WEDNESDAY TIM COOK TO STEP DOWN AS APPLE CEO, TRANSITION TO EXECUTIVE CHAIRMAN 22 APRIL, 2026 After 15 years at the helm, Apple CEO Tim Cook will leave the job he inherited from late Steve Jobs and assume the role of executive chairman on Sept 1 epaper.morningstandard.in facebook.com/TheMorningStandard X.com/TheMornStandard DESPITE RED FLAGS ‘STARMER RUSHED MANDELSON NOD’ HARDWARE BOSS JOHN TERNUS TO BE NEW CEO The ex-head of foreign service said he was pressured by PMO to rush through confirmation of Peter Mandelson as UK ambassador to Washington. A CAPITAL VIEW OF NEWS PAGE 9  NEW DELHI  J8.00  PAGES 12 Cook, 65, will turn the CEO duties to 51-year-old John Ternus, Apple’s head of hardware engineering. Ternus is taking over at a challenging time when AI is disrupting traditional markets and US-China trade tensions remain a threat to business. Cook will work Ternus to help him with “certain aspects of the company, including engaging with policymakers around the world” Spectre of war Campaign ends with appeal, attack in TN, Bengal again as peace talks elusive T M U R U G A N A N D H A M @ Chennai Trump says he would rather go to war than extend the ceasefire; Iran refuses to relent A G E N C I E S @ Washington/Tehran/Islamabad AFTER a brief lull, Gulf countries are bracing for renewed airstrikes as the twoweek ceasefire between Iran and the US is set to expire on Wednesday and the suspense over the proposed second round of peace talks continues. Pakistan’s information minister Attaullah Tarar said that as of Tuesday evening, Iran was yet to send a formal response regarding its participation in the peace talks, to be held in Islamabad. A US team led by Vice President J D Vance was scheduled to leave for Pakistan on Tuesday morning, but delayed the departure following Iran’s public comments that it was not interested in holding any more talks with the US. Late on Monday night, CNN reported that Vance’s trip to Pakistan is “on hold”. President Donald Trump, who announced the second round of DAY peace talks, on Tuesday warned that he would rather go back to war than extend the ceasefire, which ends at 4.50 am PST Wednesday . Iran also hardened its stance with parliamentary speaker and chief negotiator Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf saying Tehran cannot enter negotiations “under the shadow of threats”. He also claimed that if the war resumes, then Iran will deploy some new, surprise weapons. Islamabad, the proposed venue of the peace talks, is under tight security cover. Over 10,000 personnel have been deployed for protecting foreign delegates. Some reports said security teams from both the US and Iran are already in the Pakistani capital to oversee preparations. Trump dropped hints that he may address some of Iran’s concerns. “They have to negotiate... If they make a deal, they can make themselves into a strong nation again, a wonderful nation again,” he said in an interview to CNBC. P9 53 Free 8 women on death row, Don tells Iran Trump on Tuesday requested Iran to release the eight women awaiting execution, ahead of the proposed peace talks. “Please do them no harm! Would be a great start to our negotiations!!!” he wrote on Social Truth, taking a remarkably softer tone than in his usual posts Trump misled by fake news, says Iran Iran denied that the eight women face execution. “Trump was misled by fake news,” Iranian judiciary’s official Mizan Online website said. “Some of the women have been released. Others face charges that, if convictions are upheld, would at most result in imprisonment.” THE high-pitched campaign for the Tamil Nadu Assembly elections ended on Tuesday evening, with last-minute promises and appeals to voters and attack on opponents by leaders of various parties. While CM MK Stalin and TVK president Vijay concluded their campaigns in Chennai, AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami and NTK leader Seeman wrapped up their outreach in Salem and Karaikudi, respectively . The CM, in his Kolathur constituency, sought votes for his performance and mandate to continue for the next five years “to fulfil more dreams”. Stalin highlighted his government’s welfare schemes, impetus for education and strong economic growth, while admitting “minor” shortcomings. He stressed on opposition to Centre’s poli- cies (especially delimitation). Palaniswami, just two hours before the end of campaign, made 10 more electoral promises targeting women, youth, and farmers. “War rooms” in all district headquarters to curb violence against women, `10,000 subsidy each to 10 lakh unemployed youth for buying two-wheelers, 50% cut in monthly charge for govern- A journey back home, a question of choice S R E S T H A S A R K A R @ New Delhi WITH a day to go for the first of the two-phase Assembly elections in West Bengal, uncertainty hangs heavy over the minds of thousands of migrant Bengali voters returning home. In Delhi, where the summer heat is already unforgiving, the Bengali diaspora finds itself caught in a swirl of urgency and skepticism. Many remain unconvinced that any political change will meaningfully alter their lives. “Doesn’t matter who comes to power; neither TMC nor BJP cares for me,” says Baheri Bala, a domestic worker who travels to Kolkata once a year to see her children. This time, her visit is driven by the need to vote, particularly in the wake of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. Bala