The Statesman Kolkata - February 11, 2025

In this issue

February 11, 2025

Will Get Two-Thirds Majority On Our Own In 2026: Mamata

CM Was Addressing Her Party MLAs At Naushad Ali Hall Of West Bengal Legislative Assembly

2 mins

Delhi: Buzz over BJP's chief ministerial pick intensifies

After the BJP's remarkable victory in the Delhi Assembly elections on February 8, senior party leaders including Union Home Minister Amit Shah, party national president JP Nadda and state unit president Virendra Sachdeva are in touch with victorious candidates and have started high-level meetings to discuss the selection of the next chief minister of Delhi.

1 min

Manipur: Security measures heightened following Biren Singh's resignation

Following Chief Minister N. Biren Singh's resignation on Sunday, after months of facing political dissent and internal strife within the ruling establishment, security measures have been heightened in Manipur, particularly in the valley regions, as part of an emergency and crisis management strategy.

1 min

Rising gold reserves not intended to replace any international currency: Sitharaman

Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Monday clarified in the Lok Sabha that India's rising gold reserves, including those held by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), is not intended to replace any international currency.

1 min

I am looking forward to meeting 'my friend' Trump, says PM Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday said he is looking forward to his meeting with \"my friend\" US President Donald Trump in Washington later this week.

1 min

SC seeks Centre, ECI's response to life-time ban for convicted MPs/MLAs from contesting polls

The Supreme Court on Monday sought response from the Central government and the Election Commission of India (ECI) to a 2016 public interest plea challenging the constitutional validity of Sections 8 and 9 of the Representation of the Peoples Act, 1951, while seeking to debar the convicted lawmakers—both in the parliament and the state legislatures—from contesting elections for life.

2 mins

Sonia Demands Population Census, Says 14 Cr Deprived of Food Security Benefits

Congress Parliamentary Party (CPP) Chairperson Sonia Gandhi Monday urged the Centre to conduct the delayed census, warning that 14 crore Indians are being denied food security benefits due to outdated 2011 data.

2 mins

Will get two-thirds majority on our own in 2026: Mamata

CM was addressing her party MLAs at Naushad Ali hall of West Bengal Legislative Assembly

2 mins

Siliguri declaration adopted at Indo-Bhutan meet

Years after the Indo-Bhutan Friendship Meet was last held in Siliguri, representatives from both nations gathered once again to reaffirm their commitment to strengthening bilateral ties, particularly fostering \"people-to-people\" connections alongside diplomatic relations.

1 min

Special escort vehicle for examinees in South Bengal districts

After the death of a Madhyamik examinee by a stray elephant in north Bengal last year, the forest department has geared up and has escorted the students to the examination centres in West Burdwan, Purulia, Bankura and Jhargram in special vehicle Airavat this year.

1 min

Free bus service for Madhyamik examinees

The Asansol Minibus Association and the Asansol Bus Association has announced free travel to Madhyamik examinees in Asansol sadar sub-division this year, both in minibuses and in public buses.

1 min

Govt Forms Committees To Fast-Track Investment Approvals

The DLISC will function similarly at the district level, addressing local issues and escalating matters to the SLISC when needed

1 min

GTA Rejects Five-Decimal Land Grant, Pushes for Full Land Rights

As opposition parties in the Hills protest against the state government's decision to grant only five decimals of homestead land in tea plantations, the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA) has countered by declaring that the \"chapter of five-decimal pattas is closed\" in its jurisdiction.

2 mins

Policemen Help Candidates Fetch Admit Cards From Home

Police and the civic volunteers helped Madhyamik examinees who forgot to take their admit cards to the centres in East and West Burdwan today.

1 min

Ramakrishna Vivekananda Vedanta literature worth ₹70 lakh sold at IKBF

Ramakrishna Vivekananda Vedanta literature worth Rs 70 lakh have been sold at the recently-concluded Kolkata International Book Fair.

1 min

Students from 9,145 schools appear for Madhyamik exams

Around 9.84 lakh students appear for the exam with the first day passing without any glitch; board makes extensive security arrangements

2 mins

Sanjay Budhia Highlights India's Role as Export Major

Patton Group's Sanjay Budhia delivered the export session at BGBS 2025. Following is his speech.

