kochi l tuesday l june 02, 2026 l `9.00 l PAGES 16 l late city EDITION 10 days before FIFA WC begins, ‘Z’ secures India broadcast rights After weeks of anticipation over whether the marquee event would be aired/streamed in the country, ‘Z’ group bags the rights on Monday The Mexico City Stadium will host the opening game on June 11 | AFP Zee to telecast major FIFA events till 2034 deal to be estimated around $30-35 mn The World Cup, to be co-hosted by the USA, Canada and Mexico, will be broadcast live on television by Zee Entertainment through their newly launched Unite8 Sports network, while live streaming will be available on Zee 5 app. The deal covers 39 major FIFA tournaments across men, women and youth events to audiences in India until 2034. ■ ■ While the announcement did not mention the valuation of the deal, it is expected to be anywhere between $30-35 million It is significantly lesser than what FIFA had initially asked for. While 2026 WC has timezone issues, the next edition will happen in Morocco and Spain after the first few games in Argentina and Uruguay | P11 39 Zee will telecast 39 major fifa events till 2034 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 Kota factory does it yet again, churns out JEE Advanced toppers in droves S Lalitha & Rajesh Asnani @ New Delhi/Jaipur Students celebrate in Kota after the results were announced; (inset) topper Shubham Kumar | Express Six of top 10 from same institute Kota-based Allen Career Institute on Monday claimed that six of the top 10 rank holders in the JEE (Advanced) 2026 results were its students. The institute said 24 of its students featured in the top 50 rank Kota kept up its reputation for churning out JEE Advanced toppers in factory mode yet again, with the first three ranks secured by candidates from coaching centres there. Of the top 10, at least six received coaching in the city . Shubham Kumar from Bihar, who went to Allen Career Institute in Kota, is the all-India topper with a score of 330 out of 360 marks. Kabeer Chhillar from Gurugram is second with 329 marks, and Jatin Chahar from Rajasthan Oman FTA kicks in, opens new doors to GCC, Africa Much of its coastline outside Strait of Hormuz, along the Arabian Sea Piyush Goyal: Most parts of India-US pact finalised Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal on Monday said India and the US have finalised most elements of the first phase of the bilateral trade agreement. The talks will take place in New Delhi from June 2-4. “...mostly everything is finalised. As you know, US ambassador said 99% of things have been finalised. Discussions are on about small issues, commas and full stops.” Factory output expands at slower pace in April India’s industrial production or IIP expanded at a slower pace of 4.9% in April due to tepid growth in the energy sector amid the West Asia crisis, according to official data released on Monday. The IIP’s growth rate was 3.2% in March 2026. This is the first data released after the revision of the base year to 2022-23 from 201112, rejigging index elements | P10 Gross GST collections grew 3.2% in May Gross GST collections rose 3.2% to over I1.94 lakh crore in May on higher supplies of goods and services, as well as collection from imports, government data showed on Monday. Net GST revenues went up 3.3% to I1.67 lakh crore. Gross GST collection was I1.88 lakh crore in May 2025. The govt has budgeted to mop up I10.19 lakh crore from GST in the current fiscal | P10 P u s h pi ta D e y @ New Delhi THE Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) between India and Oman came into force on Monday, providing tariff-free access for a majority of Indian exports and creating a strategic trade corridor to Gulf and African markets through Oman’s ports. Under the accord, Indian exporters will receive immediate zero-duty access on nearly 99% of exports by value, covering 98.08% of Oman’s tariff lines. “This balanced FTA opens doors to our exports to Oman while protecting livelihoods at home. The doors it opens are wide because Oman is a gateway to the wider GCC, East Africa and the Indian Ocean economy through its various ports,” Union Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal said. Oman’s logistics hubs at Sohar, Duqm and Salalah would provide Indian exporters easier access to the broader Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) region and East African markets. The pact assumes added significance amid rising geopolitical tensions in West Asia. Unlike most Gulf nations that depend heavily on shipping routes through the Strait of Hor muz, much of Oman’s coastline lies outside the Strait, along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman. Trade experts note that ma- jor ports such as Salalah and Duqm remain accessible even if traffic through the Strait of Hormuz is disrupted. “This allows Oman to continue functioning as a reliable trade and energy gateway during periods of regional conflict or instability said Ajay Srivas,” tava, founder, the Global Trade Research Initiative. Pankaj Khimji, advisor for Foreign Trade and International Cooperation at Oman’s Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Investment Promotion, said the country is willing to align its petrochemical and fertiliser exports with