Mumbai, April 10: The youngest-ever world champion Gukesh Dommaraju will take on Magnus Carlsen – the world’s No. 1 player in a high-stakes contest — in the most highly-anticipated contest in the world of chess at this year’s Norway Chess 2025. The tournament will take place in Stavanger from May 26 to June 6.

Addressing an event hosted by the Norway Chess and Sports Journalists Association of Mumbai (SJAM) in Mumbai, five-time world champion Viswanathan Anand put his weight behind the prodigy from Chennai.

“I expect a very exciting battle. Gukesh will not lack motivation or the determination to go after Magnus Carlsen. But Magnus is also highly motivated by the challenge of playing against our young players. I’ve seen him in multiple tournaments whether it’s Kolkata or the World Rapid Blitz, he eagerly looks forward to these match-ups and so we have the perfect storm. I think we have the right to expect some great battles,” Anand said appearing at the event virtually.

Gukesh, 18, has achieved remarkable success in 2024, winning the Tata Steel Masters, leading India to gold at the Chess Olympiad, dominating the Candidates Tournament, and finally claiming the ultimate prize in classical chess: the World Championship title in Singapore last December.

This year’s Norway Chess will see a star-studded line-up featuring world No.1 and defending champion Magnus Carlsen (Norway), Hikaru Nakamura (USA), Gukesh D. (India), Fabiano Caruana (USA), Arjun Erigaisi (India), and Wei Yi (China) among the men.

The Norway Chess Women will feature reigning four-time Women’s World Champion Ju Wenjun (China), Lei Tingjie (China), Koneru Humpy (India), Anna Muzychuk (Ukraine), Vaishali Rameshbabu (India), and Sarasadat Khademalsharieh (Spain).

Norway Chess and Norway Chess Women, feature the same format, same prize money, and take place in the same playing hall. Both tournaments follow a 6-player double round-robin format.

From his own experience of playing at the Norway Chess, Anand highlighted the reasons behind Norway Chess being different from any other world event under FIDE’s calendar. This year, with the top 5 in the world participating in Norway Chess, the contest promises to be nail-biting for any chess aficionado following the tournament.

“It is one of the premier events in the sport of chess, and since Norway Chess began in 2013, it has kept on evolving very well. They continue to make the tournament very attractive a demonstration of what chess is all about. They always have some extra tweaks to make it very interesting, whether it’s the confessional booth or now the Armageddon. It’s a very innovative tournament, and the levels of competition are simply outstanding,” Anand said.

He further added, “And for Indian chess, the fact that we have four players, says a lot. On the men’s side, Indian chess is as strong as it’s ever been. Even more so obviously due to the depth we have. But it’s great that Koneru Humpy is still competing so successfully and that she’ll be joined by Vaishali as well, which bodes well for us.”

Visiting India to explore partnerships, Kjell Madland, the Managing Director and visionary behind Norway Chess expressed a keenness to expand further.

“Norway Chess is absolutely honoured to be hosting the Gukesh and Magnus clash, especially on the back of Gukesh’s incredible run of form. Both the champions will have a couple of chances to go after each other which bodes very well for Norway Chess,” he said.

“And hopefully, next year, Norway Chess can host this exact fixture in India as well, where there are so many champions. The quality of chess in India over the last ten years has been, and for sure, the sport would be poorer without the Indian champions,” he added.

Ranchi, April 10: The Ranchi Police have successfully solved the murder case of BJP leader Anil Mahato, also known as Anil Tiger, and have arrested four persons in connection with the case including the absconding shooter Aman, an official said. The investigation revealed that the murder was linked to a land dispute.

Ranchi DIG cum SSP Chandan Sinha held a press conference here on Thursday evening, revealing that a conspiracy to assassinate him was orchestrated by land dealer Devvrat Nath Shahdev, a resident of Kishore Ganj, Ranchi.

“Shahdev had a dispute with BJP leader Anil Tiger over the ownership of 10 acres of land in Gagi Khatanga village, under the Kanke police station area,” he said.

According to police, the investigation uncovered the involvement of seven individuals in the conspiracy — Devvrat Nath Shahdev, Abhishek Sinha, Rohit Verma, Aman Singh, Zeeshan Akhtar, Manish Chaurasia, and Ajay Kumar Rajak.

Among them, four persons — Aman Singh, Manish Chaurasia, Zeeshan Akhtar, and Ajay Kumar — have been arrested.

Anil Tiger was shot dead in broad daylight on March 26 around 4 p.m. while sitting inside a hotel at Kanke Chowk in Ranchi.

The killing sent shockwaves across the city, triggering widespread outrage. In protest, several political and social organisations called for a shutdown of Ranchi on March 27, which saw significant public response.

