RUSSIA Kursk Rylsk Sudzha Ukra ine KANNUR l thursday l august 08, 2024 l `9.00 l PAGES 12 l city EDITION Ukrainian forces make their first large-scale incursion into Russia Russia was on Wednesday trying to repel a major incursion by Ukrainian forces in its Kursk region with thousands of residents evacuated 1,000 Ukrainian troops involved: Kremlin At least five civilians killed in kursk Russian army chief Valery Gerasimov said up to 1,000 Ukrainian troops are involved in the cross-border attack, the largest by Ukraine since Russia’s fullscale invasion two years ago. Ukraine-backed armed groups had made several brief incursions into Russia before. But this operation is unprecedented for its deployment of Ukrainian military units. Ukraine is yet to confirm the operation ■ ■ At least five civilians were killed as per a Russian official. President Vladimir Putin said Ukraine was carrying out a “large-scale provocation” Reports said Ukrainian troops reached Sudzha, some eight kilometres inside Russia. Analysts say Kyiv’s aim could be to draw Russian reserves to the area, and weaken Moscow’s operations in others parts of Ukraine 6,000 People are being evacuated from kursk, Russian officials said 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 Two more test +ve for amoebic infection 100gms bury Vinesh’s medal dream 29-year-old wrestler from Haryana disqualified from the 50kg Paris Olympics wrestling final Express News Service M @T’Puram Two more persons were confirmed with amoebic meningoencephalitis in Thiruvananthapuram, taking the number of confirmed cases in the district to seven, while two others were under observation for symptoms on Wednesday One . person died of the infection on July 23 in the district, while the rest are under treatment at the Thiruvananthapuram Government Medical College Hospital (MCH). The infection has been confirmed in 15 people in the state this year so far, two of whom have recovered. In the past two months, eight cases, including those involving children, were reported in Malappuram, Kozhikode, Kannur, and Thrissur. As the caseload rises, the Institute of Advanced Virology (IAV) has announced plans to set up a diagnostic facility on its Thiruvananthapuram campus. It is acquiring test kits, and the facility is expected to become operational within a month. Meanwhile, Health Minister Veena George said a medical board has been established in Thiruvananthapuram to manage the treatment, which involves a combination of five drugs, all of which are avail● More on P4 able. Vinesh was found to be 100g over her 50kg weight category. All possible measures, including cutting off her hair, were used — Dr Dinshaw Pardiwala straight wins First, she stunned Yui Susaki of Japan, the world No 1 before sailing through the last-8 & last-4 bouts with minimum fuss IOA DIALS UWW Indian Olympic Association tried speaking with the United World Wrestling but the world body maintained rules are rules IOA president PT Usha meets distraught wrestler Vinesh Phogat at the Games Village polyclinic on Wednesday | ioa a m i d h ea t ed ex c h a n g es Fin Bill passed with 45 changes, including indexation tweaks MO N IKA YADA V @ New Delhi THE Lok Sabha on Wednesday passed the Finance Bill 2024 with 45 amendments, including easing of the longterm capital gains (LTCG) tax burden on real estate transactions. With the amendment, individuals can calculate their LTCG tax under both the new regime (without indexation benefit) and the old regime (with indexation) and pay the lower tax. It means, people can choose to pay either 12.5% long-term capital gains tax without indexation or 20% with indexation benefit. The House witnessed heated exchanges with the Opposition accusing the government of indulging in “tax terrorism”, alleging that the Finance Bill should be renamed as “tax trap bill”. Members from the Congress, TMC, and DMK said the Budget was so focussed on Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman making a point in the Lok Sabha | PTI collecting more tax from the middle class that there was no measures to address the unemployment problem. Opposition MPs staged a walkout after an amendment moved by RSP’s N K Premchandran for removal of 18% GST on medical and life insurance premiums was not taken up. In her response, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said states were levying taxes on premiums in pre-GST era. Cut-off date is Jul 23, 2024 For properties purchased after the cut-off date of July 23, 2024, only the new regime will apply. This means that buyers will face the LTCG tax at a rate of 12.5% without the benefit of indexation EXPRESS READ HC verdict on Hema panel report on Aug 13 Kochi: The HC will pronounce its judgment on a plea filed by producer Sajimon Parayil challenging the State Information Commission’s order to disclose substantial portions of the Justice Hema Committee report, on August 13. It also allowed the applications of Kerala Women’s Commission and Women in Cinema Collective seeking to release the report | P4 OROSE and broken lage, she was roughly 500 grams would be kinder words over. A session in the treadmill and to describe the mood in another one in a sauna had come the India camp. After and