COIMBATORE l friday l april 18, 2025 l `9.00 l PAGES 12 l LATE CITY EDITION Astronomers find signs of life on exoplanet off solar system Molecules known to be produced by marine organisms were found on an exoplanet, in a strong evidence of life outside Solar System an enigma that’s 124 light-years away By analysing data from NASA and the European Space Agency’s Webb Space Telescope, researchers led by scientists at the University of Cambridge detected evidence of dimethyl sulphide and dimethyl disulphide in the atmosphere of the planet known as K2-18b. The planet is 124 light-years away; one light-year is equivalent to nearly 6 trillion miles ■ 8 further research needed, say scientists ■ “It is the strongest sign to date of any possibility of biological activity outside the solar system,” Cambridge astrophysicist Nikku Madhusudhan said during a livestream on Thursday Scientists stressed that further research is needed to rule out any errors or the possibility of other processes to produce compounds times more massive than the size of earth — the new exoplanet 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 Sacked WB teachers get an extension s u c h i t r a k a lya n m o h a n t y @ New Delhi IN a partial relief to the West Bengal government, the Supreme Court on Thursday extended till this year-end the services of terminated teachers found untainted by the CBI in the recruitment scam. A bench comprising Chief Justice of India Sanjiv Khanna and Justice Sanjay Kumar took note of the state government’s submissions that teaching in various schools has been adversely impacted and fresh recruitment will take time. “We are inclined to accept the prayer in the present application in so far as it relates to the assistant teachers for classes 9-10 and 11-12 subject to certain conditions,” the CJI said keeping in view the larger issue that the future of students should not be affected. The court, however, did not extend the services of grade ‘C’ and ‘D’ employees of the state gover nment-run and aided schools. It directed the state government to start the recruitment process on or before May 31 and conclude it by December 31 this year. On April 3, the bench had upheld the Calcutta HC’s fiat to cancel 25,753 teacher appointments over “fraud”. Govt buys time with ‘N-missile’: V-P raps SC status quo promise on setting Prez timeline Centre to file preliminary affidavit on Waqf Act in a week S u c h i t r a K a lya n M o h a n t y Centre’s word on the new law @ New Delhi The Centre on Thursday managed to buy more time from the Supreme Court — which wanted to issue interim orders — to explain its position on the genesis of the contentious Waqf (Amendment) Act, 2025. It agreed to file a preliminary response to the pleas challenging the validity of the Act within a week, adding no appointments would be made to the Central Waqf Council and the Waqf Boards till the next date of hearing, which is May 5. Also, no waqf, including waqf by user, shall be de-notified, nor will their character or status change till May 5, the government assured. “The government will not make any appointments to the Central Wakf Council as per the 2025 Wakf Amendment Act and that properties already declared wakf by user and registered under the original 1995 Act will not be disturbed,” Solicitor General Tushar Mehta submitted. A three-judge bench comprising Chief Justice Sanjiv Khanna and justices Sanjay Kumar India rubbishes K-claim by Pak gally occupied territories by that country .” India on Thursday firmly India maintains that the rejected Pakistan Ar my entire region of Jammu and chief General Asim Munir’s Kashmir is an integral part statement calling Kashmir of the country, with a porthe country’s “jugular vein”, tion currently under illegal dismissing it as occupation by its baseless and assertneighbour. ing that Pakistan’s The Pakistan only connection to army chief made the region is its illehis comments earligal occupation, er this week while which it must end. addressing a group In a strong rebutof overseas Pakistatal to Munir’s re- General Asim Munir nis. He referenced marks, External Afthe two-nation theofairs Ministry spokesperson ry — the ideological basis Randhir Jaiswal said: “How for Pakistan’s formation — can anything foreign be in a saying the country’s foundjugular vein? This is a Un- ers believed Muslims and ion Territory of India. Its Hindus differed in every asonly relationship with Paki- pect: religion, customs, trastan is the vacation of ille- ditions and aspirations. J aya n t h J a c o b @ New Delhi and K V Viswanthan, took the assurances on record and asked the petitioners to file their rejoinders five days after the government affidavit. “We clarify that the next hearing (May 5) will be for the preliminary objections and for an interim order,” it said. The CJI is set to retire on May 13. When the hearing began, Mehta urged the bench not to stay the provisions of Act, saying the law was enacted after taking into account many representations and suggestions. The CJI said, “There is a thumb rule that courts won’t stay legislations ordinarily But . there is another thumb rule: when the petition is pending before the court, the