The Statesman Kolkata - January 04, 2025

In this issue

January 04, 2025

India has always stood by Maldives: Jaishankar

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Friday said India has always stood by the Maldives, adding the Indian Ocean archipelago is a concrete expression of New Delhi's \"Neighbourhood First\" policy.

1 min

Two men set themselves on fire over Union Carbide waste disposal

The bandh in Pithampur city of Madhya Pradesh on Friday, called in protest against the planned incineration of 337 metric tons of the Bhopal gas tragedy waste from the Union Carbide factory in Bhopal, turned tense as two men poured some flammable liquid and set themselves afire.

1 min

MEA Declines to Comment on Sheikh Hasina Extradition Plea

A spokesperson of the Ministry of External Affairs on Friday declined to say anything on Bangladesh's request for the extradition of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.

1 min

AAP-DA ko hatana hai, BJP ko lana hai: PM Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday launched a blistering attack on the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and its supremo Arvind Kejriwal, saying they have looted the people of Delhi in the last 10 years and expressed confidence that the BJP will dislodge them from power in the coming Assembly election.

1 min

India Lodges Protest With China Over New Counties

MEA also raised concerns over Brahmaputra hydropower project in Tibet

1 min

TMC Leader's Death: 5 in Cop Net, 3 Produced in Court

Malda police have arrested five individuals, including a resident of Bihar, in connection with the murder of Trinamul Congress (TMC) leader Dulal Sarkar, also known as Babla.

2 mins

Body of a missing driver recovered in Bankura

The body of a missing car driver was found today near the ash pond bank of Mejia Thermal Power Station (MTPS) of Damodar Valley Corporation (DVC), close to Latiabeni village today morning by local Gangajalghati police station under Bankura district.

1 min

Death threat to TMC leader through poster

Barely a day after the brutal murder of a Trinamul Congress leader in Malda, a threat poster was found in front of the house of a prominent Trinamul leader at Naoda in Murshidabad this morning.

1 min

Handloom institute's campus to open in Fulia

Union minister of textiles Giriraj Singh will inaugurate the new permanent campus of the Indian Institute of Handloom Technology (IIHT) Fulia in West Bengal on Saturday.

1 min

Deucha Panchami project: Chief secretary, DGP in Birbhum, speak to locals

CM Mamata Banerjee had enquired about the slow progress of land acquisition from tribal people

2 mins

Travel time to Howrah from Asansol reduced in select trains

Asansol division of Eastern Railway has announced the implementation of its revised train time-table, effective from 1 January.

1 min

ACC approves empanelment of 11 IPS officers from state

With their empanelment approved by the ACC they can now join the central government as inspector general (IG) or its equivalent if they get clearance from their respective state governments

1 min

ER catches 1,830 ticketless travellers in a single day

In an intensive drive against ticketless journeys, the Sealdah division of the Eastern Railway detected 1,830 cases across its stations on a single day.

1 min

Almost 7k visit Sebaashray camps on Day 2

Sebaashray, an initiative to provide free health service to the residents in Diamond Harbour Lok Sabha constituency has evoked great response from the people.

1 min

Periya twin murder case: CBI Court sentences 10 Kerala CPM workers to double life imprisonment; former MLA gets five years imprisonment

A Special CBI Court in Kochi on Friday sentenced 10 CPI-M workers to double life imprisonment for the murder and conspiracy in the killings of Youth Congress workers Kripesh (21) and Sarathlal P K (24) in the Periya twin murder case.

1 min

Commuters to soon enjoy faster & safer long-distance train travel

New year is all set to bring faster and safer rail travel to commuters in India.

2 mins

Healthy mind foundation of healthy society: Prez Murmu

Observing that a healthy mind is the foundation of a healthy society, President Droupadi Murmu on Friday expressed confidence that compassion and kindness along with knowledge and wisdom would guide doctors and other mental healthcare experts in providing the highest quality of care at all times, in all situations.

