architect behind don’s AI policies to leave job Sriram Krishnan is stepping down from his role as senior policy adviser for Artificial Intelligence to US President Donald Trump. The Chennai-born adviser was an architect of the Trump administration’s ‘AI Action Plan’, which provided a blueprint to roll back regulation of the emerging technology and promote the construction of data centres across the US vijayawada l monday l june 08, 2026 l `9.00 l PAGES 12 l late city EDITION 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 AP aims to be India’s ‘Eastern Gateway’ with Aviation Policy S G u r u S r i k a n t h @ Vijayawada Andhra Pradesh has set its sights on becoming India’s “Eastern Gateway” with the clearance of the Andhra Pradesh Aviation Policy 2026-31 (APAP-2026). A Government Order was issued on Saturday (June 6) after the Cabinet approval, replacing the State’s decade-old civil aviation framework with a sweeping five-year plan that blends connectivity, industry, and investment into one integrated blueprint. At its core, the policy is about scale. AP currently accounts for just 1.5% of India’s passenger traffic, far behind States like Maharashtra and Karnataka. The new framework aims to lift that share to 4% by 2035 and 7% by 2047, requiring a dramatic expansion in annual passenger handling capacity from 6.2 million to 30.38 million. To make this possible, the policy sets a 150 km radial accessibility target for every citizen, to be achieved through the development of nine new airports, a network of regional waterdromes, and the upgrading of minor domestic airstrips across the State. AP Chambers president Potluri Bhaskara Rao called it “the first of its kind in India,” noting that the policy goes beyond passenger transport to establish AP as a hub for aviation, aerospace, logistics, and airP4 craft maintenance. Chorus against second LPG price hike TMC’s Mamata Banerjee and Abhishek with AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal, in New Delhi on Sunday | PTI Amid strain, 23 Oppn parties to meet today P r ee t h a N a i r @ New Delhi As many as 23 Opposition parties are set to attend the crucial INDIA bloc meeting on Monday to devise fresh strategies to corner the BJP government on key national issues with an eye on the 2029 general elections, the Congress said. In a post on X, party general secretary Jairam Ramesh said 23 political parties have confirmed their participation in the “INDIA janbandhan” meeting. “There are some parties who have expressed their inability to attend this particular meeting for their own reasons, even though they have conveyed their strong opposition to the Modi government’s policies and actions,” Ramesh said. The meeting comes amid growing friction within the bloc, with the DMK and AAP opting to skip and others expressing concerns about the Congress’s conduct. While the gathering is being seen as an effort to deepen coordination among Opposition parties, particularly after the recent round of assembly elections and amid Gehlot reignites debate on 2022 MLA rebellion r a j es h a s n a n i @ Jaipur THE rift in Rajasthan Congress appears to be as raw as ever.   For mer Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on Sunday asserted that the dramatic mass resignation by his loyalist MLAs in September 2022 was aimed solely at stopping Sachin Pilot from becoming Chief Minister, and not against the Cong ress high command, as widely believed. Addressing reporters at the Constitution Club, Gehlot said the revolt erupted after Pilot’s name was actively circulated for the CM’s post. “Had the MLAs actually rebelled against the high command, would I have been able to remain Chief Minister?” he asked. The MLAs refused to accept Pilot as CM because he had huddled legislators to Manesar in 2020 in an attempt to topple the state government, Gehlot alleged. Kejri, Didi discuss way forward Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee on Sunday met Aam Aadmi Party convener Arvind Kejriwal, a day ahead of a meeting of the INDIA bloc. The TMC described the meeting as “warm”, and said the leaders held discussion on “the road ahead” Brittas to represent CPI(M) CPI(M) will be represented by its Rajya Sabha MP John Brittas at the meeting. CPI(M) general secretary M A Baby will not attend in protest over the Congress charge of a CPI(M)-BJP understanding in Kerala evolving political equations in several states, a Samajwadi Party leader told this paper that the DMK’s absence would be a major setback for the bloc. “The Congress will have to face several questions. Being the largest party , they failed to take other parties along,” he said. The DMK decided to boycott the meeting, citing Congress’s “betrayal” in Tamil Nadu by joining the TVK government. The equation with the CPI(M) has also strained, with the Left party expressing displeasure over remarks by senior Congress leaders alleging collusion with the BJP in Kerala. The meeting comes at the behest of the Trinamool Congress, which is facing an existential crisis. “Meeting with a common purpose and clear intent. INDIA united. Many parties look forward to meeting