The Statesman Kolkata - December 20, 2024

In this issue

December 20, 2024

Ugly turn to Govt-Oppn tussle over Ambedkar

Two BJP MPs injured as scuffle breaks out between lawmakers at Parliament complex

2 mins

Oppn's no-trust motion against Dhankhar rejected

Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairman Harivansh on Thursday rejected the no-confidence motion moved by the Opposition against Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar, terming it \"an act of impropriety\" to \"mar the reputation of the chairman\".

1 min

Amit Shah to attend SSB's 61st Raising Day in Siliguri

The SSB's Raising Day celebration will begin tomorrow morning, with Mr Shah scheduled to join the programme after 11 a.m

1 min

Land grab bid: FIR lodged against 12 after Moloy Ghatak's intervention

An FIR has been lodged against twelve persons by a resident of Hill View area under Hirapur Police Station.

1 min

Six illegal immigrants caught in Nadia, four touts also held

Six Bangladeshi nationals, including two minors, present in India illegally, and four Indian touts were arrested by Hanshkhali police under the Ranaghat Police District in Nadia.

1 min

Controversy surrounds WBMC registrar appointment

A controversy has erupted around the West Bengal Medical Council (WBMC) over the appointment procedure for its new registrar.

2 mins

Villages in Jhargram battle severe riverbank erosion as Kangsabati river advances

The villages of Baita, Kungarpur, and Balishira in the Binpur-1 block of Jhargram district are grappling with an escalating crisis as riverbank erosion along the Kangsabati river threatens their homes and livelihoods.

1 min

Bengal government withdraws affidavit filed in Calcutta HC on Rekha Patra's election petition

The West Bengal government on Thursday withdrew its affidavit in the election petition filed by Rekha Patra, the BJP candidate for Basirhat Lok Sabha constituency in North 24 Parganas district in the general elections this year.

1 min

CM Mamata Banerjee kicks off Kolkata Christmas Festival

Chief minister raps Central government for scrapping Christmas Day as a national holiday

1 min

Youth caught making digital map of Army's Panagarh station

A youth equipped with cyber equipment trespassed into the prohibited zone of the Indian Army's Panagarh Base and was intercepted by jawans while preparing a digital map of the restricted area.

1 min

7,949 beneficiaries to receive Bangla Bari funds in W Burdwan in 1st phase

Under the Banglar Bari Scheme, in the first phase, 7,949 beneficiaries in West Burdwan district will receive funds from the state government.

1 min

Parents of RG Kar Hospital victim move HC seeking a fresh probe

The parents of the 31-year-old woman postgraduate trainee (PGT) doctor who was raped and murdered at the R G Kar Medical College Hospital on 9 August moved Calcutta High Court on Thursday seeking a fresh investigation into the incident.

1 min

Twin Burdwan districts get ₹4,650 cr worth of investment proposals in MSME sector

The twin Burdwan districts have recorded investment proposals worth Rs 4,650 crore in the MSME sector, which, according to state MSME Minister Chandranath Sinha, is estimated to reach Rs 10,000 crore in the coming years.

1 min

Dover Lane Music Conference: Elam Indira, Anirban Roy chosen for awards

At the annual Dover Lane Music Conference, scheduled to take place in January 2025, the Sangeet Samman Award will be given to Elam Indira Devi, Manipuri Dancer.

1 min

IEM-UEM Group mourns passing of founder Satyajit Chakrabarti

The Chancellor and Founder of the IEM-UEM Group, Prof. Satyajit Chakrabarti passed away on Thursday, the group announced in a press statement.

1 min

UP Assembly adjourned sine die after pandemonium over Ambedkar issue

Opposition members of the Samajwadi Party created pandemonium in the Uttar Pradesh Assembly on Thursday over Union Home Minister Amit Shah's statement on Dr B R Ambedkar in the Parliament forcing the Speaker Satish Mahana to adjourn the house sine die, one day before schedule.

1 min

NPG evaluates 2 Railways, 3 Highway projects under PM GatiShakti NMP

The 85th meeting of the Network Planning Group (NPG), evaluated five projects under the PM GatiShakti National Master Plan (NMP).

1 min

Akhilesh, Mayawati demand apology from Shah on Ambedkar remarks

The Samajwadi Party and the Bahujan Samaj Party on Thursday condemned the statement of Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Dr B R Ambedkar, and demanded an unconditional apology for his \"anti-Dalit\" remarks.

