The New Indian Express Kottayam - December 13, 2024

In this issue

December 13, 2024

GUKESH KING OF THE 64 SQUARES

CHESS has a new king. The promised prince is here and he will be coronated on Friday evening.

1 min

Cabinet OKs 'one poll' bill, may go to JPC for vetting

The Union Cabinet on Thursday approved two bills to implement Prime Minister Narendra Modi's plan of holding simultaneous elections to the Lok Sabha and state assemblies.

1 min

Pilgrims urged to stay safe; curbs on river baths

AMID a red alert for extremely heavy rain in the district on Thursday and Friday, the district authorities have urged the public to remain vigilant, especially those travelling to Sabarimala.

1 min

Construction of Padaharam bridge in Kuttanad reaches final stage

THE CONSTRUCTION of the Padaharam Bridge, connecting Thakazhi and Nedumudi panchayats in Kuttanad, is nearing completion.

1 min

Chakkulathukavu pongala today

THE ANNUAL pongala festival at the Chakkulathukavu Bhagavathy temple will be held on Friday.

1 min

Unnimama's gambit & his village's right moves inspire movie

LIFE is like a chess game - it depends on how you play it.

2 mins

Alex beats odds to carry devotees to abode of Lord Ayyappa

FOR E Alex, a dolly carrier with disability, his regular trips braving heights, weather, and through crowded forest paths beelining devotees and speeding tractor trailers, to the hill shrine of Sabarimala, is not just a routine but also a devotion to Lord Ayyappa.

2 mins

MOLLYWOOD KEEPS FINGERS CROSSED AS BIG RELEASES NEAR

\"I offer a simple prayer to the Almighty. The film industry's wheel has to turn because of release, because of success. So, every film should run. And people should respect the film. And, even my film, I wish it should run.\"

2 mins

Temp forest watchers in Marayur struggle to make both ends meet

210 staff employed at Marayur haven't received salaries for the past several months

2 mins

MG University researchers harness power from tender coconut husks

RESEARCHERS at Mahatma Gandhi University have come up with a technology to generate electricity from tender coconut husks, a material that contributes to environmental pollution.

1 min

Excise dept intensifies inspections

WITH Christmas and New Year fast approaching, the excise department has intensified raids in the district to prevent crimes related to the sale of liquor, drugs and tobacco products.

1 min

125th anniversary fete of Thuruthicad Mar Thoma church to begin on Sunday

THE 125th anniversary celebrations of Thuruthicad Mar Thoma Church will be inaugurated on December 15.

1 min

ADM death: Presence of bloodstains raises suspicion, says wife

EMPHASISING the need for a CBI probe into the death of Naveen Babu, former ADM of Kannur, his wife Manjusha on Thursday submitted before the Kerala High Court that there is a possibility of homicide.

1 min

Closest of friends in life — and in death

THEY were closest of friends—so much so that even death couldn't separate them. Irfana Sherin P A, Ridha Fathima, Nidha Fathima K M and Aysha A S, all students of Class VIII at Karimba Government HSS, were snatched away by fate's cruel hands when a truck transporting cement careened out of control, toppled, and fell over them.

1 min

Closest of friends in life - and in death

THEY were closest of friends so much so that even death couldn't separate them. Irfana Sherin PA, Ridha Fathima, Nidha Fathima K M and Aysha A S, all students of Class VIII at Karimba Government HSS, were snatched away by fate's cruel hands when a truck transporting cement careened out of control, toppled, and fell over them.

2 mins

No plan to revive party membership or attend area committee meet: S Rajendran

FORMER DEVIKULAM MLA S Rajendran, who had distanced himself from the CPM after the last assembly election, said that he has no plans to revive his party membership or attend the area committee meeting to be held in Munnar.

1 min

ADM death: Presence of bloodstains raises suspicion, says wife

EMPHASISING the need for a CBI probe into the death of Naveen Babu, former ADM of Kannur, his wife Manjusha on Thursday submitted before the Kerala High Court that there is a possibility of homicide.

1 min

Samastha feud continues

THE INTERNAL feud in Samastha Kerala Jem-Iyyathul is simmering with both factions coming up with their explanation on what actually transpired at the mushawara meeting in Kozhikode on Wednesday.

