HYDERABAD  WEDNESDAY  NOVEMBER 20, 2024  `9.00  PAGES 16  LATE CITY EDITION IN A FIRST, KYIV FIRES LONG-RANGE U.S. MISSILES INTO RUSSIAN REGION Russia’s defence ministry said on Tuesday that Ukraine fired six US-made missiles into Bryansk, five of which were shot down and one damaged UKRAINE YET TO CONFIRM THE ESCALATION PUTIN LOWERS NUCLEAR USE THRESHOLD Fragments from a missile fell on an unspecified military facility, the Russian ministry said, adding that the falling debris sparked a fire but didn’t inflict any damage or casualties. The announcement comes shortly after Washington lifted curbs on Ukraine using US-made longer-range missiles to strike Russia. Ukraine didn’t immediately confirm the news | P9 ■ ■ Russian President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday lowered Russia’s threshold for using nuclear weapons. According to the revised nuclear doctrine, a conventional attack on Russia by any adversary nation that is supported by a nuclear power, will be considered a joint attack And, such an attack could trigger a nuclear response from Russia 300 km RANGE OF THE ATACMS (ARMY TACTICAL MISSILE SYSTEM) USED AGAINST RUSSIA CHENNAI ■ MADURAI ■ VIJAYAWADA ■ BENGALURU ■ KOCHI ■ HYDERABAD ■ VISAKHAPATNAM ■ COIMBATORE ■ KOZHIKODE ■ THIRUVANANTHAPURAM ■ BELAGAVI ■ BHUBANESWAR ■ SHIVAMOGGA ■ MANGALURU ■ TIRUPATI ■ TIRUCHY ■ TIRUNELVELI ■ SAMBALPUR ■ HUBBALLI ■ DHARMAPURI ■ KOTTAYAM ■ KANNUR ■ VILLUPURAM ■ KOLLAM ■ TADEPALLIGUDEM ■ NAGAPATTINAM ■ THRISSUR ■ KALABURAGI India: Set new finance goal on climate justice S V KRISHNA CHAITANYA EXPRESS IN BAKU W ITH COP29 negotiations reaching a critical stage, India on Tuesday demanded clear answers from developed countries on the New Collective Quantified Goal (NCQG) for climate finance. Delivering the national statement, Kirti Vardhan Singh, Minister of State in the Ministry of Environment, Forest, and Climate Change, said all NCQG decisions for climate finance must reflect the principles of climate justice and equity . He called for ambitious and unambiguous outcomes that address the evolving needs of developing countries, including adaptation, mitigation, and loss-and-damage funding. Singh reminded developed nations of their responsibility under the Paris Agreement to provide suf ficient financial resources to enable the Global South to meet its development goals while addressing climate challenges. The next round of the Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) is due in 2025. CONTINUED ON: P9 Visa relaxation, resumption of Kailash Mansarovar Yatra on the cards India, China look to resume direct flights, dialogue Y E S H I S E L I @ New Delhi BUILDING on the recent progress made on de-escalating border tension, India and China on Tuesday sought to stabilise the relationship and take it to the next level. T h re e m a j o r d e c i s i o n s emerged during the meeting between External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi on the sidelines of the G20 Summit in Rio, Brazil: to resume special representativelevel talks on boundary issues, direct flights between India and China, and the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra. The other steps discussed include data sharing on trans-border rivers and media exchanges. The meeting was the first high-level engagement between India and China after the completion of the disengagement process in Depsang and Demchok along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in eastern Ladakh last month. According to the MEA, Jaishankar and Wang agreed that the disengagement in border areas contributed to peace and tranquility. “The discussions focused on the next steps in India-China relations,” it said. In the meeting, Jaishankar told Wang that India is against unilateral approaches to establish dominance and it does not view its relationships through the prism of other nations. “On the global situation, the external affairs minister noted that India and China have both differences and convergences,” MEA said. For his part, Wang proposed visa relaxation to encourage people-to-people interaction. Noting that the next year marks the 75th anniversary of diplomatic ties between the two Asian giants, the Chinese minister said both countries should plan commemorative activities and