BHUBANESWAR l friday l may 29, 2026 l `9.00 l PAGES 12 l JEYPORE EDITION Iran, U.S. reach tentative plan to extend ceasefire & start n-talks Trump yet to sign off on the agreement... The proposed deal will move forward if and when US President Donald Trump gives his final approval, Axios reported quoting two US officials and a regional source involved in the mediation efforts. Iran is yet to confirm its acceptance, the report added. The tentative agreement worked out by the two sides comes at a time the fragile ceasefire seems to be wavering Iran, US negotiators have reached an agreement to extend the ceasefire by 60 days and launch talks on Iran’s nuclear programme, reports said ...wants ‘couple of days to think about it’ ■ ■ US officials said terms of the deal have been mostly agreed to by the negotiators but both sides need approval from senior leadership US negotiators briefed Trump on the details of the final deal, but he did not immediately sign off saying he wants “a couple of days to think about it”, Axios said. Iran’s leadership is ready to sign the MoU 60 days Proposed extension of ceasefire, during which n-talks will be held 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 Siddu quits to make way After NEET-UG leak, IAF option on for DKS, declines RS berth table to airlift retest question papers CLP meet, swearing-in ceremony only after guv accepts resignation The Centre is assessing to draft in the military, with the Indian Air Force set to transport question papers for the upcoming NEET-UG re-examination after the paper leak controversy forced the cancellation of the May 3 test, sources in the defence establishment said following a high-level meeting on Thursday . The nearly 40-minute meeting was held at Defence Minister Rajnath Singh’s residence and attended by Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, Union Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia, NTA Director General Pradeep Singh Kharola and senior representatives A shwini M S ripad & D evaraj B H ireha l l i @ Bengaluru Ending six months of speculation over leadership change in Karnataka, a teary-eyed Siddaramaiah on Thursday announced his decision to resign from the post of Chief Minister and make way for his deputy D K Shivakumar to be sworn in as his successor. The announcement came a couple of day after hectic parleys in New Delhi with the high command asking Siddaramaiah to step down and take a Rajya Sabha berth instead. Siddaramaiah, however, declined the berth and said he would continue in active politics in Karnataka. He made the announcement at a breakfast meeting with his cabinet colleagues, including Shivakumar. Many ministers too turned emotional when Siddaramaiah announced his resignation. He then went to Lok Bhavan at 3 pm and tendered his resignation to the Special Secretary to the Gover nor, Prabhu Shankar, as Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot had flown to Indore following a medical emergency involving a family member. Gehlot returned to Bengaluru late Thursday evening but by then Siddaramaiah had left for New Delhi to meet the party high command, and is expected back on Friday . The resignation can be accepted only when Siddaramaiah presents himself before the Governor. “The resignation has been submitted. However, it has to be presented in person to the Governor. Only after the Governor accepts it, will the resignation become official. Until then, Siddaramaiah will continue as Chief Minister,” Lok Bhavan sources told this newspaper. If the resignation is accepted Siddaramaiah announcing his resignation as chief minister as deputy chief minister D K Shivkumar looks on, in Bengaluru on Thursday | Nagaraja Gadekal Flight diverted Siddaramaiah’s chartered flight from Bengaluru to Delhi was diverted to Jaipur on Thursday due to heavy rains at the Indira Gandhi International Airport. It landed at 7.55 pm. Five other party leaders were on board. Two hours later, the flight was yet to take off for Delhi, airport sources said on Friday the Congress Legisla, ture Party (CLP) could be convened on Saturday or Sunday, followed by Shivakumar’s oathtaking as the new chief minister. Sources said there is also a likelihood of the swearing-in ceremony on Monday, depending on Shivakumar finding an auspicious time for it in consultation with his astrologer. If the Congress high command approves a full-fledged cabinet, the swearing-in ceremony is likely to be held on the grand steps of Vidhana Soudha — a legacy associated with former Chief Ministers Ram- Exceptional heat in next 5 yrs: UN body 1.3°C-1.9°C Annual global mean near-surface temperatures during 2026–2030 predicted to be 1.3°C-1.9°C above the 1850-1900 average 91% J avaria R ana @ New Delhi akrishna Hegde and S M Krishna, which Shivakumar is keen to continue. However, with the June 18 