chennai l sunday l january 25, 2026 l `12.00 l PAGES 26 l late city EDITION 400 and counting: Djokovic creates another history heat is on at Oz Open as Sinner struggles On dramatic Saturday, Jannik Sinner survives heat to advance while Serb former World No 1 becomes first man to win 400 Grand Slam matches Jannik Sinner, the two-time and defending champion, visibly wilted before heat protocols were enforced. With the summer in full flow, the Italian, who has suffered previously, had already lost a set and was down a break when the roof was forced because of soaring mercury. Post the break, he came back to beat Elliot Spizzirri 4-6, 6-4, 6-4, 6-4 Djokovic, chasing a record 25th Major, saw off Netherlands’ Botic van Zandschulp 6-3, 6-4, 7-6(4) in the evening. The 10-time winner at Melbourne Park hasn’t won a Slam since 2023 but he’s feeling fresh and injury free. Having revamped his coaching staff, he believes he has the chance to break the Jannik Sinner-Carlos Alcaraz duopoly in men’s game 81 38-year-old advances to fourth round The Australian Open is the 81st Major of his career 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 Blending the best of tradition and modernity Presents Welcome Back, Devis of chennai Mallika Srinivasan, Presenting Partner Celebration Partner luxury Mobility Partner Jewellery Partner WITH THIS ISSUE Our Republic of Rare Rituals PLUS 12 P AGES Content Partner R Deemed to be University u/s 3 of the UGC Act, 1956 Chennai - Adyar | T Nagar M.O.P. VAISHNAV COLLEGE FOR WOMEN (Autonomous) by invitation only (Affiliated to University of Madras & Re-accredited at ‘A++’ Grade by NAAC) Mumbai - Vile Parle www.sundarisilks.com s u c h i t r a k a lya n m o h a n t y @ New Delhi Chennai: The Tamil Nadu Assembly on Saturday readopted the TN Co-operative Societies (Amendment) Bill, 2024, which was adopted originally on December 10, 2024, and returned by Governor R N Ravi on July 16, 2025, citing objections. The readopted Bill will be sent to governor for assent | P4 Knowledge Partners B.S. Abdur Rahman SC judge criticises executive influence in judge’s transfer TN readopts Co-op Bill returned by Guv Ravi ITC Grand Chola, Chennai associate Partners Institute of Science & Technology Goes after collegium Chennai: Replying to Governor R N Ravi’s continued grouse that the national anthem is not sung at the beginning of the state Assembly session, CM M K Stalin on Saturday said, “No one needs to give us a lesson on patriotism. We are not inferior to anyone in upholding national unity and love for the country.” | P4 Exchange Partner Crescent Chennai No one needs to teach us patriotism: Stalin 6 pm Chairman and Managing Director, taFE limited,will be presenting the awards Devi AwArDs express read January 30, 2026 A sitting judge of the Supreme Court publicly criticising its collegium that appoints and transfers judges to the higher judiciary is decidedly rare. However, Justice Ujjal Bhuyan on Saturday stuck his neck out by questioning a decision of the collegium to transfer a high court judge at the request of the Central government. Observing that the executive has absolutely no say in the matter of transfer and postings of judges, Justice Bhuyan made the larger point that judges should not be seen as bending over backwards to justify denial of liberty or human rights. He warned that “if we lose our credibility, nothing will be left of the judiciary .” Justice Bhuyan made the point while delivering the G V Pandit memorial lecture on “Constitutional Morality and Democratic Governance” at ILS Law College, Pune. “When the collegium records that the transfer of a high court judge was being made at the request of the Central government, it reveals a striking intrusion of executive influence into what is constitutionally supposed to be an independent process,” he asserted. In October last year, the collegium headed by the then Chief Justice of India B R Gavai had revised its initial proposal to transfer Justice Atul Sreedharan from the MP HC to the Chhattisgarh HC, recommending instead his transfer to the Allahabad High Court. The collegium said the change was made following a government request. In Chhattisgarh, Justice Sreedharan would have joined the High Court collegium, whereas in Allahabad his seniority would be much lower. The decision drew criticism due to his reputation as an independent judge. The Central government can have no say in the matter of transfer and posting of High Court Judges... It is within the exclusive domain of the judiciary Justice Ujjal Bhuyan Collegium autonomy Justice Bhuyan emphasised the collegium must remain independent. If its members get influenced, they are drifting away from original purpose Path open to lift 25% tariff: US P u s h p i ta De y @ New Delhi A couple of booster shots have arrived just before the Union Budget, which could possibly lift the sentiments of the Indian economy further. Even as the country is all set to sign a free trade deal with the European Union, which both sides see as the ‘mother of all deals’, the US hinted at a diplomatic path to lift the 25% additional import duty it levied on Indian goods after a “marked decline in India’s imports of Russian oil in recent months”. US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent hinted during a media interaction that the US administration could consider reduc- Indian purchases of Russian oil have collapsed. I would imagine there is a path to take them off Scott Bessent Relief for exporters Cuts to US tariffs and signing of EU FTA will bring much relief to exporters ing the 50% tariff imposed on several sectors of Indian exports, as there has been a significant fall in imports of Russian oil in recent months. During his interaction with an American news outlet Politico, Bessent said: “We put 25% tariffs on India for buying Russian oil. And the Indian purchases, by their refineries, of Russian oil have collapsed. That is a success.” Bessent assured that the administration will be open to discussions to ease them. “I would imagine there is a path to take them off.” Coming just a week ahead of the Union Budget 2026, the development has raised hopes of improved export prospects, Stalin’s poll blitzkrieg: `3,500-cr new houses, `1,088-crore rural road works T M u r u g a n a n d h a m @ Chennai As the state readies for poll in the next few weeks, Chief Minister M K Stalin on Saturday made five key announcements in the Assembly, including plan to build one lakh houses at a cost of `3,500 crore under the Kalaignar housing scheme and hike in pension and retirement benefits for noon-meal organisers, anganwadi workers, and panchayat secretaries. Making the announcements while replying to the discus- sion on the motion of thanks to the governor’s address, the CM also said that 2,200km of rural roads will be upgraded at a cost of `1,088 crore, monthly social security pensions will be extended to 1.8 lakh more beneficiaries, and preferential weightage will be given to part-time teachers in recruitment for permanent posts. Under the CM’s rural road development programme, 20,484km of rural roads have already been upgraded at a cost of `8,911 crore, Stalin pointed out. The CM said that through various social security schemes, over 33.6 lakh beneficiaries already receive monthly pensions. Soon, 1.8 lakh more beneficiaries will be covered under these schemes based on applications received under the Ungaludan Stalin scheme, he said. Events to mark the inclusion of these new beneficiaries will be held across TN on February 4, the CM said. Monthly pension for noonmeal organisers, anganwadi workers and village panchayat secretaries will be hiked from `2,000 to `3,400, he said.  P7 India votes against UN resolution condemning crackdown in Iran j aya n t h j a c o b @ New Delhi INDIA voted against a resolution at the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) condemning Iran’s violent crackdown on recent protests and extending international investigative mandates. The resolution was adopted at the Council’s 39th special session with 25 votes in favour, seven against and 14 abstentions. Besides India, China, Pakistan, Indonesia and Iraq voted a g ainst the measure. European Union members led the support, joined by the UK and Iceland, along with several Latin American countries. The resolution expressed concern over what it said were “widespread and systematic” violations following protests that began on December 28, 2025, citing reports of thousands of deaths, including children, mass arrests and injuries to civilians. India’s vote comes amid sensitive diplomatic and strategic considerations. New Delhi is currently in talks with the United States over an extended sanctions waiver for the Chabahar port project in Iran, which expires in April 2026. Iran’s Ambassador to India, Mohammad Fathali, welcomed New Delhi’s stance. “I extend my sincere gratitude to India for its principled and firm support of Iran at the UNHRC, including opposing an unjust and politically motivated resolution,” he said in a social media post and added that the vote reflected “India’s commitment to justice, multilateralism, and national sovereignty.” Sources said India’s position was guided by longstanding opposition to country-specific resolutions. a fresh coat Volunteers from a local NGO painting the walls of the Gengu Reddy Subway in Egmore, as part of a beautification project in collaboration with the Greater Chennai Corporation on Saturday | ashwin prasath Month Dec 2024 Jan 2025 Feb 2025 