SUPREME COURT REJECTS DON BID TO HALT BIRTHRIGHT CITIZENSHIP WEDNESDAY 01 In a blow to Trump’s anti-immigration initiatives, the SC ruled 6-3 to maintain the right to citizenship for everyone born on US soil JULY, 2026 epaper.morningstandard.in facebook.com/TheMorningStandard X.com/TheMornStandard DOHA IRAN RULES OUT DIRECT TALKS ORDER RELIES ON THE 14TH AMENDMENT Two US envoys arrived in Qatar on Tuesday for talks with mediators about the implementation of an initial deal to end the war in Iran. A CAPITAL VIEW OF NEWS PAGE 9  NEW DELHI  J8.00  PAGES 12 Data-driven rollout of GRAM-G scheme today HEAVYWEIGHTS PAY PENALTY On a day of high-drama, Paraguay & Morocco prevailed over the established European powers Netherlands and Germany. A look... PARAGUAY SEND GERMANY PACKING Four-time champions Germany had come into the World Cup with a whole host of problems. But they were still expected to beat a limited Paraguay side in the first KO round. However, their structural issues were front and centre as they lost on penalties to Paraguay after coming from behind to equalise. Norway to face Brazil in last 16 Erling Haaland made the difference as Norway beat Ivory Coast 2-1 to set up a date with Brazil in the Round of 16. Norway took the lead through Antonio Nusa. Ivory Coast equalised through Amad Diallo before Haaland’s intervention at the death. TALE OF TWO KEEPERS IN SHOOT-OUT For Morocco & Paraguay, it was the tale of two keepers. Yassine Bounou worked miracles in 2022 and once again displayed his penalty saving acumen. But Paraguay’s Orlando Gill, who had only two caps till 2025, emerged on top against Neuer. NETHERLANDS SUFFER: When Cody Gakpo scored, all was going well for Netherlands. But that’s when they became defensive and invited pressure. Morocco scored in injury time before Yassine Bounou’s heroics in shoot-out. KANE & CO AIM FOR PEACEFUL PASSAGE England, still seeking their first World Cup triumph since 1966, face Africa’s DR Congo in their first knockout round on Wednesday. The likes of Harry Kane will be a key player for them. This will be Congo’s first ever knockout match. TODAY'S MATCHES England vs DR Congo 9.30 PM, Belgium vs Senegal 1.30 AM*, USA vs Bosnia & Herzegovina 5.30 AM* (*IST Thursday ) LIVE ON United8 Sports Network/ZEE5 Trump signed an executive order in 2025 decreeing that children born to parents in the US illegally or on temporary visas would not automatically become US citizens. Lower courts had blocked the order. Chief Justice John Roberts drew from the 14th amendment and wrote, “Children born in the US to parents unlawfully or temporarily present... are citizens at birth” | P9 POLICY CLARITY IN A YEAR E20 at experimental stage, Centre tells SC S U C H I T R A K A LYA N M O H A N T Y @ New Delhi It is a tech-led, resource-optimised model for rural development P R E E T H A N A I R @ New Delhi THE Centre has rolled out the new framework for the rural job scheme VB-GRAM G, marking a decisive shift from the demand-driven approach of the UPA-era MGNREGA to a datadriven planning system powered by technology. Set to be implemented from Wednesday , the new framework seeks to transform how rural jobs are identified, prioritised and implemented for 125 days a year. At the centre of the new framework is the Viksit Gram Panchayat Plan (VGPP), which will replace conventional village-level “wish list” planning with a technology-led, geospatially enabled, and resourceoptimised model of rural development. Gram panchayats will now use integrated digital platforms such as Yuktdhara, PM Gati Shakti, Bhuvan and IndiaWRIS to map existing public assets, identify infrastructure gaps, and design development works based on real-time geospatial data. The framework identifies five focus areas as water secu- Social inclusion A key feature of the new framework is its focus on social inclusion. Priority in asset creation and livelihood support will be given to SCs, STs, women-headed households, persons with disabilities and other disadvantaged groups rity rural infrastructure, liveli, hoods, disaster mitigation and climate resilience. A key departure from MGNREGA is the move from activity-based planning to outcomebased governance. Instead of tracking only the number of works completed, the new system will measure improvements in water security liveli, hood generation, infrastructure quality and climate resilience. Water security has been accorded top priority, with the Centre linking expenditure norms directly to groundwater stress levels. At least 65% of spending is proposed for overexploited and critical groundwater blocks, around 40% in semi-critical regions, and 30% in safe groundwater zones. Climate vulnerability assessments have also been integrated into gram panchayat planning. Villages will map exposure to droughts, floods, heatwaves, cyclones and other extreme weather events. From now, gram panchayat plans will be prepared through Gram Sabha consultations and approved by local-level resolutions. These plans will then be uploaded onto the Yuktdhara portal and consolidated at block, district, state and national levels. They will then be integrated into the Viksit Bharat National Rural Infrastructure Stack (VB-NRIS), a digital repository designed to align rural development works with broader national infrastructure priorities. HC’s order directing OMCs to consider enhancement of ethanol allocation to VINP Distilleries would destabilise the national policy R Venkataramani, AG Litigation floodgates The Centre said entire ethanol allocation was over in October, 2025. If one supplier’s quota was enhanced, others would claim parity, which would open litigation floodgates THE Union government informed the Supreme Court on Tuesday that the 20% ethanol blending programme in petrol is still an “ongoing