thrissur l thursday l November 21, 2024 l `9.00 l PAGES 12 l city EDITION U.S. to let Ukraine use land mines against advancing Russian forces President Joe Biden will allow Ukraine to use US-supplied anti-personnel landmines to help it slow down Russia’s battlefield progress They pose less risk to civilians: Austin U.S. embassy shut amid Russian attack fear US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin said the US will supply non-persistent landmines that become unable to detonate over time. “We can control when they would self-activate... and that makes them far more safer eventually,” he said. Anti-personnel land mines have long been criticised because they present a lingering threat to civilians ■ ■ The latest policy shift comes days after Biden allowed Ukraine to use US-supplied long-range missiles to strike inside Russia The US Embassy in Kyiv shut its doors on Wednesday after receiving a warning of a significant Russian attack on the city in response to Biden’s decision on Ukraine’s use of long-range missiles | p9 1.74L sq km of Ukrainian land is infested with landmines as per an estimate 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 Brisk polling in Jharkhand, Maha tepid As the high stakes Assembly polls in Maharashtra and Jharkhand came to a close on Wednesday, several pollsters gave the BJP-led alliance a clear edge in Maharashtra and a close fight in Jharkhand. An aggregate of exit polls projected that the ruling NDA may retain power in Maharashtra while four of the eight pollsters projected an NDA win in Jharkhand. Counting of votes will take place on November 23 Saturday for the single-phase Maharashtra election held on Wednesday and the two-phase voting in Jharkhand held on November 13 and 20. While the Matrize exit poll gave 150-170 seats for the BJP-led Mahayuti alliance in Maharashtra with a 48% vote share, it gave the MVA allies only 110-130 seats with a vote share of 42%. The pollster gave others 8 to 10 seats, with a vote share of 10%. In the 288-member Maharashtra Assembly, the BJP is contesting in 149 seats, Eknath Shinde’s Shiv Sena 81 and Ajit Pawar’s Nationalist Congress party 59. To retain power, the Mahayuti will need 145 seats to reach the majority mark. The First full draft on climate finance today S V Krishna Chaitanya EXPRESS IN BAKU W ith the clock ticking at COP29 in Azerbaijan, negotiators remain locked in intense discussions over the New Collective Quantified Goal (NCQG) on climate finance, struggling to resolve disputes over the scale and structure of support needed to aid vulnerable nations in their fight against climate change. Developing countries are demanding $1.3 trillion annually to address loss and damage, adapt to climate impacts, and transition to clean energy systems. However, developed nations have so far offered proposals falling significantly short of this figure. The host presidency has promised to release the first full draft text on Thursday morning, but immediately clarified that it was not the final text but aiming to provide a starting point for resolution. Lead negotiator Yelchin Rafiyev expressed cautious optimism, describing the draft as a “clear step forward,” though substantial decisions remain unresolved. “There are still issues where all parties need to keep working to find a common ground and deliver a balanced outcome. I want to clarify that this text is not final. Based on the inputs from the parties, there would be elements in the final text which are not there in the draft,” he said and added that decisions taken in Baku will be essential to guide us from the first to the second decade of the Paris Agreement.  Continued on: P9 exit poll conducted by People’s Pulse gave Mahayuti 175-195 seats; it showed that MVA will secure only 85-112 seats and 7-12 to others in Maharashtra. In the MVA alliance, the Congress has contested in 101 seats, Uddhav Thackarey’s Shiv Sena (UBT) 95 and Sharad Pawar’s NCP 86 seats. The high-pitched campaign in the state has seen the opposition and the ruling BJP locking horns over the latter’s slogans batenge to katenge and ek hai toh safe hai on religious lines. While the ruling Mahayuti centred its campaign around its flagship schemes for women, the MVA focused Polls 2024 on the government’s failure to address farmer’s distress, inflation, and reservation among others. In Jharkhand, Matrize predicted 42-47 seats for the NDA and 25-30 seats for the CongressJMM alliance. It gave 0-4 seats to others. Axis MyIndia and Electoral Edge predicted victory for the INDIA bloc. Dainik Bhaskar and P Marq have predicted a hung House. Jharkhand has seen highly polarised election campaigns with the BJP attacking the Hemant Soren government for the alleged illegal immigration from Bangladesh. E x p r e s s N e w s Se r v i c e No exit poll sees MVA win in Maharashtra Pollsters predict Maha advantage to ruling alliance PR E E THA N AIR @ New Delhi Decline in Palakkad turnout; 3 major fronts brim with confidence E x p r e s s ne w s s e r v i c e Exit polls forecast close fight in Jharkhand with narrow edge for BJP @ Mumbai/Ranchi First-time voters after casting votes at a polling station in Nagpur on Wednesday | PTI Maharashtra seats 288, target 145 Source Chanakya Strategies Dainik Bhaskar Electoral Edge Lokshahi Marathi-Rudra Matrize P-Marq