HYDERABAD l Thursday l may 14, 2026 l `9.00 l PAGES 16 l late city EDITION Trump begins closely-watched three-day state visit to China US President Donald Trump and Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping are expected to discuss US-China trade tensions and the war with Iran Will hold talks with xi jinping today Musk, Cook among U.S. CEOs on the trip The trade war between the two countries will be on top of the agenda. Trump will have a bilateral meeting with Xi on Thursday. The two will meet again on Friday for a bilateral tea and working lunch. They are set to discuss extending the one-year tariff truce that they agreed in October. China’s controls on rare earth exports are also likely to be on the menu | P9 ■ ■ Trump is accompanied by several top US CEOs including Tesla chief Elon Musk, Apple CEO Tim Cook and Nvidia boss Jensen Huang Chinese Vice President Han Zheng welcomed Trump at the airport. The road from the airport was decorated with US and Chinese flags and Beijing skyscrapers lit up with messages welcoming Trump 2017 was when President trump last visited china 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 PM’s high-stakes stopover in Abu Dhabi for talks with UAE prez to focus on energy security UAE pacts on strategic oil reserve, LNG likely J aya n t h J a co b @ New Delhi Energy security will emerge as the centrepiece of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s high-stakes stopover in Abu Dhabi on May 15 for talks with UAE President Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, amid escalating tensions in West Asia and shifting global oil equations. During the three-hour visit to the UAE, en route to his fournation Europe tour covering the Netherlands, Sweden, Norway and Italy, India and the UAE are expected to sign two key memoranda of understanding on Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) supplies and strategic petroleum reserves, further deepening a partnership critical to India’s energy needs, sources familiar with the development said. The visit comes at a time of heightened volatility in global energy markets and renewed focus on supply diversification. Sources said the proposed agreements are aimed at strengthening long-term energy stability for India while expanding the UAE’s role as one of New Delhi’s most trusted energy partners. The UAE currently meets nearly 40% of India’s LPG requirements, making it the country’s largest supplier. It was also India’s fourth-largest source of crude oil last year, accounting for nearly 11% of total imports, while ranking as the third-largest supplier of LNG. Indian companies and ADNOC Gas have signed longterm agreements for cumulative LNG supplies of 4.5 MMTPA, making India the largest buyer of UAE-origin LNG. The two sides are also expected to review cooperation on India’s strategic petroleum reserves. In 2018, the Indian Strategic Petroleum Reserves Ltd (ISPRL) and Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC) signed an agreement allowing the UAE to store more than five million barrels of crude oil at the Mangaluru reserve facility , the first such arrangement with any country . Energy ties have evolved into a broader strategic partnership involving upstream investments and clean energy collaboration. In 2018, a consortium of Indian firms, OVL, BPRL and IOCL acquired 10% stake in Abu Dhabi’s Lower Zakum offshore block. A year later, Urja Bharat Pvt Ltd, a joint venture between BPRL and IOCL, secured a stake in Abu Dhabi Onshore Block-1. In January this year, BPRL confirmed an oil discovery in the block, marking one of India’s first successful upstream investments in the West Asia region. Both sides are also enhancing renewable energy ties. UAE’s Masdar signed an agreement with the Rajasthan government in 2024 to develop 60 GW of renewable energy capacity . 12.88% 15% 10% Nod to `38K cr scheme on coal gasification To enhance energy security and reduce dependence on imports, the Union Cabinet approved a `37,500-crore incentive scheme to promote new surface coal/lignite gasification projects. The target is gasification of 75 million tonnes of coal/lignite. The incentive would be disbursed in four equal instalments, linked to project milestones | P10 10.75% 8% 6% 4% Spend wisely, Modi urges colleagues Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday urged his Cabinet colleagues to consciously cut down unnecessary expenditure, including on petrol, in the wake of the West Asia crisis. He also urged them to cut their convoy size and foreign visits. Sources said the PM’s appeal was not about spending less but spending more wisely 15% 2% Gold import duty over the years 6% JAN MAR JAN JUNE AUG JULY FEB JULY JULY MAY 2012 2012 2013 2013 2013 2019 2021 2022 2024 2026 Gold, silver import duty hiked to 15% P u s h p i ta D e y @ New Delhi Two days after Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s appeal to reduce the purchase of gold, the government on Wednesday increased the import duty on gold and silver from 6% to 15% to curb demand and ease foreign exchange pressures. Likewise, the import duty on platinum has been increased from 6.4% to 15.4%. This newspaper had previously reported that the government was considering various measures, including import restrictions on precious metals. As a large importer of crude oil, India remains vulnerable to elevated energy prices and supply-side disruptions. This could increase the import bill and exert pressure on inflation and the current account deficit. According to officials, the government aims to prioritise essential imports such as crude