gone. Vinesh Phogat’s exBy the time the weigh-in window traordinary high on came — between 7.15 and 7.30 AM Tuesday, her disqualifi- — she remained just over. 100 cation came as the biggest shock grams (the weigh-ins are recorded on Wednesday. Yet she should be and they are attended by two refecelebrated as the one who did the rees and a doctor). After it became unthinkable. There was nothing il- clear what was unfolding, the Inlegal about any of her three bouts dian Olympic Association officials on Tuesday . tried speaking with the United First, she stunned Yui World Wrestling but the Susaki of Japan, the world world body maintained No 1 and undisputed queen that rules are rules of the mat in 50kg. After TNIE @ olympics “Since weight loss causthat 3-2 win, a victory noes weakness and energy body had envisaged, she depletion, something sailed through the last which is counter-produceight and last four bouts tive to participation, for with minimum jeopardy. energy restoration, limitAfter more than a year of ed water and high-energy Indraneel Das hell, the 29-year-old was foods are given after weighParis living her wildest dream. in,” Dinshaw Pardiwala, Call it a freak of destiny or the contingent’s Chief fate, her medal was snatched away Medical Officer, said. when she was 100gms overweight Dehydration on Wednesday morning during the After the unsavoury morning, the weigh-in. Virender Dahiya, the national 29-year-old grappler went back to coach of the women’s team in Par- the Games Village and was adminis, said they had realised that she istered drips for dehydration. It is was a shade overweight after her understood that her blood pressure bouts on Tuesday She had to drink fell to 101/60. Post that, there was . fluid to remain hydrated and eat some blood work done to check all light to keep her energy levels her health parameters because she high. They spent an extra two had gone through extreme dehyhours on the mat, trying to lose dration. Four of the blood test reabout 2kg. She then woke up and sults have come and they are all had to shed some more. When normal. They have run urea and dawn broke over the Athletes Vil- creatinine tests as well. 5 children orphaned, 6 lost a parent to landslides; adoption offers pour in V a r s h a S o m a r a j @Vythiri Empty gaze and clueless glances. This sums up the emotions of the many children who survived the twin landslides that devastated two Wayanad villages on July 30. However, for some, survival came at a cost. For, they lost their parents. The disaster left them orphaned. As per official data, there are 533 children in various relief camps opened following the disaster. Of them, five lost both parents. However, with the search for missing persons on, the possibility of the number going up is not ruled out. As per the data, six other children lost one of the parents in the calamity A majority of the . children are under the care of their immediate relatives. Meanwhile, enquiries and offers for adopting the children are pouring in from across the state and outside. However, the officials stress that standard adoption procedures will be followed and that those looking to adopt a child should go through the official procedures. “There are already 1,900 people awaiting adoption. They include many from outside the state who have expressed interest in adopting a child affected by the disaster,” said Karthika Anna Thomas, District Child Protection Officer (DCPO), Wayanad. She maintained that standard adoption procedures will be strictly fol- Kalpetta forest range officer K Ashif shares a light moment with a child at a temporary relief camp set up for tribal community members at Attamala in Wayanad on Wednesday. The forest officials visit the camp daily with supplies as the tribal residents had expressed reluctance to shift to the relief camps at Meppadi | E Gokul Follow procedure for adoption: authorities T’Puram: Amid the numerous enquiries, the Wayanad district child protection unit said only those who are registered in the Central Adoption Resource Authority website and declared eligible as per the guidelines can adopt children. Children aged between six and 18, who are in child care homes, can also be temporarily adopted to provide them with a homely atmosphere, as per the rules. Registration can be done on www.cara.wcd.gov.in. Details: 04936-285050, 04936-246098. lowed, despite the high volume of enquiries. “There is a misconception that people can directly adopt a child if they come to the camps. It is not possible,” she said. Karthika said there is no special procedure for adopting children in Wayanad and that standard adoption procedures will be strictly followed. “We are receiving numerous calls and messages, but adoptions will proceed as per established protocols,” she said. The adoption process involves several steps to ensure the safety and well-being of a child. Interested persons must first register on the Central Adoption Resource ● More on P4 Authority (CARA). No more ‘all pass’, minimum marks must in theory E x p r e s s N e w s S e r v i c e @T’Puram Doing away with its ‘all-pass policy’, the government has decided to introduce the ‘subject minimum’ criteria in exams in Class VIII from this academic