in the spirit of camaraderie,” TMC MP Derek O’Brien said. SP’s Akhilesh Yadav, RJD’s Manoj Jha, J&K CM Omar Abdullah, NCP’s Supriya Sule, VCK’s Thirumavalavan and others are expected to attend. TVK was not invited because it doesn’t have MPs. ‘Extreme weather hit 1.16 lakh people in AP’ Us h a Pe r i @ Visakhapatnam As many as 1.16 lakh people were internally displaced in Andhra Pradesh during 2025 due to cyclones and severe storm events, making the State one of the worst affected in the country according to the State of India’s , Environment 2026 report released by Down To Earth. The report states that AP recorded 1,16,000 weather-related displacements, the highest among all States. Uttar Pradesh followed with 1,10,490 displacements, while West Bengal reported 80,000. Together, these States accounted for more than half of all displacements recorded across 28 States and Union Territories. The findings point to increasing vulnerability of AP to climate-related disasters.  P4 trailblazer Pimenta, most powerful woman in football s w a r o o p s w a m i n at h a n @ Oslo RAFAELA Pimenta has had a few insults thrown in her general direction over the decades. But the most powerful woman in football doesn’t let it affect her anymore. “Couldn’t care less at this point,” she tells this daily on the sidelines of the Norway Chess event last week. Pimenta, who manages Erling Haaland among other star footballers, lifted the lid on what her working conditions were like before she worked up the ladder to carve out a commanding space for herself in an industry created by men for men. “It’s really male dominated and it was even worse when I started,” says the 53-year-old who was at the event as she had invested in their new product, Total Chess. The Brazilian lawyer-turned-manager — generally recognised as one of the first female ‘super agents’ in football press — w i l l h ave a clusive number of clients at the World Cup, beginning in the US, Mexico and Canada from June 11, including Norway’s Haaland. Pimenta hopes for better working conditions for women in football. “What I hope is that it gets easier for all women. That women will not care for What I hope is that it gets easier for all women and that’s one of the reasons for me to be here Rafaela Pimenta, football agent Rafaela Pimenta | Michal Walusza / Norway Chess this abuse and that we can keep holding our positions we achieved and push forward.” It’s a powerful message to think about as the men’s World Cup — the single most widely watched sporting event across the planet — is about to start in P11 a few days’ time.  ‘A blessing’ Pimenta says that it is a blessing to work with Norwegian and Manchester City star Erling Haaland. “It’s a blessing. He fits the way I think people should work.” OPEC+ hikes output OPEC+ ministers decided to increase oil production quotas by 188,000 barrels per day for July. OPEC+ said the latest hike was “to support oil market stability” E x p r ess Ne w s S e r v i c e @ New Delhi OPPOSITION parties on Sunday criticised the Centre over the latest increase in domestic LPG prices, accusing it of further burdening households already struggling with a rising cost of living and inflation. However, the government maintained that despite the latest hike, domestic LPG prices in India remain lower than those prevailing in neighbouring countries. The government raised the price of a 14.2-kg domestic LPG cylinder by `29, taking it to `942 from `913 in Delhi. The hike comes nearly three months after an increase of `60 announced in March amid a surge in global energy prices linked to West Asia conflict. The Congress alleged that the government was passing the burden of rising costs onto ordinary citizens.” Party president Mallikar jun Kharge questioned the government’s handling of fuel supplies E x p r e s s Re a d Lokesh seeks Russian tie-up for AP rare earth projects Vijayawada: Seeking to anchor Andhra Pradesh in the global rare earths and advanced materials supply chain, HRD and IT Minister N Lokesh met with representatives of Russia’s Giredmet Institute in Moscow. Lokesh urged Giredmet to explore creation of a Rare Earth Element refining hub in Visakhapatnam and Srikakulam, leveraging mineral wealth of North Andhra. He proposed a Neodymium Magnet production facility in Nellore | P4 AP modernises 108 Emergency Service Vijayawada: The State government has rolled out a sweeping modernisation of 108 Ambulance Emergency Service, positioning it as a globalstandard lifeline for millions. In partnership with Bhavya Health Care, the 108 ambulance fleet has been equipped with GPS tracking and digitised patient logs | P4 and pricing. NCP (SP) chief Sharad Pawar warned that the government would pay a “political price” as frequent hikes in essential commodities were burdening the common man. PMK leader Anbumani Ramadoss, an NDA ally, too demanded an immediate rollback. Likewise, CPI(M) leader Pinarayi Vijayan called it an “anti-people” decision and sought a quick rollback. As for the Aam Aadmi Party, it said the hike in cooking gas price would intensify financial pressure on families across the country .