MONDAY 5 30 MARCH, 2026 SABALENKA IS FIFTH WOMAN TO COMPLETE ‘SUNSHINE DOUBLE’ epaper.morningstandard.in facebook.com/TheMorningStandard X.com/TheMornStandard UKRAINIAN STRIKE FIRE ERUPTS AT RUSSIA EXPORT HUB A drone strike claimed by Ukraine triggered a fire at Russia’s Baltic port of Ust-Luga as new damage at the exporting hub hit for a second time in days PAGE 9 EXPRESS READ India opposes China-led investment pact in WTO India has said it has strongly opposed the contentious Chinaled Investment Facilitation for Development (IFD) Agreement for its incorporation into the WTO framework. Incorporation of the IFD agreement risks eroding the functional limits of the WTO, Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal said in a social media post. WORLD NO. 1 SABALENKA COMPLETES ‘SUNSHINE DOUBLE’ AT MIAMI OPEN A CAPITAL VIEW OF NEWS TRANS community in Delhi has an uneasy relationship with it. But, they seek and manage to find their safe spaces | P4 CONG REMARKS COULD ENDANGER INDIAN LIVES: PM Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah participates in the city’s first-ever international marathon in Jammu on Sunday | PTI  J8.00  PAGES 12 Iranian strikes at Saudi Arabia’s Prince Sultan Air Base damaged a US E-3 AWACS aircraft along with a few refuelling aircraft | X Prime Minister Narendra Modi waves nelkathir (rice sheaf) during an election rally in Palakkad, Kerala on Sunday | PTI S H YA M P V @ Palakkad A G E N C I E S @ Tehran, Tel Aviv, Dubai PRIME Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday said his government is doing everything in its power to ensure the safety of Indians working and living in Gulf countries but the Congress is trying to politicise the ongoing Iran war by making “dangerous and irresponsible” remarks. Speaking at an election rally in Palakkad in Kerala, from where lakhs of people work in Gulf countries, Modi said the situation remains sensitive and warrants restraint in public discourse. However, he alleged, Congress leaders are issuing reckless statements amid an evolving DAY international situation that could endanger the lives of Indians. “It appears as though the Congress is willing to risk the lives of nearly Indians’ one crore Indians living in the safety top Gulf, merely to gain political adpriority vantage,” Modi said. Modi said The PM’s comments come days countries in after Congress leader Rahul Ganthe Gulf are dhi attacked the Centre’s handling prioritising the of the West Asia crisis, terming Insafety of Indian dia’s foreign policy ‘compromised’ nationals during and ‘a joke’. the conflict. “Our “The PM will do what US and Isembassies are rael say He will not work in the in. working round the terest of India,” Gandhi had said clock to ensure last week, criticising India’s forthat our brothers eign policy stance. and sisters there Speaking in Palakkad, Modi face no hardship,” stressed the Centre is closely monihe added toring the situation and taking measures to mitigate the impact on India and Indian nationals living in the region. “The welfare of Indian citizens abroad is central to my government’s policy response,” the prime minister said, adding that India has been actively engaging with global leaders as tensions have escalated. “Since the outbreak of the conflict, I have been in constant touch with global leaders,” Modi added. P7 A top Iranian official warned the US against a ground invasion, saying its troops would be set “on fire,” as regional diplomats met on Sunday in Pakistan in hopes of opening direct US-Iran talks and ending the month-long war. Iran’s parliament speaker, Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf, said Iranian forces were “waiting for the arrival of American troops on the ground to set them on fire and punish their regional partners forever,” according to Iranian state media. Iran warned of escalation after Israeli airstrikes hit several universities, including ones that Israel claimed were used for nuclear research and development. The paramilitary Revolutionary Guard warned that Iran would conFrance sider Israeli universities and denounces branches of US universities in the Houthis region “legitimate targets” unless France condemned offered safety assurances for Iraon Sunday two nian universities, state media attacks by Yemen’s reported. Houthi rebels on The Israeli military said an imIsraeli targets, pact at an industrial zone may have accusing them been caused by missile shrapnel, of escalating shortly after it detected a new bartension in the rage fired from Iran. Gulf by entering Foreign ministers from Pakistan, the war. “Houthis Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Turkey should abstain started talks on the war, with Isfrom all attacks,” lamabad acting as a go-between bespokesman Pascal tween the United States and Iran. Confavreux said. The four-way meeting between the Muslim nations was convened “to review the evolving regional situation and discuss issues of mutual interest”, Pakistan’s foreign ministry said in a brief statement. US-Israeli strikes hit the Iranian port city of Bandar Khamir near the Strait of Hormuz, killing five persons, Iranian state media reported. IRNA news agency said four persons were wounded. 