wednesdAY NASA invites India to be part of its Moon Base mission 12 august, 2026 epaper.morningstandard.in facebook.com/TheMorningStandard X.com/TheMornStandard Earthquake 181 people die in Colombian Quake Invite follows US-india space group meet Colombian volunteers cleared rubble through the night to hunt for survivors from an earthquake that killed at least 181. More than 3,000 people remained missing A CAPITAL VIEW OF NEWS Page 9 bread & breakfast Assembly repeals 17-year-old law A n u p V e r m a @ New Delhi The Delhi Assembly on Tuesday unanimously passed the Delhi Bed and Breakfast Establishment (Repeal) Bill, 2026, repealing a 17-year-old law and paving the way for a new, more liberal and convenient homestay policy . The main objective of the bill is to eliminate outdated and complex regulations and put in place a system that can safely and systematically regulate the sector in line with evolving modern needs. The government said tourism has undergone radical changes, with new models making the old legal framework increasingly irrelevant. The Bed and Breakfast Establishment (Registration and Regulation) Act was implemented in the NCT of Delhi in 2007 by the Sheila Dixit government. It was amended in 2010 and 2021. The Rekha Gupta government has recently drafted a Bed and Breakfast Policy 2026, proposing clearer and stricter regulations, including increasing the maximum room limit to eight, mandatory CCTV installation and police verification. The scheme came into the spotlight following a massive fire at the Flourish Stay guest house in Malviya Nagar, which claimed 21 lives on June 3 this year. The new policy seeks to simplify regulations for bed and breakfast establishments while ensuring compliance with rules relating to safety , public health, municipal governance and public order. The government said the new system would be more “facilitative”. Establishments already registered under the old law, as well as those whose applications are being processed, will face no difficulties pending implementation of the new policy P3 . l New Delhi l J8.00 l Officials ‘No extra cost to exchequer’ The Financial Memorandum accompanying the new bill states that repealing the law and implementing the new policy will not impose any additional burden on the government exchequer. PAGES 12 Ninth meet of india-us space joint working group was held last week Phuket flight captain fails second dope test: Sources Tests positive for marijuana in the confirmatory screening test S La l i t h a @ New Delhi The main aim is to put in place a system that can safely regulate the sector in line with evolving modern needs According to the US space agency, the project aims to unlock scientific discoveries and prepare for future deep space exploration. India and the US explored expanding space cooperation at a meeting of their Civil Space Joint Working Group held in Bengaluru last week. The two sides agreed to advance discussions for cooperation on open scientific data sharing IN a new twist to last week’s mid-air incident involving Air India’s Phuket-Delhi flight that experienced a sudden altitude loss, the captain of the flight has reportedly tested positive for marijuana in the confirmatory screening test. “The Pilot-in-Command has tested positive in the second dope test too with marijuana found in the samples taken from him,” a source told this newspaper on Tuesday . Another source, a pilot, too confirmed the development, adding that the captain, in his late 30s, could be terminated. The civil aviation ministry, which had earlier insisted that the result of the confirmatory test must be awaited before drawing any conclusions, on Tuesday issued a detailed statement on the probe into the incident. However, there was no mention of dope test. Air India declined to comment on the drug screening. Earlier in the day Union civil , aviation minister K Rammohan Naidu said strong action would File pic CEO summoned Civil Aviation Minister K Rammohan Naidu on Tuesday summoned the outgoing CEO of Air India, Campbell Wilson. In the meeting, also attended by top officials, the minister demanded an explanation be taken if the pilot was found to have indulged in any substance abuse. “If there needs to be any tweaking of the existing legislation, we will do that also,” he told reporters. According to the civil aviation ministry’s statement, flight AI 2379, an Airbus A320 aircraft with 145 people on board, suffered a mid-air altitude drop of 300 feet on August 4 resulting in injuries to 20 passengers and four cabin crew members. Under existing DGCA norms, if a pilot tests positive for drugs, the person is referred for a rehabilitation programme. He needs to go for treatment at a de-addiction centre and can return to duty only after producing a negative confirmatory