1 min

KTR Gets Summons From T'gana Anti-Corruption Bureau

The ED Has Already Summoned Mr Rao To Appear Before The Central Agency On 7 January

1 min

ED raid on senior DMK Minister Duraimurugan's residence

Even as the Enforcement Directorate was carrying out a raid on the residence of senior most DMK Minister and party General Secretary Duraimurugan at Katpadi in Vellore district on Friday, he called on Chief Minister MK Stalin at the secretariat here.

1 min

Congress Demands Income Support to India's Poor in Budget 2025

The Congress, on Friday, demanded a provision of income support to the country's poor and tax relief for the middle classes in the forthcoming Union Budget.

1 min

NHPC to create 5 model border villages in Baramulla

The National Hydroelectric Power Corporation (NHPC) will create five Model Border Villages in North Kashmir's Baramulla district under the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiative.

1 min

Strayed Sariska tiger brought back to sanctuary in a 3-day exhaustive operation

A Sariska tiger (ST-2402) that strayed in Mahunkheda village in the Bandikui area of Dausa district Wednesday, was rescued back to his sanctuary in the Alwar district after massive two-day efforts by rescuers.

1 min

Prayer meeting held for former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh

A prayer meeting was held in the memory of former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh here on Friday.

1 min

Two set themselves afire in toxic waste incineration protest in MP

Both men remained hospitalised but they were out of danger

2 mins

SHGs Reflect Women-Led Development Potential in India: Jitendra

The importance of \"women-led development\" is a key priority of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's governance agenda, Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Science and Technology Jitendra Singh said while addressing a gathering of nearly 3,000 women from Self-Help Groups (SHGs) in Moragudi village on Friday.

1 min

2002 murder: SC notice to Dera Sacha Sauda head on CBI's plea against acquittal

The Supreme Court on Friday issued notice to Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh and four others on a plea by the CBI challenging the 28 May 2024, Punjab and Haryana High Court judgment acquitting them in the 2002 murder of the sect's former manager Ranjit Singh.

2 mins

BPSC row: Pappu Yadav's supporters stage 'rail roko'; Prashant Kishor booked

Supporters of Purnea MP Pappu Yadav on Friday held a rail blockade at Sachiwalay Halt station in Patna to press their demand for cancellation of the recent Bihar Public Service Commission (BPSC) examination.

1 min

Barrier to growth

SIR, I refer to the article 'Taxation Gone Awry' by Devendra Saksena. (Dec. 31). The growing disparity between GST collections and progressive direct taxes highlights a structural anomaly in India's tax system.

1 min

Justice Abroad

The case of Nimisha Priya, an Indian nurse sentenced to death in Yemen, has raised serious questions about the protection of citizens abroad, the role of the Indian government in handling such cases, and the broader implications of foreign legal systems on our nationals.

2 mins

New Orleans Terror

The New Year's Eve attack in New Orleans, when an US Army veteran drove a truck into a crowd of revellers, has shaken America and raised difficult questions about the rising threat of ISIS-inspired violence in everyday spaces.

2 mins

A Life of Coping With the Contradictions

The opening sentence of the official Press Statement on the passing of former President Jimmy Carter (1924-2024) succinctly encapsulates the protocol, priorities and position of the global hegemon: \"Jimmy Carter was a United States President, a U.S. Navy veteran, a Nobel Peace Prize Laureate, and a humanitarian who dedicated his life to promoting peace, democracy, and human rights.\"

2 mins

Decency Personified

He perhaps knew of his own constraints, compulsions, and limitations, and never resorted to what is normal now aggressive whataboutery, hate mongering or even incendiary sarcasm. He remained measured, professional and honest till his last breath. Importantly, it wasn’t just his partisan rivals or individuals from his selected staff who pushed him under the proverbial bus, but also folks from his own party or leadership who dimmed his authority whilst he was in office

4 mins

Pedagogy must be flexible

In an exclusive interaction with Ritwik Mukherjee of The Statesman, Srikrishna G Kulkarni, chairperson, Board of Governors, Indian Institute of Management Calcutta (IIMC), outlines how the first national institute for postgraduate studies and research in management has evolved and emerged as an international centre of excellence in all facets of management education.

