fridAY 11 september, 2026 epaper.morningstandard.in facebook.com/TheMorningStandard X.com/TheMornStandard Poll Dole US govt ad asking ‘Mr Singh’ to self-deport kicks off row $5k for Americans for Trump win US President Donald Trump promised $5,000 to every American adult if Republicans retain control of Congress in the November mid-term election Page 9 Road safety ad tells Sikh men not to drive A CAPITAL VIEW OF NEWS l New Delhi l J8.00 l The DHS posted AI imagery on X targeting Sikh truck drivers. The ad, part of its campaign against unlicensed commercial drivers, features a brownbearded man with a tagline: “Get off our roads, you don’t know how to drive, Mr Singh.” A video clip shows Optimus Prime, the protagonist in Transformers movie series, demanding that the man self-deport | p7 PAGES 12 Last-ditch efforts for joint statement Iran, UAE divided over the language on the war and responsibility for the conflict; Palestine not a major obstacle Tight security cover 15,000 paramilitary personnel deployed across the national capital as part of multi-layered security system J aya n t h J a c o b @ New Delhi 500+ CCTV cameras, including highresolution and specialised surveillance cameras, to keep a round-the-clock watch over key areas Massive deployment of forces to maintain law and order, security and traffic management Security arrangements will cover airport, hotels and other locations that may be visited by the dignitaries Enhanced access control, vigilance and robust security measures in place at Bharat Mandapam, the main venue of the summit Similar arrangements at hotels where foreign dignitaries will stay Ethiopia Foreign Affairs Minister Gedion Timothewos Hessebon, left, being received at the Delhi Airport | PTI Regulator mulls mandatory dope test of all pilots across airlines S La l i t h a @ New Delhi With an Air India pilot on the Phuket-Delhi sector recently testing positive for marijuana, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) is learnt to considering making drug testing for all pilots of all airlines mandatory sources said. , Parallelly, Union civil aviation minister Ram Mohan Naidu said the government would finalise the new guidelines regarding pilot testing. Following the marijuanapositive report, Air India sacked Captain Sudeep Vashistha. His AI 2379 flight suffered a midair triple hydraulic failure on August 4, which left 24 people on board injured. India has 25,001 pilots of whom 13,989 are employed across the six domestic airlines, the civil aviation ministry informed the Lok Sabha in February this year. Existing regulations permit testing of 10% of pilots on a random basis. A government source said that due to the persistent push from the civil aviation ministry to make dope testing of cockpit crew stringent, the DGCA was working out the details. “No official order has been released yet. It would take some time for the regulator to lay down the procedure in black and white. But this is the direction in which they are working,” the source said. Naidu has repeatedly stressed that the government wants to have 100% testing of pilots for psychoactive substances to ensure safety in the aviation sector. On September 3, he told newspersons that while pushing for it, “Public safety and the logistics involved for airlines, both need to be balanced.” Briefing newspersons after an event here on Thursday, Naidu said, “Regarding the Civil Aviation Requirement (CAR) draft on the pilot testing, the DGCA is still having discussions with different stakeholders. Hopefully before the end of , this month, we would be able to finalise the new guidelines.” Political-level efforts are under way to bridge differences and secure a joint statement at the BRICS summit in New Delhi this weekend, but the escalating West Asia crisis is putting that consensus-building effort under strain, with Iran and the UAE divided over the language on the war and responsibility for the conflict. “Stakes are very high here. And we are trying at every level, including at the political level, to reach a consensus on the language of the joint statement where it deals with West Asia. These negotiations often go down to the wire,” a source familiar with the discussions said. The immediate challenge is to find language that can accommodate Tehran’s insistence that the unilateral attack on Iran and its violation of the UN Charter be explicitly reflected, while addressing the UAE’s demand for recognition of what it describes as Iranian attacks on its sovereignty and territory . The UAE delegation at the September 12-13 summit will be led by Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed PM-Putin bilateral today Russian President Vladimir Putin will reach India early Friday on a three-day visit during which he will attend the 18th BRICS Summit and hold a bilateral meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi the same day bin Zayed Al Nahyan. Saudi Arabia will be represented by Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud. Sources said formulations referring to attacks on sovereignty territorial , integrity and violations of the UN Charter are being discussed in broader terms. Tehran, however, wants the reference to the unilateral attack and the alleged violation of the UN Charter to