test and a fitness certificate from the airline’s medical in-charge. This could take up to eight months. If the same person tests positive again, the licence is suspended for three years. If the violation happens for the third time, the licence is cancelled. Following the August 4 incident, the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau asked airport authorities in Delhi to conduct two different tests. “After the arrival of the plane in Delhi, both pilots were subjected to a breathalyser test for alcohol content, which turned out to be negative. Then, blood and urine tests were done to trace psychotropic substances. This was positive for the Pilotin-Command,” a source said. Earlier, sources said the flight might have experienced multiple technical glitches including hydraulic failures. Battle lines drawn for possible Shah show in LS today PREE T H A N A IR @ New Delhi In this videograb, Abhishek Porel being taken away by police on Tuesday | X IPL star Porel arrested for blackmail, rape of woman THE stalemate in Parliament continued on Tuesday over the Opposition’s demand for accountability from Union Home Minister Amit Shah on the student protests, despite the government offering a discussion on “student and youth agitations” and a reply by Shah, including on the alleged police action. Amid speculation that Shah may make a statement in the Lok Sabha on Wednesday, the Opposition signalled that it was not ready to relent. At a meeting of INDIA bloc parties chaired by Rajya Sabha Leader of Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge, leaders decided to continue their protests and maintained that Shah could not be allowed to make a unilateral statement in the House. The gover nment had placed the condition that it was willing to have Shah respond on the student protests, provided the Opposition did not disrupt his reply . Keralam bill passed The Lok Sabha on Tuesday passed the bill seeking to rename Kerala as Keralam without debate, as Opposition members continued their protests demanding Home Minister Amit Shah’s presence in the House Sources said the INDIA bloc would take a final call on its floor strategy at the meeting on Wednesday morning. There was broad agreement e x p r e s s n e w s s e r v i c e @ New Delhi Days after a Mercedes crash in which an allegedly inebriated driver killed a 70-year-old woman in Narela, another luxury car has been involved in a fatal road accident in Delhi. This time, a speeding BMW allegedly knocked down a 48-year-old woman near IGI Airport. The Cantonment Board worker died after the speeding BMW allegedly hit her on Tuesday, poIn 2026 lice said. The accused driver has been arrested and the vehicle seized. Aug: 70-yr-old A PCR call was received around 12 pm woman killed and police reached the spot to find the after a Merc woman had already been shifted to DDU collided with Hospital, where she was declared WagonR in brought dead. She was identified as JaiNarela wanti, of East Mehram Nagar. She was July: 45-yr-old on her way home when she was hit by killed after a the car while crossing the road. Merc hit his A 70-year-old woman, Urmila, was scooter in killed in Narela after a Mercedes colJahangirpuri lided head-on with a WagonR on SaturJune: 34-yr-old day. The WagonR was thrown back by killed after an the impact and hit a parked three-wheelSUV hit his bike er van, trapping Urmila between the in Vasant Kunj vehicles. Police said the Mercedes driver appeared to be drunk. In the latest case, the accused was identified as Deepak (38), a driver. He was returning from the airport and was alone in the car when the accident occurred. A case has been registered and further investigation is underway . Following the accident, locals blocked the road and demanded strict action against the driver. Senior police officers brought the situation under control. Maha bizman dies in Kashi, wife and son take their lives s u b h e n d u m a i t i @ Kolkata WEST Bengal and Delhi Capitals cricketer Abhishek Porel was arrested late Monday night by Hooghly police on allegations of rape and blackmail. He was produced before the Chinsurah court on Tuesday . A 24-year-old undergraduate medical student from Karnataka lodged a complaint at Mogra police station in Hooghly on June 24, alleging a threeyear relationship during which the pair travelled abroad together. Porel, a Chandannagar resident and wicketkeeperbatsman who performed well for Delhi Capitals this IPL season, allegedly had sexual relations with her on the pretext of marriage. The complainant said Porel later refused to marry her despite repeated requests, and blackmailed her using her obscene photographs. Police registered nine nonbailable cases under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and the IT Act covering