TUESDAY 15 JULY, 2025 epaper.morningstandard.in facebook.com/TheMorningStandard X.com/TheMornStandard SHUBHANSHU SHUKLA, AXIOM-4 TEAM ON RETURN PATH TO EARTH T R U M P T H R E AT GIVES RUSSIA 50 DAYS TO END WAR US President Trump told Russia to resolve its Ukraine war within 50 days or face new economic sanctions as he laid out plans for new infusions of arms for Kyiv. PAGE 9 After an 18-day stay at the International Space Station (ISS), astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla and three others set off for return on Monday WILL SPLASH DOWN OFF US AT 3.01 PM TODAY A CAPITAL VIEW OF NEWS  NEW DELHI  J8.00  S U C H I T R A K A LYA N M O H A N T Y @ New Delhi Jaishankar meets his Chinese counterpart, urges lifting of restrictive trade practices J AYA N T H J A C O B @ New Delhi England players celebrate after India’s final wicket (Mohammed Siraj) falls in the third Test at Lord’s on Monday | PTI OH LORD’S: TAIL COMES GOOD BUT FALLS 22 SHORT F I R O Z M I R Z A @ London Proud the way team played: Shubman IT was as if the final day was on slow burn. It was cooking, but slowly; one run at a time across one over after another. Runs were coming in ones. The boundaries had dried up. Yet, the capacity crowd kept egging the players. This was Test cricket garbed in its finest orb. It was getting increasingly irritating for Ben Stokes and Co as Ravindra Jadeja and Nos. 10 and 11 — Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj — were trying to enact one of modern cricket’s greatest heists. What looked improbable at lunch looked promising by tea. It is not always that a crowd cheers a leave or a forward defensive. Not always do tail-enders play over 80 LONDON: Shubman Gill said he was proud of the way team put up a fight. He felt that one fifty partnership and Rishabh Pant’s first innings run-out made the difference. “Extremely proud it was as close a Test match... I was pretty confident of our chances with plenty of batting left. We needed a couple of 50-run partnerships but we weren’t able to get that,” Gill said | P11 balls. On Monday they just , did that and brought India closer to England’s target of 193. While Bumrah and Siraj were being cheered loudly for their defence, the Bharat Army were chanting ‘Oh Ravi Jadeja’, a song to the tune of the ‘Seven Nation Army’ they have composed for the all-rounder. Jadeja played 181 balls for his unbeaten 61 while Bumrah (5) and Siraj (4) faced 54 and 30 balls. All together, they played 212 legal deliveries. Like the Test, even the end was slow. Siraj blocked a Bashir’s delivery but the revs on the ball took it to the leg stump. A feather touch dislodged one bail. Jadeja looked on helplessly from the other end. The hosts, exhausted and forlorn until then, erupted in joy Just like they had done at . the same venue six years ago when England were crowned world champions by the barest of margins. At the centre of that win was Ben Stokes. The England skipper was the beating heart of this latest win as well. On the evidence of London, Manchester could P11 be another cracker. Last-ditch efforts on to save Indian nurse J AYA N T H J A C O B @ New Delhi AS the execution date of Indian nurse Nimisha Priya draws near, intense efforts are underway to convince the victim’s family to accept blood money , the only legal route to saving her life under Yemeni law. Nimisha Priya, a native of Kerala, is reportedly scheduled to be executed on July 16 for the alleged 2017 murder of her Yemeni business partner Talal Abdo Mahdi. “All efforts are on to save Nimisha Priya,” her lawyer Subhash Chandran told this paper. “In the latest efforts, through EXPRESS READ Golden temple gets bomb threat email The Golden Temple in Punjab’s Amritsar received a bomb threat on Monday, the SGPC said in a police complaint. The committee received an email threatening to blow up the community kitchen hall of the complex. Amritsar Police Commissioner Gurpreet Singh Bhullar confirmed that a case has been registered in response to the threat. Quarrelling women delay Spicejet flight Two unruly women passengers aboard a SpiceJet flight from Delhi to Mumbai quarrelled, forcing the flight’s return to the gate just before takeoff from the IGIA. This incident caused a delay of nearly seven hours. The women were offloaded and handed over to the CISF. They attempted to forcibly enter the cockpit. PAGES 12 Time to address de-escalation: EAM to Wang Yi People must know value of freedom of speech: SC OBSERVING that citizens must know the value of freedom of speech and expression, the Supreme Court on Monday said people should observe self-regulation. The bench said it would consider issuing a set of guidelines to regulate offensive posts on social media. “Citizens must know the value of the fundamental right of freedom of speech and expression. The state can step in, in case of violations. Nobody wants the state to step in,” said a two-judge bench comprising justices B V Nagarathna and K V Viswanathan. The court made these observations after hearing a plea filed by Wazahat Khan, booked in several states, including West Bengal, for his objectionable posts on X against a Hindu deity Justice Nagarathna said . divisive tendencies on social media needs to be curbed, adding it did not mean censorship. “There should be fraternity among citizens,” she said. Khan had filed a police complaint against another social media influencer Sharmistha Panoli for allegedly making communal remarks in a video. On June 23, the court had granted Khan interim protection from coercive