Author: Vividh Bharathi

ISL 2024-25: Odisha FC extend unbeaten run with 2-1 win over 10-man East Bengal

Kolkata, Dec 12 (IANS) Jerry Mawihmingthanga and Hugo Boumous 81 scored a goal each in the second half as Odisha FC overcame a 10-man East Bengal FC 2-1 in the Indian Super League (ISL) 2024-25 at the Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan Stadium, here on Thursday. With this win, the Juggernauts extended their unbeaten streak this season to five games.

All three goals of the match came in the second half, with Mawihmingthanga and Boumous netting in the 55th and the 81st minutes of the game respectively, after the Red & Gold Brigade found their only strike through Lal Chungnunga in the 53rd minute. East Bengal FC were reduced to 10 men in the 43rd minute due to Jeakson Singh’s sending-off.

The two sides shared the honours in the opening moments of the match. Nandhakumar Sekar embarked on an ambitious solo run from the right flank in the 23rd minute, dazzling into the box and holding his shape before making a terrific effort at goal, but was denied by an outstretched Amrinder Singh.

Seven minutes later, Ahmed Jahouh’s free-kick inside the East Bengal FC box, directed to Mourtada Fall, reached the towering defender, but he ended up heading the ball off-target. Odisha FC continued exerting attack and a passage of end-to-end action unfolded with both teams offering each other abundant space at the back.

One such move saw the trio of Isak Vanlalruatfela, Boumous, and Jerry interlink seamlessly inside the East Bengal FC penalty area in the 36th minute. Isak surged ahead on the wing and found Boumous ahead of him. The attacking midfielder crossed the ball to Jerry whose shot was kept at bay by Prabhsukhan Singh Gill. East Bengal FC were dealt with a blow in the 43rd minute when Jeakson Singh was sent off for accumulating his second yellow card of the game. He fouled Diego Mauricio and the home side was thus reduced to 10 men, handing a numerical advantage to the Juggernauts.

To their credit, East Bengal FC grabbed the first lead in the contest despite that, as Lal Chungnunga pounced upon a crowded Odisha FC box following a corner kick to smash the ball into the centre of the net in the 53rd minute, as the Juggernauts’ defence was unable to clear their lines in time. They, however, got back in shape especially in their offensive movements thereafter, as Isak switched flanks to operate from the right briefly and helped his side discover a breakthrough.

His run wasn’t stopped by the East Bengal FC defence and that resulted in him delivering a decisive pass to Jerry, who was positioned on the right side of the box and sliced the ball into the top right corner of the net with a sublime finish to equalise the scores.

Odisha FC resumed operating on the offence as a consequence of this and got their hands on the second goal with a joint effort by Mauricio and Boumous.

Mauricio had donned a free-flowing role upfront and that meant he shifted slightly on the left, drawing defenders towards him and opening up space in the middle. In one such move, he made his way into the box, before squaring up a timely pass for the onrushing Boumous, who hammered the ball home to get the visitors the important lead and sealed the three points in their favour.

East Bengal FC will play their next game against Punjab FC on December 17, whereas Odisha FC will feature against Mohammedan SC on December 27.

–IANS

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Gukesh scripts history, becomes youngest World Chess Champion ever (Ld)

Singapore, Dec 12 (IANS) India’s D Gukesh made history on Thursday by becoming the youngest-ever World Champion in chess, beating Ding Liren of China in the 14-game match, here.

The 18-year-old from Chennai capitalised on a blunder by Ding in the winner-takes-all 14th game to dethrone the champion, winning the match 7.5 to 6.5 and becoming only the second Indian to win the World Chess Champion.

By beating Ding, Gukesh became the 18th World Champion in the over century-long history of chess and the youngest after beating Garry Kasparov’s record of winning the title at the age of 22 and heralding the arrival of a new king on the chess horizon.

Gukesh is the second Indian to win the World Chess Championship title, claiming the title in just over a decade after five-time Champion Viswanathan Anand had lost the title to Magnus Carlsen of Norway in Chennai in 2013. Carlsen has abdicated the crown in 2023, paving the way for Ding to beat Ian Nepomniachtchi.

In a winner-takes-all 14th and final game of the World Chess Championship match Ding had steered towards a draw after starting with Reversed Grunfeld variation of Zukertort Opening, the 32-year-old from China made a sensational blunder.

In an unexpected turn of events, when it seemed that the final game was going to end in a draw and the tiebreaks were unavoidable, the champion made a huge mistake, making a rook move that resulted in his bishop getting pinned in a rook-pawn ending with both players having one bishop.