encourage visits in various fields and at different levels. Direct India-China flights and the Kailash Mansarovar pilgrimage were suspended during the Covid-19 pandemic. The 22nd round of special representative-level talks were held in New Delhi on December 21, 2019. India’s representative for the dialogue is NSA Ajit Doval while the Chinese side is headed by Wang. Obstruct developmental projects at your own peril, Revanth warns BRS M A N DA RAV I N D E R R E D DY @ Hyderabad External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar with China’s foreign minister Wang Yi | PTI INDIA, UK TO RESUME FTA TALKS IN 2025 British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said trade talks with India will relaunch, following his bilateral meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the G20 Summit. The UK will seek a new strategic partnership with India, including a trade agreement and cooperation in various areas RENEWABLE ENERGY PACT WITH AUSTRALIA India and Australia on Tuesday officially launched the Renewable Energy Partnership aimed at boosting two-way investment in the renewable energy sectors as Prime Minister Narendra Modi held talks with his Australian counterpart Anthony Albanese in on the sidelines of the G20 meet SOLEMNLY swearing that he would never allow the BRS to rise again in the state, Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy on Tuesday made it clear that anyone trying to, or conspiring to scuttle development works and come in the way of government functioning would land in jail. Indirectly referring to BRS leaders, he said: “You may try to obstruct using “hired persons”, but we will unravel your conspiracies and send you to jail.” Addressing a public meeting in Warangal as part of the “Praja Palana-Vijayotsavalu” celebrations, Revanth alleged that the BRS did nothing for Telangana during its rule from 2014 to 2023. “You did nothing for Telangana. Now you have lost power. Be silent and don’t create obstacles. If you do so, you will not even secure deposits in the next elections,” he said. In a stinging attack on his predecessor K Chandrasekhar Rao, Revanth said: “KCR is the president of a “Drunkards Association”. During his rule, belt shops sprang up in every village. KCR is brand ambassador of full or half bottle (of liquor). He made Telangana a state for drunkards. Fortunately, the people realised it and voted against him in 2023.” Reacting to KCR’s recent remarks that the people have started realising what they have lost in the last one year of Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy interacts with artistes during the Praja PalanaVijayotsavalu fete organised by the state government in Warangal on Tuesday Sonia Gandhi is mother of Telangana people. Without her, Telangana would never have been formed. Modi is a Telangana traitor. He insulted Telangana formation – A Revanth Reddy, Chief Minister Congress rule, the chief minister said: “Telangana did not lose anything, except four jobs in your family. You sleep in your farmhouse. If you need, we will instruct a liquor distributor to supply bottles to you and we will foot the bill.” Challenging KCR to attend the Assembly sessions, Revanth said: “I am asking KCR to decide the date and come to the Assembly for debates. Mingle with the people and speak. Give suggestions to the government.” He said that though Congress lost three elections at the national level, Rahul Gandhi is always available to the people. “Learn from Rahul Gandhi,” Revanth said to KCR. Hitting out at BJP state president G Kishan Reddy for his remarks on the Musi project, Revanth said: “KCR will speak first and Kishan will read the same script the next day Kishan . welcomed and appreciated Sabarmati riverfront development project, but is opposing the Musi project. Kishan has lost the right to stay in Telangana, he should move to Gujarat and CONTINUED ON P4 live there.” Day before poll, Tawde in cash row ORDERLY RULING HC strikes down GO 16 S U D H I R S U R YA W A N S H I @ Mumbai Security personnel deployed to maintain law and order amid curfew, in Imphal | PTI PC post gives Biren ammo to rap Cong the Union home minister during the then Congress governA social media post by Conment and O Ibobi was the chief gress leader P Chidambaram minister