oil, fertilisers, industrial raw materials, defence requirements, critical technologies and capital goods. “The increase in customs duty on precious metals is intended to moderate avoidable import demand and ease pressure on the external account. The measure is neither prohibitory nor anti-consumer in nature,” said a source in the ministry of finance. Following the hike in levy, gold prices surged by `8,550 to slightly over `1.65 lakh per 10 grams in the local market. BJP leader among five arrested in NEET paper leak rajesh asnani & sudhir s u r ya w a n s h i @ Jaipur/Mumbai THE CBI on Wednesday arrested five persons and conducted searches at multiple locations across the country in the NEET UG paper leak case as protests over the cancellation of the examination intensified amid demands for Union education minister D h a r m e n d r a P r a d h a n’s resignation. An active BJP leader in Rajasthan was arrested in connection with the NEET paper leak. Investigators said BJP leader Dinesh Binwal and his brother Mangilal, residents of Jamwa Ramgarh in Jaipur, purchased the paper between April 26 and 27 for nearly `30 lakh. Investigators claimed that Dinesh provided the paper to his son, who was preparing for NEET in Sikar, before distributing it to several candidates on April 29. Both Binwal and his brother had travelled to Sikar for the operation, police believe. Dinesh allegedly sold the leaked paper to several individuals in Sikar, including hostel operators and consultancy firms. Police also ar- Time to celebrate Students celebrate at St Thomas’ Girls Senior Secondary School, New Delhi after the CBSE Class 12 results were declared on Wednesday | Parveen Negi CM push for Khammam, Warangal & K’nagar ORRs Hyderabad: In a major push for urban development, Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy on Thursday directed development of urban growth corridors, temple and tourism corridors along with promoting the use of renewable energy to reduce cost burden in the future. At a high level meeting with the officials of the Municipal Administration and Roads and Buildings department today, the Chief minister instructed the officials to construct Outer Ring Roads for Khammam, Warangal, and Karimnagar Municipal Corporations as part of the urban infrastructure development programme. The government also plans to develop Warangal-Karimnagar-Khammam corridor, Mahbubnagar, Bhoothpur, and Jadcherla corridor and Kothagudem, Palvancha, and Sujatha Nagar corridors. The CM emphasised that the Warangal-Karimnagar-Khammam corridor should play an important role for the future development of the state | REPORT ON P4 ENDING days of suspense and an intense inter nal power struggle, the Congress is set to announce its Kerala Chief Ministerial pick on Thursday at a legislature party meeting at the KPCC headquarters in Thiruvananthapuram. The meeting, scheduled at 1 pm, will be attended by AICC state in-charge Deepa Das Munshi, along with observers Ajay Maken, Mukul Wasnik and others. The day witnessed dramatic twists and turns as the announcement of the CM candidate was widely anticipated following a crucial meeting between Rahul Gandhi and Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge at the latter’s residence. However, after the meeting, which lasted over 40 minutes, party general secretary Jairam Ramesh told the media that the decision will be announced on Thursday . “The high command of the Congress has completed all dis- cussions, and the decision on who the next chief minister of Kerala will be will be announced tomorrow,” he said. The decision came after a nine-day deadlock involving a fierce three-way contest among senior leaders Ramesh Chennithala, V D Satheesan, and AICC General Secretary (organisation) K C Venugopal. While Venugopal, considered a close confidant of Rahul, enjoyed the support of a majority of the MLAs and MPs, Satheesan had the backing of influential UDF allies, including the IUML. Although Venugopal was the front-runner, sources said the Satheesan camp gained an edge in the final consultations. Senior leaders A K Antony, V M Sudheeran, and K Muraleedharan urged the leadership to take public sentiment into account, which favoured Satheesan. It was learnt that Priyanka Gandhi also urged Rahul to take the prevailing political atmosphere into account. The Director General of the National Testing Agency (NTA) Abhishek Singh, said there are vested interests who are trying to sabotage the system in place for the NEET-Under Graduate examinations and they must be thwarted. rested one Rakesh Mandavriya, who ran a consultancy office opposite a coaching centre in Sikar. He had received the guess paper several days before the examination through Dinesh Binwal, and had circulated it. The CBI arrested Dinesh Binwal, Mangilal Binwal and Vikas Binwal from Jaipur, Yash Yadav from Gurugram and Shubham Khairnar from Nashik on Wednesday . In Pune, police arrested a beauty parlour owner, Manish Waghmare, who is alleged to have helped students get the NEET-UGC exam papers ahead of the final exam. This is the second arrest in Maharashtra after the first arrest in Nashik.  