KOCHI l monday l april 27, 2026 l `9.00 l PAGES 12 l LATE city EDITION Kenya’s Sawe enters history books in London marathon importance of breaking two-hour barrier African athlete, the current World No. 1, created history by becoming the first human to dip under the two hour mark in the marathon. A look... why it was only a matter of time? For a long time, humans thought this record would be impossible to achieve. Kenya’s Eliud Kipchoge, in association with Nike, in fact dipped below the two hour mark at Vienna in 2019. However, he did it in a controlled environment so it wasn’t valid for the purposes of a world record. Now, Sawe has done it. Yomif Kejelcha, who came second, also went under two-hour mark (1:59.41). ■ ■ Shoe technology has improved massively. The importance of science and holistic training approaches is evident. Also, the marathon, at the elite level, has seen official times be repeatedly slashed. The 16 fastest timings in history have all come since 2019. In fact, this is one record which has kept breaking. 1:59.30 Sawe’s timings at London marathon on sunday 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 High-energy Kudamattam lifts Pooram GO P IKA V ARRIER @Thrissur short & sweet 15 minutes The kudamattam ceremony was cut short to 15 minutes this year in the wake of the April 21 tragedy that claimed 15 lives in Mundathicode, Thrissur Strongrooms Cong keeps watch, LDF & NDA ‘not keen’ As w i n As o k K u m a r @T’Puram Despite allegations of potential malpractice surrounding the opening of strongrooms where electronic voting machines (EVMs) are stored surfacing, not all parties seem interested in putting in all of their time and effort into monitoring the visuals of CCTVs installed outside the facilities. While Congress leaders said the party workers were proactively keeping a watch at strongrooms in all districts, LDF and NDA leaders maintained that they were not very keen on focusing on the matter. Even in the capital district, which witnessed triangular tussles in seats like Nemom, Vattiyoorkavu, Kazhakkoottam and Thiruvananthapuram, the ‘CCTV monitoring room’ that shows the feed from cameras outside strongrooms, not all party representatives are present. A Congress representative from Thiruvananthapuram said they were working in shifts to ensure foolproof, round-theclock transparency ● More on P4 . Over 1 hour normal duration of kudamattam Fireworks display cancelled in the wake of explosion The Paramekkavu and Thiruvambady factions face off during the kudamattam ceremony as thousands witness the mesmerising sight during Thrissur Pooram on Sunday | A Sanesh Festivities scaled down amid grief | P2 The moment the sun set on Sunday and the heat got tolerable, the thin crowd at Thekkinkadu Maidan swelled to thousands. Phones held high, people jostled for space in front of the Thekke Gopura Nada as caparisoned elephants lined up on either sides for the famed kudamattam ceremony . The 15 minutes that followed served as a balm to the pain caused by the April 21 tragedy, uniting the large crowd in celebrations. In the end, the cancellation of the fireworks display and scaled-down festivities did not dampen the Pooram spirit. The ceremonies began at 6am with the procession of Kaniman- It is a joy to watch galam Sastha. Ghataka Pooram – and listen to the the parading of elephants and melam under the processions of other participating shade of the Ilanji and with Sree temples— followed. Deities Karamukku Bhaga- Vadakkumnathan in the background vathy Chembukkavu Bhagavathy , , Panamukkumpally Sastha, Laloor Krishna, a young Bhagavathy, Choorakkottukavu Pooram fan Bhagavathy Ayyanthole Karthyay, ani and Naithalakkavu Bhagavathy held their pooram and bowed to Sree Vadakkumnathan. “It is always mesmerising to watch the elephants, carrying the idol of the deity coming out of Thekke , Gopura Nada. It invokes a positive energy and connect us to our roots,” said Rakesh, who came from Kuwait to be part of the Pooram. By the time the Ghataka Pooram concluded, the Thiruvambady Bhagavathy completed the pooja at Brahmaswam Madom and the panchavadyam began. Kongad Madhu on ‘thimila’ led the panchavadyam for the ‘madathil varavu’ of the deity . When the procession reached Sreemoolasthanam, the baton was passed to Cherussery Kuttan Marar, who gave a scintillating performance as the first-time ● More on P4 pramani of the Pooram.  