experiment” and the impact of the policy would be clearer by next year. The SC was hearing a plea filed by BPCL challenging an order of the Karnataka High Court which directed OMCs to revisit the distribution and enhancement of ethanol allocation for 2025–26. In a relief to OMCs, the Supreme Court ordered a status quo with regard to the HC order. A two-judge bench of justices MM Sundresh and Sheel Nagu issued notice to dedicated ethanol plants which had earlier procured a favourable order from the HC for enforcement of an agreement giving them rights to supply ethanol to OMCs. “Till the next date of hearing, status quo,” SC said. Attorney General R Venkataramani, appearing for BPCL, told the bench that the order could destabilise the national policy for 20% ethanol blending. The plea before the High Court was filed by VINP Distilleries and Sugars, a Dedicated Ethanol Plant (DEP), which was bound under a long-term offtake agreement to exclusively supply ethanol to BPCL, HPCL, and IOCL. In 2025, the OMCs allowed procurement from non-DEPs too, and fresh tenders left VINP with just 1.44 crore litres against its 9.26 crore-litre bid. VINP moved the High Court. MCD’s health trade reality: What’s on menu doesn’t match licence A D I T I R AY C H O W D H U R Y @ New Delhi AT least three eateries in the city are operating as full-fledged cafés or restaurants despite holding Health Trade Licences meant for Tea and Snacks establishments, a ground check by The Morning Standard has found. The three establishments represent only a small sample among hundreds of Tea and Snacks licence holders across the MCD’s 12 zones. Even so, the investigation points to potential gaps in how licence categories are updated and monitored, raising questions about whether businesses are keeping their licences aligned with expanding operations. The investigation assumes greater significance because, in the first week of June, several violations—including the use of an incorrect licence—were reported at a B&B in Hauz Rani, where a fire claimed 23 lives. Among the violations was the establishment operating a fullfledged restaurant despite holding only a Tea and Snacks licence issued by MCD. The ground check examined Tea and Snacks Health Trade Licences issued during FY202526 across the four Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) zones that recorded the highest number of such licences. This newspaper accessed licence records, visited selected establishments and cross-checked their operations against publicly available information. Most licence holders were small neighbourhood takeaway outlets, which modestly expanded their menus beyond tea and light snacks. Swiss giant MSC to invest $1.4 bn in Vizhinjam port VA RS H A SO M A RA J & A RS H A D K H A N @ T’Puram / New Delhi SWITZERLAND-based Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC)—the world’s largest shipping transport company— will invest $1.397 billion (about `13,220 crore) to acquire a 49% stake in Adani Vizhinjam Port Private Ltd (AVVPL), the concessionaire of the Vizhinjam port in Kerala, Adani Ports and Special Economic Zone Ltd (APSEZ) said on Tuesday . The deal will boost the port’s visibility on the global shipping map and bring in additional cargo volumes ahead of schedule, APSEZ said. The pact, which is subject to regulatory approvals, is expected to capture a higher share of Bangladesh cargo, which currently relies on rival Southeast Asian hubs, it added. After the transaction, which values AVVPL at $2.85 billion, APSEZ will hold 51% in AVVPL and retain majority control. MSC’s investment, billed as the largest private foreign investment in an Indian port, will be made through its arm Terminal Investment Ltd (TiL). Ashwani Gupta, CEO of APSEZ, said: “Vizhinjam port has emerged as a premier transshipment hub and ramped up at an unprecedented pace, becoming the first Indian port to earn the unique distinction of crossing 2 million TEUs within 18 months of operations.” Suresh Babu, ex-MD of Vizhinjam Seaport, said the deal shows Kerala’s ability to attract FDI through private participation. “This is a landmark investment... To reap its full benefits, the long-delayed road and rail connectivity to the port must be completed. Kerala should pursue this as a joint project with the Centre and expand its scope to include Kanyakumari and Tirunelveli, which would make it even more beneficial.” However, among the eateries reviewed, three appeared to be functioning as restaurants, with dedicated seating areas and extensive menus serving a range of meals well beyond the activities permitted for Tea and Snacks establishments under the MCD’s licensing framework. Licence process getting overhauled, says MCD This newspaper examines Tea and Snacks Health Trade Licences issued during FY2025-26 across the four MCD zones that issued highest number of such licences. A ground check reveals that most licence holders were small neighbourhood takeaway outlets, which had expanded their menus beyond tea and light snacks, but didn’t upgrade their licences. The MCD is overhauling the process. Apparent mismatch According to an MCD public health official, a restaurant is an eating place engaged in the preparation, cooking, storage and service of food and beverages for immediate consumption, ordinarily providing seating for on-premises dining. In contrast, a Tea and Snacks establishment is meant for preparing and selling tea, coffee and light snacks such as sandwiches, pakodas, biscuits and A COLOUR-BLIND CITY keeps its waste mixed, policy separate In a six-part series, this newspaper does a reality check on the pressing issue of waste management, garbage mountains, health hazards and possible remedial measures. | P3 similar items, without providing seating for customers. Health