situation which is prevailing should not change so that the rights of persons are not affected.” Non-Muslims won’t be appointed to Central Waqf Councils and State Waqf Boards till the next date of hearing. The provision in the Act is contested Any such appointment made in any state in the interregnum will be treated as null and void All waqfs, including waqf by user, whether declared via notification or registration, will not be de-notified till May 5, the next date of hearing “There is a directive to the President by a recent judgment. Where are we IN a stunning broadside on the judici- heading? What is happening in the ary, Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar country? We have to be extremely sension Thursday chided the Supreme Court tive. It is not a question of someone filfor setting timelines for the President to ing a review or not. We never bargained decide on Bills referred by the for democracy for this day Pres. Governor. Describing Article ident being called upon to de142 (which grants plenary powcide in a time-bound manner, ers to the Supreme Court), and if not, becomes law,” Dhankhar said, “Article 142 has Dhankar said. Article 142 of the become a nuclear missile against Constitution gives the Supreme democratic forces, available to Court the power to issue orders judiciary 24 x 7.” that ensure “complete justice” Dhankhar’s strong words Jagdeep Dhankar in any matter before it. came during his speech to Rajya “We cannot have a situation Sabha interns. “So, we have judges who where you direct the President of India will legislate, who will perform execu- and on what basis? The only right you tive functions, who will act as super Par- have under the Constitution is to interliament and absolutely have no account- pret it under Article 145(3)... Article 142 ability because the law of the land does has become a nuclear missile against not apply to them,” Dhankhar said. democratic forces.’’ RA J ESH KUMAR THAKUR @ New Delhi 0.cent 25 per Lending rate cut by the European Central Bank to 2.25%, down from 2.50%. This is its seventh cut so far Trump wants Fed Chair Jerome Powell sacked, hours after the latter issued a sharp warning on tariff war | P9 China in working-level communication with US on tariff, says person who ‘tied the bell’ should untie it | P9 GET READY TO BEAT THE HEAT HC asks cops to book Ponmudy for ‘hate speech’ before Apr 23 r s i v a k u m a r @ Chennai Slamming Minister for Forests K Ponmudy for his “derogatory” speech against Hindu religious sects, the Madras HC on Thursday instructed the Tamil Nadu police to register an FIR against him for the “hate speech” and inform the court by April 23. Justice N Anand Venkatesh, who issued the direction, said one FIR could be filed instead of registering multiple FIRs based on the complaints received in different places. He warned the court would initiate contempt proceedings suo motu if the police failed to file the case. “If you don’t register (FIR), (the court) will take a suo motu contempt case. Now the court has taken cognizance (of the matter),” he told Advocate General PS Raman. When the A-G responded, saying an inquiry is being held on the matter, the judge said the police need not wait for an inquiry since the minister himself has accepted that he made the remarks.  P5 Cloud Technology AVAILABLE ON Portable & Versatile Point Anywhere Remote Bladeless Front Grill Anti Bacterial Mesh Filter Powerful, Quiet Cooling & Select Outlets in Major Cities 184-ft at Marudhamalai World’s tallest Muruga statue in TN soon T M u r u g a n a n d h a m @ Chennai In a move that may evoke both support and dissent, the Minister for Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments (HR & CE), PK Sekarbabu on Thursday announced the plan to install three statues for Lord Muruga, including an184-foot-tall one at Marudhamalai in Coimbatore, which will be the world’s tallest. While the total cost of the project will be `146.83 crore, the Marudhamalai idol alone will cost `110 crore. At 146 feet, Lord Muruga statue unveiled at a private temple at File picture of Marudhamalai temple Ethapur in Salem district in April 2022 is currently the world’s tallest, followed by the 140-ft idol at Batu Caves in Malaysia. Sekarbabu revealed that the statue for the ‘Tamil Kadavul’ at Marudhamalai will be part of a hexagon-shaped complex that will include a museum, parking facilities, and other essential amenities. Additionally, a second 180foot statue will be erected at the Velayuthaswami temple at Thindal in Erode district at a cost of `30 crore. The third statue, standing at 114 feet, will be constructed at a cost of `6.83 crore at the Subramania Swami Temple in Kumaragiri in Ranipet district. The announcements were made during the discussion on budgetary allocation for the HR & CE department.  P5 `110-cr statue While the total project cost of installing three statues will be `146.83 crore, Marudhamalai idol alone will cost `110 crore. This will be part of a hexagonshaped complex that will include a museum in Marudhamalai Contact us: E-Mail : customersupport@singerindia.com marketing@singerindia.com Toll Free : 1800 103 3474 www.singerindia.com April 18, 2025