Major breach as gunman storms DC gala, opens fire Assailant stopped as he rushed to ballroom where Trump was seated A g e n c i e s @ Washington A man armed with guns and knives stormed the lobby of a hotel in Washington where US President Donald Trump and Vice President J D Vance were attending the White House Correspondents’ Association Dinner on Saturday night. Reports said the gunman was confronted and stopped just outside the ballroom of the hotel where the president and other senior government officials had gathered. Investigators said they believe the gunman, 31-year-old Cole Tomas Allen from Los Angeles, planned to target Trump. Video posted online showed him running past security barricades as Secret Service agents ran toward him. One officer was shot in a bullet-resistant vest but was recovering, officials said. The gunman was tackled to the ground and was not injured. The breach occurred after the welcoming speech and during dinner, before Trump was due to speak. Vance was removed from the room first, while agents initially covered Trump in place before escorting him and first lady Melania Trump from the room. They were held for some time in a secure presidential suite at the hotel before returning to the White House. Secret service agents evacuate US President Donald Trump from the venue of an event after gunshots were fired; (inset) Trump speaks at the White House later on | AP Relieved to learn Trump and Vance are safe: Modi Reacting to the shooting incident, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said he was relieved that US President Donald Trump, First Lady Melania Trump and Vice President J D Vance are safe and unharmed. Violence has no place in a democracy, he added Acting US Attorney General Todd Blanche said the suspect was staying at the Washington Hilton hotel where the black-tie dinner was held on Saturday Stuck in traffic on hot days? Mind your US says Iran sent heart and lungs, says NATPAC study better proposal, U n n i k r i s h n a n S @T’Puram What is Joint Exposure Index (JEI)? A two-year study by researchers from the KSCSTENational Transportation Planning and Research Centre ( N AT PAC ) , T h i r u v a n a n thapuram, and the Kerala University has found that people spending time near busy traffic junctions during peak afternoon hours face a significantly higher health risk—one that combines the dangers of air pollution and heat stress which together put one’s heart and lungs at risk. The findings come at a critical time. Kerala is currently experiencing one of its most intense pre-monsoon heatwaves in recent years, with the India Meteorological Department (IMD) issuing alerts across several districts and Single risk score that combines two threats: PM2.5 (air pollution) and Heat Index (felt temperature) Captures how the two hazards multiply each other Heat stress raises breathing rates, increasing inhalation of fine particles. The particles trigger inflammation that impairs the body’s ability to regulate temperature, compounding strain on the respiratory and cardiovascular systems. health authorities advising p e o p l e t o avo i d o u t d o o r exposure between 11am and 3pm. The NATPAC study adds a sobering dimension to that warning—for a large section of the population that simply cannot stay indoors. The study, conducted across 2022 and 2023 at two monitoring s t at i o n s i n T h i r u va n a n thapuram—Plamoodu, a dense urban traffic junction, and Kar- The danger window Highest risk: 10am to 3pm daily Worst months: March, April, May yavattom, a more open suburban campus area—tracked PM2.5, the fine particulate matter generated by vehicle exhaust, road dust, and atmospheric chemical reactions, alongside the Heat Index which combines temperature with humidity to reflect how hot conditions actually feel to the human body . The central finding is that these two stressors amplify ● More on P4 each other.  Raghu Rai no dies at 83 more legendary photo journalist The chronicler of the real India story, who captured the nation’s fleeting moments with his lens for six decades, lost his battle to cancer on Sunday. He shot some of the most significant historical events, including the Bangladesh refugee crisis and Bhopal gas tragedy, and his black-and-white photos shed light on ordinary lives with abundant clarity and unmatched compassion | P7 Araghchi back in Pak A g e n c i e s @ Washington / Islamabad There were hopes on Sunday that the eagerly awaited second round of talks between Iran and the US could take place in the days ahead, after President Donald Trump said Iran has sent a “better proposal” and the Iranian foreign minister Abbas Araghchi returned to Pakistan briefly for further talks with the Pakistani leadership. T r ump proday posed the US and Iranian officials can talk by phone for a peace solution to the conflict. In an interview on Fox News Channel, he said he made that decision rather than send a delegation on a 17-hour flight. It came hours after he told reporters that his administration received a new proposal from Iran. “They gave us a paper that should have been better. And interestingly, immediately, when I cancelled it, within 10 minutes, we got a new paper that was much better,” Trump 58 said. In a sign that