tuesdAY pakistan, China move to create a new bloc to replace defunct saarc 01 july, 2025 epaper.morningstandard.in facebook.com/TheMorningStandard Pakistan’s Express Tribune newspaper reported that talks between Islamabad and Beijing to set up a new regional bloc are at an advanced stage X.com/TheMornStandard Southern Europe roasts as temp hits record Forest fires fanned by high winds and hot, dry weather damaged some holiday homes in Turkey as a heat wave led authorities to raise warnings. Page 9 Bangladesh on board, India may not join A CAPITAL VIEW OF NEWS l New Delhi l l J8.00 Bangladesh is already on board and Sri Lanka, Maldives, and Afghanistan are expected to join, the newspaper claimed. “The recent trilateral meeting of Pakistan, China and Bangladesh held in Kunming, China, was part of those diplomatic maneuvers,” it said. All SAARC members would be invited to join but India is not expected to accept it, the report added PAGES 12 At least 14 killed in major blast at Indian team in US chemicals unit in Telangana dist extends stay, trade Sigachi Industries GM among the fatalities P K rishna @ Sangareddy At least 14 workers died and 35 others suffered injuries, some of them grievously in a major , explosion at a chemicals factory, Sigachi Industries, in Pashamylaram, Sangareddy district on Monday morning. The condition of two workers is said to be “very critical”. The blast razed the entire three-storey building, throwing several workers up to 100 metres away The impact of . the blast was felt up to 5 km away. The factory manufactures microcrystalline cellulose and cellulose powder. As the bodies were severely damaged beyond recognition, officials decided to conduct DNA tests for identification. According to locals, about 140 workers were at the unit when the blast happened. Though initially thought to be a reactor blast, reports suggested that a build-up of pressure due to heat in a pipeline might have caused the explosion. Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced `2 lakh for the disappearance Court allows CBI to close probe into JNU student S H E K H A R S I N G H @ New Delhi A city court on Monday permitted the CBI to formally close its probe into the disappearance of JNU student Najeeb Ahmed, nearly nine years after he went missing under mysterious circumstances. Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate Jyoti Maheshwari accepted the closure report filed by the CBI but granted liberty to reopen the investigation if any new evidence emerges in the future. The court’s order marks a development in the long-running case that began with Ahmed’s disappearance from JNU on October 15, 2016. Ahmed, a first-year Master’s student, was last seen at the Mahi-Mandvi hostel after an altercation with a group of students, the night before. The case was initially investigated by Delhi Police, but was later handed over to CBI following public outcry and a legal battle led by Ahmed’s mother, Fatima Nafees, who has continued to press for answers. Despite nationwide searches and forensic analysis, CBI failed to make any breakthrough in locating Ahmed. In October 2018, the CBI concluded its probe and filed a closure report, stating that all possible leads had been exhausted with no result. Before doing so, it obtained the necessary permission from the Delhi High Court to discontinue the investigation. The acceptance of the closure report by the magistrate does not bar future inquiry. The court observed that the case may be reopened should fresh evidence come to light. Earlier in the proceedings, Nafees’ legal counsel had described the matter as a “political case”. 2016 saarc has been dysfunctional since the Pak-hosted summit in 2016 was cancelled families of the deceased and `50,000 for the injured from the Prime Minister’s National Relief Fund. Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy directed officials to provide the best possible medical care. He also appointed a fivemember high-powered panel led by the chief secretary to probe the tragedy . According to police and eyewitnesses, the blast occurred in the administrative block, triggering a fire. Five workers were burnt alive, while several were trapped under the debris, and others died while undergoing treatment. Fire department Director General Y Nagi Reddy said his personnel began rescue operations within five minutes of the blast. He confirmed that the explosion was not caused by the reactor, but was likely because of a build-up of pressure in a hot pipeline. The factory’s fire engine was used initially, followed by 12 additional fire engines. Police, fire services, HYDRAA and NDRF teams responded promptly . talks in final phase Injured Two of them are said to be very critical. In all, 12 injured workers of the factory put on ventilator support in hospitals As many as 13 fire engines were deployed for rescue operations —Y Nagi Reddy, fire