1 min

Chandy Oommen's aide removed from KPCC media WhatsApp group

RESENTMENT is brewing among a section of leaders after a KPCC member close to Chandy Oommen was removed from the WhatsApp group of the Congress' media cell.

1 min

Panayampadam stretch accident-prone: MVD

IIT-recommended safety measures only partially implemented • Long-term measures approved by District Road Safety Council to be executed soon

1 min

Orange alert in 3 dists today

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has predicted heavy rainfall on Friday and issued an orange alert in Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam, and Pathanamthitta districts.

1 min

e-Office update: Govt ops to be disrupted from Dec 13-16

GOVERNMENT operations across the Secretariat, collectorates, directorates and other offices will be disrupted from December 13 to 16 due to a database software update for e-Office by the National Informatics Centre (NIC).

1 min

Actor abduction case: Court issues notice to former DGP Sreelekha

SURVIVOR SEEKS TRIAL IN OPEN COURT

1 min

Pinarayi, Stalin unite to inaugurate rebuilt Vaikom Periyar memorial

Efforts by Kerala and TN to establish an egalitarian society will continue, say both leaders

2 mins

No pilgrim should be given privilege at Sabarimala: HC on actor's visit

'Neither ruling party nor Oppn can be allowed to hold public meetings in violation of court order'

1 min

Three of a family from Tiruvalla killed in car-van collision near Coimbatore

Three members of a family from Tiruvalla, including a two-month-old baby, were killed as the car in which they were travelling collided head-on with a van on the L&T Bypass in Madukkarai, Coimbatore, on Thursday.

1 min

Odisha rape: Accused burnt victim's head

The gruesome murder of the 18-year-old girl whose dismembered body parts were found in Rourkela was not just horrifying; it was executed in cold blood as main accused Kunu Kisan, a mason by profession, came fully prepared to destroy evidence and derail investigation.

1 min

BALANCE FLEXIBILITY & RIGOUR IN NEW DEGREE PROGRAMMES

HE University Grants Commission (UGC) is set to roll out the accelerated degree programme (ADP) and extended degree programme (EDP), two ambitious initiatives aimed at providing flexibility to college students.

3 mins

Air pollution killed 1.5mn annually from '09-'19

NOT-SO-FINE PARTICLE

1 min

'Attack on federalism': Oppn slams cabinet move on One Nation One Poll

AS the Union Cabinet approved two bills to implement 'One Nation, One Election' as recommended by a high-level committee headed by former President Ram Nath Kovind, several Opposition leaders including Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee slammed the proposed legislation, terming it an attack on \"democracy and federalism\".

1 min

Kharge retorts to 'muzzling' Oppn right to speak

AS the political showdown over the Opposition's no-trust motion notice against Vice-President and Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar continues, Leader of Opposition in the Upper House Mallikarjun Kharge on Thursday accused the chairman of muzzling the Opposition's \"right to speak\".

1 min

Nadda accuses Cong of trying to create 'anarchy'

BJP president JP Nadda on Thursday accused the Congress of trying to create \"anarchy\" as he condemned the charges levelled against Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar by opposition leaders.

1 min

Yet another day of washout over no-trust notice, Soros

BOTH Houses of Parliament were adjourned on Thursday following an uproar in the Rajya Sabha over a press conference held by Opposition MPs a day earlier and ruckus in the Lok Sabha over allegations of the Congress' links with billionaire George Soros.

3 mins

Man-eating tigers keep dominance in captivity

TWO man-eating tigers, Vikram and Bhola, have recently transitioned from the wilds of Uttarakhand to the enclosures of Dehradun Zoo.

2 mins

Setback to Soren govt as HC stays 75% quota for locals in pvt companies

IN a major setback to Hemant Soren government, the Jharkhand High Court on Wednesday put a stay on the implementation of the 75% reservation for locals in private companies in the state.

1 min

Maha Yuti's Maha formula on portfolios cracked: Fadnavis

AFTER meeting the top leadership of BJP in Delhi, Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis on Thursday said the formula for portfolio allocations among Maha Yuti allies has been finalised and cabinet expansion will take place soon.