Rajya Sabha polls approaching, the leadership is also considering a partial cabinet expansion while keeping some berths vacant. Analysts reckon that a full cabinet formation could trigger dissidence among disappointed aspirants, giving the opposition an opportunity to woo disgruntled MLAs ahead of the Rajya Sabha polls. If only a partial cabinet is sworn in, the ceremony is likely to be held at the Glass House in Lok Bhavan. Addressing the media, Siddaramaiah said he has no intention to switch to national politics despite Rahul Gandhi offering him a RS seat. “I have very humbly declined. I have no interest in national politics. I am staying right here in state politics. The people have elected me for a five-year term, and there are still two years left. Until then, my focus is entirely on being there for the people of Karnataka and the people of my constituency he said. ,” Global average temperatures likely to continue at or near record levels in the next five years, says new report from the World Meteorological Organization Global temperature crossed 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels for the first time in 2024 Arctic temperatures over the next five extended northern hemisphere winters (November-March) predicted to be 2.8°C above normal chance of global mean near-surface temperature exceeding 1.5°C above the 1850-1900 average for at least a year between 2026 and 2030 El Niño predicted for the end of 2026, which increases the chances of the following year, 2027, being the next record-breaking year — Dr Leon Hermanson, lead author of the report express Illustration PMO oversees prep Sources said the PMO is closely overseeing preparations, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi being regularly briefed on developments related to the examination and the security arrangements being put in place from the education ministry and the Prime Minister’s Office, sources told this daily . They added that the discussions focused on strengthening security protocols across the entire exam cycle, including paper setting, printing, storage, transport and coordination at centres across India. WFI moves SC against HC’s Phogat fiat The Wrestling Federation of India has challenging in the SC the Delhi HC’s order that allowed Vinesh Phogat to participate in the selection trials for the 2026 Asian Games, scheduled for Saturday | P7 THE Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Thursday arrested retired judge Giribala Singh in connection with the alleged dowry death of her daughter-in-law Twisha Sharma. CBI sleuths took her into custody from her Bhopal residence after 5 hours of questioning in the high-profile case. Sources said the CBI has informed the Bhopal District and Sessions Judge Manoj Srivastava about the arrest. The ex-judge will be produced before the court on Friday . The arrest of the 63-year-old former judge came a day after the Madhya Pradesh High Court Dharmendra Pradhan Jyotiraditya Scindia “The Air Force is expected to assist in the secure and timebound movement of question papers to minimise risks during transit, which investigators believe was a major vulnerability in the earlier process,” a source said, adding that contingency plans and inter-agency coordination mechanisms were India among 30+ Sold twice, raped for 2 yrs: 17-yr-old nations working Odisha girl escapes captivity in UP to build non-China supply chain handed her to one Ashish Jadav, who allegedly took her to a village in Jhansi. At In a horrifying story of human traffick- the Bhubaneswar railway station, she ing, a 17-year-old tribal girl from was joined by more girls who were taken Dhenkanal has claimed that she was trad- with her. ed twice and repeatedly raped for over The survivor alleged that Ashish retwo years in Uttar Pradesh’s Jhansi peatedly sexually assaulted her. Ashish’s district. father Kalyan also raped her for Th incident of trafficking and nearly three months, during which prolonged sexual assault has she became pregnant. The fathercome to light after the survivor son duo reportedly forced her to managed to escape from the undergo an abortion. clutches of her captors and Police said the girl was later reached back home in Kamasold by Ashish to another man khyanagar of Dhenkanal disC h a n d r ap a l Ku s h w a h fo r trict, where she lodged a com`50,000. Chandrapal then raped plaint with local police. her repeatedly while his elder D h e n k a n a l S P A b h i n av She was confined brother and two uncles also sexSonkar said police have launched ually assaulted her over the next and sexually a vigorous investigation and two years. The survivor alleged assaulted for nearly two years sent a special team to Uttar that she was kept in confinebefore managing Pradesh to nab those involved in ment and was not allowed to to escape and the crime. speak to