MONDAY 30 DECEMBER 2024 www.thestatesman.com INDIA’S NATIONAL NEWSPAPER SINCE 1818 Pages 12 |` 5.00 X.com/thestatesmanltd. Fb/thestatesman1875 KOLKATA | NEW DELHI | SILIGURI | BHUBANESWAR RAJNATH CALLS ON ARMED FORCES TO REMAIN ALERT TRUMP SIDES WITH MUSK IN DEBATE OVER H1-B VISAS P9 WEATHER Generally clear. Hazy in the evening. Maximum and minimum temperatures likely to be around 28°C and 18°C respectively. P5 P8 NEW YORK, 29 DECEMBER TEMPERATURE Max: 28.1˚C SUN RISES 06:15 hrs MOON RISES 05:42 hrs A Min: 18.5˚C SUN SETS 17:02 hrs MOON SETS 16:21 hrs New Moon on 31 December THUMBNAILS A man carrying a child on his shoulder walks through a mustard flower field on the outskirts of Guwahati, on Sunday. n ANI ISRO to launch its SpaDeX mission tomorrow: The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is set to launch its year-end mission, "Space Docking Experiment" (SpaDeX), on Monday at 9:58 p.m. from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre (SDSC) SHAR in Sriharikota. The mission will use PSLV-C60. As per the ISRO, the primary objective of the SpaDeX mission is to develop and demonstrate the technology needed for rendezvous, docking, and undocking of two small spacecraft (SDX01, which is the Chaser, and SDX02, the Target, nominally) in a low-Earth circular orbit. passenger plane skidded off a runway at a South Korean airport Sunday, slammed into a concrete fence and burst into flames after its front landing gear apparently failed to deploy. All but two of the 181 people on board died in one of the country’s worst aviation disasters. The Jeju Air plane crashed while landing in the town of Muan, about 290 kilometres south of Seoul. The Transport Ministry said the plane was a 15-year-old Boeing 737800 jet that had arrived from Bangkok and that the crash happened at 9:03 a.m. A total of 179 people ~ 85 women, 84 men and 10 others whose genders weren’t immediately identifiable ~ died in the fire, the South Korean fire agency said. Emergency workers pulled two people, both crew members, to safety. Health officials said they are conscious and not in life-threatening condition. Firefighters and rescue team members work near the wreckage of a passenger plane at Muan International Airport in Muan, South Korea on Sunday. n AP Among the 177 bodies so far found, officials have so far identified 88 of them, the fire agency said. The passengers were predominantly South Korean, as well as two Thai nationals. Ju Woong, director of the Ewha Womans University Seoul Hospital, where one of the survivors was hospitalised, said the man was being treated in an intensive care unit for fractures to his ribs, shoulder blade and upper spine. Ju said the man, whose name wasn’t released, told doctors he “woke up to find (himself) rescued.” Footage of the crash aired by South Korean television channels showed the plane skidding across the airstrip at high speed, apparently with its landing gear still closed, overrunning the runway and colliding head-on with a concrete wall on the outskirts of the facility, triggering an explosion. Other local TV stations aired footage showing thick plumes of black smoke billowing from the plane, which was engulfed in flames. Lee Jeong-hyeon, chief of the Muan fire station, told a televised briefing Manmohan Singh’s ashes immersed in the Yamuna STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE The Congress in a post on X wrote: „Today, the ashes of former Prime Minister of the country, Dr Manmohan Singh ji were immersed at the Yamuna Ghat near the Gurdwara at Majnu Ka Tila with full rituals.‰ NEW DELHI, 29 DECEMBER Former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s ashes were immersed in the Yamuna in the national capital on Sunday. The ashes of Singh, the key architect of India’s economic liberalisation, were immersed by his family members in accordance with Sikh rituals this morning at the Yamuna Ghat near the Gurdwara at Majnu Ka Tilla. Earlier, the ashes of the former Prime Minister were brought to the Gurdwara. Singh’s wife, Gursharan Kaura was also present. The Congress in a post on X wrote: “Today, the ashes of former Prime Minister of the country, Dr Manmohan Singh ji were immersed at the Yamuna Ghat near the Gurdwara at Majnu Ka Tila with full rituals.” Recalling the contribution Rituals for the 'Asthi Visarjan' of former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh are performed at Yamuna Ghat near Gurdwara Majnu Ka Tilla, in New Delhi on Sunday. n ANI of Singh, who had served as Prime Minister from 2004 to 2014, the party said, “We will always remember Manmohan Singh ji’s service to the nation, his dedication and simplicity.” The former Prime Minister was cremated with full state honours at the Nigambodh Ghat here on Saturday. Singh, already a renowned economist before he reluctantly joined politics, passed away at 9.51 p.m. at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in the national Capital on Thursday at the age of 92. As Finance Minister in the early 1990s, Singh was the architect of India's economic liberalisation. He ini- tiated a series of reforms that not only saved the nation from a balance-ofpayments crisis but also opened the doors to global markets. Through his policies of deregulation, privatisation, and the encouragement of foreign investment, he laid the foundation for India’s rapid economic growth. Under his stewardship, India emerged as one of the world’s fastest-growing economies, a testament to his brilliance and vision. Constitution guiding light for citizens: PM in Mann ki Baat AGENCIES NEW DELHI, 29 DECEMBER Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday said that the Constitution of India has stood the test of time and has been a guiding light for the citizens. He addressed the year’s last and 117th episode of the monthly radio show Mann Ki Baat, saying: “On 26 January 2025, our Constitution will complete 75 years of its implementation. It is a matter of great pride for all of us. The Constitution handed