action till July 14. The bench on Monday extended the interim protection till the next date of hearing in the case. The court asked Khan’s lawyer to assist in dealing with the larger issue of self-regulation of freedom of speech and expression. Shukla, the second Indian astronaut to travel to space after Rakesh Sharma’s 1984 odyssey, will board Dragon spacecraft at 2 pm IST and embark on the return journey two hours later. “Undocking from ISS is scheduled for 4.35 pm IST,” Axiom Space said. After a 22.5-hour journey, the crew will splash down off California at 3.01 pm IST on Tuesday the intervention of influential has stepped in personally and Sunni Muslim cleric Kanis making “all possible efforts” thapuram AP Aboobacker to open a channel of reconciliMusliyar, we have reached out ation. He has held talks with to one of the family religious authorities in members, as well as Yemen, who in turn are some local authorities in contact with the vicand religious leaders. tim’s family . We are trying our best “Right now, the only so that the family achope is that the family cepts the blood money accepts the blood monand the Kerala nurse is ey said a source famil,” Nimisha Priya spared from death row,” iar with the develophe said. ments. While there are According to sources close still “grey areas”, the negotiato the negotiations, Musliyar tion team is working with the — who holds the title of Grand understanding that July 16 Mufti and is officially known could be the execution date. as Sheikh Abubakr Ahmad — An office has been opened at 114-year-old marathon runner dies in accident H A R P R E E T B A J W A @ Chandigarh FAUJA Singh, the 114-year old oldest marathon runner, passed away in a road accident in his village near Punjab’s Jalandhar, on Monday Nicknamed the . “Turbaned Tornado”, Singh was hit by an unidentified vehicle while crossing the road in his native Beas village. “My father was going for a walk when an unidentified vehicle hit him. We rushed him to a private hospital as he suffered serve head injuries, but unfortunately he could not be saved,” , said his son, Harvinder Singh. Born on April 1, 1911 at Beas village in Jalandhar, Singh was the youngest of four children in his family In 1992, he moved . to England and settled in East London with his son after the death of his wife Gian Kaur. Singh started his marathon career in 2000 at the age of 89, as he decided to take up running and participated in London Marathon that year and shot to fame for completing it. This was his maiden full marathon which he completed in 6.54 hours. With this, he broke the previous world record of 58 minutes in the 90 plus age bracket. His feats also included the Toronto Waterfront Marathon in 2003 in 5.40 hours — his personal best timing. In October 2011, Singh became the first centenarian to finish a marathon, making him the oldest marathoner as he completed the Toronto Waterfront Marathon in eight hours eleven minutes and six seconds. Musliyar’s headquarters in Kerala to coordinate these efforts. However, there has been no official confirmation from the victim’s family . Earlier today the Centre in, formed the Supreme Court that it has limited diplomatic levers to intervene in the matter. Appearing before a bench of Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta, Attor ney General R Venkataramani said, “the government is trying its best...” The fate of Priya now hinges on the willingness of the victim’s family to accept the blood money offer. P7 IN a firm and forward-looking message during talks with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Monday said that lasting peace along the India-China border remains the bedrock for restoring strategic trust and advancing bilateral relations. Jaishankar, who is in China to attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) foreign ministers meeting, told his Chinese counterpart that recent progress in resolving border friction and maintaining tranquility helped ease tensions, laying the groundwork for broader normalisation. “We have made good progress in the past nine months for the normalisation of our bilateral relations. It is a result of the resolution of friction along the border and our ability to maintain peace and tranquility there. This is the fundamental basis for mutual strategic trust and for smooth development of bilateral relations,” he said. “It is now incumbent on us to address other aspects related to the border, including de-escalation,” Jaishankar said. “Our bilateral relationship requires that we take a far-seeing approach to our ties,” Jaishankar said. The minister, who is visiting China for the first time after the 2020 border clashes, said over the past year, both sides have made tangible progress toward nor malising ties, thanks to resumed dialogue and increasing high-level engagement. “In recent times, the two of us have had several opportunities to meet at international events and carry out strategic communication. It is our expectation that this will now become a regular feature and take place in each other’s countries,” he said. J&K CM SCALES BURIAL GATE TO PAY TRIBUTE External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar with his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi Need to maintain momentum in ties Jaishankar referred to the 2024 meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Xi Jinping in Kazan, saying “Since then, the relationship has been gradually moving in a positive direction. Our responsibility is to maintain that momentum.” Jaishankar