The Statesman Kolkata - December 13, 2024

In this issue

December 13, 2024

CM Mamata lambasts One Nation One Election move

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee today lambasted the Centre over the proposed One Nation One Election Bill which has received clearance from the Union Cabinet.

1 min

FM lashes out at Rahul Gandhi over his remarks on Public Sector Banks

Lashing out at the Leader of the Opposition, Rahul Gandhi, over his remarks on the state-run banks, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said he has a penchant for making baseless statements.

1 min

D Gukesh Crowned World Chess Champ

At 18, Gukesh is the youngest-ever World Chess Champion, beating out Garry Kasparov, and 2nd Indian to win the title after Viswanathan Anand

1 min

Places of Worship Act: SC halts new suits, court orders on religious sites

In a long-awaited succour, the Supreme Court on Thursday restrained all courts across the country from passing any effective interim or final order including that of surveys in pending suits staking a claim over existing religious structures.

2 mins

Assam govt makes NRC application mandatory for Aadhaar, sparks furore

In a move that has sparked controversy and a strong political backlash, the Assam government has announced that Aadhaar applications will be rejected if the applicant or their family members have not applied for inclusion in the National Register of Citizens (NRC).

1 min

"One Nation, One Election' Bill gets Cabinet's nod

The Union Cabinet on Thursday gave its nod to the 'One Nation, One Election' Bill, aimed to mandate the holding of simultaneous Lok Sabha and state Assembly elections, which is likely to be introduced in the ongoing Winter session of Parliament, sources said.

1 min

'Banglar Bari' scheme list for W Burdwan, Purulia finalised

Out of 24,051 applicants, about 15,863 applicants have been selected for the Banglar Bari scheme of the state government in West Burdwan district.

1 min

DG SSB to arrive ahead of Shah's visit

Director General (DG) of the Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB), Amrit Mohan Prasad, is scheduled to arrive in Siliguri on 18 December in preparation for Union Minister Amit Shah's visit to the SSB Regional Headquarters in Ranidanga on 20 December.

1 min

Wedding collection from Shyam Sundar Co Jewellers

Shyam Sundar Co Jewellers is presenting Shubho Vivaha Utsav from 16-28 December.

1 min

Govt directives to all departments on fund release for schemes

After the tablet scam where government funds were diverted to other accounts, the state finance department today issued directives to all departments asking them to exercise caution while releasing funds for different flagship schemes of the government to ensure transparency.

1 min

Awas Yojana anomalies in E Burdwan

A local leader of the ruling Trinamul Congress owns a flat in Katwa town in East Burdwan, but his wife surprisingly has been allocated a house in Bangla Awas Yojana (BAY).

1 min

Fire in factory, 1 hurt

A major fire broke out in a naphthalene factory in Muchpara near Durgapur under New Township police station yesterday evening and one labourer suffered severe burn injuries yesterday evening.

1 min

WBCERC asks private hospital to refund ₹3.70L to patient

The West Bengal Clinical Establishment Regulatory Commission (WBCERC) on Thursday directed a private hospital in southern Kolkata to refund treatment charges of around Rs 3.68 lakh to a patient after the commission found negligence in his treatment.

1 min

B'desh delegation likely for Vijay Diwas celebrations in city

In a major development, in keeping with the tradition of Vijay Diwas, a delegation from Bangladesh is likely to visit the city for the celebration of Vijay Diwas on 16 December, informed the ministry of defence (MoD).

1 min

CM Mamata inaugurates renovated street in Howrah

The chief minister renamed the street after legendary footballer Sailen Manna

1 min

RG Kar tragedy: Statement of forensic doctor who took pictures of victim's body crucial for CBI

The statement of one particular doctor in the team of forensic experts conducting the autopsy of the body of the lady junior doctor of R.G. Kar Medical College & Hospital -- who was raped and murdered within its premises in August -- and who took some pictures of the victim's body before the autopsy, has become crucial for CBI trying to establish if tampering was done with the evidence in the case.

1 min

Bengal Police submits report to Calcutta HC on arrangements at cyber police stations

West Bengal Police, on Thursday, submitted a detailed report to a division Bench of Calcutta High Court on the existing arrangements at the different cyber police stations in the state.

1 min

ED conducts raids at two places in Bengal in chit fund case

The officials of the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Thursday carried out search operations at two places at Rishra in Hooghly district of West Bengal in connection with a chit fund scam matter.