Having battled it out for 13 games over three weeks, Ding was looking forward to the rapid and blitz tiebreakers as had effectively countered the aggressive tactics of the young Indian challenger to steer the game towards a drawish position.

“I was totally in shock when I realized I made a blunder” Ding explained in the post-game press conference.

Gukesh couldn’t believe his eyes when Ding Liren blundered 55.Rf2: “At the first moment I didn’t see that I was winning. When I realised that I was winning it was the best moment of my life”.

It was so sudden that Gukesh initially did not see it and then nearly leapt out of his chair, took a pause, settled his nerves, exchanged the rook and bishop and Ding was forced to resign in 58 moves.

“I have been dreaming of this for the last 10-12 years since I started playing chess and the only way to explain this is that I am living my dream. Firstly, thankfully to God as I am living a miracle and it could be possible only because of God,” said Gukesh, who praised Ding Liren for the fight he put in this match despite not being in great physical condition.

With this win, Gukesh pocketed prize money of $1.35 million (approx Rs 11.45 crore) while Ding Liren took $1.15 million (approx Rs 9.75 crore) from the total prize fund of US$2.5 million.

Of the $1.35 million, Gukesh pocketed $600,000 (approx Rs 5.07 crore) outrightly by winning three games. Liren, by winning two games, won $400,000 (approx Rs 3.38 crore).

–IANS

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Odisha BJP to appoint new state chief in January 2025

Bhubaneswar, Dec 12 (IANS) The Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) Odisha unit is likely to get a new President in January next year, said the party’s state in-charge, Vijaypal Singh Tomar on Thursday.

“The elections to the booth committees have been completed while the formation of mandal committees will be concluded by December 15. Later, the committees at the district and state levels will be formed. The election for the selection of State President will be held in the first week of January,” Tomar added.

“Ours is a democratic party. A normal party worker can even become the National President,” added Tomar.

The current Odisha BJP Chief Manmohan Samal became President of the state unit of the party in 2023. He took over the charge from former President and senior leader Sameer Mohanty.

Samal as the party President played a crucial role in the stellar performance of BJP in the 2024 general elections.

He successfully steered the party to an impressive victory in the state Assembly and the Lok Sabha elections held earlier this year.

The party for the first time formed a government in Odisha on its own by securing 78 seats in the 147-member Assembly while winning 20 out of 21 Lok Sabha seats under the leadership of Samal.

Following the stellar victory, Manmohan Samal was considered a top contender in the race for the post of Chief Minister but his defeat from the Chandabali Assembly seat went against him.

Meanwhile, the senior BJP leader, while speaking over the speculations regarding the joining of more leaders from the opposition BJD, also added that many BJD senior leaders and MLAs are in contact with the party.

Speaking on the issue, senior BJP leader and Sambalpur MLA Jayanarayan Mishra said that the party will welcome the BJD MLAs and MPs wanting to join the party.

–IANS

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‘Well done Gukesh’: President Murmu, PM Modi, sports icons hail World Chess Champion (Ld)

Mumbai, Dec 12 (IANS) President Droupadi Murmu, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Sports Minister Dr Mansukh Mandaviya and five-time World Champion Viswanathan Anand on Thursday congratulated 18-year-old D Gukesh in becoming the youngest world Chess Champion by beating Ding Liren of China in Singapore.

Gukesh defeated Ding 7.5-6.5 by winning the 14th and last classical game of their World Championship Match, capitalising on a blunder by the Chinese to win a game that looked set for a draw.

He became the 18th World Champion in the history of chess and broke the record held by Garry Kasparov of Russia who was 22 when he first won the title.

President Murmu led the nation in hailing the new World Chess Champion.

“Heartiest congratulations to Gukesh for becoming the youngest player to win the World Chess Championship. He has done India immensely proud. His victory stamps the authority of India as a chess powerhouse.

“Well done Gukesh! On behalf of every Indian, I wish you sustained glory in the future” said the message posted on the official handle of the Rashtrapati Bhavan.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has termed Gukesh’s triumph as ‘historic and exemplary’.

“Historic and exemplary! Congratulations to Gukesh D on his remarkable accomplishment. This is the result of his unparalleled talent, hard work and unwavering determination,” said the PM in his message.

“His triumph has not only etched his name in the annals of chess history but has also inspired millions of young minds to dream big and pursue excellence. My best wishes for his future endeavours. @DGukesh,” wrote Modi on his ‘X’ account.

Viswanathan Anand, who started the Indian chess revolution by winning the World Championship in 2000 by beating Alexei Shirov of Spain in Tehran, also hailed Gukesh for his historic achievement.