here, they brought a on Tuesday gave embattled MaMyanmarese foreigner nipur Chief Minister N Biren Thanglianpau Guite, who himSingh some ammunition to self admitted in one of the inblame the grand old party for terviews that he contested an the ongoing crisis in the state. MP election in Myanmar. That The Congress distanced itperson is the chairman of Zomi self from ChidambarRevolutionary Army, am’s post on X, now which is banned in Mydeleted, calling it his anmar,” Singh said. personal remarks. Wo r r i e d over Whatever we are Chidambaram said, seeing in Manipur Chidambaram’s state“Rushing 5,000 MORE ment on regional autoday is the central armed police tonomy, Ibobi said he creation of the Congress. They jawans is not the anspoke to party chief swer to Manipur crisis. cannot wash their Mallikarjun Kharge. “I ...It is more under- hands of the crisis told Kharge Ji it could standing: that the Biren Singh, Manipur be his (Chidambaram’s) Meitei, the Kuki-Zo personal views but this chief minister and the Naga can live will create a lot of mistogether in one State only if understanding in Manipur. Afthey have genuine regional t e r K h a r g e J i s p o ke t o autonomy .” Chidambaram Ji, he deleted the Singh wasted no time in hitpost,” the ex-CM said. ting back. “He (Chidambaram) Meanwhile, hundreds of Kuis the root cause of Manipur ki-Zos took out a rally in Chucrisis and the Congress is the rachandpur carrying empty cofcreator of what we are seeing fins in solidarity with 10 tribals in the state today When he was . killed on November 11. P R A S A N TA M A Z U M D A R @ Guwahati A day before polling in Maharashtra, a purported video of BJP national general secretary Vinod Tawde at a five-star hotel went viral on Tuesday amid allegations by the Bahujan Vikas Aghadi (BVA) that he was distributing `5 crore in cash among his party leaders and workers at Nalasopara (Virar) to buy votes. The police registered two FIRs against Tawde and others in connection with the incident. The first FIR named them for assembling at a hotel in violation of the poll code, while the second one accuses them of luring voters by offering inducements. LESSONS TO BE LEARNT  TPDPMA says 20% of dues for 2021-22, 70% for 2022-23, and 100% for the current year remain pending  These dues are pending for more than three years  TPDPMA is demanding release of at least half of the `1,300 crore dues TPDPMA says it won’t relent and that at least `600 crore — `450 crore for private colleges and `150 crore for government — was urgently needed  UG and PG colleges affiliated with five universities remain closed on Tuesday  This impacted over seven lakh students from 1,048 colleges Tawde refuted the allegation saying he was in the hotel to guide party workers about election procedures. He said he was on his way from Wada in Palghar to Mumbai when a BJP leader called him for tea at the hotel at Nalasopara where this incident took place. “I am ready for any POLLS 2024 probe. The Election Commission of India can conduct the probe and find out the truth. The Opposition must understand facts before making allegations,” Tawde said. For its part, the poll body said it recovered `9 lakh from the hotel, not `5 crore. The matter came in light after BVA workers barged in the hotel, claiming they got a tipoff that Tawde was with BJP leaders to distribute `5 crore to buy the votes in the area. “Our workers not only caught Tawde with a bundle of cash but also seized two diaries with entries on whom the money was given to buy votes. We hope that the poll body and police would conduct a fair probe,” BVA head Hitendra Thakur said. His party is contesting three seats in Palghar and Vasai-Virar. Colleges under 5 universities shut doors over unpaid dues A A R T I K A S H YA P @ Hyderabad THE dispute over long-pending dues to private degree colleges has re-emerged with colleges affiliated to five universities remaining shut on Tuesday even , as semester exams are scheduled in the week ahead. The college owners had called a statewide strike last month, but called it off following assurances by senior officials. On Tuesday, undergraduate and postgraduate colleges af- filiated with Mahatma Gandhi University, Kakatiya University Satavahana University Pala, , muru University and