kochi l monday l july 13, 2026 l `9.00 l PAGES 12 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 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 3 °C 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 N C I ES @ 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 nt h j a c o b @ New Delhi The Cyprus-flagged container ship that was hit by Iran. According to the US, the vessel suffered “significant engineroom damage” | 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. women’s safety KSRTC to add panic buttons, live tracking Argentina and 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 Jul 19; Opposition plans showdown P R EE T HA N A I R @ 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 X P R ESS N E W S SE R V I C E @Thrissur D e va s wo m M i n i s t e r K Muraleedharan on Sunday expressed reservations about the “excessive intervention” by the Kerala High Court in temples’ affairs, alleging that the court was even deciding which flowers should be used at the hill shrine of Sabarimala. At a function in Thrissur, Muraleedharan said there was a need to examine whether such extensive judicial intervention was warranted. “Everything is being decided by the court. At Sabarimala, neither devotees nor the government has any role. The High Court even dec i d e s wh i ch flowers should be used and how the queue should be,” he said. Muraleedharan said he had raised the issue in the assembly where he could speak freely , without the fear of inviting contempt of court proceedings. “When we speak outside, questions of contempt arise,” he said. Muraleedharan had earlier said in the assembly that key decisions relating to the administration of the Sabarimala temple are taken in accordance with the directions of the High Court, with the state government and the Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) acting as per judicial orders. Replying to questions in the assembly, he had said that in many instances, the HC’s directions have been contrary to the decisions of the TDB and the state government. “Even decisions on how pilgrims should offer worship at Sabarimala come from the High Court. ,” he opined. He said the government refrained from commenting on such issues out of respect for the judiciary . When Manmohan Singh told former CEC Quraishi ‘I will commit suicide’ U nni k ri s h n a n S @T'Puram After making rides free for women through Priyadarshini scheme, KSRTC is now moving ahead with its plan to ensure they have a safe travel experience on board. Soon, nearly one in four KSRTC buses will be fitted with panic buttons and live, satellitebased tracking to provide passengers, especially women, with an immediate emergency response mechanism. The carrier will launch the initiative across 1,000 buses in the state. To implement the comprehensive Vehicle Tracking and Monitoring System (VTMS), KSRTC is installing AIS-140 compliant tracking devices alongside the panic buttons. The emergency aler t systems will allow passengers in distress to immediately notify authorities, enabling swift response from control rooms and nearby enforcement agencies. “The advanced satellitebased tracking technology drives the system KSRTC is outfitting every vehicle, in phases, with a tracking device that links to a satellite system,” said a KSRTC official. In an emergency the satellite , link will map the vehicle's position, velocity and time with pinpoint accuracy keeping the , bus visible even on remote ru● More on P4 ral routes.  Argentina vs Switzerland Minister terms HC intervention in temple affairs ‘excessive’ E X P R ESS N E W S SE R V I C E @ New Delhi Tearful farewell S Janaki’s granddaughter Apsara Vydyula performing the legendary playback singer’s last rites in accordance with the family’s traditions in the presence of relatives, friends, officials, and hundreds of admirers in Mysuru on Sunday | Udayashankar S | P5 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 Congress would raise the job quota for Muslims from 4.5% to 9%. at an event, he conveyed his The BJP approached the EC, concerns. The next day he got a , flagging violation of poll code. call from Singh, asking: ‘Qurai“We censured Khurshid, the shi ji, can I see you urgently?’ strongest action availWhen they met at able under the Code,” PM’s residence, Singh Quraishi recalls. said: ‘Harish told me The decision drew what you said. If that sharp criticism from is what you think, I some Congress leadwill commit suicide.’ ers, who said the EC Quraishi writes that had become ‘arrogant’. he was speechless. “My “Criticism never both- Manmohan Singh remark was about ers me; innuendo does. some ministers’ conThis loose talk was not accept- duct, not about him.” Singh able,” he writes in the book. then told him he was unaware When Quraishi met PM’s of the ministers’ comments press secretary Harish Khare and expressed deep regret. Unexpected breakthrough Domestic dispute in Mysuru solves 36-year-old Koz robbery L e s ly J o s e p h @Kozhikode A domestic dispute in Mysuru has unexpectedly helped solve a cold case that had baffled the Kozhikode police for nearly four decades. V K Jose, 71, a native of Malappuram who had been on the run for 36 years after allegedly committing an ar med robbery in Thiruvambady, was arrested after a phone call from his wife shattered his double life. As per the police, Jose had in 1990, intercepted a KSRTC employee, held him at gunpoint, and threatened to kill him be- Old & recent pic of V K Jose fore fleeing with his money, around `600. As the police launched a manhunt, Jose slipped across the state border into Mysuru where he adopted the alias ‘Shivakumar.’ Over the next three and a half decades, Jose integrated into the local community, got married, raised a family and lived a quiet, law-abiding life . It all changed recently when, following a heated family dispute, Jose’s wife dialled the Kar nataka police for help. When officers arrived, Jose’s anxious behaviour raised their suspicions. A search of the house ensued and officers discovered a loaded gun hidden beneath a mattress. Under intense questioning about the weapon, Jose folded and his fabricated identity began to crumble, revealing his Wife’s call ends run Jose had robbed a KSRTC staffer of I600 at gunpoint in 1990 and fled to Mysuru where he rebuilt his life. However, his run ended after his wife called Karnataka police recently for help after a family dispute. Suspicious by his behaviour, police searched his house and found the gun, which the Kozhikode police confirmed was used in the 36-year-old crime. connections to Kerala. Sensing a larger story, the Karnataka police contacted their counterparts in Kerala. A verification of past criminal records confirmed that ‘Shivakumar’ was, in fact, the fugitive V K Jose. Following the breakthrough, a team from Thiruvambady police station travelled to Mysuru and took Jose into custody. “The arrest was registered at Thiruvambady police station on July 9,” said Prasanth K, the Thiruvambady police station inspector. “Though he strongly denied the police findings about him initially, Jose later confessed to the crime. He was produced before the Thamarassery court and remanded in judicial custody .” 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