March 2025 Apr 2025 May 2025 June 2025 July 2025 Aug 2025 Sept 2025 Oct 2025 Nov 2025 Dec 2025 Russia US 1,482 1,674 1,476 1,868 1,924 1,851 2,089 1,591 1,689 1,614 1,619 1,836 1,146 67 293 145 289 337 298 303 364 230 207 568 451 330 India’s Crude imports KBD: 1,000 barrel per day stronger bilateral trade sentiment, and a more supportive global backdrop for India’s growth narrative. in vellore Two workers die in toxic gas leak at private leather factory N i m i s h a S P r a d ee p @ Vellore Two workers died at a private leather factory in Vellore’s Pernambut on Saturday, following a gas leak at a tanning drum at the factory. The deceased have been identified as Sheikh Ali (60) and Jamal Basha alias Settu (41), both residents of Pernambut. According to Pernambut police, the two were working at PAB Leather Company located at Bakkalapalli village in Pernambut. The factory is owned by Ashan Basha. T h e i n c i d e n t h ap p e n e d around 8.30 am on Saturday, as per police sources. The two employees were checking the tanning drum when they inhaled poisonous gas and collapsed. Other employees, who came later, found Sheikh and Settu lying unconscious inside the factory. They were rushed to a hospital at Umarabad in Tirupattur where they were declared dead. Later, they were shifted to Pernambut GH, where the postmor tem examination was carried out. Locals said that the two workers had gone to check on the leather sheets that were left for drying and separating hair in the tanning drum when the accident happened. P7 Gang hurls crude bombs at police team transporting convict, two cops injured It’s official: Bangladesh out, Scotland in for T20 WC big decision Puzhal Central Prison in Chennai, fired at them using service High tension prevailed near rifle. While the prisoner esthe Thirumandurai toll plaza in caped without injuries, two Perambalur district on armed reserve police Saturday after a 15-mempersonnel were severely ber gang hurled six counhurt, police said. A sentry-made bombs at a hisior police official told tory-sheeter and a police TNIE that the gang had team when they were been tailing the police having lunch at a restauvehicle from Dindigul rant around 2.10 pm. The and executed the attack S Kalimuthu (30) car-borne gang fled the in Perambalur. spot after an SI, who was leadPolice said Vellakali has a ing the team escorting S Kali- running feud with another gang muthu alias Vellakali (30) to the in Madurai and the rivalry has P T h i r u s e lv a m @ Tiruchy resulted in 16 murders so far. The injured policemen — S Vineshkumar (37) of Puliyangudi in Tenkasi district and K Maruthapandi (30) of Vadipatti in Madurai district — were rushed to the Perambalur Government Hospital. Sources said their condition is stable. According to police sources, Vellakali of Kamarajapuram in Madurai has over 30 criminal cases, including murder, attempt-to-murder, robbery and ganja smuggling, pending against him across TN. P7 E x p r e s s N e w s s e r v i c e @ Chennai AND just like that, the Asian bloc, the most powerful bloc in international cricket seems to be in tatters, at least for the time being. But there was no way out once Bangladesh stood their ground of not travelling to India so close to the T20 World Cup beginning from February 7. To compound matters, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) have now said they will reconsider their own place in the tournament as they accused the International Cricket Council of ‘double standards’. Though there have been withdrawals in the past, because of the passion involved in the subcontinent, this seems more high profile and talked-about. On Saturday, Bangladesh carried through its threat of not travelling for the T20 World Cup in India. The end result? The International Cricket Council (ICC) gave their spot to Scotland. The European outfit, who fell during the qualifiers, will now be in Group C with Italy, England, Nepal and West Indies. Bangladesh may have the option of going to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) but the events of the last three and a bit weeks will take years to repair, if at all. In the 90s, when Bangladesh was fighting for Test status, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) believed in them and fought for their cause and stood with them. When Jagmohan Dalmiya was in charge of the International Cricket Council (ICC), Bangladesh finally became a full-member. One can argue that Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) made this issue more political than it ought to have been. The ICC, on the other hand, maintained that there was no security threat. There will be a financial implication too. In any case, the team would be losing at least $250,000 from T20 WC participation fee.