1 min

Manipur crisis will take time to heal, says Biren

MANIPUR CM N Biren Singh on Thursday said that the government was making efforts to find a solution to the ethnic crisis but it would take time considering the fragile situation.

1 min

2 women among 7 Maoists killed in C'garh encounter

SEVEN cadres, including two women of the outlawed CPI (Maoist) in uniform, were gunned down by security forces in a fierce encounter along the inter-district borders of Narayanpur-Dantewada in Abujhmad area, south Chhattisgarh on Thursday.

1 min

Techie suicide: Wife's family flees UP house, cops say no alert from K'taka

Abetment to suicide case registered

1 min

NIA raids 19 places across 8 states in JeM terror case

THE National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Thursday conducted raids against Jaish-e-Mohammad-linked members at 19 locations across eight states, including Assam, Maharashtra, Bihar, Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, West Bengal and J&K.

1 min

Gay defence veterans win compensation from UK govt

BRITISH military veterans who were discharged or suffered other forms of discrimination because of their sexual orientation or gender identity will receive up to 70,000 pounds ($89,300) under a government compensation programme announced on Thursday.

1 min

Australia to force tech titans to pay for news

THE Australian government said on Thursday it will tax large digital platforms and search engines unless they agree to share revenue with Australian news media organisations.

1 min

Yoon stares down on South Korean impeachment vote lined up for Sat

SOUTH Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol vowed on Thursday to fight \"until the very last minute\" in a defiant address defending his shock decision to declare martial law and deploy troops to the country's parliament last week.

1 min

At 1,500, max clemency in a day in US

President Biden commutes sentences, pardons 39 people convicted of non-violent crimes

1 min

Sebi warns HDFC for rule non-compliance

CAPITAL markets regulator Sebi has issued an administrative warning to HDFC Bank for alleged non-compliances with certain rules regarding its merchant banking subsidiary, after the watchdog has found after an internal inspection.

1 min

Govt plans to raise coal stocks to 50 MT in FY26 as power demand likely to go up

As power demand is expected to touch a new high next year, the coal ministry is planning to increase stocks at the beginning of the next financial year to 50 million tonnes.

1 min

Rupee hits new low of 84.88 against USD

INR likely to trade near 84.5 against USD by Dec-end

1 min

Auto parts industry grew 11.3% to ₹3.32L cr in H1

THE turnover of India's automotive component industry reached ₹3.32 lakh crore ($39.6 bn) during April to September 2024 (H1FY25), reflecting an 11.3% growth compared to the same period last year, as per the Automotive Component Manufacturers Association of India (ACMA).

1 min

CEA says India's GDP to grow at 6.5-7% in FY25, cites global uncertainties

THE country will achieve 6.5-7% growth for the current financial year, said V Anantha Nageswaran, chief economic advisor, Government of India.

1 min

Nov inflation falls to 5.5%; raises rate cut hope in Feb

Inflation falls below the central bank's upper tolerance level of 6%

1 min

Retailers ask FM, GST Council to not adopt 35% tax slab as proposed by GoM

INDIAN Sellers Collective, an umbrella body of trade associations and sellers, on Thursday urged Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and the GST Council to reject the recommendations of GoM (Group of Ministers) on GST Rate Rationalization.

1 min

Indian VC funding to cross $300 bn by 2030

FROM $10.9 billion venture funding in 2015, Indian VC funding is expected to cross $300 billion by 2030.

1 min

Finance ministry asks banks to closely monitor top 20 large insolvency cases

FINANCE ministry has asked the public sector banks to closely monitor the top 20 large cases of defaults that are undergoing insolvency proceedings.

1 min

GUKESH BECOMES YOUNGEST KING

India's Gukesh beat China's Ding Liren in the 14th round on Thursday to show his class and claim the World Chess Championship in Singapore.

5 mins

Juve deepen Man City crisis; Barca post win

MANCHESTER City's crisis continued with a 2-0 defeat away to Juventus in the Champions League on Wednesday, while Pep Guardiola's old club Barcelona beat Borussia Dortmund to clinch a spot in the knockout stage of Europe's elite club competition.

1 min

Usman at home in Brisbane as hosts prepare to take on India

S the sun went down in Brisbane on Thursday, there was an immediate shift in the mood of the city.

4 mins

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