1 min

Cold wave alert for five districts of south Bengal

The cold spell has been brought in mainly by dry northwesterly to northerly winds prevailing at lower levels

1 min

'Operation Lotus' shadow gets bigger as MVA MPs meet PM Narendra Modi, Amit Shah

The exact purpose behind the meeting remains unknown but the meeting of the seven Thackeray-led Sena MPs with Modi is considered politically significant

2 mins

Union Minister Giriraj Singh protests in Parliament premises against Sonia, questions her relationship with George Soros

Union Minister Giriraj Singh on Thursday protested in the Parliament premises against Congress Parliamentary Party Chairperson and Rajya Sabha MP Sonia Gandhi over her alleged links to Hungarian-American businessman George Soros.

1 min

Maha Cabinet expansion, portfolio allocation discussed with BJP top brass, says CM Devendra Fadnavis

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis stated on Thursday that he held discussions about the cabinet expansion and portfolio allocation with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Minister Amit Shah, BJP President JP Nadda and party's National General Secretary BL Santhosh.

1 min

Diplomatic success: India B'desh to swap fishermen

49 Indian fishermen detained by Dhaka to be exchanged for 78 Bangladeshi fishermen held in India

2 mins

Farmer handcuffed in Telangana, Revanth Reddy orders probe

Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy has ordered a probe after his government faced flak for taking a farmer, arrested in connection with the attack on government officials, to hospital in handcuffs and shackles after he suffered a heart attack.

1 min

TN: Seven burnt to death in Dindigul hospital fire

Seven people, including a three-year-old boy, were burnt to death in a private hospital in Dindigul, Tamil Nadu, on Thursday night.

1 min

Heavy rain across TN, Chennai suburbs flooded

Close on the heels of cyclone Fengal, which devastated northern Tamil Nadu, heavy rains under the influence of a low pressure in the Bay of Bengal continues to lash the state and neighbouring Puducherry.

1 min

Criminals in the capital no longer fear the law: Kejriwal on Trilokpur shootout

In a veiled attack on the BJP-led government at the Centre for the law and order situation in the national capital, former chief minister and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) national convener Arvind Kejriwal said on Thursday that criminals no longer fear the law.

1 min

Kejriwal writes letter to CEC over alleged deletion of voters

Aam Aadmi Party National Convenor Arvind Kejriwal on Thursday wrote a letter to Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar, summarizing the assurances given by the poll body during the party's delegation visit on Tuesday over allegations of deletion of voters in the national capital.

2 mins

₹36.07 cr tribal products sold through TRIFED in FY24: Govt

A total of 4,990 tribal artisans and suppliers linked to the Tribal Co-operative Marketing Development Federation of India (TRIFED) have recorded a sale of Rs 36.07 crore in 2023-24 from distribution of tribal products, including organic and handicraft items, the Parliament was informed on Thursday.

1 min

Delhi cabinet nod for 'Mahila Samman Yojana'

Kejriwal promised to increase the amount to ₹2,100 after the assembly polls

2 mins

No hike in property tax rates in NDMC budget for FY 2025-26

The New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC), on Thursday, has not enhanced property tax rates in its budget for the financial year 2025-26 presented on Thursday.

2 mins

Cold wave hits Delhi as mercury dips to 4.5 degrees Celsius

Cold wave hit Delhiites on Thursday as the minimum temperature dropped to 4.5 degrees Celsius, the weather department said.

1 min

Great Games

While the Assad family rulers were as dictatorial and undemocratic as any of the neighbouring Arab monarchies, they did not pander to religious extremism as was done by the likes of Saudi Arabia or Turkey which fanned fundamentalism and nurtured 'friendly' militias. If anything, the Bashar Al Assad led Syrian military was at the forefront of taking on (and successfully countering) the scourge of the Al Qaida or later, ISIL. Ironically, while the US was supposedly against religious extremism of ISIL et al, it counterintuitively targeted Assad's Syrian forces

4 mins

Air Crisis

India's escalating air pollution crisis is one of its gravest public health challenges, yet it remains strikingly absent from mainstream cultural narratives.

2 mins

Toothless committees

Provincial assembly parliamentary committees are pivotal to strengthening federalism in Nepal.

2 mins

Kolkata needs trams, not battery-run buses

When the West Bengal government decided to drastically scale back Kolkata's 150-year-old tram service, leaving just a short heritage stretch from Maidan to Esplanade, it ignited a wave of protests from environmentalists and tram enthusiasts alike.

3 mins

Bangladesh's trajectory a cause for worry

When student-led, anti-government protests in Bangladesh snowballed into the ouster of Sheikh Hasina's 15-year-long autocratic rule in August 2024, many in the South Asian nation hoped it signaled better times ahead.