2 mins

Calcutta HC warns Bengal Police of summoning CAPF for demolition if it fails

A single-judge Bench of the Calcutta High Court on Monday cautioned the Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) about the possibility of summoning Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) to demolish illegal construction in the city if the municipal authorities fail to do so with the assistance of state police.

1 min

CPM's West Bengal Meet to Draft Strategy on Fighting TMC, BJP

Maintaining its individual identity despite alliances and adopting equal aggression against both the ruling Trinamul Congress and the BJP, will top the agenda at the CPM state conference scheduled in West Bengal later this month, a party leader said on Monday.

1 min

WB School Jobs Case: SC Reserves Judgment on Cancellation of Over 25k Appointments

A Bench headed by CJI Sanjiv Khanna and comprising Justice Sanjay Kumar reserved its decision after hearing the oral arguments of both sides

2 mins

ER runs 47 pairs of Kumbh Mela Special trains for visitors

In a bid to cater to the high demand of pilgrims heading to the Mahakumbh, 47 pairs of Kumbh Mela special trains are being operated by the Eastern Railway.

1 min

Mahakumbh: Railways work ensure devotees have smooth journey

Despite continued heavy rush, Indian Railways is working on war footing to serve the devotees by bringing them in and taking back their home during the ongoing Mahakumbh.

1 min

IIT Kharagpur professor elected ACM Fellow for 2024

Prof Sudip Misra, a distinguished faculty member from the department of computer science and engineering, IIT Kharagpur, has been elected as a Fellow of the prestigious Association for Computing Machinery (ACM), the world's premier computing society.

1 min

Emergency call boxes: Ranchi's new guardian of safety

Ranchi has introduced a new security system: emergency call boxes placed at key intersections to provide instant help in case of emergency.

1 min

Fadnavis, Congress slam YouTuber Ranveer Allahbadia for crude remarks

Everyone has freedom of speech but this freedom ends when we encroach upon others' freedom: Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis

2 mins

Congress MP seeks party's clarification on alliance in Bihar post-Delhi polls

Following the Delhi assembly elections, the alliance of the Congress party with Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) came into sharp focus in Bihar at a time when the assembly elections in the state are due and expected to be held in October-November.

1 min

Nadda Calls For Eliminating Lymphatic Filariasis By 2027

On Monday, Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare, JP Nadda called for the implementation of a five-pronged strategy to eliminate Lymphatic Filariasis (LF) from India by 2027.

1 min

Tamil Nadu: Chandhirakumar takes oath after landslide victory in Erode East bypolls

Senior DMK leader V.C. Chandhirakumar, who won the Erode East by-election by a massive margin of 90,629 votes, took the oath of office as a legislator on Monday.

1 min

HAL's HJT-36 Jet Trainer renamed 'Yashas' with advanced modifications

The Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) unveiled the new name for its flagship jet training aircraft, the HJT-36 during the ongoing Aero India 2025 at Bengaluru.

1 min

Row Over Attack on Priest in Telangana

Telangana Police arrested a fringe element Veera Raghava Reddy, hailing from adjoining Andhra Pradesh, for attacking the chief priest of Balaji Temple at Chilkur near Hyderabad, leading to a huge political fallout as the BRS attacked both the Congress government for poor law and order situation and the BJP for maintaining silence over the attack.

1 min

Actor Vijay-Prashant Kishor discuss 2026 Tamil Nadu Assembly poll strategy

With the 2026 assembly election a little more than a year ahead, Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) president and actor Vijay had a discussion with poll strategist and Jan Suraksha Party (JSP) president Prashant Kishor at the former's residence in suburban Chennai on Monday, sparking speculation in political circles.

1 min

Defence Minister Inaugurates India, IDEX, & Karnataka Pavilions at Aero India 2025

Rajnath Singh invites global OEMs to leverage India's growing defence ecosystem at Aero India 2025

1 min

Himachal Bharatiya Janata Party unit to propagate Union Budget

Calling union budget a historic budget, BJP State General Secretary Bihari Lal Sharma said that the central government has taken care of all sections of the society.

