kottayam l wednesday l june 17, 2026 l `9.00 l PAGES 12 l city EDITION El Nino to hit 12 states severely, govt calls for contingency plan The impact of El Nino weather phenomenon, linked with a weaker monsoon in India, is likely to be “severe” in 12 states, including UP and TN weak monsoon across majority of states reliable inputs critical for farmers El Nino is a climate phenomenon linked to weaker monsoons. As per IMD, El Nino conditions are present over the equatorial Pacific Ocean and expected to strengthen during the southwest monsoon season. Other states likely to be impacted are Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Karnataka, Odisha, Gujarat, Rajasthan, Bihar, MP, Jharkhand and Maharashtra ■ ■ Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan directed states to identify vulnerable districts and prepare crop-wise contingency plans so that farmers can be provided with options, advice and assistance Chouhan said the government’s priority is to ensure farmers receive “reliable, and solution-oriented messages based on scientific inputs” 20% cut in Mumbai water supply for commercial usage due to low storage 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 G7 Summit Israel’s war on Lebanon has gone too far, says Trump A g en c i e s @ Evian-les-Bains (France) A day after the US and Iran announced an agreement to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, US President Donald Trump on Tuesday panned Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for his aggressive military campaign in Lebanon causing civilian casualties, urging him to be “more responsible” in the way he fights Hezbollah. “You don’t have to knock down an apartment house every time you’re looking for somebody There are lots of . people in those apartments… and they’re not all Hezbollah,” he said. Speaking to reporters in France at the G7 Summit, Trump said Israel’s war with Hezbollah has gone too far and “too many people are being killed.” Without the According to United Iran, the peace States, there deal includes would be no Israel. Israel’s exit from Lebanon. Without me, there would Israel’s contin- be no Israel, ued attacks on because no Lebanon could other jeopardise the president pact, which is was willing scheduled to be to do what I did signed in Switz e r l a n d o n Donald Trump Friday . Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi on Tuesday said Israel’s continued occupation of southern Lebanon would violate the deal. Netanyahu, who is under tremendous pressure ahead of elections in October, has rejected the peace deal saying Israel is not part of it. Cautioning Netanyahu against defying his directions, Trump said: “Without me, there would be no Israel… no other president was willing to do what I did. Israel would have been blown up a long time ago, had I not gotten involved.” Terming Hezbollah threat ‘minor’, Trump described the Iran-backed militant outfit in Lebanon as “the little pinprick out there that constantly rears its head”. Israel invaded southern Lebanon after Hezbollah fired missiles during the first week of the war. Since then, it has been striking targets deep inside Beirut. P9 PM plain speak 81% surge in women ridership on Day 1 on trust deficit, lack of respect 13,29,938 for global law J aya n t h J a c o b @ New Delhi Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday told G7 leaders that global partnerships can succeed only when they are founded on trust, stressing that the world today suffers not from a shortage of resources but from a shortage of trust. Calling for renewed international solidarity in an increasingly interconnected and interdependent world, Modi said mutual trust is the most important strategic asset and warned that disregard for international law remains the biggest obstacle to building global cooperation. He highlighted that dialogue and diplomacy must be prioritised to ensure peace, stability and stronger international partnerships. The remarks came shortly after Modi was seen exchanging a handshake and a brief conversation with US President Donald Trump on the sidelines of the summit. The interaction, ahead of a scheduled bilateral meeting between the two leaders on Wednesday, drew attention amid ongoing discussions on trade, technology , security and geopolitical challenges. Addressing the Outreach Session on “Forging New Partnerships and Rebuilding International Solidarity ,” Modi, seated next to Trump, said that while global interdependence has increased, confidence among nations has eroded. “In a world that is getting more interconnected and interdependent than ever before, this subject becomes all the more vital. But partnerships can succeed only when they are founded on trust,” Modi said. A major focus of Modi’s address was the need to redefine engagement with developing countries and the Global South. He said nations in Africa, Asia and Latin America were looking for equal partnerships rather than traditional aid arrangements. “The Global South has immense expectations from the world. More than support, it seeks partnership. We must move beyond the donor-recipient mindset and work as equal partners. We must walk together and not merely alongside one another. Partnerships must be linked to dignity not dependency he