says her own documentation process was smooth despite living in Delhi, though some of her peers have complained about deletions. Unfamiliar with her constituency or candidates, she leans towards the BJP, hoping it might help her secure a house. For others, the motivation to vote is shaped as much by fear as by aspiration. Shibani, a domestic worker in Delhi for 11 years, is returning home to Nandigram to vote. She credits the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana for helping her acquire a home. But her decision to vote now is driven by anxiety CONTINUED ON P4 . ment cable TV, and MSP for mangoes were among the notable promises. Palaniswami, in a video message targeting firsttime voters, explained the welfare schemes implemented by past AIADMK governments. Meanwhile, West Bengal’s first-phase campaign also ended in a fiercely charged atmosphere, dominated by an intense political showdown between Home Minister Amit Shah and CM Mamata Banerjee. Covering 152 seats with 1,500 candidates, the contest has been marked by sharp accusations over corruption, lawlessness, voter manipulation and communal polarisation. In the final hours, Shah launched personal attacks, while Banerjee countered with charges of BJP’s misuse of central forces. P5 & P8 DISRUPTION IN WEBCASTING ECI CRACKS WHIP ON FOUL PLAY A N U P V E R M A @ New Delhi E X P R E S S N E W S S E R V I C E @ Thrissur WATER BELL Schools have been directed to ring a bell every 45-60 minutes to remind students to drink water and pair them up in a “buddy system” to monitor each other’s health as IMD warns of likely heatwave in the coming days. Meanwhile, water shortage hits Sanjay Camp Chanakyapuri and people depend on tanker supply | PARVEEN NEGI | P4 IN a relief for farmers, the Centre has accepted the Delhi government’s request to restart wheat procurement through the Food Corporation of India, resuming operations after a gap since 2021-22. The move will ensure farmers receive the Minimum Support Price and strengthen the local agricultural ecosystem. CM Rekha Gupta called it a key step towards prioritising farmers’ interests. After her letter to Union Minister Pralhad Joshi, highlighting distress sales, the Centre directed FCI to begin procurement for the 2026-27 rabi season. ASSEMBLY ELECTIONS CAMPAIGN WITHOUT RESTRAINT IN BENGAL I P8 ON THE EDGE OF EXCLUSION, APPEALS HANG I P8 GOYAL: BJP WILL REGISTER ITS BEST PERFORMANCE I P5 Address to the nation draws privilege notice M U K E S H R A N J A N @ New Delhi P R E E T H A N A I R @ New Delhi AHEAD of polling in Tamil Nadu and West Bengal, the Election Commission of India read the riot act to all poll officials to ensure the process is free and fair. Since the entire exercise would be monitored through webcasting, even a brief disruption, such as a camera going offline for a few seconds or a technical glitch, could lead to repoll being ordered, the panel warned. “To prevent irregularities and violence, several measures have been implemented, including the large-scale deployment of paramilitary forces,” a senior ECI official said. The commission is also on high alert to curb booth capturing and fake voting, the officials said, adding that during webcasting, even a brief disruption, such as a camera going offline for a second or any technical glitch could lead to a re-poll being ordered by the authorities. “If the ECI still finds that malpractice has not been effectively controlled, it may even withhold the results for the entire legislative assembly another ECI official said. ,” AMID an escalating tussle over the women’s quota bill and delimitation, the Congress on Tuesday submitted a privilege notice against Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, alleging that the prime minister committed a breach of privilege during his address to the nation last week by “casting aspersions” on members of the Lower House. In the notice submitted under Rule 222, Congress MP K C Venugopal urged the Speaker to take immediate and decisive steps to uphold the sanctity of Parliament and the constitutional protections afforded to its members. He said on April 18, the prime minister addressed the nation on TV following the defeat of the Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill. 2026 in the Lok Sabha on April 17, which failed to secure the required two-thirds majority . In the 29-minute speech, Modi criticised the blocking of the bill, made direct reflections on the voting pattern of members of the Opposition and attributed motives to them, he said. It is well established that casting reflections, aspersions, and imputing motives to MPs regarding speeches in Parliament is tantamount to gross breach of privilege and contempt of the House, he added. “Addressing the nation by the PM on the government not being able to muster the requisite majority in Parliament for criticizing the Opposition parties is unprecedented, which is unethical and a blatant abuse of power,” Venugopal alleged in his notice. FCI to resume wheat procurement 13 dead, 40 hurt in cracker unit blast in Thrissur AT least 13 workers were killed and over 40 injured—five of them critically—after a powerful explosion ripped through a firecracker-manufacturing unit set up in a paddy field at in Kerala’s Thrissur district on Tuesday. The facility was engaged in preparing firecrackers ahead of the Thrissur Pooram scheduled this Sunday . The unit, comprising