1 min

Govt spending on infra has surged to ₹11 lakh crore in 2024 from ₹2 lakh crore in 2014: Scindia

Union Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia has highlighted that government investment in the development of infrastructure such as highways, railways and ports has surged to Rs 11 lakh crore in the last one year under the Modi government compared to a mere Rs 2 lakh crore a year during the erstwhile UPA regime.

1 min

Barnala Tops in Punjab for Issuing UDID Cards for Divyang Persons

In providing the facility of UDID (Unique Disability ID) cards for Divyang persons to access government services, Barnala district in Punjab has secured the top position in the state.

1 min

Two PSOs of Iltija Mufti suspended after she visited Billawar

PDP leader Iltija Mufti said on Monday that her two personal security officers have been placed under suspension for letting her travel to Billawar in the Kathua district where a young man, Makhan Din, had committed suicide after alleged torture by the police.

1 min

Congress Gave Good Fight But Couldn't Convert It Into Seats

Devender Yadav Also Vowed To Strengthen The Party In The National Capital

1 min

Lawyers demand CBI probe into 'Custodial death' in J-K's Kathua

Jammu lawyers led by former advocate general Mohammad Aslam Goni on Monday demanded registration of an FIR and independent enquiry by CBI into the alleged custodial death of Makhan Din who was interrogated by the police in connection with a terrorist attack in Billawar where four soldiers were killed.

1 min

Punjab: Labour Department Goes Digital, All Services, Industrial Schemes Now Online

Guided by the vision and leadership of Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann, Punjab's Labour Department has fully digitized all services and industrial schemes provided under various Acts.

1 min

Relations Reset ~ II

The most significant takeaway of Prabowo's visit was Indonesia's interest in acquiring the BrahMos missile system from India. Both sides reached a broad understanding on the pricing of the deal, expected to be worth around $450 million. As a goodwill gesture, India briefed a top-level Indonesian team about the missile when it visited the BrahMos Aerospace headquarters and was briefed on its capabilities. If the deal goes ahead, Indonesia will become the second foreign buyer of the missile after the Philippines. In January 2022, India signed a deal worth almost $375 million to equip the Philippine Marines with three batteries of the missiles.

4 mins

Rx for PhilHealth: A New Chief

It just might be the shot in the arm that the Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth) needs to regain consciousness on the proper and efficient handling of funds from the premium payments of its 62.24 million members.

2 mins

Uncharted Warming

The earth has just witnessed its hottest January on record, defying expectations and leaving climate scientists scrambling for answers.

4 mins

Asia Can Restart Global Growth

As 2025 dawns, the world seems to be entering an age of anxiety, reminiscent of one hundred years ago, the period between the two World Wars.

4 mins

Can India Deal With a Bullying Trump?

Donald Trump, following his election, has been pushing his agenda based on his election manifesto of MAGA (Make America Great Again). While every national leader is primarily interested in the well-being of his people, yet carries allies along on occasions ignoring their shortcomings, even if they appear inimical. India continues to support Maldives and Bangladesh, despite their pronounced anti-India sentiments.

4 mins

Scholz Describes Trump's Gaza Proposal as a 'Scandal' in Election Debate

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz described President Donald Trump's suggestion that the U.S. could take ownership of the Gaza Strip, relocate its population and redevelop it as a \"scandal\" in a pre-election debate Sunday.

1 min

Vatican's Caritas Outraged at 'Reckless' USAID Cuts, Says Millions Will Die, Others Left in Poverty

The Vatican's charity voiced outrage Monday at what it called the \"reckless\" and \"unhuman\" U.S. plans to gut USAID, with Pope Francis' point-man on development aid insisting that the Trump administration remember Christian principles about caring for others as it begins governing.

3 mins

Massive protest by lawyers in Islamabad

Chaos ruled in Pakistan's capital Islamabad once again as lawyers of the country took to the streets on Monday, protesting against a meeting being held at the Supreme Court to finalise names of eight Supreme Court judges.

1 min

Trump to Impose 25% Tariffs on Imports of Steel, Aluminum; Indian Equities React

Trump's Comments Are the Latest Example of His Willingness to Threaten to Impose Import Taxes

1 min

Vessel carrying at least 65 passengers, mostly Pakistanis, capsizes in Libya

In yet another boat tragedy, a vessel carrying at least 65 passengers, mostly Pakistanis, capsized off the coast of Libya, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) confirmed in Islamabad on Monday.

