The Statesman Kolkata - December 22, 2024

In this issue

December 22, 2024

Purbanchaliya Lok Mahotsav brings together over 400 artists from across state

More than 400 artists and artisans from various states of India participated in the three-day 'Purbanchaliya Lok Mahotsav', organised by the Eastern Zonal Cultural Centre (EZCC) at Srijani Shilpagram in Shantiniketan, which concluded today.

1 min

Sikkim highlights key issues at NEC's 72nd plenary meeting in Agartala

The 72nd Plenary Meeting of the North Eastern Council (NEC) was held today in Agartala under the chairmanship of Union Home Minister Amit Shah.

1 min

Bengal cops get clues about passport racket kingpin's network of Bangladeshi agents

West Bengal Police, probing the fake passport racket in the state, claimed to have got specific information about its kingpin Samaresh Biswa's network of Bangladeshi agents.

1 min

Tea association welcomes FDA ruling on tea as a 'healthy beverage'

The ITA called the development a pivotal moment for the tea industry

2 mins

Over 2,000 cases of violence against Hindus, other minorities in B'desh

Nearly 2,200 cases of violence against Hindus and other minorities were reported in Bangladesh till 8 December, according to Union Minister of State for External Affairs Kirti Vardhan Singh.

1 min

Modi arrives in Kuwait in first trip by Indian PM

India will become growth engine of the world, PM tells Indian diaspora

2 mins

Congress to hold nationwide protest against Shah's remarks on Ambedkar

The Congress on Saturday announced plans to hold a nationwide protest over Union Home Minister Amit Shah's recent remarks on Babasaheb Ambedkar on 24 December.

1 min

GST Council puts off major decisions, key issues left for more deliberations

No major decisions were made during the 55th meeting of the Goods and Services Tax (GST) Council today on issues such as rate rationalisation and the determination of tax rates on insurance premiums, which have been left for further deliberation.

1 min

People will give befitting reply to Modi govt if TN is not accorded its legitimate rights, says Stalin

If the BJP-led Union government fails to correct its course and continues to deny Tamil Nadu its legitimate rights, the people of the state will once again give a befitting reply at the appropriate time, Chief Minister and DMK president MK Stalin warned on Saturday, accusing the BJP of turning parliamentary democracy into a farce.

1 min

BRS MLAs will resign if Congress proves 24-hour power claim, says KTR

Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) Working President K. T. Rama Rao on Saturday told the Telangana State Assembly that all BRS MLAs will resign if the Congress government proves that it is supplying 24-hour electricity to farmers or that it has waived loans of all farmers.

1 min

Warrant of arrest issued against Robin Uthappa in PF case

The Employees Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) functioning under the Ministry of Labour and Employment of the Government of India has written a letter to the Bengaluru police seeking assistance in issuing an arrest warrant against former Indian cricketer Robin Uthappa, sources confirmed on Saturday.

1 min

T'gana CM slams Allu Arjun over stampede

The matter was raised in the Assembly by AIMIM MLA Akbaruddin Owaisi

2 mins

Parbhani Dalit man's death in judicial custody: Rahul Gandhi to meet kin on Monday

Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi will visit Parbhani on Monday to meet the family of a Dalit youth who died under mysterious circumstances while in judicial custody last week, officials said here on Saturday.

1 min

Death toll in Bhankrota tanker fire rises to 14

With three more succumbing to injuries overnight, the death toll in LPG gas tanker caused fire in Bhankrota on outskirts of Jaipur on Friday has gone up to 14.

1 min

Maha's ailing public health infra, manpower shortage come under fire in CAG report

The Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) in its report has made scathing observations on Maharashtra's public health infrastructure, saying that it was overburdened due to a shortage of health care institutions, as a result of which they catered to a population in excess of the norms laid down in the Indian Public Health Standards.

1 min

BSP to hold nationwide protest against Amit Shah's statement on Ambedkar on 24 December

Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief Mayawati has announced a nationwide protest on 24 December to oppose the statement of Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Dr B R Ambedkar in the Parliament.

1 min

Chhattisgarh govt's probe into ₹660 crore reagents procurement

Chhattisgarh Health Minister Shyam Bihari Jaiswal (photo) has ordered an Economic Offences Wing (EOW) investigation into alleged irregularities in the procurement of reagents and medical equipment worth ₹660 crore by the Chhattisgarh Medical Services Corporation (CGMSC).

1 min

Injured BJP MPs shifted out of ICU: RML

Ram Manohar Lohia (RML) Hospital Medical Superintendent, Dr Ajay Shukla on Saturday informed that injured BJP MPs- Pratap Sarangi and Mukesh Rajput have been shifted out of ICU.