dept director general The factory reduced to rubble after a massive blast, in Telangana on Monday | PTI Chief Minister Rekha Gupta has proposed the renaming of Old Delhi Railway Station after Maharaja Agrasen, a legendary historical figure. In a letter addressed to Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, Gupta said the proposal would “deeply resonate with the sentiments of millions of Delhi residents.” “I am writing to respectfully request your kind consideration for renaming the Old Delhi Railway Station in honour of Maharaja Agrasen, a revered historical figure whose legacy has had a profound impact on the socio-economic development of India, particularly in Delhi,” the letter read. Maharaja Agrasen is regarded as a symbol of social justice, economic foresight, and community welfare. Renaming the station after him would serve as a fitting tribute to his contributions, it said. The CM sought his personal intervention to ensure “favourable and expeditious consideration” of the proposal. While the letter is first formal communication on the matter, BJP sources revealed that a quiet campaign to rename the station began soon after the party formed the government in the city . Former mayor Mira Aggarwal had held discussions with community leaders from the baniya caste and BJP MLAs, including Model Town MLA Ashok Goel, before the proposal was approved by Gupta, who also belongs to the same caste. A proposal in this regard was moved in the Assembly by Goel during its Monsoon session. Indian banks’ gross bad loan ratio touches decadal low D I PA K MO N D A L @ New Delhi 35 Rename Old Delhi Rly Station after Maharaja Agrasen: CM to Vaishnaw A S H I S H S R I VA STAVA @ New Delhi B E N N K O C H U V E E D A N @ Mumbai on Indian goods till July 8. If both the countries failed Indian negotiators currently to finalise an interim deal by in the US for last-minute talks that date, then Indian goods exto finalise an interim trade ported to the US would attract deal on Monday extended their a higher tariff than the existstay by three more days, rais- ing 10%. ing hopes of a deal before the American authorities have July 9 deadline when the already said that the July 9 Trump tariffs will kick in if d e a d l i n e wo u l d n o t b e there is no pact. extended. A commerce ministry offiThe US is seeking tariff concial said the Indian team would cessions from India on a range stay till July 1. of products, includThe negotiators ing industrial were originally goods, automobiles scheduled to stay — particularly elecfor two days — tric vehicles — June 26 and 27. wines, petrochemiThe Indian team cal products, dairy i s h e a d e d by items, and agriculAgri, dairy are Rajesh Agrawal, tural products such sticking points special secretary , as apples, tree nuts, According to sources, Department of and g enetically agriculture and dairy Commerce. modified crops. remain the most Last week, US In return, India contentious issues. India President Donald is pushing for duty would have liked Trump had hintreductions on its to side-step ed at the possibillabour-intensive exthese and ity of a big trade p o r t s, s u c h a s signed an early agreement with textiles, gems and deal, but the India. “We are jewellery, leather US side is not h av i n g s o m e goods, garments, ready great deals. We plastics, chemicals, for it have one coming shrimp, oil seeds, up, maybe with grapes, and India, a very big bananas. one, where we’re going to open Commerce ministry sources up India,” Trump had said dur- have hinted at a multiple-phase ing an event at the White House negotiation before a long-lastlast Thursday . ing trade deal is finalised. HowIndia’s trade officials had ever, for now, an interim deal is earlier said they were “not des- being looked at to avoid the reperate” for a deal before July 9 ciprocal tariff of 26%. at the cost of India’s interests, The first tranche of Bilateral the extended parleys suggest a Trade Agreement between the deal is likely to be sealed. two countries is expected to The US has already decided be finalised by Septembernot to levy a 26% import tariff October 2025. Above-normal rain expected in most parts of India in July The weather department said the overall monthly average rainfall for July 2025 is expected to be above normal, exceeding 106% of the Long Period Average | P7 All 337 tonnes of Union Carbide waste incinerated at Pithampur India’s banking sector has shown spectacular improvement in asset quality as gross non-performing assets (NPAs or bad loans) touched a decadal low of 2.3% in March 2025, the Reserve Bank of India said in its Financial Stability Report, released on Monday How. ever, the report forecasts a marginal 20 basis-point rise in gross NPAs by March 2027 to 2.5% in a normal scenario and 5.6% in an extreme adverse scenario. “The soundness and resilience of commercial banks are bolstered by