highlighted the 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two nations that the two countries are marking this year. He also acknowledged the resumption of the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra after a five-year pause, expressing gratitude to China for its cooperation. Touching on trade and people-to-people engagement, Jaishankar called for the removal of barriers that hinder mutual growth. “Measures towards normalising people-to-people exchanges can foster mutually beneficial cooperation. It is also essential that restrictive trade practices and other roadblocks are avoided,” he said. Certain export control measures have caused unease in India in recent times. SINGLE WINDOW Approval for green industry reduced to 20 days from 120 A N U P V E R M A @ New Delhi THE Delhi government has announced a historic Ease of Doing Business reform that ends DPCC approval delays for Green Category industries. From August 2025, all applications for Consent to Operate (CTO) by eligible Green Category industries will be automatically deemed approved if no decision is made within 20 days — a sharp reduction from the earlier 120-day timeframe. This reform will directly benefit over 65 types of industries classified under the Green Category — typically non-polluting and low-risk sectors — which were earlier subjected to lengthy and complex approval procedures. These include industries such as apparel manufacturing (without dyeing or bleaching), aluminium and PVC product units, ayurvedic medicine manufacturing (without boilers), cold storage facilities, wooden and steel furniture making, confectionery units (with electric ovens), optical goods, toys assembly soap and , detergent units, battery container units, cardboard and packaging manufacturers, and many more. Under the new system, if an application for CTO is not processed within the prescribed timeline, it will be automatically approved, eliminating the need for further follow-ups or documentation. This landmark reform is expected to fast-track industrial activity in Delhi’s MSME sector while maintaining environmental safeguards. The move is part of Single Window Clearance initiative, aimed at removing redundant approvals and integrating services across departments to enable faster, paperless, and transparent processes for industries and entrepreneurs. Environment and Industries Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa said, “This was a long-pending demand from the business community of Delhi. A defiant Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Monday scaled the gates of the Naqshband Sahib graveyard to pay tribute to 22 people killed by the Dogra army in 1931, and said he was subjected to “physical grappling” but was not to be stopped or deterred | P8 CIVILISATIONAL NARRATIVE Mega museum in the works on Raisina Hill PA R V E Z S U LTA N @ New Delhi THE Culture Ministry has drawn up an elaborate plan to lay out one of the world’s largest museums, the Yuge Yugeen Bharat Museum (YYBM) by repurposing the iconic North and South Blocks on Raisina Hill into a vast exhibition space chronicling India’s civilisational journey . The project, part of the Central Vista Redevelopment, aims to transform the 100-year-old administrative buildings into immersive museum galleries that integrate architecture, history, and visitor engagement. According to senior officials, the ministry started the process of appointing a consultant who will develop a detailed functional programme. The museum is expected to include all key components such Ministry of Culture is brainstorming on overarching exhibition themes for indoor & outdoor spaces This expansive complex to integrate art spaces with immersive experiences, & visitor engagement THE MUSEUM TO SHOWCASE INDIAN ART AND HERITAGE FROM ANTIQUITY TO MODERNITY THE YUGE YUGEEN BHARAT MUSEUM Consultant will work out conceptual layout of galleries and outdoor exhibition zones Total Builtup area North Block 75,000 SQM South Block 78,000 SQM 60,000 SQM Galleries & exhibition 30,000 SQM : Total area proposed for visitors amenities including cafeteria and food court as indoor and outdoor galleries, libraries, auditoriums, educational spaces, conservation labs, performance zones, and visitor amenities. The total gallery and exhibition area will cover around 60,000 square metres, while 30,000 square metres have been ear marked for cafes, food courts, and retail stores selling replicas and souvenirs. Preliminary work has already begun. The CPWD has floated tenders and initiated restoration work on the North Block, expected to be completed in two years. The ministry currently operating from this building will shift to the new Common Central Secretariat (CCS) Building 3 by month end, an official said. Plans are underway to vacate the South Block in 2-3 months, along with, Shastri Bhawan, Krishi Bhawan, Nirman Bhawan, and Udyog Bhawan to enable the museum redevelopment. Spanning nearly 1.55 lakh square metres in total, the museum will be designed to accommodate an estimated 10 mn visitors annually “This is . not just a repurposing of buildings, but a reimagining of India’s civilisational narrative through architecture and technology said an official. ,” The ministry has prepared an indicative gallery concept featuring a selection of 13 key artifacts, including the Indus Valley Terracotta Hourglass (2500–1750 BCE), Konark Sun Wheel (13th Century CE), a fragment of a Mauryan edict pillar (3rd Century BCE), and a Gupta-era Surya sculpture (5th Century CE).