rape, assault, cheating and other offences. Porel has denied all charges, stating that the complaint was an “attempt to tarnish his image amid strong IPL performances.” After the season ended he returned home. The complainant moved the Calcutta High Court alleging police inaction. The court ordered his immediate arrest and seizure of digital devices, including his mobile phone. Hooghly (Rural) Superintendent of Police Kunar Bhushan Singh said a court order led to Porel’s arrest. with Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi’s position that a general response from Shah would not be enough and that the Home Minister must specifically address the circumstances surrounding the alleged use of pellet guns against student protesters on July 20, said a senior leader. The Congress has also maintained that a discussion on the alleged theft of funds related to the Ram temple in Ayodhya is ‘non-negotiable’ and has demanded an apology from Prime Minister Modi. P7 Woman killed after BMW hits her near airport, driver held N A MI TA B A J PA I @ Lucknow safe side Security personnel at Taj Mahal during heightened security arrangements ahead of Independence Day, in Agra on Tuesday | PTI A businessman from Maharashtra, who was accompanied by his wife and son, died after taking ill during a family trip to Varanasi. Hours after his funeral, his wife and son allegedly consumed poison in their hotel room and ended their lives. According to police, Vishal Mukherjee, 56, from Raigad, had been suffering from some ailments for long. His wife Jaya Mukherjee, 51, and son Ishan Mukherjee, 26 were accompanying him. All three were involved in their family business. Vishal had expressed his desire to visit the Kashi Vishwanath Temple. They reached Kashi on August 7 and visited the temple. On August 9 night, Vishal’s health deteriorated. With the help of hotel staff, his family took him to BHU Trauma Centre where doctors declared him dead upon arrival. After the funeral on Monday , Jaya and Ishan returned to the hotel and didn’t leave their room until evening. Police were informed. Police opened the door and found Jaya and Ishan lying dead. Traces of Sulphos were found in the room. Trump slinked out When Air Force One became decoy amid Iran attack threat a g e n c i e s @ Washington PRESIDENT Donald Trump secretly flew out of last month’s NATO summit in Ankara, Turkey on an unheralded military , aircraft while the White House made it appear that he was flying on Air Force One, according to a report published by The Washington Post. The Post said Monday the operation was prompted by an Iranian assassination threat against Trump. The ruse was carried out as journalists and some White House staff mem- bers were led to believe they were on the same plane as the president as he began his journey back to Washington from the annual gathering of NATO country leaders. Trump had flown to the summit in a new Qatari-gifted and retrofitted red, white and navy blue jet. But ahead of departing Turkey he , said he would fly partway home on an oldermodel baby blue Air Force One plane instead. The president at A file photograph of the legacy Air Force One | AP the time said the new luxury jet was being flown out ahead of his departure from Ankara to give some US troops based in eastern England a chance to check out the new Air Force One. In Ankara, Trump boarded the old Air Force One in view of television cameras ahead of the plane flying to Royal Air Force Mildenhall in the United Kingdom. However, according to the Post report, after boarding the legacy Air Force One, he was secretly shuttled minutes later to a smaller plane — an Air Force C-32A — via an airport catering truck. Trump flew to Mildenhall on that smaller jet. Security experts alleged the press pool aboard the legacy Air Force One was turned into “sitting ducks”. E x p r e s s Re a d 50% reservation for Agniveers notified The Centre has notified the reservation of 50 per cent of Group C vacancies in the Assam Rifles for former Agniveers. The quota allows them preferential treatment for the designated posts. It provides five-year age relaxation to ex-Agniveers of the first batch. No more plastic for pan masala packets Food Safety and Standards Authority of India has banned plastic and foil packaging for pan masala. The new rules say pan masala can be packaged in paper, paperboard, cellulose or other naturally derived materials, but they must be completely free from plastic. ‘Arunachal integral part’: MEA to China Rejecting China’s objection to India’s move to identify 27 locations in Arunachal Pradesh by their standard names on the official Indian map, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Tuesday reiterated that Arunachal Pradesh is “inalienable and integral part of India”. | P7