1 min

Australian Police Seize 41 kg of Cocaine

Australian police have seized more than 40 kg of cocaine found in refrigerated containers imported into Sydney.

1 min

UN Urges More Resources Against Worsening Droughts in Somalia

The United Nations relief agency on Monday called for efforts to mobilise more resources in response to an escalating drought crisis in several areas of Somalia.

1 min

Can Trump Bring Unions Into the GOP Fold? His Labor Nominee Presents a Major Test

President Donald Trump has repeatedly challenged Senate Republicans with his Cabinet picks. But his nomination of Lori Chavez-DeRemer for labor secretary may be proving the hardest for many to accept.

3 mins

Rescue efforts continue after landslide hits China village

Rescuers are working around the clock to locate survivors after a landslide hit a village in Sichuan Province, southwest China.

1 min

Bangladesh Election Commissioner vows to remain 'neutral' in elections

Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) of Bangladesh, AMM Nasir Uddin, has said the commission does not intend to support or oppose any political party and vowed to remain neutral, local media reported.

1 min

South Korean Court to Hold Hearing Next Week on Whether to Cancel Yoon's Detention

The hearing will take place simultaneously with the first preparatory hearing for his criminal trial

1 min

No One Has Power to Displace Palestinians: Turkish President

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said that no one has the power to displace Palestinians from their homeland.

1 min

US Marine from California Identified as One of 4 People Killed in Philippines Plane Crash

A U.S. Marine from California was identified by military officials Sunday as one of four people killed when a plane contracted by the U.S. military crashed in a rice field in the southern Philippines.

1 min

India's Coal Demand to Reach 1462 MT by 2030, 1755 MT by 2047

India's coal demand is likely to reach 1462 MT by 2030, and 1755 MT by 2047, the Ministry of Coal said in its publication on Monday.

1 min

Tata Group's IHCL to Invest ₹2,500 Crore to Construct Hotel in Mumbai

The Tata Group-run Indian Hotels Company (IHCL) Ltd has announced in Mumbai on Monday that it will invest Rs 2,500 crore to construct a new 330-room hotel called Taj Bandstand, in Bandra West.

2 mins

54.58 Crore Jan Dhan Accounts Opened Till 15 January

A total of 54.58 crore Jan Dhan accounts have been opened till January 15, 2025, of which 30.37 crore (55.7 per cent) belong to women, said Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman in a written reply to a question in Lok Sabha on Monday.

1 min

Luminous strengthens position in battery storage biz, sets up lead acid battery unit at Haridwar

In a strategic move towards strengthening its position in the battery storage segment, Luminous Power Technologies, India's leading energy solutions company, has expanded its manufacturing capabilities with the setup of a production unit for Lead Acid Batteries in North India.

3 mins

Market declines as investors remain cautious amid Trump's tariff commitment

Stock market witnessed a sharp decline on Monday, shedding over 0.7 per cent as investors' sentiment remained cautious following US President Donald Trump's tariff commitment.

2 mins

After inching near to 88-level, Rupee closes at 87.50 against US Dollar

The rupee slipped 49 paise to open at an all-time low of 87.92 against the US dollar on Monday as against its Friday's close of 87.43 per USD.

1 min

European Businesses to Invest $100 Bn in India, Create 1 Mn Jobs Over 15-20 Years

India and the European Free Trade Association (EFTA) States took a significant step towards deepening their economic engagement with the launch of the EFTA Desk by Invest India on Monday.

1 min

'NDA will win Bihar in a better way than Delhi': JD(U) MP Sanjay Kumar Jha

Janata Dal (United) MP Sanjay Kumar Jha on Monday asserted that Bihar is benefitting from the work of the double-engine government and the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) will win in the state in the forthcoming Assembly polls in a better way than Delhi.

1 min

Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma heads to Singapore to boost investments ahead of Advantage Assam 2.0

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma is set to embark on a two-day visit to Singapore to promote the state's industrial potential and attract investments in high-growth sectors such as semiconductors, deep technology, infrastructure, and manufacturing.

