Nasa finds strongest clue yet of potential ancient life on Mars NASA’s Mars rover Perseverance has uncovered rocks in a dry river channel that may hold potential signs of ancient microscopic life. The Perseverance rover uncovered colourful, speckled rocks in a dried Martian riverbed that contains iron phosphate and iron sulphide, chemical compounds that can be produced when microorganisms chomp down on organic matter. bengaluru l thursday l september 11, 2025 l `9.00 l PAGES 22 l late city EDITION 45180/12 CHENNAI ■ MADURAI ■ VIJAYAWADA ■ BENGALURU ■ KOCHI ■ HYDERABAD ■ VISAKHAPATNAM ■ COIMBATORE ■ KOZHIKODE ■ THIRUVANANTHAPURAM ■ BELAGAVI ■ BHUBANESWAR ■ SHIVAMOgGA ■ MANGALURU ■ TIRUPATI ■ TIRUCHY ■ TIRUNELVELI ■ SAMBALPUR ■ HUBBALLI ■ DHARMAPURI ■ KOTTAYAM ■ KANNUR ■ VILLUPURAM ■ KOLLAM ■ TADEPALLIGUDEM ■ NAGAPATTINAM ■ THRISSUR ■ KALABURAGI Trump pushes India-US trade talks back on track Says no difficulty in sealing deal; there’s limitless potential: Modi P U S H P ITA D E Y & D I PA K M O N D A L @ New Delhi INDIA-US trade talks, which were stalled amid diplomatic friction arising out of Washington’s punitive tariff action on New Delhi, are likely to resume soon with US President Donald Trump striking a conciliatory note towards India and Prime Minister Narendra Modi reciprocating positively . Late on Tuesday, Trump announced that India and the US were trying to address trade barriers through negotiations. “I look forward to speaking with my very good friend, Prime Minister Modi, in the upcoming weeks. I feel certain that there will be no difficulty in coming to a successful conclusion for both of our great countries,” he said. In response, Modi stated: “India and the US are close friends and natural partners. I am con- fident that our trade negotiations will pave the way for unlocking the limitless potential of the India-US partnership. Our teams are working to conclude these discussions at the earliest. I am also looking forward to speaking with President Trump.” Government sources said the talks will resume soon, with ministries from tariff-affected sectors claiming that they have been assured by the commerce ministry that a favourable deal is on the horizon. Confirming the development, Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal said that India is in talks with the US and other trade partners. “We are in active dialogue with the United States of America and with New Zealand. With Qatar, we will be finalising the terms of reference by the first week of October,” Goyal said at an event in Delhi. EU team coming Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal said that European Commissioner for Trade, Maros Sefcovic, will visit India on Thursday to advance negotiations on the India-EU free trade agreement Ex-CJ Karki leads interim PM race E x p r ess N e w s S e r v i c e @ New Delhi Armed soldiers patrolled empty streets and guarded key buildings in Nepal’s capital on Wednesday, enforcing a strict curfew amid uneasy calm following days of violent anti-corruption protests that forced Prime Minister K P Sharma Oli to resign. Hopes are rising for a political resolution as youth protest leaders signal readiness for talks, even as nearly 700 air passengers, including Indian pilgrims, remain stranded at the Kathmandu airport that reopened in the evening. The Nepal Army , now effectively in control of secu- Sushila Karki Enhance monthly maintenance to parents, K’taka HC tells Union Govt Yat h i r a j u @ Bengaluru A soldier escorts escaped prisoners back to jail in Kathmandu on Wednesday | PTI rity said the situation remained , tense but “under watch”, and extended a nationwide curfew until at least 6 am on Thursday . The leaderless protest movement, primarily made up of students and young professionals, has proposed former Chief Ju s t i c e S u s h i l a Karki as interim prime minister. At 73, Karki is seen as a rare figure of integrity in a political l a n d s c ap e d o m i n at e d by patronage. Despite the violence, signs of civic resolve were visible in Kathmandu. Small groups of young people some wearing masks and carrying bin liners were seen cl e a n i n g s t re e t s o u t s i d e charred buildings.  P12 e x p r e ss r e a d Lawyer murders pregnant wife in Belagavi district, three arrested belagavi: A lawyer and two of his accomplices have been arrested for allegedly killing his six-month pregnant wife and staging it as an accident. The crime was reported in Ugar BK village of Chikkodi taluk of Belagavi district on Sunday night | p3 CP Radhakrishnan likely to take oath as Vice-President tomorrow new delhi: Vice-President-elect CP Radhakrishnan is likely to take the oath of office on Friday. The swearing-in ceremony may take place at 9.30 am at Rashtrapati Bhavan, with President Droupadi Murmu administering the oath, sources said | p12 IN a move beneficial to the elderly across the country the Kar, nataka High Court has recommended the Centre to revisit Section 9 of the Maintenance and Welfare of Parents and Senior Citizens Act, 2007, to enhance the ceiling on the monthly maintenance to be paid to them, considering the exponential inflation in the cost of living. “Can maintenance so meagre achieve the objects of the Act? Can a citizen secure dignity, subsistence, and medical aid within the confines of Section 9? This requires pondering, so to say otherwise would be to reduce the existence of those senior citizens to ‘as a mere animal existence’. This court cannot legislate; it cannot rewrite Section 9, yet it bears the responsibility to sensitise the Government of India that a provision which stood meaningful in 2007, now mocks its own benevolence in 2025,” the HC observed.  p7