robust capital buffers, multi-decadal low nonperforming loans ratio and strong earnings,” it said. The report, based on the aggregate gross NPAs of 46 banks, also considered geopolitical risks and adverse scenario of global growth slowdown for its projections. The forecasts were based on the results of various ‘stress tests’ to assess the resilience of the banking system to macroeconomic shocks. According to the report, the stress tests affirmed that most banks have adequate capital buffers relative to the regulatory minimum, even under adverse stress scenarios. Stress tests also validated the resilience of mutual funds and clearing corporations. S i m i l a rl y, n o n - b a n k i n g financial companies were found to remain healthy with sizable capital buffers, robust earnings and improving asset quality . e x p r e ss r e a d 3 Kashmir parties form ‘alliance for change’ Three Kashmir-based parties have joined hands and formed an alliance, ‘Peoples Alliance for Change’, to take on the National Conference government on its home turf. Peoples Conference of MLA Sajjad Gani Lone is one of the partners of the alliance. |p8 Bail denied for sharing ‘Pak Zindabad’ post an u raag singh @ Bhopal The 337 metric tonnes of hazardous waste, which was shifted safely out from the 1984 Bhopal Gas Tragedy-hit now-defunct Union Carbide Plant on January 1-2, 2025 intervening night, has been incinerated completely at the private treatment-storage-disposal facility (TSDF) in Pithampur industrial town of Dhar district. According to sources in Dhar district, the process of burning the waste, which began on May 5, in pursuance with a December 2024 order of the Madhya Pradesh High Court took 55 days to complete the incineration of 337 metric tonnes waste. The incineration was completed on Monday afternoon. Out of the 358 tonnes waste transported out of Bhopal in safe containers on January 1-2 (40 years after the worst industrial disaster claimed more than 5,400 lives due to poisonous gas leak at the Union Carbide plant), just around 21 tonnes (mostly mud) is still being burnt and that process too will finish soon. Around 814 tonnes ash and residual matter has been gathered out of the incineration process so far. RBI report The Allahabad HC has denied bail to a man for his ‘Pakistan Zindabad’ post on social media. It said his anti-national conduct didn’t entitle him to seek protection of his right to liberty under the Constitution. Ex-minister files papers for new Maha BJP chief river in spate A red alert for heavy to very heavy rain in several parts of Himachal Pradesh has prompted the state government to announce the closure of all education institutions in Kangra, Mandi, Sirmaur and Solan districts as three people die in 24 hours | pti BJP MLA and former minister Ravindra Chavan on Monday filed his nomination for the post of the Maharashtra president, and a formal announcement will be made by Tuesday evening, CM Devendra Fadnavis said. keeper of faith Wannabe Captain Cool? Just move on, it’s Dhoni’s property E x p ress N e w s S ervice @ Chennai Very soon, ‘Captain Cool’ Tshirts will replace ‘Captain America’. There might be cricket bats and balls with the same name. Captain Cool has become more than just a moniker for former India skipper M S Dhoni. He redefined captaincy with his unique way The words . reflected his on-field leadership and over a period of time transcended into a philosophy of calmness, a unique space only Dhoni ruled. So much has Captain Cool been part of Dhoni that even after years of retirement, the sobriquet remained as a trademark, literally and legally now. “Delighted to share a recent development from the field of trademark law that underscores the evolving role of personality rights and acquired distinctiveness in overcoming relative grounds for refusal,” said Mansi Aggarwal, who was representing Dhoni. “Our trademark application for the mark “CAPTAIN COOL”, filed on behalf of Mr. Mahendra Singh Dhoni, has been accepted and advertised, notwithstanding the existence of a prior registration.” The Trade Mark Registry portal said that the application has been accepted and advertised. The trademark was published on its journal on June 16 and the date of application was June 5. However, going by Dhoni’s lawyers’ post on social media, the journey was not easy The registry said that . the trademark was in existence and might confuse people but the legal team argued that this sobriquet is closely linked with Dhoni. Mansi’s post said that “The Registry acknowledged that the sobriquet is not just a nickname but a part of the applicant’s commercial identity and public image, reinforced by media, consumer perception, and global recognition and hence is unlikely to cause confusion.” The trademark is expected to be used in sports and related field. Dhoni is the only India captain to win both T20 (2007) and ODI World Cups (2011).