1 min

Nagaland MP Phangnon Konyak accuses Rahul of 'hurting her dignity'

Rajya Sabha MP from Nagaland S Phangnon Konyak Thursday accused Congress lawmaker and Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi of hurting her \"dignity and self-esteem\".

1 min

Ambedkar row: Former Maha CM Chavan attacks Shah as BJP vandalises Mumbai Congress office

Senior Congress leader and former Maharashtra Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan lashed out against Union Minister Amit Shah's recent statement regarding Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar on Thursday, at an event in the town of Karad located in the Satara district of Maharashtra.

1 min

BJP calls for legal action, Cong rejects saffron party's charges

Both the NDA and INDIA bloc MPs had staged a protest in Parliament premises

2 mins

BJP's Ram Shinde unanimously elected Maharashtra Legislative Council chairperson

BJP legislator and former minister Ram Shinde was unanimously elected chairperson of the Maharashtra Legislative Council on Thursday.

1 min

Air Chief Calls for Cyber Security at CAC Meet

Air Chief Marshal AP Singh, Chief of the Air Staff (CAS), has called for a critical analysis of operational preparedness, a focus on maintenance practices, and the establishment of robust physical and cyber security measures.

1 min

Fadnavis takes on Opposition in his first Assembly speech

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis made his first speech on Thursday, the fourth day of the six-day winter session of the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly, in Nagpur.

2 mins

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar to give keynote address at UN on World Meditation Day on 21 Dec

Global spiritual leader and humanitarian, Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, will guide a live World Meditation on Saturday, following the unanimous adoption of the United Nations General Assembly Resolution declaring 21 December as the World Meditation Day.

1 min

Kerala High Court quashes ward delimitation in eight municipalities, one panchayat

The Kerala High Court, on Wednesday, quashed the ward delimitation order issued by the Kerala government in eight municipalities and one panchayat stating that the exercise was already carried out in these local bodies in 2015 based on the 2011 census.

1 min

Take back medical waste dumped in TN villages: NGT tells Kerala govt

Southern Bench of the NGT directed the Kerala government to dispose of the wastes within 3 days

2 mins

FIR against KTR over Formula E case

The Telangana Anti-Corruption Bureau has registered an FIR against former minister and BRS working president KT Rama Rao and IAS officer Arvind Kumar under the Prevention of Corruption Act for alleged irregularities in the Formula E race case.

1 min

Rajnath Singh calls for mastery in AI & Quantum Tech to strengthen India's Defence & Innovation

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh has underscored the importance of embracing high-end technologies like Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Quantum Computing to strengthen India's defence and innovation capabilities.

1 min

Longest surviving Hizbul leader runs out of luck

Farooq Bhat was among 5 terrorists killed in encounter in J&K's Kulgam

1 min

Key govt interventions in sci & tech for Viksit Bharat by 2047 highlighted

With a view to achieving the 'Viksit Bharat' 2047 goal, the government has been making several efforts through key interventions in the field of science and technology.

2 mins

Removal of chapter on Sufi saint triggers controversy in J-K

The alleged removal of a chapter on Kashmiri Sufi saint, mystic, poet and preacher Sheikh-ul-Alam from class 9 textbooks by the Jammu and Kashmir Board of School Education (BOSE) has triggered a controversy.

1 min

Shaping our own narrative

As 2024 draws to a close, the Western world's moral facade crumbles, revealing a stark hypocrisy in global power dynamics.

2 mins

Presidential tone

SIR, This refers to the editorial, \"Political minefield\" (December 17). François Bayrou's appointment is the consecration par excellence of a shift in power from the Élysée Palace to the Hôtel de Matignon.

1 min

A reset in ties

Misri's discussions extended beyond immediate concerns to broader bilateral issues, including border management, trade, connectivity, and cooperation in water and energy sectors. Both sides emphasized the need for a constructive approach to rebuild trust and strengthen ties. Yunus described the India-Bangladesh relationship as 'very solid' and reiterated his commitment to addressing mutual concerns, urging India to help 'clear the clouds' overshadowing bilateral relations

4 mins

At a Crossroads

The United Kingdom's economy has encountered a challenging phase, with consecutive monthly declines in GDP marking the first back-to-back contraction since the tumultuous days of the Covid-19 lockdowns.

2 mins

OCCASIONAL NOTE

IT was improbable that even with the best of good fortune the M. C. C. would manage to pull the first Test Match out of the fire against an Australian lead of 604 on the two innings, but to make a record fourth innings score was a secondary triumph.

1 min

Dying to kill

It is reported in the press that in Pakistan, 12 security personnel were killed last month when a suicide bomber rammed an explosive-laden vehicle into a check post in Pakistan's north-western Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province.