4 mins

Scholz sets Germany on course for an early election as he requests a confidence vote next week

Chancellor Olaf Scholz formally set Germany on course for an early election Wednesday by requesting a confidence vote in parliament next week.

1 min

Russian forces edge closer to a key eastern Ukraine city in 'intense' fighting, officials say

Fighting around the key eastern Ukraine city of Pokrovsk is \"extremely intense\" after a monthslong Russian push, Ukraine's top military commander said, with analysts estimating Russian forces are now within just a few kilometers of the city.

1 min

Biden commutes roughly 1,500 sentences and pardons 39 people in biggest single-day act of clemency

US President Joe Biden is commuting the sentences of roughly 1,500 people who were released from prison and placed on home confinement during the coronavirus pandemic and is pardoning 39 Americans convicted of nonviolent crimes.

1 min

Macron seeks political deal to name a new prime minister and restore France's stability

French President Emmanuel Macron is seeking a political deal that would allow him to both name a new prime minister and \"guarantee the stability of the country,\" following the resignation of ousted Prime Minister Michel Barnier, a spokesperson for the outgoing government said Wednesday.

1 min

S Korea's ruling party chief voices support for Yoon's impeachment

South Korean President called the opposition Democratic Party 'a monster' and 'anti-state forces'

2 mins

Blinken to visit Turkey for talks on Syria's situation: Turkish foreign ministry

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken is set to visit Turkey on Friday for high-level talks on Syria's ongoing political upheaval following the ousting of President Bashar al-Assad, the Turkish Foreign Ministry said.

1 min

Thousands attend funeral of Taliban minister killed by Islamic State suicide bombing

Thousands of people attended the funeral Thursday of a Taliban minister killed in a Kabul suicide bombing claimed by the Islamic State group.

1 min

EU lets Bulgaria and Romania fully integrate into Europe's ID-check-free travel zone

European Union ministers on Thursday agreed to let Bulgaria and Romania fully integrate into Europe's ID-check-free travel zone, known as the Schengen area, by lifting land border controls from next year, the EU's Hungarian presidency said.

1 min

India votes in favour of UNGA resolution for 'immediate, unconditional, permanent' ceasefire in Gaza Strip

India joined 157 other nations in supporting a United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) resolution demanding an \"immediate, unconditional, and permanent\" ceasefire in the war-torn Gaza Strip.

1 min

Gun found on suspect in UnitedHealthcare CEO's killing matches shell casings at scene, police say

The gun found on the man charged with killing United Healthcare's CEO matched shell casings found at the site of the shooting, New York City's police commissioner said Wednesday as authorities scrutinized evidence and the suspect's experiences with the victim's industry.

1 min

7 including ex-lawmaker convicted of rioting in HK

Dozens of people were injured in the violence during the anti-government protests of July 2019

2 mins

Benchmark indices end lower amid selling

Some of the key gainers on Nifty were Adani, Mahindra, IndusInd Bank, Airtel

1 min

India can set global benchmark for sustainable mobility with EV goals: Report

With EV sales reaching 1.2 million and achieving 5 percent market penetration in FY24, the shift toward electric mobility is rapidly gaining momentum in India, a report said on Thursday, adding that right policy support and faster decision-making can help in fostering collaborations across stakeholders.

1 min

Proposed India-EU FTA negotiations need political directions: Piyush Goyal

Union Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal Thursday said the proposed free trade agreement (FTA) negotiations between India and the European Union (EU) need political directions to reach a commercially meaningful deal while understanding each other's sensitivities.

1 min

Over 95 pc of Indian villages have 4G mobile coverage: Centre

Mobile network coverage in rural India has reached nearly 97 per cent and out of 6,44,131 villages, around 6,22,840 villages have mobile coverage and out of these, 6,14,564 villages are covered with 4G mobile connectivity, the Parliament was informed on Thursday.

1 min

FDI inflows into India crosses $1 trillion milestone; H1 of FY25 sees 26 pc growth

Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) inflows into India have crossed the USD one trillion milestone in the April 2000-September 2024 period, firmly establishing the country's reputation as a safe and key investment destination globally.

1 min

Retail inflation declines in Nov to 5.48 per cent; IIP for Oct recorded at 3.5 per cent

India's retail inflation in November was recorded at 5.48 per cent as compared to 6.21 per cent logged in October, data from the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation said.