a cluster of makeshift sheds, was flattened in the blast, leaving behind devastation across the dry fields where temporary structures were erected as part of festival preparations. Nearly 70 labourers—most of them from Thrissur—were present at the unit when the blast occurred around 3pm. The impact was so intense that nearby residents initially mistook it for an earthquake. Thick plumes of black smoke billowed into the sky following the blast. Sources said nearly 2,000kg of explosive materials were stored at the facility The initial . blast triggered a series of secondary explosions, sending unexploded firecrackers flying into surrounding fields and hampering rescue efforts. Fire and rescue personnel were forced to operate from a distance for hours as intermittent explosions continued. Thrissur District Collector Sikha Surendran has ordered a magisterial probe into the incident. Chief Minister MK Stalin during a roadshow in Villivakkam constituency; AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami addressing a gathering in Edapaddi; TMC chief Mamata Banerjee at a rally at Jorasanko in Kolkata; Home Minister Amit Shah plays a drum during campaign at Chandipur in Purba Medinipur | P JAWAHAR, ASHWIN PRASATH & PTI After gap of 5 yrs The Centre has accepted the Delhi govt’s request to restart wheat procurement through Food Corporation of India after a gap since 202122. Operations will start on April 24 at the Narela depot and Najafgarh mandi. Operations will start on April 24 at the Narela depot and Najafgarh mandi, bringing facilities closer to farmers. Local centres will reduce transport costs and improve access to procurement. Officials said locally procured wheat will support the Public Distribution System and improve supply efficiency The policy also aims to . stabilise markets by limiting unnecessary grain movement. Delhi has about 29,000 hectares under wheat cultivation and produces nearly 80,000 metric tonnes, leaving a surplus. Around 21,000 farmers are expected to benefit. Farmers must carry Aadhaar, land records, and bank details. A village-wise schedule will be announced and farmers are advised to follow it to avoid inconvenience. The initiative may improve incomes and ensure timely payments through direct bank transfers, thereby enabling smoother operations during the procurement season. FORWARD TRAINING NODE Army’s skill lab where soldiers learn how to win the drone war J A V A R I A R A N A @ Bhuj COMPUTER screens display simulated terrain, moving targets and live telemetry as young soldiers pilot virtual drones through obstacle-heavy scenarios that resemble a video game, but are configured to replicate combat conditions. This newspaper visited one such forward training node on the western front, part of the Army’s post-Operation Sindoor push to build its next generation of unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) operators. Drones, once limited to intelligence, surveillance and re- connaissance (ISR) roles, are now central to battlefield operations, delivering low-cost surveillance and precision strikes while compressing decision timelines. During Operation Sindoor, Army units deployed UAVs for surveillance, targeting and loitering munition strikes, allowing tactical formations to generate a real-time battlefield picture with reduced dependence on higher headquarters. The Army began setting up these labs about two years ago across infantry formations and independent brigades to standardise training and build a Soldiers operate an FPV drone through an obstacle course during training at an Army drone lab | JAVARIA RANA steady pipeline of operators. “We follow the Directorate General of Aeronautical Quality Assurance (DGQA) protocols and train in phases, starting on simulators before moving to live systems,” a Colonel overseeing the node told this newspaper. Training begins on simulators using homegrown software to familiarise personnel with controls, mission scenarios and emergency handling, before they transition to live platforms. “It may look like a video game, but the focus is on building muscle memory and decision-making under pressure,” the officer said. After completing the required flying hours, soldiers undergo structured training followed by hands-on exposure across a spectrum of systems, from micro UAVs used for close reconnaissance to first-person view (FPV) drones and loitering munitions. The modules cover mission planning, payload integration and operations in contested environments, including scenarios involving signal disruption and electronic interference. In the next stage, obstacle courses are used to rigorously test control, manoeuvrability and responsiveness in constrained, high-pressure settings. Those who perform well are taken on for advanced pilot and instructor roles. Each lab can run up to 40 courses annually and, when required, also trains Border Security Force (BSF) personnel as part of inter-agency coordination to counter crossborder drone activity . The training pipeline now feeds directly into operational units. In the infantry each unit , is being equipped with ‘Ashni’ platoons carrying surveillance UAVs and loitering munitions for tactical ISR and strike roles. In artillery ‘Divyastra’ batteries , integrate UAV-based targeting with guns, while ‘Shaktibaan’ regiments are tasked with longrange precision strikes using swarm drones and remotely piloted aircraft systems.