Telanga, na University remained closed, disrupting semester exams and impacting over seven lakh students from 1,048 colleges. The Telangana Private Degree & PG College Management Association (TPDPMA) is demanding the release of at least half of the `1,300 crore dues, pending for more than three CONTINUED ON P5 years. regularising contract jobs T G N A I D U @ Hyderabad IN a landmark judgment, the High Court on Tuesday declared Section 10-A of the Telangana (Regulation of Appointments to Public Services and Rationalisation of Staff Pattern and Pay Structure) Act, 1994 unconstitutional while making it clear that the services of contractual employees who have already been regularised would not be terminated. A bench of Justice Sujoy Paul and Justice Namavarapu Rajeshwar Rao was hearing a clutch of writ petitions filed by A Venkatram Reddy and others challenging the decision to regularise contract lecturers through Government Order (GO) 16 dated February 26, 2016. The GO amended the 1994 Act by introducing Section 10-A, allowing the state to regularise the services of contract lecturers who met specific criteria. JUST JUDGMENT  Employees already regularised under Section 10-A would not be terminated, orders bench  Govt directed to adhere strictly to constitutional and statutory norms in filling vacant posts The petitioners argued that the regularisation violated the principles of fair recruitment under Articles 14, 16, and 21 of the Constitution and Supreme Court precedents, particularly the Constitution Bench ruling in State of Karnataka v. Umadevi. They contended that the contractual appointments were made without following a transparent selection process and deprived eligible candidates of a CONTINUED ON P4 fair chance. EXPRESS READ Suresh, A2 in Lagcherla attack case, surrenders Rahman, wife to divorce after 29 yrs of marriage Hyderabad: Bogamoni Suresh Raj, Accused No 2 in the recent attacks on government officials in Lagcherla, surrendered before the Kodangal court on Tuesday and was sent to 14-day remand | P4 Chennai: Oscar-winning composer AR Rahman and wife Saira Banu are separating after 29 years of marriage, lawyer Vandana Shah said in a statement on behalf of the couple on Tuesday | P5 ALL-PARTY Three days and counting: Air India flight leaves flyers stranded in Phuket MEETING ON NOVEMBER 24 Ahead of the Winter Session of Parliament, the Centre has scheduled an all-party meeting on Nov 24. Some Opposition parties are reportedly unlikely to attend | P7 S H E K H A R S I N G H @ New Delhi OVER 100 Delhi-bound Air India passengers faced a harrowing three-day ordeal in Phuket after the flight, originally scheduled to depart on November 16, was cancelled due to operational and technical setbacks. The disruption left travellers stranded, sparking outrage and criticism. The trouble began when the crew exceeded their flight duty time limitations on November 16, leading to the flight’s cancellation. Efforts to resume operations the next day with another crew failed when the Airbus A320 experienced technical issues mid-flight, forcing it to return to Phuket after twoand-a-half hours in the air. The Ministry of Civil Avia- tion has since demanded a detailed report from Air India. Meanwhile, 80% of the strand- ed passengers have reportedly been flown back to India on alternative flights on November 17 and 18, airline sources said. The remaining 31 passengers are also scheduled to depart. Many passengers shared their frustration over delays. “Pathetic services. Flight AI377 returned to Phuket after flying 3 hours above Phuket. More than 150 passengers stranded. No satisfactory reply from airlines,” Shubham Maurya posted on X. Initially passengers were in, formed of a six-hour delay on November 16. They boarded the flight after prolonged waiting, only to be deboarded later. The same aircraft was prepared for departure the next day but , glitches persisted. “Air India regrets the incon- venience to passengers of Flight AI377... While our staff made effort to minimise inconvenience, providing on-ground assistance including hotel accommodations and meals, some guests were re-accommodated on available flights. Passengers were offered options for full refunds on cancellation and complimentary rescheduling,” said an airline official.