1 min

Financial Intelligence Unit detects undisclosed income worth ₹11,000 crore in 2024: Centre

The Financial Intelligence Unit-India (FIU-IND) detected undisclosed income worth nearly Rs 11,000 crore in 2024, the Finance Ministry informed on Thursday.

1 min

Indian banking sector's health remains robust, govt policy working very well: Top bankers

As Rahul Gandhi's allegations about the poor condition of Indian banks, especially public sector banks (PSBs), fizzled out, Dinesh Khara, former Chairman of State Bank of India (SBI), said on Thursday that the country's banking sector is performing professionally on all parameters like capitalisation and asset quality.

1 min

'Manipur situation fragile, will take time to resolve'

Every effort being made by state, Centre to trace missing Meitei man, says Biren Singh

2 mins

Radiant debut

Graphic novels have always been a major attraction for Raj Sen, who pursued a BFA in acting at the New York Film Academy, Los Angeles Institute.

2 mins

'Only 47 million of 750 million PAN holders invest in mutual funds'

The Indian Chamber of Commerce (ICC) hosted its 16th mutual fund summit, focusing on 'Vikshit Bharat 2047', on 30 November, thereby transitioning from financial inclusion to financial well-being and navigating exponential changes through expert insights.

2 mins

Keep your eyes protected during winter

Most of us tend to take extra care of the eyes during summer months, completely ignoring the winters. It is extremely important for you to be aware that winters leave your eyes more vulnerable than the summers.

1 min

One Health approach for healthier world

The world observed World One Health Day on 3 November, which marks the recognition of the interconnectedness of human, animal and environmental health.

3 mins

Champions League: Barca Overcome Dortmund, Arsenal rise to third spot

Spanish giants rise to second position and ensure passage to next round, Arsenal extend perfect home record

2 mins

BWF World Tour: Indian duo keep semis hopes alive

The Indian women's doubles duo of Treesa Jolly and Gayatri Gopichand registered a stunning victory over the world number six Malaysian pair of Pearly Tan and Thinaah Muralitharan at the ongoing Badminton World Federation (BWF) World Tour Finals in Hangzhou, China, on Thursday, keeping their hopes of advancing to the next round alive.

1 min

Punjab eye third consecutive win against Jamshedpur FC

In-form Punjab FC will look to secure their third victory on the trot as they face Jamshedpur FC in the Indian Super League (ISL) encounter which will be played at the JRD Tata Sports Complex on Friday.

2 mins

FIH Pro League: Dutch women beat Germany; England men win

The Netherlands women picked up their first win of the new FIH Pro League season in dominant fashion with a 6-1 thrashing of Germany.

2 mins

Guardiola pleased with Man City performance

After facing a 2-0 loss to Juventus in the Champions League at Allianz Stadium, Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola said that City were going through a 'tough' period but reiterated his full confidence in his side's capacity to bounce back to form quickly.

1 min

Ravi Shastri backs Rohit Sharma ahead of Brisbane Test

Ahead of the third Test of the ongoing Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25 between India and Australia at The Gabba, Ravi Shastri backed skipper Rohit Sharma following a disappointing performance in the ongoing five-match series.

1 min

I was dragged, sucked into that fixing world in India, recalls Lou Vincent

Former New Zealand batter Lou Vincent recounted his tale of falling from grace following his involvement in match-fixing during his time at the now defunct Indian Cricket League (ICL) in the late 2000s, saying that the incident made him a pariah both professionally and personally, and eventually cost him his relationship with his daughters.

3 mins

Marsh reveals Australian plans to attack Bumrah during Gabba clash

Pace maestro Jasprit Bumrah may have rattled Australian batsmen with his incisive bowling in the first two Test matches of the ongoing Border-Gavaskar Trophy, but the hosts seem to have their plans ready ahead of the third encounter in Brisbane.

2 mins

Niki Prasad to lead Indian team at inaugural edition of women's Under-19 Asia Cup

All-rounder Niki Prasad has been named captain of the India U-19 squad for the inaugural edition of the junior women's Asia Cup set to take place in Kuala Lumpur from 15 to 22 December.

1 min

Dickwella cleared of doping charges, may play all formats

Sri Lanka keeper-batter Niroshan Dickwella, who was banned for three years following alleged anti-doping allegations, has been cleared to play cricket across all formats.

1 min

BGT: Hazlewood pushes case for comeback in Brisbane Test

Injured star pacer set for return to Australia squad as hosts aim for series lead at the iconic Gabba

2 mins

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The Statesman Kolkata Newspaper Description:

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.