Peoples Pulse Poll Diary Times Now-JVC Poll of exit polls NDA 152-160 125-140 118 128-142 150-170 137-157 175-195 122-186 150-167 150 MVA 130-138 135-150 150 125-140 110-130 126-146 85-112 69-121 107-125 125 Jharkhand seats 81, target 41 Source Axis My India Chanakya Strategies Dainik Bhaskar Electoral Edge Matrize P-Marq Peoples Pulse Times Now-JVC Poll of exit polls NDA 17-27 45-50 37-40 32 42-47 31-40 44-53 40-44 39 INDIA 49-59 35-38 36-39 42 25-30 37-47 25-37 30-40 38 OTH 6-8 20-25 20 18-23 8-10 2-8 7-12 10-27 13-14 13 OTH 1-6 3-5 0-2 7 1-4 1-6 5-9 1-1 4 60% Voter turnout in Maharashtra as per provisional data. Only 51.41% voters in Mumbai city voted 68% Jharkhand voter turnout better than that in 2019. Maoist threat didn’t deter voters 1,185 Polling booths in high-rises in Maharashtra, but not many urban voters turned up THE high-voltage campaign in Maharashtra did not appear to have enthused voters to exercise their franchise as the provisional data released in the evening showed 60% turnout against 61.74% recorded in the 2019 Assembly elections, while Jharkhand witnessed brisk polling at 68%, surpassing 67.04% polled last time. Voting was largely peaceful in both states. In Maharashtra, the highest polling was recorded in Gadchiroli at 69.63% while Jharkhand’s Jamtara district topped the charts with 76.16% turnout. Like in past elections, Mumbai city disappointed with a dismal turnout of 51.41%. In Jharkhand, Bokaro district recorded the lowest polling at 60.97%, data showed. All 288 seats in Maharashtra went to polls on Wednesday in a single phase, Jharkhand voted for 38 seats in the second and final phase. The first phase of polling in Jharkhand was held on November 13 for 43 seats, registering 64.86% turnout. No major incidents of violence were reported from either state and Maoists had no effect even in their traditional strongholds. In Jharkhand, the Leftwing extremists were reduced to sticking posters at random places as security forces were deployed in full strength. @Palakkad Palakkad recorded a nearly 5 percentage points decline in voter turnout in Wednesday’s bypoll compared with the 2021 assembly election, despite the high-octane campaign and noholds-barred efforts by the three major fronts to ensure that all their supporters’ votes are cast. Although the poll percentage fell to 70.51% from 75.37% in 2021, CPM, Congress and BJP expressed confidence of winning the seat. Polling that started on a brisk note in the morning, fell sharply by noon. Several booths in different parts of the constituency were noticeably empty. However, it picked up gradually and peaked during the final , hours of polling. Long queues were seen outside many booths even after 6pm, the scheduled close of polling. All those who were given token till 6pm were allowed to cast their votes. Out of 194,706 registered voters, 137,302 cast their votes in the by-election. Notably all four , transgender voters put in their ballot papers. The polling passed off peacefully barring a few isolated in, cidents. CPM and BJP workers waylaid UDF candidate Rahul Mamkootathil at a booth in Vennakara accusing him of canvassing votes stading in a queue at the booth. As the situ- Lionel Messi’s Argentina to play in Kerala next year E x p r e s s N e w s Se r v i c e @T’Puram Football fans in Kerala are in for a treat as world champions Argentina, including Lionel Messi, have agreed to play a couple of international friendlies in the state next year. Confirming this, Sports Minister V Abdurahiman on Wednesday said the Argentine Football Association (AFA) will make an announcement after a delegation visits the state within two months. The opponents and schedule will be announced later. Kochi is being considered as the primary venue, said the minister during a press briefing in Thiruvananthapuram. “The official announcement will be made by a team comprising Kerala and Argentina officials when the AFA delegation visits. FIFA officials will be visiting Kochi to inspect the venue and security aspects,” Abdurahiman said. Calling it a dream come true, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijay- an attributed the development to the state government’s efforts. “This is something many believed to be impossible, but we have made it a reality for Kerala’s sports lovers. This will be a proud moment for Kerala as our name will resonate on the global sports map,” the CM noted in his Facebook post. Recently, a state delegation led by Abdurahiman had travelled to Spain for discussions with AFA. The meetings in Madrid were described as highly productive. The talks also explored the possibility of setting up football academies in Kerala. With the state government facilitating the hosting of the international friendlies, the All Kerala Gold and Silver Merchants Association (AKGSMA) is sponsoring the event, titled ‘Olopo Magic’, with support from local merchants. The Olopo app, launched during the Grand Kerala Consumer Festival, will be the primary facilitator for entry to matches. Fans can also secure entry passes through reward points earned via purchases made at retail outlets partnered with the app. Messi last played in India in 2011, when Argentina and Venezuela played an international friendly at the Salt Lake Stadium in Kolkata. Anmol Bishnoi seeks asylum in US M U K E