MADURAI l Tuesday l October 08, 2024 l `9.00 l PAGES 14 l LATE CITY EDITION U.S. scientists win nobel medicine prize for discovery of microRNA Victor Ambros and Gary Ruvkun discovered microRNA, the tiny pieces of genetic material that alter how genes work at the cellular level Victor Ambros Gary Ruvkun A new principle of gene regulation: jury Promising weapon in fight against cancer Though each cell in our body has the same set of instructions, called DNA, some turn into brain cells, while others become muscles. That’s because microRNAs regulate genes at cellular level, acting as a switch that turns genes off or on. “Their groundbreaking discovery revealed a new principle of gene regulation essential for multicellular organisms,” the jury said ■ ■ Ambros and Ruvkun discovered microRNAs during their study on two mutant strains of worms. The results of the study was published in 1993 As microRNAs help us control the behaviour of genes, they could help in treating various diseases. In cancer patients, they can be used to cause the mutated gene in the cancer cells to stop its activities | P11 Dec 10 when nobel laureates are invited to receive their awards CHENNAI ■ MADURAI ■ VIJAYAWADA ■ BENGALURU ■ KOCHI ■ HYDERABAD ■ VISAKHAPATNAM ■ COIMBATORE ■ KOZHIKODE ■ THIRUVANANTHAPURAM ■ BELAGAVI ■ BHUBANESWAR ■ SHIVAMOgGA ■ MANGALURU ■ TIRUPATI ■ TIRUCHY ■ TIRUNELVELI ■ SAMBALPUR ■ HUBBALLI ■ DHARMAPURI ■ KOTTAYAM ■ KANNUR ■ VILLUPURAM ■ KOLLAM ■ TADEPALLIGUDEM ■ NAGAPATTINAM ■ THRISSUR ■ KALABURAGI India extends $400 mn assistance to Maldives, signs a slew of pacts `3,000 cr currency swap deal to address forex shortage; RuPay card launched in Malé Y e s h i S e l i @ New Delhi iNDIA on Monday took a major step in healing the strained ties with the Maldives by enhancing its development assistance to the cash-strapped nation and signing a slew of pacts, including a `3,000 crore currency swap agreement. After the bilateral talks with the visiting Maldivian President Mohamed Muizzu, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced a $400 million support to the island nation to overcome its financial challenges. Announcing the details, the Reserve Bank of India said it has entered into a currency swap agreement with the Maldives Monetary Authority (MMA) under the SAARC Currency Swap Framework 202427. Under the pact, the MMA is eligible for financing support from the RBI amounting to $400 million under the US Dollar/ Euro Swap Window and `3,000 crore under the INR Swap Win- All Tasmacs to have QR code billing from November S G U R U V A N MIKA N ATHA N @ Chennai The Tamil Nadu State Marketing Corporation (Tasmac) will introduce a QR code-based billing system in its all 4,829 retail shops across the state in November to enhance transparency in liquor sales and prevent malpractices. The new billing system was piloted in seven retail outlets each in Arakkonam and Ramanathapuram towns a few weeks ago to test its efficacy . A senior Tasmac official told TNIE, “We are providing bills to all customers by scanning QR codes in these 14 shops. However, we are facing challenges, including crowd management, billing and scanning delays, and staff shortage. Stocktaking work has also been slow in these outlets.” He also said, “Tasmac sells over 200 brands of liquor and beer. The QR-code system is applicable for all these brands. But given the rush during the Deepavali festival, it is not possible to launch the system in all outlets immediately Hence, we . plan to start implementing the system in the whole of Ranipet and Ramanathapuram districts by next week.” To address the challenges in implementing the system, a technical team from Railtel Corporation of India, which is handling the project, has been deployed in the 14 pilot shops to assist Tasmac employees in the billing process. Railtel has also trained district managers on the new billing software and QR-code methods to ensure smoother implementation and reduce malpractices.  P7 Centre Mulls review plea in Safari REtreats case Govt may move Supreme Court seeking a review of its recent verdict allowing commercial real estate firms to claim input tax credit on construction costs for their rental buildings | P12 PM Narendra Modi and Maldives President Mohamed Muizzu virtually inaugurate the new runway at the Hanimaadhoo Int’l Airport, at Hyderabad House in New Delhi | pti dow. The agreement would be valid till June 18, 2027. The SAARC currency swap framework is designed to offer short-term foreign exchange liquidity to member countries experiencing balance of payments stress or foreign exchange shortages. It serves as a temporary solution until more permanent financing arrangements can be made. The bilateral meet saw the signing of several agreements, including the launch of RuPay card in Maldives and enhancing the relationship between the two nations to a Comprehensive Economic and Maritime Security Partnership. Modi and Muizzu virtually inaugurated the new runway at the Hanimadhoo International airport and witnessed a live transaction using a RuPay payment service card in the Maldives. The airport’s redevelopment under Indian Line of Credit of $132 million aims to provide complete new infrastructure including ATC tower, hangar, cargo facilities, and passenger terminal building. The two leaders agreed to bolster bilateral ties that had hit a rocky patch last year after some Maldivian ministers tried to fan anti-India sentiments. Stressing