3 mins

The night the music refused to die

Back in the early 1980s, when Akbar S. Ahmed was contemplating whether Pakistan could be Japan, he might have missed an opportunity to focus on a more viable (although less desirable) East Asian role model for capitalist development.

3 mins

Israeli airstrikes hit Yemen's rebel-held areas

Strikes killed at least nine people, officials said, shortly after a Houthi missile targeted central Israel

2 mins

At least 16 Palestinians killed by Israeli bombings in Gaza

At least 16 Palestinians were killed by Israeli bombings in northern Gaza, the Palestinian official news agency WAFA reported.

1 min

Wisconsin school shooter had 2 guns and got messages from man accused of plotting his own attack

The shooter who killed a student and teacher at a religious school in Wisconsin brought two guns to the school and was in contact with a man in California who authorities say was planning to attack a government building, according to authorities and court documents that became public Wednesday.

1 min

Gisèle Pelicot's ex-husband found guilty of rapes, sentenced to 20 years in France

Gisèle Pelicot said after 51 men were all found guilty Thursday in the drugging-and-rape trial that turned her into a feminist hero. She said the ordeal was \"very difficult\" and expressed support for other victims of sexual violence.

2 mins

NATO leader says he wants to put Ukraine in a position of strength for any peace talks with Russia

NATO's secretary-general said he wants to discuss ways to put Ukraine in a position of strength for any future peace talks with Russia during a meeting this week with Ukraine's president and a small number of European leaders.

1 min

Mauritius wants to rethink a deal with the UK over islands housing the key Diego Garcia base

The British government said Wednesday it still plans to hand over a contested Indian Ocean archipelago, which is home to a strategically important military base, to Mauritius, after that country's new leader backed away from the contentious deal.

1 min

South Korea's acting leader vetoes Bills sponsored by oppn, deepening political strife

South Korea's acting leader on Thursday vetoed a spate of contentious bills sponsored by the main opposition party, deepening political strife in the wake of parliament's impeachment of President Yoon Suk Yeol (photo).

1 min

Two highway crashes in southeastern Afghanistan kill 50 people and injure 76

Two highway crashes in southeastern Afghanistan have killed a combined total of 50 people and injured 76, a government spokesman said Thursday.

1 min

China's nuclear force expands, Russia ties deepen

The USA is urging China to be more transparent about its nuclear programme

2 mins

Pakistan denounces US sanctions on its missile programme as biased, putting regional peace at risk

Pakistan on Thursday denounced new U.S. sanctions on the country's ballistic missile program as \"discriminatory\" that put the region's peace and security at risk.

1 min

Number of dead and missing still unclear as first aid arrives in quake-hit Pacific nation of Vanuatu

Amid the havoc wrought by a violent earthquake two days earlier, Ivan Oswald and his staff prepared for lunchtime service Thursday at Nambawan Cafe, on an idyllic stretch of Vanuatu's waterfront.

1 min

Democracies across the globe are at a crossroads, as authoritarians seek to chip away at freedoms

In November, the world's most powerful democracy elected as its next president a man who schemed to overturn its last presidential election.

2 mins

Coal imports during Apr-Oct decrease by 3.1 pc

Coal imports in India, during the April-October period of FY 2024-25, witnessed a notable decrease of 3.1%, reaching 149.39 million tonnes (MT), the Ministry of Coal said on Thursday.

1 min

Indian medical devices sector estimated to grow to $30 billion by 2030: Anupriya Patel

The Indian medical devices, a sunrise sector in the country with growth potential, is estimated to grow to $30 billion by 2030, Union Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare Anupriya Patel said on Thursday.

1 min

India tops list of recipient countries for remittances with $129 bn inflow in 2024

India tops the list of recipient countries for remittances in 2024 with an estimated inflow of $129 billion, followed by Mexico ($68 billion), China ($48 billion), the Philippines ($40 billion), and Pakistan ($33 billion), according to the latest figures compiled by World Bank economists.

1 min

Sensex tumbles Over 1 pc

Sensex crashed almost 1,200 points and Nifty nosedived back to 23,870

2 mins

Road projects under HAM on a steady drive across India

Hybrid Annuity Model (HAM) seems to be the order of the day, when it comes to road projects in the country.

2 mins

India's milk market stable with low inflation rates in November: Govt

The overall milk situation in the country is stable with the year-on-year Wholesale Price Index (WPI) and Consumer Price Index (CPI) inflation rates for milk recorded at low levels of 2.09 and 2.85, respectively, for the month of November 2024.