P2, 8 Students protest against the decision of the Union government to cancel UG NEET 2026, at Ambedkar Statue in Hyderabad on Wednesday | Vinay Kerala CM call at meeting of legislature party today P r e e t h a n a i r @ New Delhi Vested interests must be reined in: NTA Madapu 3 Kuki church leaders killed in suspected militant attack P r a s a n ta M a z u m d a r @ Guwahati Three Kuki Baptist church leaders were killed and four others injured in an ambush by suspected militants in Manipur’s Kuki-dominated Kangpokpi district on Wednesday . Members of the Thadou Baptist Association India (TBAI) and the United Baptist Council were travelling from Churachandpur to Kangpokpi for an inter-association ecclesiastical meeting when they came under attack. TBAI president Rev Dr Vumthang Sitlhou, finance secretary Rev Kaigoulun Lhouvum, and Pastor Paogoulen Sitlhou were shot dead. Rev Sitlhou was leading the team. Thadou organisations announced a “total shutdown” of Sadar Hills in the district in response to the attack. Manipur Chief Minister Yumnam Khemchand Singh condemned the “dastardly terror act”. Along with Deputy Chief Minister Losii Dikho and Home Minister Govindas Konthoujam, visited the injured at a hospital in Imphal. The Kuki Organisation for Human Rights Trust blamed the Isak-Muivah faction of the National Socialist Council of Nagalim and Zeliangrong United Front. Bandi’s son skips police summons in POCSO case C h i t h a lu r i R eva n t h @ Hyderabad Bandi Sai Bhageerath, son of Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Bandi Sanjay Kumar, did not appear before the Pet Basheerabad police by the 2 pm deadline on Wednesday for questioning in connection with a POCSO case. However, in a purported letter sent to the police, Bhageerath stated that he would appear before investigating officers after two days along with evidence. It may be recalled that Bhageerath has approached the Telangana High Court seeking anticipatory bail. The peti- tion is expected to come up for hearing before a vacation bench on Thursday . Speaking to TNIE, a Cyberabad police official said they had received a letter in Bhageerath’s name through the police station email, but were unsure whether it had been sent by the accused himself or by someone else. “The summons clearly stated that he has to appear before police, failing which action will be taken,” police sources said. Police said four teams had been deployed to trace him. “If he is found, he will be arrested,” an official added. Police had served a notice to Bandi Sai Bhageerath Bhageerath on Tuesday directing him to appear for questioning as part of the investigation. Meanwhile, wall posters surfaced in Chandanagar and a few other parts of the city on Wednesday morning stating that Bhageerath, an accused in the case, was absconding and asking the public to inform the nearest police station if they spotted him. The posters were pulled down. continued on p4 CCMB scientists discover plant protein that may aid dementia, cancer treatment M e g h n a N at h @ Hyderabad Researchers at the CSIRCentre for Cellular and Molecular Biology have discovered a molecular glue mechanism used by plants to trap and disable viruses, a breakthrough that could pave the way for stronger disease-resistant crops and future therapies for disorders such as cancer and dementia. The findings were published in the Journal of the American Chemical Society and the study was led by Mandar V Deshmukh and his research team at CCMB. According to the researchers, the study focused on how plants defend themselves against viruses containing double-stranded RNA. During infection, plants produce special RNAbinding proteins that recognise the viral genetic material. Scientists found that these proteins gather around Viral Replication Complexes — the sites where viruses multiply — and halt the replication process. Using advanced tools such as Nuclear Magnetic Resonance spectroscopy, fluorescence microscopy and molecular dynamics simulations, the CCMB One discovery, a world of possibilities  Study published in Journal of the American Chemical Society, used tools including NMR spectroscopy, fluorescence microscopy and molecular simulations.  Scientists found special RNA-binding proteins form dense gellike droplets that block viral replication inside plant cells.  Discovery could help scientist also develop virus-resistant crops team found that these proteins possess a unique structural fold with positively charged sticky patches. These charged surfaces attract one another and assemble into dense, gellike droplets known as biomolecular condensates. “These proteins act like a mol e c u l a r g l u e, ” e x p l a i n e d Jaydeep Paul. “By forming these dense droplets, plant cells effectively trap viral RNA and prevent it from interacting with the machinery needed for replication.” Speaking to TNIE, Deshmukh said, “These droplets, also known as biomolecular condensates, represent a shift in how scientists understand a living cell. Rather than a collection of static membrane-bound compartments like the nucleus and mitochondria, the cell is now seen as a dynamic environment in which membraneless organelles form like oil droplets in water. Understanding these states has significant implications for both basic science and applications in agricultural and medical biotechnology .” Highlighting the agricultural benefits, Deshmukh said the discovery opens new avenues for developing crop varieties with enhanced natural immunity. By strengthening these protein-based traps, scientists can design plants that are more resilient to viral outbreaks that cause billions of dollars in crop losses globally . He added that the study could also help researchers tackle human diseases such as cancer, dementia and Alzheimer’s disease by manipulating harmful protein clumps found in affected cells.  continued on p4 CBI chief Praveen Sood gets one-year extension The Centre on Wednesday extended CBI chief Praveen Sood’s tenure by one more year. Sood took over as the CBI director in May 2023. This is his second extension in office | P7