6 mins

Russian and Indian routes to relevance

The global order is undergoing a profound transformation marked by power shifts, technological advancements, supply chain disruptions and the fragmentation of traditional alliances.

3 mins

References to Sanatan evoking baffling reactions is painful

Jagdeep Dhankhar said everyone on the planet must have the right of expression

2 mins

Manipur CM N Biren Singh refutes Cong claims, defends apology amidst crisis

Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh has clarified that his recent apology for the ongoing unrest in the state was directed towards victims of the conflict, not towards those he termed as \"terrorists.\"

1 min

Trump's strength and unpredictability can help end the war with Russia, Ukraine's president says

US President-elect Donald Trump is \"strong and unpredictable,\" and those qualities can be a decisive factor in his policy approach to Russia's invasion of Ukraine, according to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

1 min

S Korea's Impeached President Defies Warrant After Hours-Long Standoff

The country's anti-corruption agency said it withdrew its investigators after the presidential security service blocked them from entering Yoon's residence for hours, due to concerns about their safety

1 min

30 People Killed by Israeli Strikes in Gaza as Stalled Ceasefire Talks Set to Resume

At least 30 people, including children, were killed in Gaza by Israeli strikes overnight and into Friday morning, hospital staff said, as sirens also sounded across Israel and stalled ceasefire talks were set to resume.

1 min

80 Per Cent Of Health Insurance Policyholders Believe There're Intentional Delays In Claims: Report

Over 80 per cent of the health insurance policyholders believe that there are delays in claims which are intentional, designed to pressure policyholders into accepting lower claim amounts.

1 min

Finance Ministry launches 'Baanknet' portal to aid PSBs recovery

Department of Financial Services (DFS) Secretary M Nagaraju launched the revamped e-auction portal 'Baanknet'.

1 min

India Sees Office Leasing Volume at Record 89 Million Square Feet in 2024

India's office sector saw an unprecedented 89 million square feet (MSF) of gross leasing volume (GLV) across the top eight cities in 2024, according to a report on Friday.

1 min

Employment in Indian manufacturing sector up for 10th month in a row

Not only did employment in the Indian manufacturing sector increase for the 10th month in a row during December, but also the rate of job creation quickened to the fastest in four months, according to a new report.

1 min

DPIIT and Startup Policy Forum join hands to empower Indian startups

The Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) has formed a landmark partnership with the Startup Policy Forum (SPF) to establish India as a global hub for innovation and entrepreneurship.

1 min

Govt Amends Foreign Trade Policy To Give Stakeholders A Say In Decisions

The Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) has notified the amendment in the Foreign Trade Policy, 2023 to make it necessary to hold consultations with stakeholders to seek views, suggestions, comments or feedback from relevant stakeholders, including exporters and industry experts concerning the formulation or amendment of the Foreign Trade Policy.

1 min

Bears Take Charge of Market Amid Selling in IT, Pharma & Banking

The Bank Nifty index opened on a slightly negative note

1 min

India's Smartphone Market to Cross $50 Billion in Value This Year: Report

India's smartphone market is projected to cross $50 billion in value by 2025, driven by the ongoing trend of premiumization and thrust on local manufacturing, a report showed on Friday.

1 min

Opelka Beats Djokovic in Brisbane QFs

American player Reilly Opelka earned one of the biggest victories of his career on Friday at the Brisbane International as he upset top seed Novak Djokovic, who was aiming to win his 100th tour-level title.

1 min

Man City Has To Think About De Bruyne's Future: Guardiola

With Kevin de Bruyne entering the final six months of his contract at Manchester City, head coach Pep Guardiola has claimed the club has to think about the Belgian's future as he is now allowed to explore his options and talk with foreign clubs over pre-contract agreements.