India’s needs. “India remains a major importer of the petrochemicals that Oman manufactures, and we can more than happily serve that requirement,” he said. The FTA is expected to benefit labour-intensive sectors including gems and jewellery, textiles, leather, footwear, marine products, engineering goods, processed food and pharmaceuticals. India has offered tariff liberalisation on 77.79% of tariff lines, covering 94.81% of imports from Oman by value, while retaining safeguards for sensitive sectors. “We have agreed with the Omani side that for investments made by Indian companies, Indian workers will be given preferential ability to serve, subject to local requirements,” Goyal said. is third with 319 marks. Kabeer and Jatin, too, got coached in Kota. “I feel absolutely wonderful. I came to Kota after completing my 11th standard,” Shubham said. “I never attempted to rotememorise topics. Instead, I always concentrated on strengthening my basics and concepts,” he added. Sharing his success tips, Kabeer said, “I broke down my studies into small, manageable targets, created concise notes, and cultivated the habit of regular revision.” Female topper Arohi Desh- Performance chart 2024-25 Growth Total exports (volume) 19.72L tonnes 16.98L tonnes +16.13% Total exports (value) $8.46 bn $7.45 bn +13.44% Value (in I) I72,000 cr I62,408 cr +18.4% Product Major exports 2025-26 Volume Value Export earning share Frozen shrimp 7.93L tonnes $5.62 bn 66.5% Frozen fish 3.56L tonnes $0.64 bn 7.6% Dried seafood 4.10L tonnes $0.58 bn 6.8% R a j e s h A b r a h a m @Kochi India’s seafood exports have sailed into new horizons, touching an all-time high of $8.46 billion (around `72,000 crore) in 2025-26, driven largely by the global appetite for Indian shrimp. The country exported 19.72 lakh tonnes of marine products, the highest ever, despite facing multiple challenges in international markets. The performance marks a strong rebound for the sector, with exports growing 16.13% in volume and 13.44% in dollar terms over the previous year. The export boom also reflected in India’s ports. Visakhapatnam handled the largest share of marine exports, followed by Jawaharlal Nehru Port in Navi Mumbai. Kochi emerged as the third-largest seafood export gateway accounting for nearly , 10% of export earnings. The real star of the export basket continued to be frozen shrimp, contributing nearly two-thirds of India’s seafood export earnings. Every second container of Indian seafood heading overseas appeared to carry shrimp, underlining its dominance. According to Marine Products Export Development Authority (MPEDA) chairman P Jawahar, India exported 7.93 lakh tonnes of frozen shrimp worth $5.62 billion, accounting for over 66% of total export ear nings from marine products. The US remained the biggest buyer of Indian shrimp, importing more than 2.56 lakh tonnes, while China emerged as the second-largest market. The EU, Southeast Asia and Japan also remained major desti● More on P4 nations.  E x p r e s s Re a d Major Political churn Annamalai Roach party may quit BJP, plans Sat launch party spectacle Dissent in Cong over Vellappally meetings S u b a s h i n i Vi j aya k u m a r @ Chennai UDAYAN K I SHO R E @ New Delhi Former Tamil Nadu BJP president K Annamalai, who left for New Delhi on Monday , is likely to resign from the party according to , sources. He is expected to meet BJP national president Nitin Nabin and Union Home Minister Amit Shah during his visit. Speaking briefly to reporters at the Chennai airport on Monday, Annamalai said he would speak “freely” in two days. Sources indicated that he is considering launching a new political outfit and might even contest upcoming Assembly by-elections, which is expected to be held within six months. Tensions between Annamalai and the BJP leadership came to the fore after the party re- Annamalai sees an opportunity to build vived its alliance with the an independent AIADMK ahead of the political platform 2026 Assembly election. at a time when a Annamalai was also resection of voters appears to be placed by Nainar Nagendisillusioned with thran as the state BJP Dravidian majors president, a move many within the party saw as Sources necessary to preserve the alliance and maintain cordial ties with the AIADMK. While the BJP’s decision-making process remains largely centralised, Annamalai is believed to have sought greater autonomy to shape the party’s growth strategy in the state. However, despite these differences, he eventually campaigned for the BJP-led alliance during the election, though he chose not to contest.  