bengaluru l Monday l July 13, 2026 l `9.00 l PAGES 16 l late city EDITION Monsoon activity subdued in large parts of India representational image dry spells in northwest, central, south The IMD forecast weak rainfall activity in northwest, west central and over south Peninsular India in the next 6-7 days. For Uttarakhand, the IMD issued a red alert for heavy to very heavy rainfall. On Sunday, heavy rainfall triggered landslides across Uttarakhand. Himachal continued to be under a wet spell as light to moderate rains lashed parts of the state | P7 Monsoon activity was subdued in large parts of India Sunday, with rain confined to Uttarakhand, West Bengal, and Northeast 3 °C below normal rain for uttar pradesh ■ The southwest monsoon has remained below normal across U.P. so far, with the state recording 158.8 mm of cumulative rainfall between June 1 and July 12 against a normal of 190.9 mm ■ The Met department, however, said that an active monsoon will bring heavy rainfall over some districts of West Bengal till July 14 more than the average temperature in delhi: imd 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 Iran shuts Strait of Hormuz again, US retaliates with more attacks England vs Norway There was controversy surrounding the England equaliser as well as the decision to chalk off a Norway goal. England manager Thomas Tuchel even admitted his team was lucky Fate of ceasefire deal hangs in balance as Iran & US trade barbs over control of waterway India deplores attack on ship, urges restraint A G E NCI E S @ Tehran / Dubai IRAN said the Strait of Hormuz was closed on Sunday while the United States insisted it remained open, after the confrontation over the vital waterway again sparked US and Iranian strikes. The strait, essential to global oil and gas supplies, has become a central point of contention between the two foes, repeatedly leading to exchanges of fire despite an agreement aimed at ending the Middle East war that was struck last month. The latest exchange on Sunday was prompted by another Iranian attack on a Cyprus-flagged container ship in the waterway whose crew was forced to abandon it after it went up in flames. Before the war began with surprise US-Israeli strikes against Iran on February 28, there was free passage through Hormuz, but Tehran now insists that it will control the strait, while Washington is adamant it cannot. “Following this incident... the Strait of Hormuz will be closed until further notice and until the end of American interventions in this region,” Iran’s Revolutionary Guards said Sunday . The US military’s Central Command countered on X that the strait was “open to all vessels seeking to lawfully transit the international waterway”. It said US forces were “positioned and prepared to ensure” freedom of navigation, adding: “Iran does not control the strait. Traffic is flowing.” Iran said it had targeted two ships in Hormuz, accusing them of ignoring instructions to use an approved transit corridor or “violating regulations”, IRNA said. The attacks prompted a barrage of US strikes across Iran in response, with the US j aya n t h j a c o b @ New Delhi The Cyprus-flagged container ship that was hit by Iran and suffered “significant engineroom damage” according to the US | X Oman protests Iranian attack Oman on Sunday issued a formal protest to the Iranian ambassador following an attack on the country, state media reported, in a rare instance of it publicly accusing Tehran of targeting its territory United States is imposing a heavy cost by continuing to degrade Iran’s ability to attack civilian mariners and commercial ships freely transiting the Strait US CENTCOM military saying it had hit 140 targets this week. Iranian media reported explosions in Bandar Abbas, Sirik, Jask and on Qeshm Island, as well as in Khuzestan province, with one soldier reported killed in the southern city of Jask. US President Donald Trump told CNN that the Iranian attack had come despite the two sides being close to a deal on Saturday. “They were giving up everything, and then two hours after that they hit a ship with a drone,” he said. Iran’s response to the US strikes came quickly with sirens and explo, sions heard in Qatar, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain, AFP journalists and local authorities reported. Qatar said three people were injured by Iranian attacks, while Jordan said three Iranian missiles fell inside the kingdom. Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said they also hit Oman, which has rarely been targeted. They claimed to have destroyed “the logistical support centres for naval vessels and the refuelling facilities for US aircraft carriers at the port of Duqm”.  