30 COLOMBO: Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake on Sunday thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi for sending an oil shipment to ease fuel supply disruptions in the Island nation caused by the West Asia conflict. A shipment of 38,000 MT of fuel, comprising 20,000 MT of diesel and 18,000 MT of petrol, arrived in Colombo on Saturday 1ST SINCE SWIATEK TO SEAL THE DOUBLE The World No. 1 overpowered Gauff in the first and third sets with sizzling groundstroke winners and became the fifth woman and the first since Iga Swiatek in 2022 to accomplish the feat | P11 DMK promises coupons worth `8,000 for women Vijay in fray from Trichy(E), Perambur Iran taunts Trump, says waiting for US boots on ground Lanka thanks India for fuel supply JAMMU RUN NEW DELHI West Asia situation is sensitive and warrants restraint in public discourse, says Modi; Don keeps option for ground ops open in Iran, sends more troops HC tells ATM theft case accused to plant trees Emphasising a reformative approach in criminal justice, the Rajasthan High Court has granted bail to two accused arrested in January this year in an alleged ATM theft case while directing them to plant five trees daily for a month and ensure their upkeep under community service.  Aryna Sabalenka made history as she beat Coco Gauff in the Miami Open women’s singles final 6-2, 4-6, 6-3 on Saturday Two more Indian ships cross Hormuz NEW DELHI: Two more Indian-flagged LPG tankers, carrying roughly a day’s supply of the country’s cooking gas, have safely navigated through the war-hit Strait of Hormuz and are expected to reach Indian shores in the next couple of days. While BW TYR is proceeding towards Mumbai, BW ELM is en route to New Mangalore with an estimated arrival date of April 1 EXPRESS NEWS SERVICE TVK president Vijay on Sunday unveiled the party’s candidates for the 2026 Assembly elections, declaring that he will contest from Perambur in Chennai and Trichy East. Former AIADMK leader KA Sengottaiyan is up from Gobichettipalayam. ANNOUNCING the party’s election manifesto for the ensuing assembly election, DMK president and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin on Sunday announced that a coupon worth `8,000 would be given to women-heads of the family under non-income tax slab to purchase or replace household essentials through Illatharasi scheme. “Women heads of the family can choose household essentials like washing machine, TV , grinder, fridge, mixer, microwave oven, induction stove etc of their choice either to purchase newly or to exchange from their nearby store,” Chief Minister said while announcing the promise. Speaking to the reporters after the announcement, Stalin said that they have implemented a lot of schemes which were not part of the DMK’s election manifesto in 2021. “Last time they called the DMK Manifesto a hero. Now the manifesto is Indoor stadium in every district CM Stalin said he would ensure all districts have an indoor stadium with facilities to play football, volleyball and other games, apart from setting up sports hostels in every district. @ Chennai entering into the election as a superstar,” Stalin said. The CM also promised to increase the monthly financial aid for women through the Kalaignar Magalir Urimai Thogai scheme from `1,000 to `2,000. The old age pension scheme will be increased from `1,200 to `2,000 and for differently abled financial assistance would be increased to `2,500 Stalin said that the Chief Minister’s breakfast scheme which is now being implemented for the students up to Class V will be extended to Class VIII. Stalin also announced a slew of promises for students from increasing the financial aid for college children through the Pudhumai Penn scheme and Tamil Pudhalvan scheme to `1,500 from `1,000. On the employment front, Stalin promised that he would attract `18 lakh crore foreign investment and create job opportunities for about 50 lakh youths, apart from increasing the software export from `2.5 lakh crore to `5 lakh crore. Last time they called the DMK manifesto a Hero. Now the manifesto is entering the 2026 election as a superstar M K Stalin, Tamil Nadu chief minister DMK President and CM MK Stalin releases the party manifesto at Anna Arivalayam in Chennai on Sunday; Kanimozhi and Durai Murugan were also present | P JAWAHAR 10-yr jail for hate speech in T’gana M A N D A R A V I N D E R R E D D Y @ Hyderabad IN a move to curb hate crimes in Telangana, the state government on Sunday tabled a bill in the Legislative Assembly prescribing a jail term up to 10 years and fine of `1,00,000. Hate speech and hate crimes, under the new law, will be cognisable and non-bailable. According to the bill, hate speech includes any expression that is made, published, or circulated, in words, either spoken or written, or by signs or by visible representations or through electronic communication, with the intention to cause injury disharmo, ny or feelings of enmity or hatred or illwill against a person, alive or dead, class or group of persons or community The . bill defines prejudicial interest to include bias on the grounds of religion, race, caste