India’s historic relations with the Maldives, Modi said New Delhi has supported Malé in times of crisis. “India has always been the first responder for Maldives whether it was essential commodities or vaccines,” he added. Muizzu thanked India for the assistance. “We hope to welcome more Indian tourists to Maldives,” he said. Air show deaths: CM gives `5L aid, health min calls them heat-related E X P RESS N E W S SER V I C E @ Chennai Expressing deep anguish over the death of five people who attended the Indian Air Force (IAF) air show at the Marina beach on Sunday, Chief Minister MK Stalin on Monday announced a solatium of `5 lakh each to the grieving families. In a statement, the CM said the state government extended full administrative support to the IAF and made arrangements beyond what was requested by the IAF. Police department, fire and rescue services, Chennai Corporation, and the health department together made arrangements to host an excellent event for the people. However, since there was an unexpected huge turnout, people faced difficulties in reaching their vehicles and getting access to public transport, he said. The CM assured that in future, while organising such events, more attention will be paid to arrangements. “I was pained to know that five priceless lives were lost due to the scorching sun and medical reasons. My deepest condolence to the family members and their relatives,” the CM said. Earlier on Monday, Health DMK’s Dalit panchayat chief resigns over caste bias E X P RESS N E W S SER V I C E @ Tirunelveli Siddu plays the caste census card, sets Oct 18 for cabinet discussion Parties brace for J&K, Security personnel stand outside a counting centre in Jammu, a day before the counting of votes for Jammu & Kashmir Assembly polls on Monday | Pti e xp r e s s n e w s s e r v i c e @ Bengaluru Amid the growing demand from leaders of Backward Classes (BC) to implement the socioeconomic and educational survey report, popularly known as caste census, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Monday said a decision on implementing it will be taken after a discussion at the cabinet meeting on October 18. However, Union Minister for Steel and Heavy Industries Kumaraswamy said the Congress is talking about the caste census report to divert attention from the Mysuru Urban Development Authority sites allotment case against Siddaramaiah. He dared the Congress to dissolve the Assembly and go for elections with the caste census issue. After a meeting with ministers, legislators and leaders from Backward Classes, Siddaramaiah said Karnataka was the first state in the country to conduct such a survey during his first tenure as chief minister from 2013 to 2018. The survey report was submitted to the state government in February Siddaramai. ah said legislators and leaders from BC communities have urged him to implement the recommendations of the report. However, sources said even after cabinet discussion, a cabinet sub-committee is likely to be formed to look into the report and give its recommendations. Siddaramaiah said during his first tenure, the H Kantharaj Commission conducted a detailed survey, but its report was not ready then. It was completed when H D Kumaraswamy was chief minister, but he refused to accept it. Later, the BJP government too did not accept the report. express read Samsung to pay `5K spl monthly incentive to staff Chennai: Samsung signed a deal with the workmen committee of its Chennai plant promising several measures, including special monthly incentive of `5,000. Protesting workers are not part of the deal, said CITU | P4 Minister slams governor for comments on drugs Haunting memories Rotem gets a hug from her husband Yoav after a commemoration marking one year since the Hamas attacks, at the Coral Temple Synagogue in Bucharest, Romania on Monday | AP Chennai: Law Minister S Regupathy slammed Governor RN Ravi for claiming that TN has failed to control synthetic drugs and said the governor had delayed nod for drug-related cases against former AIADMK ministers. Minister Ma Subramanian, who spoke to reporters, said that the five deaths were due to heat-related issues and not overcrowding. He said the incident should not be politicised and denied claims that the government downplayed the fatalities. Asking reporters not to sensationalise the issue for increasing their TRP ratings (of TV channels), he said, “We provided all the facilities requested by the IAF. The Chief Secretary conducted two meetings with all the service departments.”  P7 Haryana verdict today P r e e t h a N a i r @ New Delhi With the counting of votes for Haryana and J&K assembly elections on Tuesday the , results would hold significance for all major players, coming as they do three months after the Modi government assumed office for the third consecutive term. While Haryana witnessed the first direct contest between the BJP and the Congress after the Lok Sabha polls, the mood is upbeat in the grand old party as most of the exit polls predicted its smooth win. If the exit poll results are validated in Haryana, it will be a shot in the arm for the Congress and the INDIA bloc in the upcoming Maharashtra and Jharkhand elections. The party is hoping to keep up the momentum of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, where a resurgent Opposition INDIA bloc reduced the ruling BJP to 240 seats. For the Congress, victory in Haryana would