Delhi’s political climate heated up a tad on Monday after Cockroach Janta Party founder Abhijeet Dipke announced his return to India from Boston on June 6, issuing a ‘Delhi airport chalo’ call to his followers to lead a protest demanding the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over exam related lapses. In a video message on X and Instagram, he urged people to meet him at the airport, from where, “together we will go to the Parliament Police Station and seek permission to protest peacefully at the Jantar Mantar”. He added that over eight lakh people had signed a petition demanding Pradhan’s exit. I still have hope Dipke’s movement built that our country is around cockroaches, mea democracy... The mes and satire sprung up time has come for after Chief Justice of Inall of us to come dia Surya Kant on May 15 together, follow the Constitution, likened roaches to a secand peacefully tion of the unemployed raise our voices youth. Though the CJI later clarified that his reAbhijeet Dipke, CJP marks were directed at those with fake law degrees, the social media buzz refused to die down. Within days, the CJP’s Instagram account had over 22 million followers, surpassing both the Congress and the BJP’s accounts on the platform by a huge margin. On May 29, the Delhi High Court denied interim relief on Dipke’s plea to unblock the CJP’s X account, saying the matter had “farreaching consequences”. India’s seafood exports hit record $8.46 bn, shrimp powers the surge Category pande, too, has a Kota footprint. With a score of 280, she ranks 77 overall. “My whole family shifted from Pune to Kota,” she said. “I regularly appeared for tests and analysed mistakes after each iteration,” she added. In all, 56,880 candidates qualified in the 2026 JEE Advanced. As many as 1,79,694 candidates appeared for the exam, which was held on May 17. Of the top 10 candidates, five are from the Delhi zone, three from the Madras zone and two from the Bombay zone. The pass percentage at 31.65% is the highest in the last four years. Pink ball could be used in Tests if bad light affects play The International Cricket Council has decided to test usage of pink balls on trial basis if Test matches are affected by bad light. A look at some of the highlights from the two-day meeting in Ahmedabad A match can start with red ball but if there is bad light, pink ball could be used under floodlights for overs that could be lost or wasted. For example, if 60 overs are bowled in a 90-over a day match, then the rest 30 overs can be bowled under lights with pink balls India will play the 2028 Women's T20 WC at a neutral venue with Pakistan hosting the event T’Puram: The Congress is facing criticism over BDJS leader Thushar Vellappally’s meeting with Chief Minister V D Satheesan, as well as Minister Bindhu Krishna’s meeting with SNDP Yogam general secretary Vellappally Natesan. The meetings have sparked a backlash on social media and within sections of the party, with some leaders questioning the message conveyed by engaging with Thushar, whose party BDJS is aligned with NDA. P4 Toddler’s mother admits to witnessing assault T’Puram: The police probing the murder of a one-and-a-half-yearold child in Nedumangad are preparing to invoke provisions of the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act against the two accused, Ashkar and the child’s mother Akhila. Sources said Akhila confessed to witnessing Ashkar repeatedly assaulting the child. The cops will move court soon seeking their custody. P4 Monsoon onset likely tomorrow, alerts issued T’Puram: With the southwest monsoon expected to touch Kerala by Wednesday, the IMD has issued orange and yellow alerts for several districts till Friday. Yellow alert has been sounded for Pathanamthitta, Alappuzha, Kottayam, Ernakulam, Idukki, Thrissur, Palakkad, Malappuram, Kozhikode, Wayanad districts on Tuesday, while orange alert has been issued for Alappuzha, Kottayam, Ernakulam and Thrissur on Wednesday. P5 16 pages, including 4 pages of kochi Express The ICC will also allow coaches to be on the field during drinks break like in T20 time outs. Even support staff can go onto the field to discuss strategies The ICC Board approved a change of the window for the ICC Women’s Champions Trophy 2027, moving the tournament from June-July to 14-28 February 2027 ns to be All decisio implemented from October 1, 2026 SC refuses plea on online NEET-UG retest s u c h i t r a k a lya n m o h a n t y @ New Delhi THE Supreme Court on Monday refused to grant urgent hearing to a plea filed by Rashtriya Janta Dal MP Sudhakar Singh and others demanding that the re-test of NEET-UG 2026, scheduled for June 21, be conducted in Computer-Based Test (CBT) mode, after observing that the National Testing Agency (NTA) is already under significant pressure. A two-judge bench of Justices P S Narasimha and Aravind Kumar said NTA “is already faced with too many problems” due to the re-conduct of the exam. “They are reholding the exam. The kind of pressure they have. We will post (this matter) after vacation,” Justice Narasimha said while declining urgent listing and hearing of the plea. Petitioner Singh and others, had sought a direction to shift the NEET-UG re-test from the existing pen-and-paper format to CBT mode, citing concerns over transparency and integrity. The court refused to pass any interim order directing the change in mode and posted the matter for hearing on July 27, after the summer vacation. The NEET-UG 2026 exam was originally conducted on May 3. However, the NTA cancelled it on May 12 amid allega- tions of a paper leak and other irregularities. Meanwhile, top officials from NTA told a parliamentary standing committee on Monday that the agency’s focus for now was to hold the June 21 NEET-UG re-test properly in pen-paper format. Responding to concer ns about the potential for hacking in computer-based tests, the NTA responded that a special committee has been formed to examine this issue.