Following the murder, one of the two assailants, Rohit Verma, was arrested after a police encounter. However, his accomplice, Aman, had managed to flee and remained on the run for two weeks.

The Special Investigation Team (SIT), formed to probe the high-profile case, apprehended Aman with the help of the police technical cell.

Apart from Aman, two other individuals have been arrested for conducting a recce of the BJP leader and aiding the conspiracy. Raids were carried out at multiple locations to nab the suspects.

The police are also interrogating Sunny Singh, a known criminal from Kishore Ganj, Ranchi, who is currently in custody on remand.

Initially, Rohit Verma claimed during questioning that the murder was an act of revenge for the killing of criminal Santosh Jaiswal in Lohardaga district, allegedly carried out at Anil Tiger’s behest.

However, police have since found this to be a deliberate attempt to mislead the investigation.

According to the police, fresh evidence now points to a property dispute as the actual motive, with a land dealer believed to be the mastermind behind the assassination.

Ahmedabad, April 10: As Gujarat grapples with soaring temperatures, Ahmedabad recorded a high of 42°C (108°F) on Thursday, with a predicted forecast similar for the coming days. ​

Over the past few decades, Gujarat has witnessed a consistent increase in both minimum and maximum temperatures. Scientists warn that 2025 could be one of the hottest years on record if current trends continue.

The IMD’s ‘State-Level Climate Change Trends in India’ report indicates an annual rise of approximately 0.02°C in these temperature metrics. While this increment may seem marginal every year, its cumulative effect over time has led to more frequent and intense heatwaves.​

The IMD predicts that the intense heat will persist throughout April and May, with maximum temperatures ranging between 41°C to 45°C (106°F to 113°F) in parts of Gujarat. A slight respite is expected with the onset of the monsoon season in June, although temperatures are still projected to remain above normal during this period.

Experts suggest that several factors contribute to this warming phenomenon. Rapid urbanisation and industrialisation have transformed cities like Ahmedabad and Surat into heat islands, where concrete structures and asphalt surfaces absorb and retain heat, elevating local temperatures.

Additionally, deforestation for agricultural expansion and urban development has diminished the natural cooling effects of vegetation, further exacerbating the heat.​ Gujarat’s geographical features also play a role. Its extensive coastline along the Arabian Sea means that rising sea temperatures can influence local climate conditions.

“Urbanisation in cities like Ahmedabad and Surat has replaced natural landscapes with heat-trapping concrete, asphalt, and steel. These materials retain heat well into the night, increasing not just daytime but also nighttime temperatures. It’s a classic case of the urban heat island effect,” said a climate scientist at the Gujarat Ecology Commission.

Further, Gujarat’s semi-arid geography makes it more vulnerable to temperature extremes. Unlike forest-rich regions, dry land heats up faster and offers minimal natural cooling. This makes rural populations and agricultural workers especially susceptible to heatstroke and dehydration.

In May 2010, Ahmedabad experienced an extreme heatwave, with temperatures soaring to unprecedented levels. Studies indicate that during this period, there was an estimated 43 per cent increase in all-cause mortality, translating to approximately 1,344 excess deaths compared to similar periods in 2009 and 2011. ​

More recently, in May 2024, Gujarat recorded 187 cases of heatstroke, with Ahmedabad accounting for 69 of these cases. Notably, 152 of these cases across the state, including 66 in Ahmedabad, were reported in the last ten days of May when average temperatures reached 44.6°C. ​

In the agricultural sector, increased heat stress adversely affects crop yields, threatening food security and the livelihoods of farmers.

Health-wise, the prevalence of heat-related illnesses has surged. For instance, during a heatwave in 2010, Ahmedabad recorded 76 heatstroke deaths in a single week.

Subsequent analyses revealed an excess of 800 deaths during that period, highlighting the severe impact of extreme heat on public health.

​ In response to the increasing heat, the Gujarat government has implemented several measures to mitigate the impact on its citizens.

The Gujarat State Disaster Management Authority (GSDMA) has developed action plans for high-risk cities, focusing on early warning systems and public awareness campaigns.

Furthermore, the government has advised residents to take precautions against heat-related illnesses, emphasising the importance of staying hydrated and avoiding direct sun exposure during peak hours. The health impacts of rising temperatures are profound.

Studies have shown a significant increase in heat-related illnesses and mortality during extreme heat events.

For instance, the 2010 heatwave in Ahmedabad was associated with a 41.3 per cent increase in all-cause mortality. To combat this, the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation has launched heat wave preparation and warning systems aimed at protecting vulnerable populations.

Looking ahead, projections indicate that Gujarat’s mean temperature could rise by up to 5°C by the end of the 21st century.