LATEST IMD DATA PUTS MONSOON RAIN DEFICIT AT WHOPPING 41% FRIDAY 19 With the southwest monsoon stalled over Maharashtra, India faced a nationwide rainfall deficit of 41% between June 4-18, the IMD said JUNE, 2026 epaper.morningstandard.in facebook.com/TheMorningStandard X.com/TheMornStandard 4-5 DAYS EBOLA A dried-up pond at Tamil Nadu’s Koonthankulam Bird Sanctuary in Tirunelveli dist | KARTHIKALAGU WOMAN ISOLATED IN KERALA HOSP A woman who arrived from South Sudan was shifted to Kottayam Medical College for an Ebola test after she developed fever, health officials said. PAGE 5 Central india has highest shortfall A CAPITAL VIEW OF NEWS Ex-Agniveers to get 20% reservation in govt jobs, says L-G A N U P V E R M A @ New Delhi LIEUTENANT-GOVERNOR Taranjit Singh Sandhu on Thursday directed 20% reservation for former Agniveers in Group ‘C’ posts of police constables, firemen, forest guards, jail warders and wildlife guards. He set a June 30 deadline for all departments to finalise the required processes and implement the necessary amendments to their respective Recruitment Rules. Sandhu reviewed the strategy for extending reservation benefits to ex-Agniveers (retired short-service Army personnel) across government departments and agencies in Delhi at a meeting with the Chief Secretary, Rajeev Verma, Police Commissioner Satish Golcha and other senior officers. The L-G has earmarked the quota to optimally harness these youths’ discipline and military training. It will be applicable across key operational departments, specifically covering the recruitment of police constables in Delhi Police, firemen in the Delhi Fire Service, jail warders in the Prison Department, and forest guards and wildlife guards in the Department of Environment, Forest & Wildlife. Sandhu had earlier suggested that former Agniveers—Army personnel who retire after four years of service—could be inducted to address the manpower shortage in the Delhi Fire Service (DFS) and increase the number of fire stations across the city to improve emergency response times. The directions were issued at a high-level meeting of the Delhi Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) that the L-G chaired days after the Malviya Nagar hotel fire, in which around two dozen people lost their lives. A domestic help was allegedly bludgeoned with a bat and stabbed to death on a terrace in southeast Delhi’s Mount Kailash on Thursday, with the accused, a doctor, found standing near her blood-soaked body when police reached the scene. The killing sent shockwaves through the neighbourhood, coming barely two months after the daughter of an Indian Revenue Service (IRS) officer was allegedly raped and murdered by a former domestic help in the area. The victim, 45-year-old Meena, was allegedly murdered by dermatologist Manish Gupta, at whose house she had worked for several years. According to police, Gupta was present at the crime scene and was taken into custody immediately . A PCR call was received around 11.30 am reporting that a woman had been murdered on the terrace of a neighbouring building and was lying in a  NEW DELHI Diaz  J8.00  Kane hero for Colombia sets stage alight Skipper Harry Kane, coming of a record-breaking domestic season with Bayern Munich, sparkled as his brace helped them overcome Croatia 4-2 in a thriller. The striker, who equalled England’s World Cup record of 10 strikes (Gary Linekar), will be key if they are to match the exploits of 1966 when they won it for the only time Luis Diaz, who has gone up a level over the last 12 months, was all-action as Colombia saw off Uzbekistan 3-1 in Wednesday’s final game in Mexico. Later on Thursday, Teboho Mokoena’s late penalty helped South Africa hold Czechia 1-1 and keep their WC hopes alive Sandhu sets the deadline Group ‘C’ posts of police constables, firemen, forest guards, jail warders and wildlife guards June 30 deadline set for all depts to implement amendments to their respective recruitment rules Strategy for extending quota benefits to retired short-service Army personnel across Delhi govt depts reviewed at a meeting with Chief Secretary Rajeev Verma, Police Commissioner Satish Golcha and others Family clueless The victim’s family said that they were clueless how the incident unfolded. “She (the victim) worked as a domestic help at the doctor’s house for the past 15 years. My friend called and told me she had died and that I should come,” the victim’s son said. pool of blood, police said. DCP (Southeast) Hemant Tiwari said, “A police team found the victim dead. A man in his 50s was also present near the body when they arrived. The accused is being questioned to establish the motive.” Investigators suspect that the crime may have stemmed from a personal dispute. CCTV footage from nearby buildings was reviewed and residents were questioned. The body was sent for post-mortem, while the bat and knife allegedly used in the crime were seized from the scene, the DCP said, adding that a case has been registered. The country has received just 42.6 mm of rainfall against the normal of 72.2 mm between June 4 and June 18, the Met office said. IMD’s region-wise departure rainfall map shows that rainfall deficits in central India, east and northeast India, the southern peninsula, and northwest India stand at 67%, 42%, 22%, and 6%, respectively PAGES 12 Three