1 min

BJP High Command To Decide On Next Manipur CM

The resignation has plunged Manipur into political uncertainty

2 mins

President Droupadi Murmu takes sacred dip in Mahakumbh, prays for nation's peace and prosperity

India's second woman and first tribal President, Droupadi Murmu, on Monday, took a sacred dip at the confluence of Ganga, Yamuna, and Saraswati in Sangam, symbolising unity and social harmony.

1 min

Biren Singh's Ouster: A BJP Strategy to Contain Rebellion and Ethnic Unrest in Manipur

The writing was on the wall for Chief Minister N Biren Singh ever since the BJP suffered a humiliating defeat in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, losing both Parliamentary seats in Manipur.

1 min

Byte-sized guidance: AI use in mapping emerging opportunities

In India, career guidance has evolved significantly over the past five years, influenced by technological advancements, changing job markets, and a growing focus on skills development.

3 mins

Financial and corporate literacy essential skills for students

Academics have always been considered the most crucial foundation for a child's success and future endeavors.

3 mins

FIH Pro League: Germany, Spain arrive in Bhubaneswar

The Germany Women's Hockey Team arrived at Biju Patnaik International Airport, Bhubaneswar, on Monday ahead of their FIH Hockey Pro League 2024/25 fixtures in India.

2 mins

Belgharia Premier League: A cricket tourney for city medics

The Belgharia Premier League (BPL), an exciting cricket tournament featuring city doctors and medical professionals, was held at the Belgharia Athletic Club (BAC) grounds near Belgharia railway station.

1 min

Vazquez Injury Adds to Madrid's Worries Ahead of Man City Clash

Real Madrid's defensive crisis increased ahead of Tuesday's Champions League play-off first leg tie against Manchester City with the confirmation that right-back Lucas Vazquez will be out for three weeks with a muscle injury.

1 min

Shooters Rudrankksh, Sift Win Consecutive Titles in Nat'l Trials

Maharashtra's Rudrankksh Patil and Punjab's Sift Kaur Samra won back-to-back national selection trials for Group A shooters, emerging winners of the men's 10m air rifle and women's 50m rifle 3 positions (3P) T2 matches respectively here on Monday.

2 mins

Ranji Trophy: Shardul, Rahane boost Mumbai; Dogra leads J&K Comeback

The quarterfinals of the country's premier domestic red-ball tournament saw a host of superb performances on Monday

2 mins

Chawrasia, Gangjee, Rashid headline PGTI season opener

Marking the start of the 2025 PGTI season, the Rs 1 crore PGTI Players Championship 2025 will tee off at the Tollygunge Club here from Tuesday.

1 min

BCCI Expected To Decide On Bumrah's CT Participation By Tuesday

The uncertainty over pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah's availability for the upcoming ICC Champions Trophy, starting 19 February, could be over by Tuesday, as the BCCI is running against time to submit the final squad to the International Cricket Council by 11 February.

2 mins

Champions Trophy: Rohit serves timely warning with long-due ton

Team India skipper signals return to form just ahead of crucial ICC tournament

3 mins

Playing domestic cricket helped to maintain the rhythm, says Jadeja

India all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja opened up about his current form on Sunday and stated that playing domestic cricket for Saurashtra helped him maintain consistency during the ODI series against England.

2 mins

Champions Trophy: Its advantage India in Dubai, feels Harbhajan Singh

Former Indian cricketer Harbhajan Singh believes India has an advantage in the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy, underlining that familiarity with Dubai's pitches will give them an edge over Pakistan in their much-anticipated clash.

2 mins

CT: Australia to Look at Top Three Batters, Bowling Combination

Australia head coach Andrew McDonald said the side would be looking at the structure of their top three batters in the absence of Mitchell Marsh and their bowling combination minus Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood in their upcoming two ODIs against Sri Lanka.

1 min

Read all stories from The Statesman Kolkata

The Statesman Kolkata Newspaper Description:

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.

The Statesman Kolkata covers a wide range of topics, including politics, business, economy, society, culture, and sports. It also has a strong focus on local news and events. The newspaper is known for its critical and independent reporting on the government and the powerful.

The Statesman Kolkata is a valuable resource for anyone who wants to stay informed about the latest news and developments in India, and especially in West Bengal. It is also a great way to get in-depth analysis and commentary on current affairs.