ZELENSKYY BERATES PUTIN OVER ‘INHUMANE’ ATTACK ON CHRISTMAS THURSDAY 26 Russia targeted Ukraine’s power infrastructure with more than 180 missiles and drones in a massive Christmas Day attack on Wednesday DECEMBER, 2024 RUSSIA LAUNCHED 78 MISSILES, 106 DRONES: KYIV epaper.morningstandard.in facebook.com/TheMorningStandard X.com/TheMornStandard VIETNAM 5 lakh SWEEPING NEW INTERNET LAW New Vietnamese internet rules requiring Facebook and TikTok to verify user identities and hand over data to authorities came into force on Wednesday. ONE POWER PLANT WORKER KILLED IN DONETSK ■ A CAPITAL VIEW OF NEWS PAGE 9 Taliban vow to hit back after Pak air strikes kill 46 in Af AGENCIES AFGHAN Taliban on Wednesday said 46 people were killed in Pakistani airstrikes in Barmal in eastern Afghanistan and vowed to retaliate. Pakistan carried out rare airstrikes inside Afghanistan on Tuesday, which Islamabad said targeted members of the Pakistani Taliban. Pakistani security officials said the strikes were on “terrorist hideouts” and at least 20 terrorists of the Pakistani Taliban, known as Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), were killed. But the Afghan Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid claimed most of the dead were children and women. Afghanistan’s Foreign Ministry summoned the Pakistani envoy and lodged a protest. The Afghan Defence Ministry vowed to retaliate, saying, “The Islamic Emirate will not leave this cowardly act unanswered.” The strikes come after the TTP claimed a raid on a Pakistan army outpost that killed 16 soldiers. A Pakistani official said the attack was “a significant trigger” for Tuesday’s strikes, which also come amid a rise in the number of TTP attacks in Pakistan, especially in its Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan provinces. REJIG ARUNISH CHAWLA REVENUE SECRETARY Arunish Chawla has been appointed the revenue secretary as part of a top-level bureaucratic reshuffle effected by the Centre on Wednesday. Chawla is 1992-batch IAS officer of Bihar cadre. | P7  NEW DELHI RUSSIA-BOUND JET CHANGED PATH BEFORE CRASH 29 SURVIVE; 16 RUSSIANS AMONG 67 ON BOARD 38 KILLED IN KAZAKH JETLINER CRASH The wreckage of Azerbaijan Airlines Embraer 190 lays on the ground near Aktau airport | AP Flight-tracking service FlightRadar24 said in an online post that the airAT least 38 people were killed after a craft had faced ‘strong GPS jamming’ passenger jet flying from Azerbaijan to which ‘made the aircraft transmit bad Russia crashed near the city of Aktau ADS-B data’, referring to the informain Kazakhstan on Wednesday, accord- tion that allows flight-tracking webing to Kazakhstan officials. There were sites to follow planes in flight. Russia 67 people on board, including five crew has been blamed in the past for jammembers. Both pilots of the flight were ming GPS signals in the region. also reportedly killed in Reuters reported that the accident. A total of 29 the crash came shortly af‘BAD WEATHER’ survivors, including two ter drone strikes hit southAzerbaijani President c h i l d r e n , h ave b e e n ern Russian areas not far Ilham Aliyev said that it from Azerbaijan and Kazhospitalised. was too soon to The plane was originally kahstan and the nearest speculate on the reasons Russian airport on the scheduled to travel from for the crash. “The the Azerbaijani capital of plane’s flight path was Baku to the Russian city information provided to closed on Wednesday me is that the plane of Grozny in the North morning. FlightRadar24 Caucasus. According to changed its course due to data showed the aircraft worsening weather Azerbaijan Airlines, the making what appeared to conditions and headed Embraer 190 aircraft made be a figure-eight once nearan emergency landing to Aktau airport, where it ing the airport in Aktau, crashed on landing” 3 km from Aktau. Reports its altitude moving up and Aliyev said at a news said the pilot may have down substantially in the conference. chosen to divert to Aktau last minutes. after a bird strike on the Footage circulating onaircraft led to ‘an emergency situation line appeared to show the aircraft makon board’. ing a steep descent before smashing The airline said 42 passengers were into the ground in a fireball. Other footAzerbaijani citizens, 16 Russian nation- age showed part of its fuselage ripped als, six Kazakhstani, and three Kyr- away