remain intact, rather than “being subsumed into a generic formulation,” a source pointed out. The UAE has strongly rejected Iranian allegations concerning its role in the conflict. The UAE sees “Iranian attacks as a violation of the UN Charter and international law and allegations over its independent decision-making.” Iran, meanwhile, has accused Gulf states of hosting US military infrastructure of facilitating American operations against it. Tehran maintains that its “retaliatory strike targets only the US military bases and American military installations wherever they are located”. The Palestine language, by contrast, is not emerging as the major obstacle. Sources said that there is a “broad acceptance” of retaining the formulation from the 2025 Rio declaration describing the Gaza Strip as “an inseparable part of the Occupied Palestinian Territory” and stressing the importance of unifying Gaza and the West Bank under the Palestinian Authority . The difficulty over West Asia is particularly significant because BRICS has traditionally managed to bridge differences and produce a leaders’ declaration. Its expansion from five members to 11, however, has brought together countries with increasingly divergent geopolitical interests of late. The summit could therefore become a crucial test of whether an expanded BRICS can convert its idea of multipolarity and Global South solidarity into a functioning consensus mechanism when the geopolitical fault lines run through the grouping itself. p4 & p7 Extra facility for students DU to have nearly 13,000 hostel seats I f r a h M u f t i @ New Delhi The University of Delhi is set to more than double its hostel capacity to 12,754 seats, adding 5,544 new seats across university and college campuses as part of a major expansion of accommodation for outstation students. The university said several large projects are already under construction, including a 1,450-seat Institute of Eminence (IoE) hostel, a 1,000-seat women’s hostel and a 1,050-seat Studio Apartment complex. Colleges to The expansion aims to meet long-standreview infra ing demand for hostel accommodation and give more students access to affordable Delhi University residential facilities on or near campus. has asked the “At the university level, DU had 3,422 principals of its hostel seats over the past 100 years. With affiliated colleges 3,922 additional seats being created to undertake a through new projects, the university’s own comprehensive hostel capacity is expected to increase to review of their 7,344 seats,” the university said in an offiresidential cial statement on Thursday . facilities and DU colleges previously had 3,788 hostel assess existing seats. With another 1,622 seats being addhostel ed, their combined capacity is expected to infrastructure and rise to 5,410 seats. Together, the university projects under and its colleges will have about 12,754 hosconstruction. tel seats once the ongoing projects are completed. The IoE hostel at the Dhaka Complex is one of the largest projects, with about 1,450 seats. Construction is progressing and the project is expected to be completed shortly . The Nirbhaya Residential Accommodation for women, with 1,000 seats, is being constructed to expand residential options for women students. A 1,050-seat Studio Apartment project is also under construction. These projects are part of DU’s wider effort to increase student accommodation. p3 56 jewellery, bullion shops Court frames PMLA charges against Lalu & family sealed in Chandni Chowk EXPRESS NEWS SER V ICE Land as bribe @ New Delhi E x p r ess N e ws S e rv i c e @ New Delhi Quick MCD, police action Amid an ongoing drive against dangerous and illegal structures across the national capital, Delhi agencies on Thursday sealed at least 56 jewellery and bullion-related shops in Chandni Chowk’s Kucha Mahajani area. Traders said gold and silver jewellery worth crores of rupees remains locked inside the sealed premises. The action comes as enforcement has intensified, particularly by the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD), against dangerous and illegal buildings following the Satya Niketan building collapse near South Campus that killed seven people. Yogesh Singhal, president of the All India Bullion and Jewellers Association, said notices were posted on the shops before they were sealed around 11.30 According to traders, MCD officials and police arrived at Kucha Mahajani and, without prior notice, pasted notices on several shops and carrying out the sealing simultaneously. The traders said they realised what was happening only after arriving at their shops. am on Thursday . “The question is whether, after the Satya Niketan tragedy , only traders will have to bear the brunt of this tragedy or whether action will also be taken against any gover nment department and politicians,” the association said. Traders alleged that the notices affixed by authorities to their shops were backdated. One notice shared by the traders’ association was dated May 12, 2026, they said. A Delhi court on Thursday ordered framing of money laundering charges against former railway minister Lalu Prasad Yadav, his wife Rabri Devi, son Tejashwi Yadav and six others in the alleged IRCTC hotels money laundering case. Special