Trade Licences also cover several other categories, including takeaway joints, dhabas and similar food businesses. Licence records show Layla’s in Green Park, located in the city’s South Zone, holds a valid Tea and Snacks licence until March 2031. However, a visit found the outlet operating a takeaway-focused kitchen serving shawarmas, kebabs, fries, burgers and other meals, along with a small seating area for customers. Calls made to the owner seeking a response re- mained unanswered. Uncle Tony’s in Janakpuri, West Zone, was found functioning as a restaurant with indoor seating and a menu extending far beyond tea and snacks. A visit revealed seating for 14-15 customers and dishes including tandoori items, pasta, burgers and other meals. Calls made to the contact number listed for the establishment reached a staff rather than the owner, and no response was received. In the third case, Deja Bru, also located in Janakpuri, had indoor as well as outdoor seating for 25-30 people. The establishment served coffee and juices alongside noodles, pizzas, burgers and other prepared food items more commonly associated with restaurants than Tea and Snacks establishments. CONTINUED ON P4 EXPRESS READ In a 1st, odd-even rule for cars in Gulmarg amid tourist rush 1 dead, over 20 injured in fire at naphtha pipeline in Haldia In an unprecedented move, the authorities have imposed a month-long odd-even formula for private and commercial vehicles entering Gulmarg in view of unprecedented flow of tourists to ecologically fragile and high-altitude destination in J&K. P8 One person died and more than 20 others were injured after a major fire broke out in a naphtha-carrying pipeline of Haldia Petrochemicals Ltd in Bengal early Tuesday, police said, adding a suspected leakage from the naphtha pipeline led to the fire. MISSING MAIL The postman of Chamoli hills who kept the post N A R E N D R A S E T H I @ Dehradun THE Postman Always Rings Twice, James Cain titled his noir novel in 1934. But in modern-day Chamoli, Uttarakhand, a real-life postman decided not to ring even once. For nearly 18 months, it appears, the only thing that moved faster than the mail was the mystery of where it had all disappeared. The curious case of missing mail has emerged from the Tungeshwar area Chamoli, where Himanshu, the postman, didn’t deliver hundreds of important letters and parcels for nearly one and a half years, instead keeping them stuffed in sacks inside his private room. The department has initiated an inquiry and suspended him. The matter angered the locals. Villagers claimed that three to four sacks recovered from the postman’s room contained a large number of Aadhaar, PAN, ATM cards, banking documents, speed post articles and other important mail. Obviously, many of these documents never reached the intended recipient, they rued. Residents said the lapse caused hardship to many, par- ticularly those who needed identity documents and bankrelated papers for government schemes, financial work and other urgent purposes. The trail of undelivered mail began with a roadside discovery when local resident Vinod Pandey reportedly found his daughter’s Aadhaar card lying along the Tungeshwar-Mal Bajwad road. “When I asked the postman how such an important document was lying on the road, he did not give any satisfactory reply and kept avoiding the question,” Pandey said. Suspicious villagers inspected the postman’s room, where they found sacks of undelivered mail. They accused him of neglecting his duty. Villagers claimed that mail had not been delivered for around 18 months, while he repeatedly told them that their documents had not arrived. All the while, the mail was piling up in his room. They now want all undelivered articles to be properly recorded and delivered to their rightful recipients. Chamoli Superintendent of Post Offices Ajay Kumar said, “No postman is allowed to keep articles in his personal room.” In Tungeshwar’s hills, where the post is often less a service than a lifeline, the only journey these letters never seemed to make was the last mile. What remains undelivered, however, is Himanshu’s answer to the obvious question: Why the postman never delivered the mail in the first place. DEPT DIKTAT ‘No casuals, only clothes apt for official duties’ E X P R E SS N E WS S E R V I C E @ New Delhi THE Delhi government’s Trade and Taxes Department on Tuesday issued a directive asking all officers and staff to adhere to a standard dress code, emphasising professionalism and decorum in the workplace. The circular, issued by the special commissioner, asks employees to wear “decent, sober and appropriate” attire during office hours, warning against casual clothing. It stated that appearance should reflect the dignity of public service. The department functions under CM Rekha Gupta, and the move comes weeks after administrative action over alleged irregularities within the department. In April, Gupta conducted a surprise inspection at the GST office in ITO and expressed displeasure over the absence of officials and lapses in functioning. Following the visit, the government transferred 162 officers including assistant commissioners, section officers, and other staff, citing “serious irregularities.” The latest circular goes beyond attire, laying down broader expectations for conduct. Officials have also been directed to report to work in a “neat and presentable manner” and maintain professionalism while interacting with colleagues and the public. It also mandates strict adherence to designated seating arrangements, barring unauthorised use of workstations. V’ZUELA FACES MOUNTING HEALTH CRISIS Aid groups warned on Tuesday that the country’s fragile healthcare system is being pushed to its limits nearly a week after two powerful quakes. | P9