved" senior SP (Combat) Nectar Sanjenbam of his duties after a probe was conducted into the Jiribam firing incident which left one person dead and another injured, according to a Home Department order.The government has constituted a two-member inquiry committee to investigate the causes that led to the firing on Sunday night. Three forest personnel were suspended following the electrocution of three elephants in Odisha's Sambalpur district, officials said on Tuesday.The Forest Department also recommended action against two senior officers, and one of them was asked to explain why the government would not act against him, they said. Indian Army, Navy and Air Force conduct Poorvi Prahar exercise and demonstrate warfighting skills  GRAP should be implemented across North India; rules being violated in BJP-led states: Delhi Environment Minister Gopal Rai A "dreaded" naxal was shot dead by Anti-Naxal Force (ANF) near Eedu village in Karkala taluk of this district, official sources said on Tuesday.Home Minister G Parameshwara said the ANF had been looking to apprehend Vikram Gowda for about 20 years.Describing him as a "dreaded naxal", the minister said he had escaped several times, including during "encounters" in the past.  India and Italy unveiled an ambitious five-year strategic action plan outlining specific initiatives in key sectors of defence, trade, clean energy and connectivity following extensive talks between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Italian counterpart Giorgia Meloni. Union Minister and BJP national president J.P. Nadda will interact with sixteen-member delegation of senior leaders of Singapore ruling Party 'People’s Action Party' as a part of 'Know BJP' initiative today. Thick grey haze choked Delhi for the third straight day on Tuesday, with the pollution levels remaining alarmingly high at 488 in the 'severe plus' category.Calm winds and dropping temperatures made the dispersion of pollutants difficult. Cold air traps dust and smoke from stubble burning in neighbouring areas of Delhi. A massive fire broke out at a chair factory in outer Delhi's Bawana in the early hours of Tuesday, officials said.No one was injured in the incident, they said.A Delhi Fire Services (DFS) official said they received a call regarding the fire in the factory in Block B, Bawana at 5.30 am and 22 fire tenders were rushed to the spot. Maharashtra BJP MLA and assembly poll candidate Pratap Adsad's sister was injured when two persons allegedly attacked her with a knife in Amravati district, police said on Tuesday.The incident took place at around 8 pm on Monday, they said. VIDEO | Delhi CM Atishi (@AtishiAAP) inspects Metro coaches which will be used in the new Phase - IV route, at Mukundpur depot near Majlis Park.#DelhiMetro(Full video available on PTI Videos - https://t.co/n147TvrpG7) pic.twitter.com/ahRC9T0a9y— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) November 19, 2024 Mumbai Polce urges voters to begin their day with voting on 20th November.  VIDEO | Delhi Pollution: Union Minister Harsh Malhotra (@hdmalhotra) and Delhi BJP president Virendra Sachdeva (@Virend_Sachdeva) join BJP Yuva Morcha workers to hold protest and distribute masks outside Anand Vihar Railway station.#DelhiAirPollution #DelhiAirQuality (Full… pic.twitter.com/OzPAzomiFh— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) November 19, 2024  The rupee rose 2 paise to 84.40 against the US dollar in early trade on Tuesday amid a recovery in domestic equity markets and a weaker American currency against major Asian rivals. Forex traders said, however, sustained outflow of foreign funds and an upward movement in crude oil prices put pressure on the local unit and capped its sharp gain. The government has convened a customary all-party meeting on Sunday ahead of the Winter Session of Parliament.Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju said in a post on X on Tuesday that the meet has been convened on November 24 morning "in view of the coming Winter session of Parliament."The session begins on November 25 and concludes on December 20. VIDEO | Air Quality Index (AQI) continues to deteriorate in Delhi as a thick layer of smog engulfs the national capital. Visuals from Lodhi Road.(Full video available on PTI Videos - https://t.co/n147TvrpG7) pic.twitter.com/YteVAzVmeJ— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) November 19, 2024 "Tributes to our former Prime Minister, Smt. Indira Gandhi Ji on her birth anniversary," posts PM Modi (@narendramodi). pic.twitter.com/8D1QCT3ucu— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) November 19, 2024 "Tributes to the fearless Rani Lakshmibai of Jhansi, a true embodiment of courage and patriotism, on her Jayanti. Her bravery and efforts in the fight for freedom continues to inspire generations. Her leadership during times of adversity showed what true determination is," posts… pic.twitter.com/rQsyjA69ju— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) November 19, 2024 VIDEO | PM Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) met PM of Norway, Jonas Gahr Støre on the sidelines of G20 Summit in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. They discussed various aspects of strengthening and deepening ties between the two countries.(Source: Third Party)(Full video available on PTI… pic.twitter.com/wyGcFz22NG— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) November 19, 2024 Delhi's hazardous air quality was a key focus at COP29, as experts warned about the health risks of air pollution and called for immediate global action.Aarti Khosla, Director of Climate Trends, sais that Delhi’s Air Quality Index (AQI) had reached dangerous levels, with some areas recording particulate pollution above 1,000 microgram per cubic metre. “Pollution comes from many sources like black carbon, ozone, burning fossil fuels, and farm fires. We need solutions that tackle all of these,” she said. AQI crosses 400 mark in Delhi's Dwaraka. Pollution levels continue to surge in the NCR with authorities taking measures to control pollition.  Delhi University would shift to online classes till November 23 and the Jawaharlal Nehru University till November 22, the varsities announced amid worsening air quality levels in the city. The decision comes as the air quality in Delhi and the National Capital Region (NCR) reached "alarmingly high" levels, prompting concerns about health and safety. At 4 pm, Delhi's AQI was 494. Prime Minister Narendra Modi met French President Emmanuel Macron on the sidelines of the G20 Summit on Tuesday and discussed ways to keep working closely in sectors such as space, energy and AI.The prime minister also complimented the French president on France's successful hosting of the Olympic Games and the Paralympics in Paris earlier this year. Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday held a bilateral meeting with his United Kingdom counterpart, Keir Starmer, on the sidelines of the G20 Summit in Brazil.