indirect efforts were ongoing, the ISNA news agency reported that Iran had transmitted “written messages” to the Americans via Pakistan that were “about some of the red lines of the Islamic Republic of Iran, including nuclear issues and the Strait of Hormuz”. Meanwhile, a day after he left Islamabad without meeting the US delegation, Iranian foreign minister Abbas Araghchi returned to Pakistan on Sunday and met Ar my Chief Field Marshal Asim Munir. Geo News, quoting sources, reported that Araghchi left for Moscow after the brief visit. The Iranian leader arrived at Nur Khan Airbase in Rawalpindi after completing a day-long visit to Oman, the Dawn newspaper reported, quoting sources. Araghchi was to convey “Iran’s positions and views on the framework of any understanding to completely end the war”, Geo TV reported. Final lap Swing factors ahead of crucial phase-2 polls in West Bengal S UBHENDU MAITI @ Kolkata tHE calculations may all come down to whether the talk of a 5-6 per cent “Hindu swing” is fully borne out, even if that may not necessarily be the correct political designation for those looking for a change in West Bengal. With the state careening towards the climactic second and final phase of voting in the remaining 142 out evening. As per reports, he is a teacher, who donated to Kamala Harris’s presidential campaign. His motive was not clear. Trump said the suspect had written an anti-Christian manifesto. “The guy is a sick guy he ,” told Fox News. “When you read his manifesto, he hates Christians.” Trump said the suspect’s family had reported him to the police ahead of the event. Questions swirled regarding the security at the reception and how a gun was brought into the hotel. Attendees said while there was a magnetometer outside the ballroom, there was no security screening at P9 the hotel entrance.  of 294 assembly constituencies on Wednesday, the signs are certainly not those of unquestioned status quo. But how much mobility will be there in set voting patterns? Polarisation has created tight consolidation at the core but also shakiness at the edges, with even Trinamool Congress supporters not immune to doubt and restlessness. Speaking to this newspaper, Debashis Ghosh, a packaged milk seller, said: “I have been voting for Mamata Didi since 2011 but this time, I may not.” Ghosh participated in Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Sunday roadshow around Thanthania Kalibari and Shobha Bazaar in north Kolkata. The BJP’s campaign, spearheaded by Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah and backed up by meticulous ground work by RSS volunteers, preaches to the choir with its strong antiimmigrant line, and with the debate raised to fever pitch, it may be winning some new converts. Not all of it is on account of the politics of religion. Plain old anti-incumbency and the desire for change may be enough to explain it. For TMC supremo and Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, the crucial part is whether there is any parallel thinning of her minority vote bank, estimated at around 30per cent. Neither the Hindu vote nor the Muslim bloc is a monolith, with competitive voting restricted to certain areas and vote blocs. Subtle shifts of allegiance are visible even on the latter side. Matiur Rahaman, a resident of Murshidabad district (70 percent Muslim population), said: “A large number of Muslim voters are worried about Didi’s stand on Waqf and OBC issues and may support the Left and the Congress this time.” It is on these buffer zones that the match may get decided. Passengers being evacuated from Swiss International Airlines flight | X 4 hurt amid rescue after Swiss jet fire S l a l i t h a @ New Delhi Four passengers were injured during evacuation after a Swiss International Airlines (SWISS) jet carrying 245, including four infants, aborted takeoff from Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport due to a fire in the early hours of Sunday . A source said the passengers were injured during the evacuation process and are being treated at Medanta Hospital in Gurugram. It is not clear how they were injured. Flight No LX147, bound for Zurich, was about to take off at 1.08 am from runway 10/28 of Terminal 3 with 245 on board, including four infants and 13 crew members, when smoke was detected near a wheel. “The Airbus A330 aircraft was accelerating on the runway for take-off when the pilot detected smoke from the left wheel located at the rear of the plane. He immediately decided to abandon the takeoff,” the source said. The airline spokesperson later said an issue occurred with one of the engines. An emergency was declared for 30 minutes at runway 10/28 in Delhi airport, he added. “Four passengers remain in the hospital... A cabin crew member sustained a sprained ankle,” an airline spokesperson said.