P9 INDIA on Sunday strongly condemned the attack on the merchant vessel GFS Galaxy off the coast of Oman, calling for an immediate end to attacks on commercial shipping and urging de-escalation amid rising tensions in West Asia. The Ministry of External Affairs External Affairs (MEA) said 10 of 11 Indian nationals on board the Cyprus-flagged container were rescued; one Indian remains missing. “Our Embassy in Oman is closely monitoring the situation and proactively coordinating with Omani authorities in the ongoing search and rescue operation. We thank Omani authorities for their support,” MEA said in a statement. Describing the repeated attacks on commercial vessels in the region as “deeply worrisome”, India reiterated its call for restraint and a diplomatic resolution to the crisis. “We reiterate our call for immediate de-escalation of tensions, and the conclusion of ongoing negotiations for a diplomatic solution so that peace and stability can return,” the MEA said. The ministry also stressed the importance of safeguarding international shipping lanes. “The targeting of commercial shipping and civilian infrastructure in the region must end,” MEA said. Delivery agent held for flashing at woman’s flat Argentina, England entered the semis on Saturday. However, officials inside the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) booth played a decisive role in the on-field outcomes. A quick glance... Switzerland shot themselves in the foot when Breel Embolo, who had been booked in the first half, threw himself to the ground and was dismissed following a VAR check | P11 All-party meet on July 19; Opposition plans showdown PR E E T H A N A IR @ New Delhi THE government has called an all-party meeting on July 19, a day before the commencement of the Monsoon Session of Parliament. In the meet, the government is expected to outline its legislative agenda while the opposition parties are likely to spell out the issues they intend to raise during the session. The monsoon session is expected to be stormy as the government may take up crucial constitutional amendment bills, including the 130th Constitution Amendment Bill, which seeks to automatically remove the prime minister, ministers, or chief ministers on the 31st day of their detention if they don’t step down. The Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) examining the 130th Constitution Amendment Bill is expected to adopt its report on July 17 before submitting it to Parliament. Sources said the panel has recommended that the PM, Union ministers, and chief ministers be suspended rather than permanently removed from their posts if they are detained for 30 consecutive days on charges of serious offenses. The panel has also proposed an automatic reversal clause if such persons are acquitted or the prosecution does not proceed within a specified period. Most opposition parties had opted out of the joint committee, as they termed the Bill a tool to destabilise governments they run. In its report, the panel defines “serious criminal offenses”, saying the term should refer to offenses punishable with jail term of 5 years or more. To pass Constitutional amendment bills, the government needs the support of twothirds of members present and voting in both Houses. NDA will need 360 to get a two-thirds majority. While NDA has 293 members, its strength could rise to 319 if the 20 rebel TMC MPs and six rebel Shiv Sena (UBT) extend support. E XPR E SS N E WS S E RVIC E @ New Delhi FORMER prime minister Manmohan Singh was deeply upset by the face-off between some of his ministers and the then chief election commissioner S Y Quraishi during the 2012 Uttar Pradesh elections. Divulging the details in his forthcoming book India and I: A Hundred Memories, Not a Memoir, Quraishi recalls that during a poll rally in January 2012, then Union minister Salman Khurshid said the Cong ress would raise the job quota for Muslims from 4.5% to 9%. The BJP approached the EC, flagging violation of poll c o d e. “ We censured Khurshid, the strongest action available under the Code,” Quraishi recalls. T h e d e ci Manmohan Singh sion drew sharp criticism from some Congress leaders, who said the EC had become ‘arrogant’. “Criticism never bothers me; innuendo does. This loose talk was not acceptable,” he writes in the book. When Quraishi met PM’s press secretary Harish Khare at an event, he conveyed his concerns. The next day he got a , call from Singh, asking: ‘Quraishi ji, can I see you urgently?’ When they met at PM’s residence, Singh said: ‘Harish told me what you said. If that is what you think, I will commit suicide.’ Quraishi writes that he was speechless. “My remark was about some ministers’ conduct, not about him.” Singh then told him he was unaware of the ministers’ comments and expressed deep regret. State govt goes on recruitment spree after order to fill 72,000 vacant posts E x p r e s s Ne w s Se r v i c e @Bengaluru In a shocking incident, a 22-yearold delivery agent allegedly barged into the flat of a woman who was living alone and exposed himself after using the washroom. The victim shared her ordeal on social media. The incident occurred on Saturday and the jurisdictional Marathahalli police on Sunday arrested the accused, identified as Vijay Mallikarjun Kamath (22) of Belagavi. A video posted by the victim on social media had the caption: “If women aren’t safe in their own homes, where are we safe? I said NO. A Flipkart delivery boy forced his way into my flat to use the washroom and then exposed himself to me.” When the woman questioned his behaviour, he fled the house. In the video, the victim alleged that the delivery agent, who had come to deliver an