anyone outside the famreturn to Odisha According to the survivor, she ily. “They would physically ason May 18. She was confined and sexually assault her during the entire pelodged a saulted for nearly two years beriod,” her complaint stated. The complaint at fore managing to escape and reaccused persons run different Kamakhyanagar turn to Odisha on May 18. She businesses. PS on May 23 lodged a complaint at KamakhyHowever, earlier this month, Police sources anagar police station on May she managed to escape from cap23. tivity and reached Jhansi, where As per the FIR, the girl was approached she lodged a complaint with the help of in 2024 by a local man Binanda Patra who an advocate. The survivor alleged that inpromised her a job in Bhubaneswar. How- stead of initiating action, the Jhansi poever, when they reached Bhubaneswar, lice arranged a train ticket for her to reContinued on P5 instead of arranging employment, he turn to Odisha.  B K R o u t @ Dhenkanal P U S H P I TA D E Y @ New Delhi INDIA, along with more than 30 countries, is working to build an alternative supply chain for critical minerals used in electric vehicles, smartphones and defence equipment, as governments seek to reduce heavy dependence on China after Beijing tightened exports of key minerals, sources said. “India, along with 30-40 other countries, is trying to create an alternative market and supply chain for critical minerals to reduce import dependence on China,” an official aware of the matter said. India is in talks with Chile, Canada, Japan, Australia and others to bring them on board for creating a resilient critical minerals supply chain. What are critical Recently, India, Australia, minerals? Japan and the US—the Critical minerals Quad partners—set an am- include copper, bitious target of mobilis- lithium, nickel, cobalt, ing up to $20 billion in gov- graphite, aluminium, ernment and private-sector manganese, silicon, support to build secure and silver, rare earth critical minerals supply elements, among chains, reduce dependence others. These are on dominant suppliers and essential for national s t r e n g t h e n r e g i o n a l security as they are industry . vital for defence, “India does have re- aerospace, nuclear, serves, but these are most- and space applications ly used for very specific projects, such as those in ISRO. For mass-market needs like smartphones and vehicles, the industry is still importing from China,” another official said. The biggest challenge lies in convincing Indian industry to source from alternative markets, as China continues to enjoy a strong competitive edge in critical mineral exports, sources said adding that pricing is a big concern. “The challenge lies in matching prices and convincing industry to buy from India and partner countries that are working together,” the official said. India is seeking to position itself as a trusted partner in emerging mineral alliances. “Countries need confidence in our systems before they open up sensitive technologies,” the official said. Indian agencies are also exploring partnerships with research institutions in Australia to gain expertise in mineral extraction and processing. In-law in CBI custody in Twisha death case E X P R E S S N E W S S E R V I C E @ Bhopal Rajnath Singh also reviewed as part of a “multi-layered security architecture” being put in place for the examination. The move is part of a wider framework being built around the June 21 re-test, which will be conducted for more than 22 lakh aspirants. Investigations into the NEETUG 2026 paper leak continue across Rajasthan and Maharashtra, with the CBI probing allegations that portions of the question paper circulated before the exam through guess papers and encrypted messaging platforms. Queries sent to the defence ministry on the meet did not elicit a formal response till the filing of this report. quashed the anticipatory bail granted to her by a sessions court. Giribala’s son and Twisha’s husband Samarth Singh is already in CBI custody. Officials said the CBI will interrogate the motherson duo together. Two CBI teams were at Giribala’s house on Thursday. While the first team, comprising technical and forensic experts arrived for crime scene mapping and forensic analysis at around 10.30 am, the second team comprising women sleuths arrived at around 12.30 pm. The 33-year-old model-actor Twi- sha Sharma was allegedly found hanging on May 12, six months after her marriage with Bhopal-based advocate Samarth. The local police lodged a case of dowry death, harassment and cruelty against Samarth and Giribala on May 15. An SIT was subsequently formed by Bhopal police commissioner Sanjay Kumar to probe the highprofile case. On May 23, the state government recommended a CBI probe, based on the demand by Twisha’s parents. The CBI took over the probe on May 25.