1 min

RBI flags rising subsidies by states as incipient stress

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) on Thursday termed increasing spending by states on subsidies as an \"incipient stress\" and called for rationalisation of such outgoes.

2 mins

Yogi hails Vajpayee as an icon of good governance

UP CM Yogi made the remarks while inaugurating the Good Governance Week at the Sangeet Natak Academy

2 mins

Mazagon Dock begins construction of advanced patrol vessels for Indian Coast Guard

The Plate Cutting Ceremony for the first of 14 Fast Patrol Vessels (FPVs) and the first of six Next-Generation Offshore Patrol Vessels (NGOPVs), being built by Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Ltd. (MDL) for the Indian Coast Guard (ICG), was held in Mumbai, today.

1 min

Security forces intensify crackdown on militancy in Manipur

In a series of coordinated operations, security forces dismantled camps and apprehended members of the banned militant groups in Manipur's Imphal East and surrounding districts, police reported on Thursday.

1 min

Online trading scam accused granted bail in CBI case

In a significant development in the multi-crore trading scam investigation, the Gauhati High Court has granted bail to the accused in the case due to the Central Bureau of Investigation's (CBI) failure to file a charge sheet within the stipulated time.

1 min

India's Bangladesh conundrum

Indian foreign secretary Vikram Misri's Dhaka visit came at a critical moment in the history of India-Bangladesh relationship.

2 mins

The abstract art of balancing

Abstract art of high merit has an extraordinary capability and inherent tendency to catch hold of the original thought process of a human being at the very innermost and root levels, said abstract artist Silajit Ghosh while speaking about his newly-launched book The Quest Within: Art of Silajit.

3 mins

Reiki: The art of self-applied touch

Reiki, a holistic practice, fosters a stress-free lifestyle, balanced energy and overall well-being through the art of self-applied touch.

2 mins

Candy Cane Lane 2.0: The December delight

Candy Cane Lane 2.0, the Winter Carnival of Mahadevi Birla Shishu Vihar, is just around the corner, and this year's celebration promises to be even more exciting than the last, with a plethora of activities and attractions in store for everyone.

1 min

Odisha forward Kanika aims to soar high in women's HIL

One of the rising stars of Indian hockey, Kanika Siwach is excited to ply her trade in the inaugural Women's Hockey India League (HIL) with Odisha Warriors.

1 min

Patna Pirates coach Redhu reveals key PKL strategy

In a crucial Pro Kabaddi League (PKL) Season 11 encounter, Patna Pirates had secured their playoff berth with a 41-37 victory over Telugu Titans at the Balewadi Sports Complex last Tuesday.

1 min

AFC Beach Soccer: India drawn with Thailand, Kuwait, Lebanon

India were drawn against hosts Thailand, Kuwait and Lebanon in Group A of the AFC Beach Soccer Asian Cup Thailand 2025.

1 min

Hockey rankings: Indian men end year at fifth spot, women in top 10

Indian men's hockey team soar high in FIH world rankings after winning second consecutive Olympic medal at Paris 2024

2 mins

Liverpool, Arsenal, Newcastle enter Carabao Cup semis

Goals from Darwin Nunez and Harvey Elliott earned Liverpool a place in the Carabao Cup semifinals with a 2-1 win at Southampton.

1 min

ISL: Table-toppers Mohun Bagan face high flying FC Goa

Defending champions Mohun Bagan Super Giant will aim to bolster their lead at the top of the Indian Super League (ISL) points table when they take on FC Goa at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Fatorda on Friday.

2 mins

ICC confirms hybrid model for 2025 Champions Trophy

Matches between arch-rivals India, Pakistan to be played at neutral venue during 2024-27 cycle

1 min

Ashwin feeling 'relief' after announcing his retirement

After announcing his retirement, Ravichandran Ashwin expressed his thoughts on the decision and said that it is \"a great sense of relief and satisfaction\" for him after taking a call to say goodbye to international cricket.

2 mins

Wouldn't have let him go like that: Kapil Dev expresses surprise at Ashwin's retirement

Former India captain Kapil Dev expressed that he would not have wanted the ace Indian all-rounder Ravichandran Ashwin to retire from the game in such a manner.

3 mins

Josh Hazelwood frustrated after being ruled out of rest of BGT series

Australia's star pacer Josh Hazelwood has been overshadowed by the dark clouds of injury during the ongoing 2024-25 Border-Gavaskar Trophy against India.

1 min

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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.

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