order, repeatedly requested to use the washroom. Despite her repeated refusal, saying she would not allow a stranger into her home, and suggesting that he could instead go to the neighbouring flat where male residents stay if it was an emergency, he left his slippers outside and forcibly entered the flat. She said as soon as he came out of the washroom, he exposed himself and behaved in a sexually inappropriate manner. P3 Argentina vs Switzerland ‘I will kill self’, Manmohan told Quraishi during UP polls A s h w i n i M S r i pa d @Bengaluru S Janaki’s granddaughter Apsara Vydyula performs the last rites for the famous singer at a farmhouse on the outskirts of Mysuru on Sunday | Express S Janaki cremated with full state honours in Mysuru farmhouse E x p r e s s Ne w s Se r v i c e @ Mysuru People from all walks of life bid a tearful farewell to legendary playback singer S Janaki as she was cremated with full state honours at a farmhouse in Kaniyanahundi village on HD Kote Road near Mysuru on Sunday evening, fulfilling her cherished wish of spending her final days and having her last rites performed in the city she had come to call home. Her granddaughter Apsara Vydyula performed the last rites in accordance with the family’s traditions in the presence of close relatives, friends, government officials and hundreds of admirers. The solemn ceremony was marked by a ceremonial guard of honour by the Karnataka government. A devotee of Lord Krishna, she was laid to rest with an idol of the deity in her hands during her final rites. Earlier in the day Janaki’s , mortal remains were kept at the Maharaja’s Colle ge Grounds, where thousands of fans, musicians, film personalities and political leaders paid their final respects. Emotional scenes unfolded as people from different walks of life queued up for hours to catch a last glimpse of the singer whose timeless voice had defined South Indian cinema for more than six decades. Extensive arrangements had been made at the Kaniyanahundi farmhouse for the funeral. Barricades were erected from the approach road to the cremation site, while police personnel were deployed to regulate the large gathering and ensure smooth conduct of the funeral. Known as the “Nightingale of South India”, Janaki shared a special bond with Mysuru. The city not only became her final home but also witnessed her last public stage performance. P5 The state government has gone on a recruitment spree, issuing a series of job notifications to fill vacancies across various departments, within two weeks of issuing an order to expedite the recruitment for more than 72,000 posts. During the past two weeks, at least 15 different notifications have been issued to fill the posts. The Karnataka Examinations Authority (KEA) has invited online applications for direct recruitment of 320 teaching posts in Morarji Desai, Kit- tur Rani Chennamma, Atal Bihari Vajpayee and Indira Gandhi residential schools and pre-university colleges functioning under the Karnataka Residential Educational Institutions Society (KREIS). In another major drive, applications have been invited for 560 land surveyor posts in the Department of Survey, Settlement and Land Records under the Residual Parent Cadre (RPC). The Revenue Department has also invited applications to fill 505 village administrative officer (VAO) posts, including 67 posts under the HyderabadKarnataka Cadre quota. The Karnataka Excise Department has invited applications to fill 1,207 posts of constables and excise sub-inspectors (ESIs). The forest department has invited applications to fill 750 forest observer posts. The KEA has already invited applications to fill 3,395 Karnataka police civil constable posts. The fresh notifications come after the state government initiated measures to accelerate direct recruitment across departments.  P4 express read Kedarnath panel confirms flaws in VIP visits Dehradun: A probe into expenditure on the accommodation and meals of VIP visitors at Kedarnath has confirmed financial irregularities, prompting the Uttarakhand government to order action against the guilty officials and employees. The inquiry was instituted by the Shri Badrinath-Kedarnath Temple Committee (BKTC) after documents obtained under the Right to Information Act raised questions over the alleged use of temple funds for VIP hospitality. P8 Twisha death: AIIMs submits final report NDA, industry object to Centre’s role in edu bill New Delhi: Almost seven weeks after conducting the second autopsy of the 33-year-old model-actor Twisha Sharma’s body in Bhopal, the AIIMS-Delhi medical board has submitted its final forensic opinion to the CBI in a sealed cover as ordered by the MP High Court on May 22. P8 New Delhi: As the Parliamentary Committee examining the Viksit Bharat Shiksha Adhishthan Bill is set to adopt its report on July 17, several stakeholders, including NDA-ruled states, universities and industry bodies have raised concerns about powers to override policy disagreements. P7 sinner seals the deal, defends wimbledon crown World No 1 Jannik Sinner defended his title in London, beating French Open champ Alexander Zverev 6-7 (7/9), 7-6 (7/2), 6-3, 6-4 in the summit clash on Sunday | P11