or community , sex, gender, sexual orientation, place of birth, residence, language, disability and tribe. , The maximum punishment has been prescribed as imprisonment for seven years with a fine of `50,000. On subsequent events, the maximum punishment will be 10 years with a fine of `1,00,000. Oppn cross as U’khand begins audit on status of minorities ahead of polls UP man tries to open exit door twice midair ABORTED LANDING N A R E N D R A S E T H I @ Dehradun IN a move that has sparked political tensions, Uttarakhand’s BJP-led gover nment has constituted a high-level committee to audit the status of minorities in the state, ahead of next year’s Assembly elections and the upcoming Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. The seven-member high-level committee will do a comprehensive study of the socioeconomic, educational, and cultural shifts within the minority communities in the state over the last 25 years–essentially since the inception of Uttarakhand. T he committee will be chaired by retired judge Akhilesh Chand Sharma. Other members include retired IAS officer Shatrughan Singh, Doon University Vice-Chancellor Surekha Dangwal, subject Pushkar Singh Dhami, Uttarakhand CM Panel’s report to guide future policies: Govt According to its official mandate, the committee will evaluate the economic and educational status of minorities. It will then prepare a detailed report based on empirical data, which will guide the government’s welfare policies expert Manu Gaur, State Minority Commission Vice-Chairperson Farzana Begum, social worker Rajpal Singh, and the Director of the Minority Wel- fare Department as the member secretary Speaking to this . newspaper, senior committee member and retired IAS officer Shatrughan Singh said, “The committee’s work is in progress, and it has already held four meetings.” While the government has called it a purely administrative exercise, the Opposition has raised a red flag. “The way the BJP is trying to delete names of people from the Muslim community from the electoral rolls, it appears the government is gathering this data to create a hostile environment and facilitate exploitation,” Mohan Kala, spokesperson for the Uttarakhand Congress, alleged, noting the timing is suspect. The BJP has dismissed the allegations as fear-mongering. Minority welfare minister Khajan Das said the data will allow the government to take informed decisions. S L A L I T H A @ New Delhi THE pilot of an IndiGo flight from Bengaluru to Varanasi was forced to abort landing after a passenger made two attempts to open the emergency exit door mid-air. A total of 154 passengers were on board at the time of the incident. Mohammad Adnan made the attempts shortly before the landing of 6E 185, said airport authorities. An FIR was lodged against him at the airport police station after the flight landed safely after some delay . The Airbus A321 flight took off at 8.22 pm from Kempegowda International Airport in Bengaluru and made a safe landing at 10.35 pm at Lal Bahadur Shastri Airport in Varanasi. The first landing attempt, made about 20 minutes earlier, was abandoned by the pilot at the last moment. Data by FlightRadar24 shows the flight Mohammad Adnan making a go-around above the airport after reaching there. Airport police station sources said an Indigo staffer had filed a complaint against 22year-old Adnan, travelling on seat 19C, for endangering the lives of others on the flight. Adnan is a native of the Mau district in Uttar Pradesh and does saree embroidery work. “We have registered an FIR in his name at Phoolpur station under Section 125 of the BNS for negligent behaviour which has endangered other human lives,” a police official said. An airport source told this newspaper, “The flyer is reported to have opened the door twice. The first time it happened was midway during the flight. He attempted to open the exit door, and the cabin crew who saw him in the act warned him and made him shift his seat. However, just as the flight was about to land, he attempted to open the emergency handle again. When the incident was The flyer is reported to have opened the door twice. The first time it happened was midway during the flight. He attempted to open the exit door, and the cabin crew who saw him in the act warned him and made him shift his seat —A Varanasi airport source reported to the cockpit crew, it decided to abort the landing.” The passenger was handed over to the police Babatpur chauki at the airport, which is an outpost of Phoolpur station in Varanasi, he added. Without sharing details, an IndiGo source said, “The passenger attempted to open the emergency exit door twice. In line with the protocol to be followed in such instances, we handed him over to the police as soon as the flight landed.” The police said that Adnan is being questioned about his actions and his family has been informed about the incident. As per the rules of the aviation regulator, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation, the opening of an emergency exit door is a major security violation. The regulator recommends deboarding and a flight ban between 30 and 60 days on such passengers.