said. , ,” Hurdle to solidarity Modi identified the “lack of respect for international law” as the biggest hurdle to building international solidarity. “We, in India, view the world as one family. Our experience shows that development is most effective when it is connected to the aspirations of people.” Strategic asset “Mutual trust is the most important strategic asset today. But, sadly, today, the world does not suffer from a shortage of resources — it suffers from a shortage of trust. And the future of our partnerships depends on rebuilding this trust,” PM Modi said Women ridership in KSRTC ordinary services saw an 81% surge with the launch of the state government’s free travel scheme. A staggering 13.3 lakh women and transgender passengers availed the ‘Priyadarshini’ scheme on the inaugural day . Compared to 7.35 lakh female commuters recorded the previous Monday an addition, al 5.95 lakh women passengers travelled in ordinary services on June 15. The overwhelming public response on day one translated into an estimated single-day ticket value of `2.2 crore for women passengers alone, signalling a historic milestone. Meanwhile, only 2.26 lakh male passengers travelled in ordinary services on the day. To meet the demand, the corporation operated 3,125 ordinary services across the state, issuing ‘Zero Tickets’ to bene- Women travel on a ‘Priyadarshini’ bus from Kozhikode KSRTC depot to Kuttiady on Tuesday | Vincent Pulickal 3,125 KSRTC ordinary services operated across the state on launch day women and transgender passengers on Day 1 (June 15) L2,20,49,159 Estimated value of tickets issued to women on Day 1 ficiaries without any age or income restrictions. While the initial numbers appear overwhelming, KSRTC is keenly monitoring ridership trends for the coming days. “The inaugural day saw enthusiastic participation from UDF’s supporters. There could be a slight stabilisation in the days to come. We will have a clearer 5,95,245 more female commuters on Day 1, compared to 7,34,693 women passengers on previous Monday (June 8) L800 cr - Annual financial burden of the scheme borne by the government picture by the end of the week,” a KSRTC official said. Meanwhile, private bus operators reported a sharp decline in female ridership following the launch of the scheme. Highlighting a prior assurance by Chief Minister V D Satheesan to shield the private sector from losses incurred due to the Priyadarshi- ni scheme, a section of operators demanded financial compensation. “It is heartening that the chief minister acknowledged us as an integral part of the public transport system and recognised that the industry is in crisis. However, we require a compensation model similar to the one provided to KSRTC. We operate far more ordinary buses than KSRTC does. Without government support, the private transport industry will come to a standstill,” said a representative of the All Kerala Bus Operators Organisation. The scheme was officially flagged off by Satheesan at the Thampanoor KSRTC Complex in Thiruvananthapuram, fulfilling one of the five ‘Indira Guarantees’ within a month of the new government taking office. The scheme, which carries an annual financial burden of `800 crore, will be funded entirely by the state government. Telegram app banned till NEET-UG re-exam to curb cheating, rumours R a k e s h K u m a r @ New Delhi Indians top users of app THE government on Tuesday temporarily restricted access to the Telegram messaging app ahead of the NEET-UG 2026 re-examination on June 21, with the National Testing Agency (NTA) saying the measure was aimed at tackling cheating rackets and misinformation. Interestingly, the government has directed Apple and Google to remove the messaging app from their app stores rather than merely disable it. This means users will not be able to download Telegram Founded by Pavel and Nikolai Durov in 2013 and headquartered in Dubai, Telegram is used by roughly 40 million Indians, accounting for about 10.4% of the platform’s global user base from the Google Play Store or the Apple App Store until further orders. NTA Director General Abhishek Singh said the restriction on Telegram till June 22 was part of efforts to ensure that the June 21 re-test is conducted without malpractice. “We will not let anything go wrong,” Singh told PTI. According to NTA, some channel administrators allegedly misused the message-editing feature and inserted actual question papers while retaining the original timestamp, thereby creating misleading “evidence” of pre-exam paper leaks. Industry experts see the move as an attempt to shut down Telegram. According to the Internet Freedom Foundation, “switching off Telegram is a deflection from repeated failures, which will continue while media attention is directed towards the ban.” 7% deficit in rainfall southwest monsoon loses momentum According to IMD, Kerala received 283.3 mm of rainfall between June 1 and June 15 against the normal 303.4 mm. The shortfall was particularly pronounced in high-range districts of Idukki and Wayanad | P5 Govt bans sale of cough syrups without prescription KAVITA BA J E LI - DATT @ New Delhi Howdy trump Prime Minister Narendra Modi shakes hands with US President Donald Trump before the plenary session at the G7 summit in France