indicate a strong support from the farmers and the Dalit community, which constitutes 20% of the state’s population. However, a tussle for the chief minister’s post can mar the glory of a Congress victory with former CM Bhupender Singh Hooda and his bete noire Kumari Selja vying for the top post. Despite the exit poll results, the ruling BJP is confident of retaining power for a third term. Apart from the BJP and the Congress, the Aam Aadmi Party, INLDBSP and JJP-Azad Samaj Party are also in the fray . In the keenly watched J&K polls, some pollsters have given an edge to the Congress-National Conference alliance while others predicted a hung assembly These polls are the . first since the abrogation of Article 370. While the BJP is hoping to form the government in ‘Naya Kashmir’ with the help of Independents, the Congress-NC alliance has also begun backchannel talks with other parties. J&K saw the entry of a large number of Independents and smaller parties like the People’s Conference, Apni Party and Awami Ittehad Party (AIP). The PDP, which severed its ties with the BJP in 2018, is hoping to emerge as a kingmaker. On Monday, NC president Farooq Abdullah said he will “accept PDP’s support from the core of his heart”. DMK’s Pappakudi panchayat union chairperson Poongothai Sasikumar, who belongs to Scheduled Caste community, has recently submitted her resignation to Tirunelveli Collector Dr K P Karthikeyan and DMK leaders, citing caste-based discrimination by the vicechairperson of the panchayat who belongs to the MBC community . The woman had offered to quit her post two years ago and submitted her resignation to the then collector V Vishnu over caste discrimination, but was persuaded by the party leadership to continue. Now the issue seems to have reached a point of no return. When contacted by TNIE on Monday, Karthikeyan confirmed receiving the resignation letter from the chairperson and said, “There are allegations of ongoing tussle between the chairperson and her husband and the vice-chairperson. A detailed inquiry is under way. Only after the inquiry is completed, a decision can be taken on her resignation.” When TNIE tried to contact Poongothai, her husband Sasikumar answered the call and stated that she is depressed and not in a position to talk to anyone. “The vice-chairperson of the panchayat and DMK union secretary Marivannamuthu treated Poongothai shabbily because of her caste. She was not even provided with a proper chair and table to work in the office. Recently one of his sup, porters sat in her chair, took a selfie, and shared it on social media, claiming to be the chairperson. We have raised the issue with our party president MK Stalin, DMK MP Kanimozhi, and party joint organising secretary Anbagam Kalai,” he said.  continued on: p7 checkmate Global conflicts take the moolah out of the Amritsar chess industry H a r p r e e t B a j w a @ Chandigarh A bustling industry of chess kits with an international clientele is struggling due to global uncertainty following the Israel and Ukraine wars. Before the wars broke, chess kit manufacturers in Amritsar sold goods worth about `20 crore, of which 75% was exported. Export orders are now down by 70-80%. Wooden chess kits are among the sought-after gift items during Christmas and New Year, yet there is little demand as of now. “Though winter is our busiest season, most of us hardly have any orders,’’ rues Rishi Sharma, a third generation manufacturer, who says his business took a 40% hit last year. He proudly claims he made a chess set for English business magnate Richard Branson in 2021. Amritsar has a small but specialised industry of about 35 medium and small chess manufactures. They employ around 500 highly skilled artisans plus another 1,000 semi-skilled workers to make the wooden pieces and sets. It’s a craft that has been passed from generation to generation. The artisans take great pride in their artistry as they use simple implements to carve the exquisite pieces. For example, the carving of a knight itself takes 5-7 days. The cost of their chess kits range between `5,000 and `25,000 depending on the quality, design, material and craftsmanship. “We were exporting to the US, Canada, the UK, Europe, Australia, Ukraine, Iran and Israel. But with inflation rising Ivory to Red sandalwood to Sheesham Before Independence, chess pieces were carved out of ivory. When ivory was banned, it was replaced with red sandalwood. When that too was prohibited, manufacturers shifted to sheesham. Now that sheesham is on the restricted list, chess pieces are made from Kikkar as well due to global uncertainty, our industry has been affected,’’ says Sharma. The cost of raw material and labour, too, have gone through the roof. Then there is the issue of obtaining a ‘Vriksh Certificate’ from the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES). The certification process started in 2018 takes 15-30 days to get as every minute detail of each sheesham tree from where wood for the chess pieces are sourced are to be recorded and shared. “Due to these stringent rules restricting the sale of sheesham, the market share of wooden chess sets has declined sharply says Sharma. ,’’ Surjit Singh Ahuja, another Amritsar-based exporter, says, “when a Netflix web series, The Queen’s Gambit released in the UK in 2020, it was a worldwide hit and our sales went up manifold. The bounce continued till December 2022 before it tapered down.’’