SH RA N JA N a n d H a r p r ee t B a j w a @ New Delhi/Chandigarh adios, rafa Spanish tennis legend and 22-time Grand Slam winner Rafael Nadal bid adieu to the sport after losing his Davis Cup singles tie against Netherlands | afp | P11 In what was seen as a ploy to block his deportation, Anmol Bishnoi, brother of notorious gangster Lawrence Bishnoi, has applied for political asylum in the US following his arrest by immigration officers there last week. He was detained in California for entering the country using fake papers — based on information shared by India — and subsequently arrested. Anmol is currently in Iowa’s Pottawat- tamie County Jail. However, chances are he could have intentionally offered himself for detention by the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement as part of his strategy to seek asylum, sources said. For, the US legal system is inclined to grant bail in such cases, like it did to another gangster Goldie Brar, sources added. The Mumbai Police has already begun efforts to get Anmol extradited in connection with multiple cases, including the murder of NCP’s Baba Siddique. However, if the case takes a different trajectory An, mol could first be handed over to the Canadian authorities in connection with the murder of Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar. He is facing more than 32 criminal cases against him in India on charges of abduction, extortion and murder. Of them, at least 20 are registered in Rajasthan. poll Attendance Voters awaiting their turn at a polling booth at Government High School in Vennakkara, Palakkad on Wednesday pALAKKAD 70.51% Turnout on Wednesday* Assembly 75.37% 77.25% 2021 2016 1,94,706 1,37,302 Total voters Votes polled Male 66,596 *Total polling percentage may change after considering postal ballots Female 70,702 Third gender 4 ation started to deteriorate, police interfered and diffused tension. From the get go, the entire bypoll process was marked by suspense, accusations, counter-accusations and controver● More on P4 sies.  E X PRE S S RE A D Antony Raju to face trial in proof tampering case T’Puram: The Supreme Court on Wednesday restored criminal proceedings against LDF MLA Antony Raju, over alleged tampering of evidence in a drugs case in which he appeared as a junior lawyer in 1990. He has been directed to appear before the trial court on December 20. P5 India’s first 24-hr online court opens in Kollam Kollam: India’s first 24-hour online court has officially started operations in Kollam, with the aim to reduce the backlog of cases and expediting legal solutions. It will primarily handle cases related to check dishonour under Section 138 of Negotiable Instruments Act, 1881. P5 Govt should reclaim waqf land, says panel Kochi: Members of the Kerala Waqf Samrakshana Samithi have said the state government should reclaim the waqf land in Munambam and utilise it for the purpose for which it was handed over to Farook College. They also said the residents were cheated by the college authorities. P4 from Kozhikode to Abu Dhabi Kadalundi govt school’s wall transcends geographical boundaries M a n o j V i s w a n at h a n @Kochi A wall is not just brick and mortar. It represents a region’s culture and the technology employed in its construction. In a matter of pride for residents, a wall of Government Fisheries LP School at Kadalundi will adorn Wall House, a dream project executed by Vikram Divecha, a visiting assistant professor in Arts and Art History at the New York University in Abu Dhabi, UAE. Though the school was established in 1921, the wall selected for the Wall House project is only 26 year old. The building was constructed using laterite stone in 1999, but the authorities decided to demolish it as it was declared unfit. “‘Wall House’ is envisioned as an indoor centre encasing hundreds of walls and facade sections extracted from buildings slated for demolition across the globe. In this undertaking of an urgent ‘archiving of the present’, each wall is selected by local communities and researchers, a process of shifting of authorship that challenges the notion of traditional museology Vikram told ,” TNIE. Wall House is envisioned as an indoor centre encasing hundreds of walls and facade sections extracted from buildings slated for demolition across the globe — Vikram Divecha The wall of Government Fisheries LP School in Kadalundi, Kozhikode, which will be put on display in Abu Dhabi “At its core, these walls are about people. Once released from architecture, they hold the potential of being reborn as a ‘social object’. Each wall serves as a starting point for expansive sociocultural mappings of time and place. The wall fragments stand in as bearers of histories — of tenants, infrastructure, materiality aes, thetics, and culture. A gift to the future, these community of walls will become ambassadors of an alternative and inclusive cultural history he explained. ,” Vikram said he always knew a wall from Kerala will hold special meaning for Malayalis in the UAE. “It was fate that I was approached by the Faizal and Shabana Foundation about salvaging a wall from a school in Kerala. This exactly fits my approach as I want local communities to select the wall. The removal and transportation of the wall is funded by Jameel Arts ● More on P4 Centre,” he said.