on Tuesday | AP Discolouration of gold-plated roof of Sabarimala sreekovil sparks concern E x p r e s s N e w s Se r v i c e @ Pathanamthitta An unusual discolouration on the gold-plated roof of the sreekovil at Sabarimala has triggered an inspection by senior temple and devaswom officials, including the Thiruvabharanam Commissioner. The colour variation (dark patch) was noticed on a section of the roof, raising initial concerns that some liquid may have been poured onto the goldplated surface. Following the discovery, a team of officials conducted a detailed examination of the affected area. Dismissing concerns over any deliberate attempt to damage or discolour the roof, the TDB officials said more examinations are under way “An in. spection has confirmed that it Priyadarshini free travel scheme E x p r e s s N e w s Se r v i c e @T’Puram The discolouration seen on the roof of the sreekovil of Sabarimala temple was not any chemical substance. Further examinations are under way he said. ,” According to preliminary findings, the discolouration is believed to have been caused by ghee flowing onto the roof. Officials suspect that ghee offered by devotees as part of temple rituals may have spilled and spread over the gold plating, resulting in the visible change in colour. However, authorities are continuing their investigation to ascertain the exact cause. The matter is being treated with utmost seriousness, particularly in the backdrop of the ongoing SIT probe into the alleged Sabarimala gold theft case. The inspection comes days after the SIT carried out a detailed examination at Sannidhanam as part of its investigation. The team reportedly inspected various structures, including the Prabha Mandalam, after obtaining special permission from the Kerala High Court. The temple is currently open for the monthly poojas and scheduled to close on June 19. THE Ministry of Health & Family Welfare has amended rules to prohibit sale of cough syrups without a doctor’s prescription. The decision comes months after contaminated cough syrups caused deaths in India and abroad. “The measure is expected to promote responsible distribution and sale of cough syrups while ensuring greater compliance with regulatory standards,” officials said. Welcoming the gover nment’s decision, Dr Kuldeep Kumar Grover, associate direc- Cough syrups will no longer be sold over the counter | p RAVIKUMAR tor, pulmonology and critical care at CK Birla Hospital, Gurugram, said: “A cough can be a symptom of other serious tie, tie... let’s go: Big upsets draw attention This World Cup has thrown quite a few early surprises with lower ranked teams showing more resistance and spunk than their more illustrious counterparts. Through 5 days and 16 matches of football until June 16 morning, underdogs are the flavour of the week. Here is a look at some talking points... 0-0 2-2 1-1 The biggest win (figuratively) of all saw Cape Verde managing to thwart Spanish attack and secure 0-0 draw. Spain are ranked 2 and are considered as one of the favourites while Cape Verde are ranked No 67 New Zealand, at No 85, are the lowestranked team out of the 48 qualifiers, but they held No 20 Iran to a draw 4 conditions, such as infections, asthma, and allergies. Prescription-based access encourages proper evaluation, accu- Ronaldo in action Cristiano Ronaldo will be in action, his sixth World Cup, late on Wednesday when Portugal takes on Democratic Republic of Congo. They are in Group K along with Colombia and Uzbekistan. England, one of the favourites this World Cup, will open campaign against Croatia. No 61 Saudi Arabia held No 16 Uruguay 1-1 Today’s matches (IST): Group L: England vs Croatia (1:30AM); Ghana vs Panama (4:30AM). Group K: Portugal vs DR Congo (10:30 PM); Uzbekistan vs Colombia (7:30AM). E x pre s s R ea d DYFI member held in ‘kafir’ screenshot case Kozhikode: The special investigation team on Tuesday recorded its first formal arrest in the Vadakara ‘kafir’ screenshot case. Jithin Bhaskar, a DYFI Vadakara block committee member and CPM ThiruvallurThuruthil local committee member, was taken into custody after questioning. P4 BJP may put in place new teams No 29 Egypt tied No 9 Belgium 1-1 All four matches on Monday/Tuesday (IST) ended in draws — the most in a single day of men’s WC play since 1958 rate treatment, and safer medication use.” Dr Mohsin Wali, senior consultant and head of preventive cardiology at Pacific One Health, said some African countries reported deaths due to cough syrups from India that contained industrial solvent. “This brought a bad name to our country he said. ,” Dr Meena J, senior consultant, paediatrics and neonatology at Aakash Healthcare, Delhi said making syrups prescription-only will encourage parents to consult a doctor before giving their children medicines. New Zealand players celebrate after scoring the team’s second goal during Group G match against Iran at Los Angeles Stadium New Delhi: Amid growing speculation over a major organisational overhaul within BJP, party leaders and RSS representatives held a meeting at Defence Minister Rajnath Singh’s residence on Monday evening. The talks reportedly focused on the party’s organisational restructuring and formation of a new team under BJP president Nitin Nabin. P7