THURSDAY 28 NOVEMBER 2024 www.thestatesman.com INDIA’S NATIONAL NEWSPAPER SINCE 1818 Pages 16 |` 5.00|LC X.com/thestatesmanltd. Fb/thestatesman1875 KOLKATA | NEW DELHI | SILIGURI | BHUBANESWAR WEATHER Mostly cloudy. Foggy in the evening. Maximum and minimum temperatures likely to be around 28°C and 20°C respectively. TEMPERATURE Max: 30.4˚C SUN RISES 05:57 hrs MOON RISES 03:13 hrs Min. 59% AGENCIES MUMBAI, 27 NOVEMBER India welcomes ceasefire deal in Lebanon JERUSALEM, 27 NOVEMBER Min: 27.8˚C SUN SETS 16:51 hrs MOON SETS 14:43 hrs A New Moon on 1 December THUMBNAILS Toxic foam floats on Yamuna River as pollution level in the river continues to remain high in New Delhi on Wednesday. n ANI India, EU reaffirm commitment to free, open, peaceful Indo-Pacific: India and the EU have reiterated their shared commitment to promoting a free, open, inclusive, peaceful and prosperous Indo-Pacific. India welcomed the EU’s increasing engagement in the IndoPacific region as both sides emphasised that the rules-based international order must respect sovereignty, territorial integrity, and peaceful resolution of disputes. ceasefire between Israel and the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah that began Wednesday appeared to be holding, as residents in cars heaped with belongings streamed back toward southern Lebanon despite warnings from Israeli and Lebanese troops that they stay away from certain areas. If it holds, the ceasefire would bring an end to nearly 14 months of fighting between Israel and Hezbollah, which escalated in mid-September into allout war and threatened to pull Hezbollah’s patron, Iran, and Israel’s closest ally, the United States, into a broader conflagration. The deal does not address the war in Gaza., where Israeli strikes overnight on two schoolsturned-shelters in Gaza City killed 11 people, including four children, according to hospital officials. The US- and France- NEW DELHI, 27 NOVEMBER brokered deal, approved by Israel late Tuesday, went into effect at 4 a.m. local time on Wednesday. It calls for an initial two-month halt to fighting and requires Hezbollah to end its armed presence in southern Lebanon, while Israeli troops are to return to their side of the border. Thousands of additional Lebanese troops and United Nations peacekeepers would deploy in the south, and an international panel headed by the United States would monitor compliance. Israel says it reserves the right to strike Hezbollah should it violate the terms of the deal. Both Houses of Parl adjourned over Opp demand for debate on Adani bribery, Sambhal violence STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE Rahul Gandhi accuses govt of protecting Adani NEW DELHI, 27 NOVEMBER Both Houses of Parliament were adjourned till tomorrow on the second day of the Winter session as the Opposition uproar continued over their demand to discuss various issues, including the Adani indictment and Sambhal violence. Opposition MPs gave notices on Wednesday to move adjournment motions in both Houses to discuss issues related to Manipur, the Adani indictment and the violence in Uttar Pradesh’s Sambhal district. Minutes after the proceedings began in the Lok Sabha, members of Opposition parties created a ruckus over the Adani bribery case. Before the commencement of proceedings, Congress Lok Sabha MP Manish Tewari moved for an adjournment motion, demanding a discussion on the “impact on India as a business destination and the robustness of our regu- BOBBY ANTHONY If it holds, the ceasefire would bring an end to nearly 14 months of fighting RAINFALL: NIL RELATIVE HUMIDITY Max. 73% Israel-Hezbollah truce takes effect In climbdown, Eknath Shinde leaves Maharashtra CM decision to PM Modi STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE latory and oversight processes, following two indictments in the United States against the Adani conglomerate.” His colleague Hibi Eden moved an adjournment motion notice demanding a discussion on the ‘deteriorating condition’ in Manipur. In the Rajya Sabha, Chairman Jagdeep Dhankar said he has received 18 notices under Rule 267 for suspension of the scheduled business and to take up issues related to the Adani Group, violence in Sambhal and rising incidents of crime in Delhi. He rejected all notices. Unhappy over the decision, Opposition members started raising slogans. The Upper House was also finally adjourned for the day. NEW DELHI, 27 NOVEMBER Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi, on Wednesday, accused the BJP-led NDA government at the Centre of protecting billionaire businessman Gautam Adani, who was indicted by the US Department of Justice (DoJ) and US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) for alleged bribery. Mr Gandhi reiterated his demand for the arrest of Adani. “You think Adani is going to accept the charges? Obviously, he is going to deny the charges. The point is he (Adani) has to be arrested as we have said,” he said. Israel is still fighting Hamas militants in Gaza in response to the group’s cross-border raid into southern Israel in October 2023. But US President Joe Biden on Tuesday said his administration would make another push in the coming days to try to renew efforts for a deal in the war-ravaged Palestinian enclave. More than 3,760 people have been killed by Israeli fire in Lebanon since the start of the conflict, many of them civilians, according to Lebanese officials. The fighting killed more than 70 people in Israel, as well as dozens of Israeli soldiers fighting in southern Lebanon. India on Wednesday welcomed the ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon. hoping such developments will lead to peace and stability in the region. “We welcome the ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon that has been announced. We have always called for de-escalation, restraint and return to the path of dialogue and diplomacy. We hope these developments will lead to peace and stability in the wider region,” the Ministry of External