“Congratulations! It’s a proud moment for chess, a proud moment for India, a proud moment for WACA, and for me, a very personal moment of pride. Ding played a very exciting match and showed the champion he is. FIDE_chess @WacaChess,” said Anand in his post on X.

Cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar said Gukesh has opened up endless opportunities by winning the title.

“In a game of 64 squares, you’ve opened a world of endless possibilities. Congratulations, @DGukesh, on becoming the 18th World Champion at just 18! Following in Vishy’s footsteps, you’re now guiding the next wave of Indian chess prodigies,” wrote Tendulkar on X.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said Gukesh has made all of India proud.

“Gukesh, you’ve made all of India proud! At just 18, becoming the youngest-ever World Chess Champion is a phenomenal achievement. Your passion and hard work remind us that with determination, anything is possible. Congratulations, champ!,” said the Congress MP on his official handle on X.

“Stunning! At just 18, @DGukesh has made history! What an achievement – the youngest-ever undisputed classical chess world champion, beating the great Ding Liren! This isn’t just a victory – it is a defining moment for India’s chess revolution, where an entire bold generation of champions dares to dream and inspires an entire nation to rise! Congratulations Gukesh!” wrote Gautam Adani, the Adani Group Chairperson, on his ‘X’ account.

Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports, Dr Mansukh Mandaviya said his hard work and dedication have made the entire country proud.

“Chess Prodigy. Extending my warm wishes to @DGukesh for clinching the prestigious World Chess Championship title and becoming the youngest World Champion in the history of #Chess.

“Your hard work & dedication have made the entire nation proud!” said Dr Mandaviya as the entire country rose to cherish Gukesh’s achievement.

–IANS

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Assembly polls: Congress picks Sandeep Dikshit for Kejriwal’s New Delhi seat

New Delhi, Dec 12 (IANS) The Congress party on Thursday released its first list of 21 candidates for the upcoming Delhi Assembly elections.

A major highlight of the list is the candidature of Sandeep Dikshit, son of former Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit, who will contest from the prestigious New Delhi constituency. The seat is currently held by Arvind Kejriwal, the national convenor of AAP and former Delhi Chief Minister. Sandeep Dikshit’s nomination was approved by the Congress’s Central Election Committee (CEC).

The Congress has fielded several prominent leaders for key constituencies. Devender Yadav, the Delhi Pradesh Congress Committee (DPCC) president, will contest from the Badli constituency.

Adarsh Shastri, grandson of former Prime Minister Lal Bahadur Shastri, has been given the ticket for the Dwarka seat. Haroon Yusuf, a senior party leader, will contest from Ballimaran, while Anil Bhardwaj has been named the candidate for Sadar Bazar. Bhardwaj is the chairman of the party’s communication department for the Delhi unit. Congress spokesperson Ragini Nayak has been fielded from Wazirpur.

Another significant name on the list is Abdul Rehman, a former AAP leader who recently joined Congress. He will contest from Seelampur, a seat he has represented as an MLA.

The full list of candidates includes Aruna Kumari (Narela), Mangesh Tyagi (Burari), Shivank Singhal (Adarsh Nagar), Jai Kishan (Sultanpur Majra), Rohit Chaudhary (Nangloi Jat), Praveen Jain (Shalimar Bagh), Mudit Agrawal (Chandni Chowk), PS Bawa (Tilak Nagar), Abhishek Dutt (Kasturba Nagar), Rajinder Tanwar (Chhatarpur), Jay Prakash (Ambedkar Nagar), Garvit Singhvi (Greater Kailash), Anil Kumar (Patparganj), and Ali Mahndi (Mustafabad).

This announcement marks the beginning of Congress’s election campaign as it looks to challenge the AAP and BJP in the crucial Delhi Assembly elections. With a mix of experienced leaders and new faces, the party aims to strengthen its presence across the national capital.

–IANS

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Govt inks Rs 13,500 crore deal for 12 Sukhoi fighter jets with HAL in big boost to self-reliance

New Delhi, Dec 12 (IANS) The Ministry of Defence on Thursday placed a Rs 13,500 crore order to buy 12 Su-30MKI fighter jets with Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) in a major boost to the Aatmanirbhar Bharat initiative of the government.

“The aircraft would have an indigenous content of 62.6 per cent, enhanced due to indigenisation of many components to be manufactured by the Indian defence industry,” according to a Defence Ministry statement.

An official said that these aircraft will be manufactured at Nasik division of HAL. The supply of these aircraft would enhance the operational capability of the Indian Air Force and strengthen the defence preparedness of the country.

