2023 Nobel Prize in Chemistry | Three share prize for discovery of quantum dots, now used in LEDs
The 2023 Nobel Prize in Chemistry has been awarded to Moungi G. Bawendi, Louis E. Brus and Alexei I. Ekimov for the discovery and synthesis of quantum dots, the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences said in Stockholm. Quantum dots have unique properties and now spread their light from television screens and LED lamps. They catalyse chemical reactions and their clear light can illuminate tumour tissue for a surgeon, the Academy said in a press release.
Mahadev betting app case | Actor Ranbir Kapoor asked to appear before ED on October 6
Bollywood actor Ranbir Kapoor on October 4 was summoned by the ED for allegedly endorsing an online gaming and betting mobile application Mahadev. The actor has been summoned by the central agency to appear before its Mumbai office on October 6. According to ED, “Mahadev Online Book Betting App is an umbrella syndicate arranging online platforms for enabling illegal betting websites to enrol new users, create user IDs and launder money through a layered web of benami bank accounts.”
Sikkim flash floods | 8 dead, 23 Army personnel among 49 missing
At least eight people are dead and 49 others, including 23 Army personnel, are missing after a cloudburst over Lhonak Lake in north Sikkim triggered a flash flood in the Teesta River basin, officials said. Three of the dead were washed up in north Bengal, they said. “Five bodies have been recovered from Golitar and Singtam region,” Gangtok Sub-Divisional Magistrate Mahendra Chettri said. Another official said 45 people are rescued, including 18 injured. “A steel bridge at Singtam, known as Indreni bridge, 30 km from the state capital Gangtok has been completely washed away by Teesta river water early Wednesday,” the official said.
NewsClick founder Prabir Purkayastha, HR head sent to seven-day police custody
NewsClick founder Prabir Purkayastha and HR head Amit Chakravarty, arrested in a case filed under the anti-terror law UAPA following allegations the portal received money for pro-China propaganda, were sent to seven days of police remand, officials said on October 4. Police sealed NewsClick’s office in Delhi on Tuesday. Officials earlier said 46 “suspects” were questioned and digital devices, including laptops and mobile phones, and documents were taken away for examination.
Ladakh council elections | 65% polling recorded till 1 p.m. for 26 constituencies
Sixty five per cent of electorate voted in the elections to Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council (LAHDC), Kargil till 1 pm on October 4. Polling began at 8 a.m. and is progressing smoothly, officials said. Voters across age groups turned out in large numbers since early morning to cast their vote in the 5th LAHDC elections in which 87 candidates are trying their luck for 26 constituencies.
HAL hands over first LCA Tejas twin seater aircraft to IAF
The Hindustan Aeronautics Limited handed over the first LCA Tejas twin seater to the Indian Air Force in the presence of Union Minister of State for Defence & Tourism Ajay Bhatt at a ceremony in Bengaluru on October 4. The LCA Tejas Twin Seater is a lightweight, all-weather multi-role 4.5 generation aircraft. It is designed to support the training requirements of the IAF and augment itself to the role of a fighter in case of necessity.
Case filed against Shiv Sena MP Hemant Patil for forcing Nanded hospital dean to clean toilet
A case was registered by the Nanded Rural Police against Shiv Sena MP Hemant Patil for forcing Dr. S.R. Wakode, the acting dean of the Government Medical College and Hospital in Nanded, where 31 patients died in 48 hours, to clean a toilet and urinals. A video of the act in which Mr. Patil was seen instructing the dean to clean the toilet went viral on social media. It was reportedly circulated on WhatsApp groups by the MP’s aides. The incident took place at Dr. Shankarrao Chavan Government Medical College and Hospital.
Land-for-job scam case | Delhi court grants bail to Lalu Prasad, Rabri Devi, Tejashwi Yadav
A Delhi court on October 4 granted bail to Rashtriya Janata Dal supremo Lalu Prasad Yadav, his wife Rabri Devi, and his son, Bihar’s Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav, in the land-for-jobs scam case of 2004-2009. Special CBI judge Geetanjali Goel granted bail to the accused after they appeared before the court in pursuance of summons issued against them.
West Bengal school jobs scam | ED summons TMC’s Abhishek Banerjee on October 9
“The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has summoned Trinamool Congress (TMC) national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee to appear before its officers on October 9 in connection with their probe into the alleged irregularities in the West Bengal teacher recruitment scam,” a senior official said on October 4. “The probe agency also summoned Banerjee’s wife Rujira for questioning on October 11,” the official added.
Two Indian-origin men in U.S. guilty of fraud in multi-million dollar COVID fund
“Two men of Indian origin in the U.S. have pleaded guilty to their participation in a multi-million dollar fraud scheme by obtaining loans under an economic assistance plan following the COVID-19 pandemic in the country,” the justice department said. The Department of Justice in a statement said Nishant Patel, 41, and Harjeet Singh, 49, both from Houston and three others engaged in fraudulently obtaining and laundering millions of dollars in forgivable Paycheck Protection Programme loans that the Small Business Administration guarantees under the CARES Act.
5 people, aged 18 to 22, wounded in shooting on campus of Morgan State University in Baltimore
Five people were wounded, none critically, in a shooting outside a residence hall at Morgan State University in Baltimore on October 3, according to authorities, who urged students to take shelter on the campus of the historically Black college. The Baltimore Police Department initially said officers were on the scene for an “active shooter situation” around 9:30 p.m. Police kept the campus on lockdown for hours and provided little information about their investigation. The gunfire shattered windows at a residential building that’s on the same block as a city police station.
Centre hikes LPG subsidy for Ujjwala beneficiaries to ₹300 per cylinder
The Centre has increased subsidy for cooking gas cylinders for poor to ₹300 per unit from ₹200 announced in August, Information Minister Anurag Thakur said on October 4. It was not immediately clear how much the government will have to spend for the enhanced subsidy on cooking gas. The government was previously estimated to spend about ₹11,600 crore towards cooking gas subsidy in the current fiscal year that ends on March 31.
Indian javelin throwers – Neeraj Chopra and Kishore Jena produced a commanding performance to walk away with a gold and silver as Indian athletes continued their sensational run, claiming seven medals in the athletics competition at the Asian Games on October 4. In a dramatic day, Olympic gold medallist Neeraj Chopra, whose first effort was not recorded due to a malfunction in electronic distance measurement, defended his title with a season’s best throw of 88.88m in his fourth attempt, while Kishore came up with his personal best of 87.54 – also his fourth attempt – to finish 1-2. Moments later, Indian quartet of Anas Muhammed Yahiya, Amoj Jacob, Muhammed Ajmal Variyathodi and Rajesh Ramesh sealed the gold for India in the men’s 4x400m relay with a timing of 3:01.58. Indian quartet of Vithya Ramraj, Aishwarya Mishra, Prachi and Subha Venkatesan also claimed a silver in women’s 4x400m relay.