1 min

Dalit activist Somnath Suryawanshi's death in police custody rocks Maha Assembly

The six-day Winter session of the Maharashtra Assembly concluded in Nagpur on Saturday, but not before the death of a Dalit Ambedkarite activist Somnath Suryawanshi in police custody rocked the house, coinciding with several protests in various places in Maharashtra, against the BJP-dominated Mahayuti government's alleged bias against Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar and the Constitution of India.

1 min

Fadnavis keeps Home, Shinde gets Urban Devp, Ajit Pawar Finance

Portfolios were announced almost a month after the BJP-led Mahayuti stormed back to power in Maharashtra

1 min

India, Russia to enhance cooperation to combat radicalisation, terror financing

India and Russia have pledged to enhance cooperation to address problems of radicalisation as well as terror financing.

1 min

Planet's future

The rapid growth of human civilization – in the number of people, the power of technology, and the global economy – is colliding with approaching limits to the supply of natural resources on which billions of lives depend. Our consumption patterns are mocking Earth's resources. Humanity's footprint already exceeds the planet's regenerative capacity by 50 per cent

7 mins

French Horror

The conviction in France of Dominique Pelicot and his co-defendants in one of the most disturbing rape trials in recent history has sparked both widespread outrage and urgent conversations about the gaps in legal and societal frameworks regarding sexual violence.

2 mins

The Poor Need Direct Support To Cope With Economic Anxieties

Since Covid, everyday economic anxiety leading to a pessimistic mood has been a reality in Bangladesh.

2 mins

A compelling case for pragmatism

When Chinese President Xi Jinping landed in Macau, the world's gambling capital, the air was thick with anticipation.

4 mins

CHARGE OF FORGERY

STORY OF ALLEGED STOLEN DRAFTS

1 min

Reason, not rhetoric, must drive ONOE

The BJP-led NDA government has made a momentous move by introducing the 'One Nation, One Election' Bill in Parliament this week.

3 mins

Sectarian Violence in Syria Has Been Less Intense Than Feared Since Assad's Ouster

In the days since Assad's fall, dozens of Syrians have been killed in acts of revenge, according to activists and experts who monitor Syria, but the extent of the reprisals has been limited

2 mins

UN chief'outraged' over killing of WFP members in Sudan

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres (photo) is outraged by the killing of World Food Programme (WFP) staff members in an aerial bombardment in Sudan, and calls for a thorough investigation, his spokesperson said.

1 min

An ethnic armed group in western Myanmar claims to have captured a major regional army headquarters

A powerful ethnic armed group in western Myanmar claimed Friday to have scored a major victory in the war against the ruling military, even as neighboring nations at a meeting in Thailand were discussing efforts to end the conflict peacefully.

1 min

North Korea slams South Korea-US-Japan talks on Indo-Pacific as 'insult' to peace

North Korea on Saturday lambasted a recent trilateral meeting between South Korea, the US and Japan that discussed peace in the Indo-Pacific region, deriding the talks as an \"insult\" to peace.

1 min

Australia: One dead, two injured in shooting in Melbourne

One man died and two more were injured after a shooting in Melbourne, the capital city of Australia's state of Victoria.

1 min

A rocket fired from Yemen strikes an area of Tel Aviv overnight, lightly injuring 16 people

A rocket fired from Yemen hit an area of Tel Aviv overnight, leaving 16 people slightly injured by shattered glass from nearby windows, the Israeli military said Saturday.

1 min

Govt funding bill clears Congress and heads to President Biden, averting a shutdown

Facing a government shutdown deadline, the Senate rushed through final passage early Saturday of a bipartisan plan that would temporarily fund federal operations and disaster aid, dropping President-elect Donald Trump's demands for a debt limit increase into the new year.

1 min

Ukrainian drones strike deep into Russian territory, hundreds of miles from the front line

Ukraine brought the war into the heart of Russia Saturday morning with drone attacks that local authorities said damaged residential buildings in the city of Kazan in the Tatarstan region, over 600 miles from the front line.

1 min

France's anti-terrorism court convicts 8 people of involvement in the 2020 beheading of a teacher

France's anti-terrorism court on Friday convicted eight people of involvement in the beheading of teacher Samuel Paty outside his school near Paris four years ago, a horrific death that shocked the country.

1 min

Canadian Prime Minister reshuffles cabinet

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced changes to his cabinet.

1 min

At least 2 dead and 60 hurt after a car drives into a German Christmas market

The driver was arrested at the scene shortly after the car barrelled into the market at around 7 p.m

2 mins

Chh'garh CM to interact with investors in Delhi tomorrow

Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai of Chhattisgarh will attend an Investor Meet in New Delhi on December 23, where he will meet leading industrialists and investors from across the country.

1 min

100 per cent digitised ration cards under NFSA; 80 cr beneficiaries under ONOR

It has been a remarkable year for the Department for Food and Public Distribution with the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Yojana (PMGKAY) extended for five years, starting January 1. cent per cent digitised ration cards under National Food Security Act across India, 99.8 per cent fair price shops (FPSs) automated now using electronic point of sale and One Nation One Ration card enabled across the country covering 80 crore beneficiaries, among others.