The Sukhoi Su-30MKI is a two-seater, twinjet, multirole air superiority fighter developed by Russian manufacturer Sukhoi and built under license by HAL for the Indian Air Force. A variant of the Sukhoi Su-30, the MKI is a heavy, all-weather, long-range fighter.

The announcement comes close on the heels of Defence Minister Rajnath Singh’s visit to Moscow, where he met Russian President Vladimir Putin and other top officials to further strengthen defence ties between the two countries.

In September, the defence ministry signed a Rs 26,000-crore contract with HAL for advanced engines for Su-30MKI planes. These aero engines will be produced by the Koraput division of HAL. The engines will meet the needs of the Indian Air Force to sustain the operational capability of the Su-30 fleet.

The central government’s policy of boosting defence production as part of the drive towards an Aatmanirbhar Bharat is increasingly reflected in the rising order books of the country’s defence equipment manufacturing companies and underlines a positive outlook for the sector ahead.

Public sector giant Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), which caters mainly to the Indian Air Force, is also poised for a bigger leap in technology as India and the U.S. are ready to sign an agreement for the manufacture of advanced GE engines for military planes at HAL’s facilities.

Driven by strategic government policies, India’s defence production has shot up to an unprecedented ₹1.27 lakh crore in FY 2023-24. This represents a massive increase of approximately 174 per cent from ₹46,429 crore in 2014-15, according to official figures.

Historically, India relied heavily on foreign countries for its defence needs, with about 65-70 per cent of defence equipment being imported. However, this landscape has dramatically shifted, with around 65 per cent of defence equipment now manufactured within India.

–IANS

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Krishnamoorthi urges Senate to grill Marco Rubio on anti-Hindu violence in B’desh

Washington, Dec 12 (IANS) Raja Krishnamoorthi, the Indian-descent Hindu member of the House of Representatives, has urged the US Senate to question Marco Rubio about anti-Hindu violence in Bangladesh at his confirmation hearing for the post of secretary of state.

“As targeted violence against Hindus and other minorities continues amid the disorder in Bangladesh, I urge the members of the Senate’s Committee on Foreign Relations to address this crisis directly during the upcoming hearings to confirm Senator Rubio as the next U.S. Secretary of State,” Krishnamoorthi said on Thursday.

He said that through publicly conferring on the turmoil in Bangladesh, Senator Rubio must reaffirm the incoming Administration’s position on this issue and pledge concrete action steps to combat anti-Hindu violence in Bangladesh.

Rubio’s confirmation hearing will take place sometime after January 20, when President-elect Donald Trump will take the oath of office to start his second term.

Rubio is among Trump’s cabinet nominations considered to be the safest given his long years of experience as a member US senator and foreign policy chops as a leading member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. He is likely to be confirmed by his fellow senators, both Republican and Democratic.

Rubio, expectedly, will have a robust position on Bangladesh given the position already taken by his boss, the incoming President, who posted on X, “I strongly condemn the barbaric violence against Hindus, Christians, and other minorities who are getting attacked and looted by mobs in Bangladesh, which remains in a total state of chaos.”

The Hindu-American community has been concerned over reports of anti-Hindu violence in Bangladesh after the fall of the Sheikh Hasina government.

Krishnamoorthi is one of four Hindus in the US House of Representatives, along with Pramila Jayapal, Ro Khanna and Shri Thanedar. Their number will grow when the next Congress is in place with Suhas Subramanyam, who was elected last November from Virginia.

–IANS

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Rajasthan records increase in voter gender ratio, Chhittorgarh leads with 994

Jaipur, Dec 12 (IANS) Rajasthan has made significant strides in promoting women’s participation in democracy by achieving a remarkable seven-point increase in the male-female voter gender ratio within just a few months.

The ratio has improved from 923 in February 2024 to 930 in December 2024, surpassing the target set for the Special Summary Revision (SSR) Program-2025.

This progress reflects the proactive measures taken by the Election Department to address disparities and implement corrective actions.

The ongoing Special Summary Revision (SSR) Programme-2025 has been instrumental in updating and refining voter lists across the state.

As per the data as of December 12, the male-female voter sex ratio now stands at 930 women per 1,000 men, exceeding the SSR-2025 target of 926.

The achievement highlights a significant leap from the previous five-point improvement over four years (918 in 2021 to 923 in 2024) to a seven-point surge in just a few months in 2024.

Karauli District registered an extraordinary 20-point increase in the voter gender ratio since August 2024. Barmer and Bikaner Districts improved by 18 and 14 points, respectively. Among Rajasthan’s 33 districts, 26 have achieved a voter gender ratio above 900, with nine districts crossing 950 while Chittorgarh (994) and Pratapgarh (993) lead the state.