1 min

Jamshedpur FC hoping to ride home momentum against Bengaluru FC

Hosts face formidable challenge as in-form former champions chase league leaders Mohun Bagan Super Giant

1 min

Sometimes you have to play more secure cricket: Pant

In the aftermath of the series-conceding loss in the Melbourne Test, India head coach Gautam Gambhir had emphasised a team-first approach, leaving it to the players to decide whether their natural game would work for the team's cause, while skipper Rohit Sharma was more direct on placing the onus on Rishabh Pant to work out his way for what's in the best interest of the team.

3 mins

Jasprit Bumrah: India's most reliable workhorse during BGT 2024-25

Jasprit Bumrah is one of those fast bowlers who come along once in a generation.

4 mins

Steve Smith '100 per cent' sure of Virat Kohli 'catch'

Australia batter Steve Smith on Friday reacted to India batter Virat Kohli's catch in the first session on Day 01 of the Sydney Test and said that he is 100 per cent sure of getting a hand under it.

1 min

Bowlers put Aussies in front after another Indian batting collapse

The visitors' top order batters failed to fire once again as the hosts wrested the initiative

3 mins

How humanities classes benefit students in the workplace and combat loneliness

Stereotypes abound about liberal arts degrees leading to low-paying jobs, despite research showing that humanities majors earn salaries comparable to students in many other majors.

3 mins

University of Strathclyde Invites Applications for MSc Advanced Biochemistry

The University of Strathclyde, Glasgow is inviting applications for its MSc Advanced Biochemistry course starting in September 2025.

1 min

Future-proof careers: Skills students need to thrive in 2025

India's educational ecosystem is seeing a paradigm shift with AI intervention and increased alignment of educational institutes with NEP (National Education Policy) 2020.

3 mins

TWO POPULATIONS OF DARK COMETS COULD TELL RESEARCHERS WHERE THE EARTH GOT ITS OCEANS

The water that makes up the oceans acts as a key ingredient for the development of life on Earth. However, scientists still do not know where the water here on Earth came from in the first place.

4 mins

Creating empathy with AI: Importance of emotional intelligence in a conversational bot

The traditional view of AI has predominantly been transactional. AI systems have historically been designed to process inputs, generate outputs, and complete tasks with mechanical efficiency.

2 mins

The Role of AI in Strengthening Quantum-Safe Cryptography for Critical Infrastructure

The quantum computing revolution promises remarkable advancements in technology. Yet, it also presents unprecedented risks to traditional cryptographic systems.

2 mins

Love and divorce on screen, and away from it

Incredible as it may sound, some of the greatest love stories lead to some of the most tragic ends.

2 mins

Filmmakers from Bengal contribute to meaningful narratives: Romi

Manipuri filmmaker Romi Meiti, who was in town recently, feels Bengal is one of the many gems of Indian cinema.

3 mins

Naadnavati: Celebrating 90 years of Pandit Samarendra Nath Sikdar

The city witnessed a melodious evening with the 8th Annual Concert of Sashruta Music Academy, Naadnavati.

3 mins

Nrittapratimala: A display of impromptu excellence at 42nd Natya Kala Conference

The 42nd Natya Kala Conference, held at the revered Krishna Gana Sabha in Chennai, has always been a crucible of innovation and excellence in the Indian classical arts.

3 mins

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The Statesman Kolkata is a daily broadsheet newspaper published by The Statesman Net Pvt Ltd in Kolkata, India. It was founded in 1875 and is one of the oldest and most respected newspapers in India. The newspaper is known for its in-depth reporting, investigative journalism, and editorial independence.

The Statesman Kolkata covers a wide range of topics, including politics, business, economy, society, culture, and sports. It also has a strong focus on local news and events. The newspaper is known for its critical and independent reporting on the government and the powerful.

The Statesman Kolkata is a valuable resource for anyone who wants to stay informed about the latest news and developments in India, and especially in West Bengal. It is also a great way to get in-depth analysis and commentary on current affairs.