1 min

Guard against people with evil designs towards our progress: Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar

Cautioning against elements looking to harm the country, Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar on Saturday said citizens must \"guard against people who have evil designs towards our progress\".

1 min

Himanta brushes off imaginary claims by Bangladesh, highlights Assam's leap towards technological advancement

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has categorically dismissed claims surrounding an alleged imaginary map created by certain individuals in Bangladesh, purportedly showing Assam as part of their territory.

1 min

Sambhal survey: UP archaeologists visit to inspect well, temple

A team of the Uttar Pradesh archaeological department visited Sambhal for a survey on Saturday as part of an ongoing exercise to assess the age and historical significance of 19 wells and five pilgrimage sites in the city that witnessed communal tension last month.

1 min

Trying to deflect attention from AAP's failure: JD(U) leader on Kejriwal's letter to Bihar CM

JD(U) Working President Sanjay Jha on Saturday launched a scathing attack on AAP convener Arvind Kejriwal, saying that by writing a letter to the Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar over the Ambedkar row, the latter was trying to divert attention from the \"failures\" of his party-led government in the national capital.

1 min

JK's Chenab Bridge designed for a life of 120 years

Chenab Bridge, an engineering marvel of the Indian Railway and the world's highest Arch Railway bridge, has been designed for a life of about 120 years.

1 min

Peace has returned to NE in last ten years: Amit Shah

Union Home Minister assured that all ongoing projects would be completed within three years

2 mins

PM Narendra Modi invites adventure lovers to visit Rann Utsav

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has invited everyone to Gujarat's famous Rann Utsav, which will go on till March 2025.

1 min

Country's forest & tree cover increases by 1,445 sq km

As compared to assessment of 2021, there is an increase of 1,445 sq km in the forest and tree cover of the country, which includes 156 sq km increase in the forest cover and 1,289 sq km in tree cover.

2 mins

Bowlers hit nets as Team India gear up for Boxing Day Test in Melbourne

The Indian bowlers went through an intense practice session at the nets at the iconic MCG on Saturday

1 min

Record rice procurement fixed for Birbhum district by state govt

The target for paddy procurement in Birbhum district this year has been fixed at 4,80,000 metric tonnes.

2 mins

Massive damage in New Alipore and Mousuni Island fires

A devastating fire broke out near the Durgapur Bridge in New Alipore, burning many items and shanties to ashes this evening.

1 min

Trinamul Congress leader found dead at a hotel in Bengal's Mandarmani

A Trinamul Congress leader was found dead at a hotel at the Mandarmani sea resort in West Bengal's East Midnapore district on Saturday morning, triggering tension in the area. The hotel authorities immediately informed the local police and a police team reached the spot, recovered the body, and sent it for a post-mortem examination.

1 min

School job case: Charge framing at special PMLA court in Kolkata likely on Monday

The process of framing of charges in the case registered by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in the cash-for-school job case in West Bengal is expected to be completed at a special court of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) in Kolkata on 23 December.

1 min

IISCO Steel Plant launches 'Arogya Mitra' free medical initiative, benefitting 72,000 villagers

IISCO Steel Plant (ISP), today launched \"Arogya Mitra,\" a significant Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiative bringing free basic medical treatment to approximately 72,000 residents across 49 peripheral villages.

1 min

BJP Organises protests Over recent attacks On Hindu places Of Worship in Bangladesh

In the past 48 hours, there have been reports Of attacks On at least three temples Of Bangladesh, resulting in the vandalism Of eight idols

2 mins

Curzon's cuts

Think of Lord Curzon, and the first thing that flashes in your mind is the 1905 Bengal Partition. Bengal burnt, and King George V had to personally come to India in 1911 to annul the Partition and transfer the capital to Delhi.

3 mins

An excerpt from the book General's Jottings: National Security, Conflicts & Strategies by Lt Gen. (Retd) KJ SINGH

Pakistan has added two light Divisions equipped with sophisticated equipment and other dual use capabilities in the garb of CPEC.

2 mins

Empowering women through literature

Empowerment is a cornerstone for enabling women to realize their full potential, make informed decisions, and actively participate in all aspects of society.

1 min

Indian Army and friends in distant lands

Over the past decade we have become increasingly familiar with the term Corporate Social Responsibility or CSR, which is essentially corporations' way of connecting with the community living in the vicinities in which they set up businesses.

4 mins

Reviving Bat-tala: From 19th-century woodcuts to contemporary masterpieces

This winter, Kolkata has warmed up to a vibrant revival of distinctive woodcut prints also known as Bat-tala paintings, reimagined by a host of contemporary artists.

5 mins

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