Since the draft voter list publication on August 20, 2024, the total number of voters in Rajasthan has grown by 765,624.

Of this increase, women voters accounted for 452,230, outnumbering the rise in male voters (313,378). Additionally, 16 third-gender voters have been added during this period.

Chief Electoral Officer Naveen Mahajan expressed optimism about further narrowing the male-female voter gap by the final publication of voter lists on January 6, 2025.

This improvement reflects the collaborative efforts of the Chief Electoral Officer, District Collectors, and field officials. With continued dedication, Rajasthan is setting an example of empowering women through greater electoral participation, thereby strengthening democracy at its core.

–IANS

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Over 2.2 crore women-owned MSMEs registered under govt scheme in last 4 years: Minister

New Delhi, Dec 12 (IANS) As many as 2.21 crore women-owned MSMEs have registered on Udyam Registration Portal (URP) and Udyam Assist Platform (UAP) between July 1, 2020 and November 30, 2024 in the country, the Lok Sabha was informed on Thursday.

Union Minister of State for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises Shobha Karandlaje said in a written reply that the Government has taken a number of initiatives to increase the participation of women in MSMEs in the country.

These include special drives for registration of women-owned MSMEs. The government also amended the Public Procurement Policy in 2018 to benefit women.

The new policy makes it mandatory for Central Ministries/Departments/ and public sector undertaking to buy at least 3 per cent of their annual procurement from women entrepreneurs.

To support Women Entrepreneurs under Credit Guarantee Scheme for Micro and Small Enterprises (MSEs), 10 per cent concession is given in annual Guarantee fees; 90 per cent Guarantee coverage is given to women-owned MSEs, as against the 75 per cent for other entrepreneurs, the minister said.

The Ministry of MSME also implements the Prime Minister Employment Generation Programme, which is a major credit-linked subsidy programme aimed at generating self-employment opportunities through establishment of micro-enterprises in the non-farm sector by helping traditional artisans and rural/urban unemployed youth.

Under the Scheme, the subsidy rate for general category beneficiaries is 15 per cent in urban areas and 25 per cent in rural areas.

For special category beneficiaries, including SC/ST/OBC/Minorities, Women, Ex-servicemen, Physically Handicapped, and those in NER, Hill, and Border areas, the subsidy is 25 per cent in urban areas and 35 per cent in rural areas.

Besides, participation of women entrepreneurs in trade fairs under Procurement and Marketing Support Scheme is subsidised 100 per cent vis-a-vis 80 per cent for other entrepreneurs, the minister stated.

In addition, to encourage entrepreneurship among women, the Ministry of MSME implements ‘Skill Upgradation and Mahila Coir Yojana’ under Coir Vikas Yojana, which is an exclusive training programme aimed at skill development of women artisans engaged in the coir sector, she added.

–IANS

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Ghana sets up transition team to ensure smooth power transfer

Aaccra, Dec 12 (IANS) Ghana has inaugurated a joint transition team comprising representatives of the outgoing government and incoming administration to facilitate the smooth power transfer.

Ghanaian President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo and President-elect John Dramani Mahama inaugurated the team at a ceremony in the national capital of Accra, vowing their commitment to the transition process.

“As we embark on this transitional process, members of the transition team from both sides should approach this task with the spirit of collaboration, transparency, and mutual respect,” Akufo-Addo urged during the team’s inauguration.

For his part, Mahama urged team members to let the spirit of nationalism guide them in their work as they prioritize national unity and the greater good of Ghana, pledging his full cooperation with Akufo-Addo during and beyond the transitional period.

The joint transition team will supervise the handing over of government operations and executive authority, Xinhua news agency reported.

On Wednesday, Mahama paid a courtesy call on Akufo-Addo at the presidency, during which the two leaders acknowledged each other’s roles in the development of democracy in Ghana.

Ghanaians cast their ballots on December 7 to elect a new president and 276 members of parliament.

Mahama, who leads the opposition National Democratic Congress, secured 56.55 per cent of the total valid votes and has been announced as the winner of the presidential race.

A statement released on December 10 from the presidency announced that Akufo-Addo had called Mahama, leader of the opposition National Democratic Congress, to congratulate him on his victory.

“President Akufo-Addo expressed his commitment to ensuring a seamless transfer of power on January 7, 2025, and looks forward to working with the president-elect and his team to achieve this goal,” read the statement.

The Ghanaian incumbent president also commended the EC and the Ghanaian people for conducting a successful election, which he said reflects the enduring strength of the country’s democracy.

Akufo-Addo urged Ghanaians to unite and work together to strengthen democracy and uphold the rule of law in the country.

–IANS

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