over to us by our Constitution makers has stood the test of time. The Constitution is a guiding light for us, our guide," the PM said. He said that the government has also rolled out a special website to connect the citizens with the legacy of the Constitution. Honouring the milestone of India completing 75 years of Constitution next January, PM Modi announced that a nationwide campaign has been created, inviting citizens to read the Preamble and share P12 AGENCIES STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE SEOUL, 29 DECEMBER Min. 59% BGT 2024-25: BUMRAH OVERTAKES KAPIL DEV 179 killed in plane crash India’s Koneru Humpy clinches second world rapid chess crown at South Korean airport The airliner burst into flames after it skidded off a runway & hit a wall RAINFALL: NIL RELATIVE HUMIDITY Max. 73% DR SINGH DESERVED MUCH BETTER IN BOTH LIFE AND DEATH their videos on the holy book. “In this, you can upload your video by reading the preamble of the constitution. You can read the Constitution in different languages and can also ask questions about the Constitution. I request the listeners of ‘Mann Ki Baat,’ schoolgoing children, and collegegoing youth to definitely visit this website and become a part of it," he said. Speaking about the Mahakumbh event going to be held in Prayagraj from 13 January, PM Modi said an AI chatbot will be available for users to access information related to Kumbh, available in 11 Indian languages. Calling the 'Mahakumbh' as 'Mahakumbh' of unity, PM Modi appealed to the devout to return from it with resolve to remove hate and division from society. "Let us also make a resolve to annihilate the feeling of division and hatred in the society. If I have to say it in a few words, then I will say, Mahakumbh Ka Sandesh, Ek Ho Poora Desh..." The message of the Mahakumbh, Let the whole country be united," he added. Prime Minister Modi hailed India's soft power through films, saying that the WAVES summit to be organised in India next year is an important step in making 'India a hub of global content creation.' He further added this summit is an important step towards making India a hub of global content creation. “I feel proud informing you that the young creators of our country are also joining with full enthusiasm in the preparations for this summit. When we are moving towards a 5 trillion dollar economy, our creator economy is bringing in a new energy,” he said. Talking about health achievements, PM Modi said: “In India, there has been an 80 percent reduction in the number of malaria cases and deaths between 2015 & 2023. "Malaria ranks third among all infectious diseases that kill children between one month and five years of age. Today, I can say with satisfaction that the countrymen have collectively and strongly fought this challenge," he added. that the plane was completely destroyed, with only the tail assembly remaining recognisable among the wreckage. Lee said that workers were looking into various possibilities about what caused the crash, including whether the aircraft was struck by birds, Lee said. Transport Ministry officials later said their early assessment of communication records show the airport control tower issued a bird strike warning to the plane shortly before it intended to land and gave its pilot permission to land in a different area. Koneru Humpy, India's toprated female chess player, secured her second World Rapid Championship title, finishing the tournament with 8.5/11 here on Sunday (IST). She won her first gold in the 2019 edition, in Moscow. In a seven-way tie at the top at the start of the final, 11th round, Koneru stood out as the only player to score a victory. Playing with the black pieces, she outmanoeuvred Indonesia’s International Master Irine Kharisma Sukandar in a challenging endgame, claiming the title in style. “It's not easy to become a world champion when you are 37. It's quite difficult when you get older to keep that motivation and stay sharp when required. I'm glad that I made it,” Kuneru said after the triumph, as quoted by FIDE. “I feel very happy for winning for the second time. In fact, I didn't expect it at all because I lost my first-round game, and I never imagined that I could finish the tournament as a world champion. This victory is very special. When I am on my lower side, I think this gave me the boost to fight and to again work on chess,” she added. Prime Minister Narendra Modi praised Koneru Humpy for her grit and brilliance after she secured the World Rapid Chess Championship title. “Congratulations to @humpy_koneru on winning the 2024 FIDE Women’s World Rapid Championship! Her grit and brilliance continues to inspire millions. This victory is even more historic because it is her second world rapid championship title, thereby making her the only Indian to achieve this incredible feat,” PM Modi wrote on X. Koneru’s victory adds another feather to the spectacular success of Indian chess in 2024, after the country won gold in the Chess Olympiad this summer in both the Open and the Women’s Competition, and Gukesh D won the title of World Champion in classical chess. “It's high time for India we have Gukesh as the World Champion and now I got the second world title in the Rapid event,” Kuneru said. Koneru’s path to the top began quietly, with just 2.5 points out of four on day one. By the conclusion of day two, however, she surged into shared first place alongside compatriot Harika Dronavalli and reigning Classical World Champion Ju Wenjun of China. Entering the last round, the leaderboard featured an unprecedented seven-way tie. Alongside Koneru - Ju Wenjun, Harika Dronavalli, Kateryna Lagno, Tan Zhongyi, Irine Kharisma Sukandar, and Uzbekistan’s Afruza Khamdamova all held a chance at the title, FIDE reports. Lagno, one of the pre-tournament favourites, had earlier dealt a critical blow to former World Champion Alexandra Kosteniuk in round nine, while Khamdamova stunned Grandmaster Elisabeth Paehtz to join the leaders.