year, in a move aimed at raising the standards of school education. The criteria, under which scoring at least 30% marks in the theory component in each paper will be mandatory will also be imple, mented in Class IX from 2025-26 and in Class X from 2026-27. An SCORE SHEET Total Theory Min mark Mark mark required in theory 50 40 12 100 80 24 A student who does not secure subject minimum will be given the required learner support and a re-examination conducted within two weeks. Govt does not want any student to fail. It wants to ensure best standards in school edu – V Sivankutty, General Edu Minister education conclave organised by the State Council for Educational Research and Training in May had recommended implementing the ‘subject minimum’ policy in the theory component of SSLC exam. The suggestion came after the success rate in the exam hovered close to 100% in the past few years, raising questions on the method of evaluation. However, instead of implementing the reform directly in the SSLC exam, the cabinet, in its Wednesday meeting, decided to introduce it in a phased manner, starting from Class VIII. At present, for an exam of 50 marks, a student who secures full marks of 10 in continuous evaluation/practical needs to score only five marks in theory to secure an overall minimum pass (30%). For a paper of 100 marks, scoring just 10 marks in the theory component will earn minimum overall pass marks (30%), provided the student gets full 20 marks in continuous eval● More on P4 uation/practical. Yunus-led govt to take oath today Y e s h i S e l i @ New Delhi Bangladesh army chief General Waker-Uz-Zaman said on Wednesday that the interim government headed by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus will be sworn in at 8.00 pm on Thursday Bangladesh Pres. ident Mohammed Shahabuddin had on Tuesday appointed Yunus as chief advisor to the caretaker government. The advisory council may have 15 members, the army chief said. Yunus boarded a flight from Charles de Gaulle Airport in Paris on Wednesday . Talking to reporters in Paris, he said he was hopeful of helping Bangladesh overcome its current turbulence. He also made an appeal to students, political parties, and non-political people to shun violence. “If we take the path of violence everything will be destroyed. Please stay calm. Help those around you to stay calm,” he said. Former prime minister and BNP chairperson Khalida Zia also called for peace. “Not destruction, not revenge, not vengeance. Let’s build a society based on love, peace and knowledge,” she said in a video from a hospital where she is undergoing treatment. Zia, who was jailed in 2018 on corruption charges, was freed on Wednesday on Shahabuddin’s order. On Wednesday, the Indian government arranged a special flight to fly out nonessential staffers at the Indian High Commission in Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus | PTI Police on strike, students step in With police personnel going on strike and Army troops returning to barracks, students carried out traffic management for the second consecutive day on Wednesday Hasina’s travel plans unclear Ex-Bangladesh PM Sheikh Hasina continues to be in India. She was to travel to a third country but there is no clarity on when she would do so. She is currently in a safe house in Delhi Dhaka and four other missions across Bangladesh, and their family members. “Return of non-essential staff and families from the Indian High Commission in Dhaka has taken place o n a vo l u n t a r y b a s i s through a commercial flight,” a source told his paper. The ground situation in Bangladesh continued to be volatile with the properties of Awami League members being destroyed. The Indira Gandhi Centre in Dhaka and the residence of popular folk singer Rahul Ananda were among those vandalised. Lok Sabha Waqf bill to be tabled today, may go to panel P r e e t h a n a i r @ New Delhi A day before it is expected to table the Waqf (Amendment) Bill that is expected to become another flashpoint in the Lok Sabha, the Centre appeared amenable to the Opposition’s demand for sending it to a Parliament standing committee for detailed scrutiny The government told Parlia. ment’s Business Advisory Committee (BAC) meeting on Wednesday that it will take a call on sending the bill to a House panel after it is tabled in the LS. It said it would not press for a discussion on the bill and its passage after its introduction. The bill was circulated among Lok Sabha members on Tuesday night ahead of its introduction, as reported by this paper. Gourav Gogoi of the Congress and Sudip Bandyopadhyay of the Trinamool Congress were among the Opposition MPs who raised the demand for the bill to be sent to a Parliament panel. Sources said there is a strong possibility the government will agree to the Opposition’s demand. They said certain parties that have been supportive of the government’s agenda have expressed reservations over the proposed legislation. The bill proposes far-reaching changes to the present Act, including ensuring that Muslim women and non-Muslims get representation in Waqf boards. The bill is being opposed by some Muslim organisations. P5
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