from the wings and the rest of the gyzstani citizens. aircraft, lying upside in the grass. AGENCIES Netas rush as farm leader’s fast enters day 30 OVER 500 FARMERS HURT IN CLASHES WITH POLICE The ongoing farmers’ protest 2.0, which demands legal gurantee to MSP for all crops and loan waivers, has already claimed 34 lives since February 13, including that of 22-yearold Shubhkaran Singh. Also, more than 500 farmers sustained injuries in clashes with the Haryana Police while attempting to reach Delhi. DALLEWAL’S KETONE LEVELS 25X HIGH The ketone level in farmer leader on fast-unto-death Jagjit Singh Dallewal’s body is 25 times higher than normal, said doctors. The 70-year-old has lost 15 kg in weight, and the possibility of sudden cardiac arrest or multiple organ failure can’t be ruled out, they said. The test for his previously diagnosed prostate cancer has been reported abnormal. PEOPLE ARE WITHOUT POWER IN KHARKIV REGION AFTER RUSSIAN STRIKES H A R P R E E T BA J WA @ Chandigarh THE AAP government in Punjab finally woke up to the seriousness of the fast-unto-death by farmers’ leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal, requesting him to give his 30-day-old fast and telling him his demands are genuine. A delegation of nearly the entire Punjab cabinet, led by AAP president and minister Saman Arora, blamed the Centre’s “negligence and broken promises” for the current imbroglio. The leaders visited Khanauri border on Wednesday evening and said that the AAP government was open to calling an all-party meeting to address the issues. In the same breath, however, they threw the ball in the Centre’s court, saying that the matter related to the Union government. Dallewals’ fast has reached the 30th day and the ongoing farmers’ strike has already claimed 34 lives with injuries to over 500 farmers in clashes with Haryana Police since February 13. The doctors attending on Dallewal told the delegation that his ketone levels were 25 times higher than normal. He lost nearly 15 kg in weight, and the possibility of sudden cardiac arrest or multiple organ failure cannot be ruled out, they cautioned. The test for his previously diagnosed prostate cancer has been reported abnormal. Expressing concern over his deteriorating health, the AAP leaders urged him to accept sustenance through medical treatment. “Dallewal is the driving force of this movement. His struggle is valid, and we stand with him in solidarity. However, we have urged him to at least seek medical treatment if he wishes to continue his hunger strike,” Arora said. He criticised the Centre for failing to fulfill its promises to the farmers. “The Central government’s negligence and broken promises have forced farmers to take such extreme measures.”  J8.00  PAGES 12 ■ This is the 13th large-scale strike on Ukraine’s energy system this year. Ukraine’s biggest private energy company said Russia struck one of their thermal power plants in Donetsk Ukraine said one of the missiles fired by Russia passed through the airspaces of Moldova and NATO member Romania | P9 Canadian colleges under ED scanner for trafficking MODI SWIPE ‘Cong ignored contributions of Ambedkar’ M U K E S H R A N J A N @ New Delhi E X P R E S S N E W S S E R V I C E @ Bhopal AMID the Congress’ protests against Union home minister Amit Shah’s remarks on B R Ambedkar, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday sought to turn the tables on the grand old party accusing it of denying Baba Saheb credit for his contribution to the development of water resources in the country . “Baba Saheb was the first to understand the importance of river... He was a visionary... contributing to creation of dams,” Modi said while addressing a gathering in Khajuraho, after laying the foundation of the Ken Betwa river linking project. Without naming India’s first prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru, Modi said: “Out of intoxication of giving credit to just one individual the Congress never gave credit to Baba Saheb for his water conservation efforts and visionary thinking that led to creation of big dams.” Referring to the development projects carried out by the government of late Atal Bihari Vajpayee, who envisioned the national riverlinking initiative in 2002, Modi said Vajpayee was a teacher for many Modi also released a . commemorative postal stamp and coin to mark Vajpayee’s