judge Vishal Gogne said there was a “strong suspicion” against the accused and rejected their arguments that the nature, timing, and course of investigation appear inspired by political vendetta. Out of 16 accused, Judge Lalu Prasad Yadav Rabri Devi Tejashwi Yadav Gogne discharged seven and framed charges against the other nine accused. The court had earlier framed corruption and other charges against Lalu Prasad Yadav and several other accused persons in the case lodged by the CBI. During his tenure as railway minister in 2004, Lalu Prasad allegedly handed over the maintenance of two IRCTC hotels to a company after receiving a bribe in the form of a prime land in Patna According to the case, Lalu Prasad, during his tenure as railway minister in UPA-I gover nment, handed over the maintenance of two IRCTC hotels to a company in 2004 after receiving a bribe in the form of a prime land in Patna. The SC refuses to reconstitute the panel probing police excesses SUCHITR A K A LYA N MOH A NT Y Express Read @ New Delhi No participation for Phogat in seniors trials: HC Delhi High Court on Thursday refused to allow wrestler Vinesh Phogat to participate in the women’s selection trials for the 2026 Senior World Championships. Justice Swarana Kanta Sharma said at this stage, the court was not inclined to grant an exemption from the eligibility criteria to allow the petitioner to participate in the selection trials on Sep 14. ‘Ladakh to have unique legislative model’ A day after Ladakh leaders met Home Ministry officials in New Delhi, Ladakh chief secretary Ashish Kundra said on Thursday that an agreement has been reached with Ladakh leadership towards a “sui generis” model, where a legislative body is created which is neither going to be a state and nor a UT-with legislature but some other body. Restoring lifeline Members of the Nepali Army constructing a bridge on Wednesday, the 16th day after a devastating flash flood and mudslide washed it away, at Devighat in Nuwakot. The death toll from the flash floods climbed to 1,365 | pti City to pay `2k/month to sports trainees for nutrition, kit needs A n u p V e r m a @ New Delhi The Delhi government has decided to give a monthly stipend to city sportspersons. Under the initiative, eligible young athletes, who regularly train at Delhi government sports centres and stadiums, will receive a financial assistance of `2,000 per month. The initiative is par of the Grassroot Training Support Assistance component under the Mukhyamantri Khel Protsahan Yojana. transaction was through a benami company owned by Sarla Gupta, wife of Prem Chand Gupta, who was also a former Union minister. The ED lodged a separate case against Lalu, his family members, and others under the PMLA to probe the alleged laundering of the proceeds generated in the crime. The CBI also named Vijay Kochhar, Vinay Kochhar, both of whom were directors of Sujata Hotels, and Delight Marketing company now known as , Lara Projects, and the then IRCTC managing director P K Goel as accused in its FIR. Chief Minister Rekha Gupta, who led the cabinet meeting on Thursday said the new scheme , expands the reach of the Mukhyamantri Khel Protsahan Yojana to the grassroots level. She said that in the initial years of training, athletes often have to meet regular expenses on nutrition, local travel, basic sporting equipment and medical needs. The monthly assistance of `2,000 will help them continue their training without interruption. Benefit for the disciplined The scheme will cover athletes in the Under 14, Under 17, Under 19 and Under 21 age groups. Beneficiaries will be selected based on sporting performance and potential, regular attendance and discipline and financial need. The government has decided that the assistance will be provided to up to 25 per cent of the regularly enrolled trainees at each government sports centre or stadium. Normally, a maximum of 100 athletes at any one stadium or centre will be covered. At larger stadiums with a higher number of trainees, this limit may be increased to 150 athletes, subject to budget availability . The scheme will cover athletes in the Under 14, Under 17, Under 19 and Under 21 age groups. Beneficiaries will be selected based on sporting performance and potential, regular attendance and discipline. THE Supreme Court on Thursday refused to reconstitute the committee headed by former top court judge R Subhash Reddy to examine allegations of police excesses against students and violence against police personnel during the Jantar Mantar protests. The SC clarified its stance while responding to submissions that the presence of exMeghalaya DGP L R Bishnoi raised apprehensions of bias. A bench headed by Chief Justice Surya Kant said it will not proceed on the presumption that the panel is biased. “Committee is our extended hand. We will not agree to any changes. The committee will be working under the supervision of the Supreme Court... If anyone feels the committee has gone wrong somewhere, you tell us. We will give open hearing,” the CJI observed. The SC set up the five-member panel on August 20. The other members are former Punjab and Haryana HC chief justice Ravi Shankar Jha, ex-Delhi High Court judge Shalinder Kaur, and former CBI director Rishi Kumar Shukla.