Affairs said in a statement. New Delhi has consistently pleaded for an immediate ceasefire in West Asia and the settlement of disputes in the region through peaceful talks. SNS Four days after the results of the 2024 Maharashtra Assembly elections were declared on 23 November, Eknath Shinde, the second contender for the post of chief minister, said at a press conference at his residence in Thane on Wednesday that he has left the final decision on the CM's post to Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Mr Shinde said BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis, NCP leader Ajit Pawar, and himself would meet Union Home Minister Amit Shah in Delhi on Thursday, 28 November, to discuss details of the government formation process in Maharashtra. “I have told PM Modi that I will never be an obstacle. We will go with whatever he decides,” Mr Shinde said, adding that “nobody is upset” and that he is “not greedy for any position”. This conciliatory gesture indicates a climbdown from the position adopted by Mr Shinde and Shiv Sena that the Maharashtra CM's post must go to the Sena, going by the precedent of the "Bihar model" where Nitish Kumar became CM despite his Janata Dal (United) getting fewer seats than his ally, the BJP. Mr Shinde and the Shiv Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde addresses a press conference at his residence in Thane on Wednesday. n ANI Sena led by him had pitched for a second innings for him as Maharashtra CM, claiming it was his government's welfare schemes like the 'Laadki Bahin Yojana' that steered the Mahayuti to victory. Mr Shinde's climbdown has cleared the way for Devendra Fadnavis, who is still the frontrunner for the post of Maharashtra Chief Minister. “I called Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah requesting them to take an appropriate decision that is good for the state. I told them that just like BJP leaders, we will also accept your decision for the Mahayuti. I thank PM Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah for supporting me during my tenure as Maharashtra CM,” Mr Shinde said. He said he had received strong support from the Centre during the last two and a half years. “We were successful in getting funds worth several crores for developmental projects. During my tenure, we worked to take Maharashtra to Number 1 spot from Number 3 in six months after I became Maharashtra chief minister,” Mr Shinde said. He stated that he worked like a common party worker for the Mahayuti. “I have always worked as a worker. I never considered myself a chief minister. For me, CM means Common Man. I have seen the pain of citizens, and how they ran their household. I thank all the voters,” he said. How long can Partha Chatterjee be kept in jail? SC questions ED PARMOD KUMAR NEW DELHI, 27 NOVEMBER The Supreme Court on Wednesday questioned the Directorate of Enforcement (ED) over the low rate of convictions in money laundering cases, wondering for how long former West Bengal Education Minister Partha Chatterjee, arrested over alleged irregularities in primary teachers’ recruitment in the state, could be kept in jail. “What will happen if we don't grant bail? Trial is yet to commence, there are 183 witnesses in the cases. Trial will take time...How long can we keep him? That is the question. Here is a case where more than two years have gone by. How to strike a balance in such a case?" the bench asked the Additional Solicitor General S. V. Raju, who appeared for the Enforcement Directorate. India climbs up 11 slots to be among top 50 countries in Network Readiness Index STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE NEW DELHI, 27 NOVEMBER India has improved its position by 11 slots and is now placed at the 49th rank as per the Network Readiness Index 2024 (NRI 2024) report as against the 60th rank scored in the NRI 2023 report. In its latest version of 2024, the report maps the networkbased readiness landscape of 133 economies based on their performances in four different categories: Technology, People, Governance, and Impact, covering a total of 54 variables. The report has been published by the Portulans Institute, an independent non-profit research and educational institute based in Washington DC. India has not only improved its ranking, but also improved its score from 49.93 in 2023 to 53.63 in 2024. The report states that India secured the first rank in ‘AI scientific publications’, ‘AI talent concentration’ and ‘ICT services exports’, second rank in ‘FTTH/Building Internet subscriptions’, ‘Mobile broadband internet traffic within the country’ and ‘International Internet bandwidth’, third rank in ‘Domestic market scale’ and fourth rank in ‘annual investment in telecommunication services. India has ranked 2nd in the group of lower-middleincome countries after Vietnam. As per the report, India has demonstrated significant digital progress, with notable strengths in technological innovation and digital transformation. India’s performance in NRI 2024 is the latest in a string of advancements in the telecommunications sector. The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) has made significant strides in advancing India's telecommunication infrastructure. Over the past decade, tele density increased from 75.2% to 84.69%, and wireless connections reached 119 crore. Digital India has set an example by expanding broadband access to rural areas through partnerships with technology companies, resulting in the sharp rise in internet subscribers from 25.1 crore to 94.4 crore, with a substantial rise in wireless internet usage. Reforms in spectrum management, ease of doing business, and consumer protection have further strengthened the sector. Furthermore, India launched 5G services in 2022, rapidly improving its global mobile broadband speed ranking from 118 to 15. Now, India aims to position itself as a leader in future telecom technologies with the Bharat 6G Vision. SU DAY UNDAY JANUARY 9, JA UARY 19, 2025 KOLKATA KO ATA