Lions roar with four Doctor bludgeons, stabs 45-year-old domestic help to death; arrested EXPRESS NEWS EXPRESS @ New Delhi MORE TO GO BEFORE RAINFALL RESUMES IN MAHARASHTRA, PREDICTS MET OFFICE England got off their campaign to a rousing start while Colombia eased past the challenge of Uzbekistan as the World Cup’s first round comes to an end. A look... Today's matches USA vs Australia  12:30 AM Scotland vs Morocco  3:30 AM Brazil vs Haiti  6AM Turkiye vs Paraguay  8:30 AM Live on United8 Sports & ZEE5 (All IST Saturday) India-UK free trade pact to kickstart on July 15; bid to energise economy on fast track UK steel deal clears FTA rollout path P U S H P I TA D E Y @ New Delhi INDIA has secured additional concessions under the free trade agreement with the United Kingdom, resolving all outstanding issues that had delayed its implementation, setting the stage for its roll out on July 15. The gains include an extension of the social security contribution exemption for Indian professionals working temporarily in the UK from three years to five years and a resolution of concerns over Britain’s proposed steel safeguard measures. The Ministry of Commerce on Thursday said around 85% of India’s steel exports have been kept outside the UK’s new import restrictions. “The key issue which was holding us back was the new steel measures. Around 85% of our exports to the UK are outside the steel measures,” an official said. The UK had announced a 60% reduction in tariff-free steel import quotas from June and imposed a 50% duty on shipments exceeding those quotas to protect its domestic steel industry In its pushback, In. dia had warned that it could revisit the concessions under the FTA if the issue remained unresolved. Since nearly 85% of India’s steel exports to the UK fall outside the product categories covered by the British safeguard regime, it will ensure continued market access through a combination of countryspecific quotas, residual quotas and an authoriseduse mechanism. Of India’s nearly $900 million steel exports to the UK, only about $137 million will now be subject to the new safeguard measures. Sources said both countries spent the last two months negotiating the outstanding issues. Under the revised agreement, Indian professionals employed by Indian companies in the UK, as well as employees transferred to subsidiaries or affiliated entities, will be exempt from making social security contributions in the UK for up to five years, provided they continue contributing to India’s social security system and obtain a Certificate of Coverage (CoC). Earlier, the exemption was limited to three years. As for the UK’s proposed Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM), discussions will continue separately . Multiple areas have been negotiated. Course corrections in multiple areas have been discussed and finalised. We have resolved all issues Union commerce ministry official Deft balancing “Balancing has been done in a manner that does not impact FTA. Also, the proportionate benefits and market access to both sides under Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement have been preserved,” the official said Final FTA text by July 1 Prime ministers Narendra Modi and Keir Starmer announced on Wednesday that CETA will come into force on July 15. The final legal text and details of the agreement are expected by July 1 PM meets French CEOs The PM also met Benoit Bazin, Chairman and CEO of SaintGobain, Martin Sion, CEO of Alstom, and Arthur Mensch, co-founder and CEO of Mistral AI. The talks were part of the broader effort to draw investment Modi call to democratise technology J AYA N T H J A C O B @ New Delhi PRIME Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday positioned India as a global hub for inclusive technology and innovation, telling business leaders and entrepreneurs at the VivaTech Summit 2026 in Paris that technology can drive progress only when it is accessible to everyone. He also met top French CEOs to discuss fresh investments and expansion plans across sectors including artificial intelligence, shipping, logistics, railways and construction. Speaking at VivaTech, Europe’s largest technology and startup event, where India is the Country Partner and has set up the largest national pavilion, Modi highlighted India’s technology-led transformation over the past decade and presented a vision of AI that prioritises inclusion and broad-based growth. “When it comes to technology along with , innovation, what matters is access. Technology can lead to progress only when it is democratised. India believes that in this era of disruption, technology must deliver for all,” Modi said. His comments assume significance amid growing global debates over access to advanced AI technologies and recent restrictions by the United States on the use of certain cutting-edge AI models by foreign nationals. Using a phrase that drew applause from the audience, Modi said: “For India, AI means ‘All Inclusive’.” He said artificial intelligence should be leveraged to improve lives, expand access to services, accelerate economic growth and support sustainability goals. According to the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), the PM’s discussions focused on strengthening collaboration across shipping, logistics, railways, construction and AI. Prominent among the key meetings was the one with Rodolphe Saade, Chairman and CEO of CMA CGM, where discussions centred on maritime shipping, logistics and global supply chains. Saadé said: “I believe India has a major role to play in the supply chains of the world. The fact that we are now in a position to build container ships in India is definitely a good step forward. The future of India is happening now.” Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut during a press meet in New Delhi on Thursday | PTI Uddhav Sena on the verge of a split, again P R E E T H A N A I R @ New Delhi AS the Shiv Sena (UBT) appears to be headed for a second major split, six of its nine Lok Sabha MPs skipped the parliamentary party meeting on Thursday signalling that a for, mal crossover to the ruling Shiv Sena led by Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde is imminent. The MPs who skipped the meeting are Nagesh Aashtikar, Sanjay Deshmukh, Sanjay Jadhav, Sanjay Dina Patil, Omprakash Rajenimbalkar, and Bhausaheb Wakchaure. The party issued a show cause notice to them to explain their absence within seven days. Arvind Sawant, Anil Desai and Rajabhau Waje attended the meeting, along with Sanjay Raut, the party’s lone Rajya Sabha MP . Raut said the MPs’ no-show will be considered a violation of the party whip and legal action will be initiated to disqualify them as lawmakers. He also claimed the rebel MPs had been given an additional `10 crore, over and above the `15 crore paid earlier, and moved to a safe location in Rajasthan. He warned the party would launch ‘Operation Tudwa’ (bash up) against the “traitors”. Sources said all six dissident MPs have signed a letter seeking a merger with the Shindeled Sena and submitted it to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla. The process, however, is not complete as the Speaker’s office requires the physical appearance of some of the MPs for verification and that is “expected to happen in the coming days”, they said. HC’s poser on proportionality of Telegram ban The 40-km rail line that waited a century U D AYA N K I S H O R E @ New Delhi Application of mind SOCIAL media App Telegram was banned “temporarily” to prevent misleading crores of students so that they do not come on the streets, the Centre told the Delhi High Court on Thursday claiming that the app was the most preferred platform for terror activities. The Centre made the submission after Justice Tejas Karia questioned how can the rights of 150 million people just be stopped because one set of citizen are appearing in examinations. “The question is can you block somebody else’s rights to Telegram, through senior advocate Dhruv Mehta, questioned the logic behind the ban. “NEET will affect the sovereignty and integrity of India? What is the application of mind? On WhatsApp people are marketing,” Telegram’s counsel said protect someone else’s rights,” the judge asked. The judge reserved verdict on Telegram’s plea challenging the government order banning the platform till June 22 in view of the NEET re-exam. Attorney General R Venkataramani, appearing for the Centre, said Telegram, because of its architecture, was a “Frankenstein”. “If a country like ours cannot take preventive action, where do we go?” Solicitor Gen- eral Tushar Mehta, for the government, said Telegram operates through cloud, “even if we block something and someone does a mischief, law enforcement agency can’t reach the person... This is the most preferred platform for terrorist activities,” the SG submitted. To this, the bench asked, “How can we stop rights of 150 million people?” The law has been laid down in the Anuradha Bhasin judgment of the SC, the bench said. The Centre’s counsel said the Supreme Court judgment in Bhasin does not prohibit blocking in any sense. P7 H A R P R E E T B A J W A @ Chandigarh Qadian and Beas BARELY 40 kilometres apart, Qadian and Beas have waited nearly a century for railway tracks to bridge the distance. The wait may finally be over with the revival of the longpending rail link project. The approval comes with less than a year to go before the Punjab Assembly elections. The Northern Railway will execute the project, estimated to cost around `1,400 crore. Union MoS for Railways Ravneet Singh Bittu said the proposed 39.68-km broad-gauge corridor will connect Qadian Qadian and Beas, barely 40 km apart, have waited nearly a century for rail tracks to bridge the distance. The Northern Railway will execute the longpending rail link project estimated to cost around `1,400 crore, in Gurdaspur district with Beas in Amritsar district. The alignment will pass through Qadian, Dhapai, Ghuman, Butala, Sathiala and Beas, bringing large parts of the Majha belt onto the rail network. Besides improving regional connectivity it will serve as an , alternative corridor to the crucial Amritsar–Pathankot section during emergencies. “The project envisages two crossing stations at Ghuman and Butala, 11 major bridges and 121 minor bridges, 54 Road Under Bridges, modern signaling and telecommunication systems and deployment of Kavach,” Bittu said. Tracing the project’s history , Bittu said the link originated during the British era and was first approved in 1928-29 by the then North-Western Railway. However, the project was halted in 1932 after nearly 33% of the track had been completed.