birth centenary . Noting that the Ken-Betwa project will open gateways of prosperity and development for the Bundelkhand region of Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh, Modi alleged Vajpayee’s efforts to address water related challenges were side-lined after 2004 by the Congress. PM Narendra Modi during foundation stone-laying ceremony of Ken-Betwa River Linking Project, in Khajuraho on Wednesday | PTI It was Dr Ambedkar’s vision which guided the major river valley projects in the country and the Central Water Commission was established due to his efforts Prime Minister Narendra Modi Project poses threat to tiger reserve: Cong New Delhi: The Congress on Wednesday said the KenBetwa river linking project poses a serious threat to the biodiversity-rich Panna Tiger Reserve in Madhya Pradesh. In a social media post, Congress leader Jairam Ramesh said the project will submerge the core area of tiger reserve, destroy vulture habitats, and a large number of felling of trees MT Vasudevan Nair, the renowned Malayalam writer known for his lyrical nostalgia, passed away on Wednesday at the age of 91 in Kozhikode. He breathed his last at Baby Memorial Hospital, where he had been receiving treatment for the past 11 days after suffering a heart attack. While his condition showed signs of improvement on Tuesday as he was removed from ventilator support, it deteriorated rapidly on Wednesday night. MT, as he was popularly and affectionately known, left an indelible mark on Malayalam literature and cinema, with con- tributions spanning novels, short stories, screenplays, children’s literature, travel writing, and essays. He directed six films, including Nirmalyam (1973), a classic in Malayalam cinema, along with two documentaries. This after foraying into the film industry with the script for the movie Murappennu (1965), which was an adaptation of his own story Snehathinte Mukhangal. MT went on to write 44 other screenplays. Who can forget the iconoclastic scene of an oracle spitting on the face of a goddess-idol in Nirmalyam, his directorial debut? In an age of increasing intolerance, such display of crea- I F R A H M U F T I @ New Delhi The notices issued on Wednesday in newspapers are false. BJP has put pressure on the officers and issued a false notice because they were shocked by public’s response. Strict action will be taken against these officers Atishi, CM Chief Minister Atishi warned two officers on Wednesday of strict administrative action for releasing public notices disowning the registration process begun by her predecessor, Arvind Kejriwal, for two welfare schemes. The officers in question are a joint director of the Woman and Child Development Department and the special secretary of the Health and Family Welfare Department. The public notices by the officers published in newspapers on Wednesday called “fraudulent” the Mukhyamantri Mahila Samman Yojana, aiming to give `2,100 to non-tax paying women, and Sanjeevani Yojana, for providing free treatment to those above 60 in government and private hospitals. Atishi said, “The notices issued today in newspapers are completely false. The BJP has put pressure on them and issued a false public notice because they were shocked by the public’s response. Strict administrative action will be taken against these officers.” The row began when the two departments issued public notices in Hindi and English newspapers. This situation once again highlighted the relationship between the bureaucracy and the elected government. After an amendment Protest held in Patna over exam paper leak Chaos erupted during a protest in Patna on Wednesday over the alleged leak of a question paper of the December 13 combined preliminary exam conducted by Bihar PSC, prompting police to baton charge job aspirants. Job seekers claimed that several protesters were injured, but a senior officer denied the charge. SPIRIT OF THE DAY Devotees during Christmas celebrations at Sacred Heart Cathedral in New Delhi, Wednesday | PARVEEN NEGI Early days tive valour half a century ago provided a telling narrative of what Kerala once was. “Can’t even imagine such a film being made today!” was to the GNCTD Act, the services department comes under the control of L-G V K Saxena. Kejriwal, also present at the press meet, stated the positive response to AAP’s schemes had unnerved BJP Alleging he had . got