Embattled jensen huang finally resigns as AI biggie Nvidia’s CEO Jensen Huang resigned as chief executive of US AI giant Nvidia on Thursday, the company said, after revelations he had two extramarital affairs KOTTAYAM l friday l November 13, 2026 l `10.00 l PAGES 12 l city EDITION The departure marks the end of a 33-year run at the helm of the AI giant he co-founded in 1993. Nvidia board said Huang had stepped down as president, chief executive, and board member, effective immediately. Huang faced growing calls to resign after his twin affairs with an alleged Chinese spy and an Nvidia employee who reports to him, came to light Chief financial officer Colette Kress will serve as interim CEO while the board searches for a permanent successor, Nvidia said 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 Buzz on special session Retail inflation breaches RBI’s limit The heat is on 5.54 6.09 * 4.83 by December first week 3.93 4.38 4.45 3.48 PUSHPITA D E Y @ New Delhi 361 votes needed to pass Constitution amend bill on women quota RAJ E SH K UMAR THA K UR @ New Delhi THE BJP-led NDA government is considering convening a special session of Parliament after November 20 or by the first week of December to secure the passage of a Constitution amendment bill aimed at implementing 33% quota for women in Parliament and state legislatures. BJP sources on Thursday said the government is confident it will get the numbers to pass the legislation. The government also proposes to increase the number of Lok Sabha seats allocated to every state by 50%, to a maximum of 850 seats in total, to address concerns of southern states over population-based delimitation, while operationalising the women’s reservation law before the 2029 Lok Sabha elections. An earlier effort to pass the legislation on April 17 came a cropper. The proposed special sitting is likely to last two days and BJP expects victory margin of 15-18 votes The government appears confident of mustering the numbers required to pass the bill with a margin of 15-18 votes possibly through deals with parties outside the NDA and/or abstentions may be convened as an extension of the Monsoon Session, which has not been prorogued. Asked if any Opposition party had agreed, in principle, to support the bill, a senior BJP leader said: “Supporting someone doesn’t just mean being physically by their side; even if some people are in Opposition, they can offer support.” The government needs 361 votes to secure a two-thirds majority to pass a Constitution amendment bill in the 543-member Lok Sabha, which has three vacancies. Its efforts to push the legislation through Parliament come against the backdrop of the Assembly polls in seven states in 2027. Its successful passage could provide an additional political advantage to the NDA, particularly in Uttar Pradesh, Punjab and Gujarat, where women voters are likely to play a key role. Some BJP leaders said the NDA stands to gain irrespective of the outcome of the proposed special sitting. “If they (Opposition) continue obstructing the path to secure passage for a Constitution amendment bill... we will take this doublestandard on women’s rights to the court of the people in the coming Assembly elections,” said a senior BJP leader. The monsoon session hasn’t been prorogued since 91 days, surpassing the record of 87 days in 2008. An extended sitting of an existing session requires a minimum two days’ notice; convening a new session requires 14 days’ notice. In his pushback, Congress leader Jairam Ramesh said home minister Amit Shah’s “bulldozer” will not work. EXPRESS READ SSLC exams to begin on March 1 T’Puram: The SSLC examinations in the state will be held from March 1 to 30, and the Higher Secondary Examinations for Plus One and Plus Two from March 2 to 30, General Education Minister N Samsudheen announced on Thursday. SSLC exams will be held in 3049 exam centres, including seven each from the Gulf and Lakshadweep. P4 Karthikeyan is excise commissioner T’Puram: In a rejig of IAS officers, the government has given Dr Karthikeyan S full additional charge of Excise Commissioner. He replaced Seeram Sambasiva Rao who was removed following the bar licence issue. Karthikeyan was posted as Special Secretary, Water Resources, and will also hold full additional charge of Special Secretary, Housing. P4 RETAIL inflation soared to a two-year high of 6.09% in October primarily driven by high food prices, breaching the Reserve Bank of India (RBI)’s upper tolerance limit of 6%. The reading is the highest since October 2024, when the Consumer Price Index-based inflation stood at 6.21%. The impact of elevated food prices was visible more in rural areas where inflation hit 6.63% against 5.41% in urban. According to the latest data released by the Ministry of % % May June April * Provisional estimate  J u ly Statistics and Programme Implementation on Thursday, food inflation climbed to 8.94% in October from 7.74% in the previous month. Higher prices of food and Messi fiasco: Guv nod to prosecute Abdurahiman E x p r e s s N e w s Se r v i c e @T’Puram The stage is set for a high-profile probe against former sports minister V Abdurahiman as Governor Om Prakash Mathur has accorded sanction for his prosecution under the Prevention of Corruption Act. The governor’s nod clears the way for the special investigation team (SIT) to arraign Abdurahiman as an accused in the case pertaining to alleged irregularities surrounding the failed proposal to bring Lionel Messi and the Argentina football team to the state. The SIT led by Law and Order ADGP P Vijayan had in its report stated that there was incriminating evidence that the former minister extended favours to Reporter Broadcasting Company the private , sponsor of the proposed event.  ● More on P4 % % % Aug % % Oct Sep | Source: MoSPI beverage including cereals, sugar, milk and other essential food items have jacked up household expenses. “October’s inflation print was less a surprise than a cul- mination of pressures that had been building for months,” said Dipti Deshpande, principal economist at Crisil. Higher inflation was not restricted to food; the hospitality sector also witnessed a significant rise. Inflation in restaurants and accommodation services rose by 10.06% in October, while transport inflation stood at 5.84%. In its October monetary policy the RBI had raised the repo , rate by 25 bps. With the headline inflation breaching RBI’s tolerance band, economists expect another rate hike. Usha enters Olympic association polls again via ice hockey body i n d r a nee l d a s @ Chennai The Indian Olympic Association election has taken yet another intriguing turn. Its current president PT Usha is refusing to leave the battlefield without a fight. As per the provisional electoral college, she has entered her name from the Ice Hockey Association of India and would be in line to contest for the president’s post again. This will put her directly against those, including some National Sports Federations and a certain section of the sports ministry that was rallying behind some of the Sportspersons of Outstanding Merit representatives. This can be seen as a direct defiance to whatever had transpired during the SOM election where Usha lost after four female SOMs grouped together to defeat her. World championships medallist Anju Bobby George, London Olympic medallist Saina Nehwal, former India archer Dola Banerjee and former hockey captain Rani Rampal came together against Usha after last-minute withdrawal dynamics that put her in a corner. There were allegations against multiple people, including IOA executive committee members. Some even alleged sports ministry interference. The latest episode has given the election a new twist. Usha, who until now was seen out of the presidential race, may get a new lease of life. She had apparently written to the International Olympic Committee as well about the ‘unfair manner’ in which the SOM was conducted. This also means that she is challenging everyone who has gone against her until now. The legendary athlete coming through a vague organisation like ice hockey itself is interesting. Now, it needs to be seen how she maneuvers her votes this time.