info of a meeting between ED, CBI, and I-T officials, he said, “Orders were given from higher-ups to fabricate a false case and arrest Atishi.” Kejriwal said: “I am making a very serious allegation with full responsibility: these agencies have been directed from above to frame Atishi in some fabricated case and arrest her. They have also been instructed to conduct raids on all senior leaders of AAP in the coming days.” EXPRESS READ how noted filmmaker Adoor Gopalakrishnan put it. MT VASUDEVAN NAIR 15 JULY 1933- 25 DEC 2024 THE Enforcement Directorate (ED) is probing the alleged role of some Canadian colleges as well as Indian entities in a money laundering case linked to the trafficking of Indians into the US through the Canada border, officials said. The ED took up the probe after a four-member Indian family hailing from Gujarat froze to death while trying to cross the Canada-US border in January 2022. The ED case is based on an FIR by Ahmedabad Police against main accused Bhavesh Ashokbhai Patel and others, who allegedly arranged student visas for those willing to enter the US illegally . A senior ED official said the racket charged `55-60 lakh per person. The ED conducted searches in Mumbai, Nagpur, Gandhinagar, and Vadodara. It found an entity based in Mumbai and another in Nagpur were offering admission for Indians in foreign universities on a commission basis. The ED said about 25,000 students are being referred by one entity and 10,000 students by the other to various colleges outside India every year. 2 babus ‘disown’ Kejriwal sops, CM peeved MT Vasudevan Nair: Champion of social outcasts & humane characters A N I L S @ T’Puram “Putin deliberately chose Christmas to attack. What could be more inhumane?” Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said. As many as 78 air, ground, and sea-launched missiles, 106 Shaheds and other types of drones were used in the strikes that targeted multiple cities, Ukraine’s air force said. It claimed to have intercepted 59 missiles and 54 drones Madath Thekkepaattu Vasudevan Nair was born on July 15 in 1933 in Kudallur, a small village in Palakkad district. His father, Madathil Narayanan Nair, was based in Ceylon, and this made him draw closer to his mother, Ammalu Amma. He completed his schooling from Malamakkavu Elementary School and Kumaranalloor High School. In 1953, he obtained a degree in chemistry from Victoria College, Palakkad. He taught at Pattambi Board High School and Chavakkad Board High School and also worked in MB Tutorial College, Palakkad. He even worked as a gram sevak. In 1957, he joined Mathrubhumi weekly as a journalist. After more than 38 years in journalism, he retired as the editor of Mathrubhumi periodicals in 1997. MT always rued the fact that he was unable to become a lecturer due to inadequate qualifications. He believed that would have allowed him more time for his literary pursuits. Wielding the pen MT started writing during his school days. He used to write for Jayakeralam magazine. In 1952, during his college days, his first book Raktham Puranda Mantharikal was published. During his final year in college, he shot to fame when he won the prize for the best short story in Malayalam at the World Short Story Competition conducted by The New York Herald Tribune, The Hindustan Times and Mathrubhumi for his story Valarthu Mrigangal. His novel Nalukettu bagged the Kerala Sahitya Academy Award in 1958. His novels Nalukettu, Asuravithu and Kaalam are brilliant depictions of the matriarchal families prevalent once upon a time in a Kerala with its deteriorating feudal structures and values. CONTINUED ON PAGE 5 C’garh govt cancels constable recruitment The Chhattisgarh government on Wednesday cancelled the process for recruitment of police constables in Rajnandgaon district amid allegations of irregularities, and set up a Special Investigation Team to investigate the matter, reports said. State Deputy Chief Minister Vijay Sharma gave an order to this effect on Wednesday afternoon. Wife collapses, dies at man’s retirement party A 50-year-old woman attending the retirement function of her husband in Kota collapsed and died. Devendra Sandal was taking VRS to take care of his wife, who had heart-related issues, family said. Deepika died at his office at Central Warehouse in Kota on Tuesday. A video of the incident surfaced online on Wednesday.