COIMBATORE l Wednesday l July 15, 2026 l `9.00 l PAGES 12 l LATE city EDITION India seeks freedom of navigation, unimpeded trade in South China Sea 14 other nations back tribunal ruling New Delhi’s remarks came two days after the US, UK and a dozen other countries reminded China about the tribunal’s landmark verdict that its expansive claims on the resource-rich region are illegal. The ruling came on a case filed by the Philippines in 2013 in the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague challenging China’s claims and activities in South China Sea India on Tuesday reiterated its support for the 2016 international arbitral tribunal ruling that rejected China’s territorial claims over the South China Sea Beijing’s ‘nine-dash line’ claims rejected ■ ■ ■ At the centre of the dispute is the ‘nine-dash line’ — a vague depiction by China of its claims over 90% of the South China Sea Several countries in the region including Vietnam, the Philippines and Brunei, have counterclaims over the disputed resource-rich region India has been pitching for a rules-based maritime order July 12, 2016 When The Permanent Court of Arbitration released the ruling 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 Turkmenistan Caspian Sea Three prison staff Seafarer killed in Iran strike on UAE held in Nagercoil tankers, India lodges strong protest custodial death Turkey Afghanistan Syria 10 other mariners hurt, 2 of them serious; MEA summons Tehran’s Deputy Chief of Mission Nineteen years after she had to flee Kolkata amid violent protests over her controversial writings, exiled Bangladeshi author Taslima Nasrin is gearing up to return to the city next month. Announcing the decision through social media, Nasrin said on Tuesday that she would be in Kolkata on August 1 to participate in an anti-fundamentalism literary event. The development makes an strong political statement for the BJP government in the state, given that she was quietly moved out by the erstwhile Left Front government in 2007 due to pressure from Islamic groups and was not allowed to come back by the subsequent Trinamool Cong ress gover nments. Sources said Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari will attend the programme. The writer has been invited by Paschimbangar Jonno, Secular Mission, and the Human Rights and Bangladesh Freedom Fighters Foundation. The invitation is in recognition of her stand against fundamentalism and advocacy of freedom of expression. express read SC slaps L3 lakh fine on Raina, Allahbadia for flouting orders New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Tuesday slapped a fine of `3 lakh each on comedian Samay Raina and YouTubers Ranveer Allahbadia and Ashish Chanchlani for not complying with its earlier order on insensitive remarks about persons with disabilities. A bench led by Chief Justice Surya Kant passed the order after learning that Raina had not invited any disabled persons to his show as directed by the apex court. S ea S U B H E N D U M A I T I @ Kolkata ed eR Taslima set to return to Kolkata after two decades India on Tuesday summoned Iran’s Deputy Chief of Mission, Mohammad Javad Hosseini, and lodged a strong protest after Iranian strikes on two UAE-linked commercial tankers transiting the Strait of Hormuz killed an Indian seafarer and injured several others, including Indian nationals. The diplomatic protest came amid a sharp escalation in West Asia after Iran targeted commercial shipping in the strategically vital Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s busiest energy corridors through which nearly one-fifth of global oil supplies pass. The External Affairs Ministry condemned the attacks and confirmed casualties among Indian crew. “India is deeply concerned by the attacks on two vessels, MT Al Bahiyah and MT Mombasa, during their transit through the Strait of Hormuz today Both the vessels were car. rying 30 Indian seafarers among their combined crew of 46,” the MEA said. One Indian national onboard MT Al Bahiyah was Kane-Bellingham influence Harry Kane and Jude Bellingham are two of the most in-form players currently and England are still alive thanks to them. The pair, between them, has registered 12 goals and two assists. Like Messi, they have come up with big moments when needed Today’s match Iraq Kuwait U.S. strikes along Iran coast Third consecutive day of attacks on Iranian targets. Tehran responded with strikes on Bahrain, Jordan and 3 tankers travelling through the strait Bushehr Areas attacked by US IRAN Th cordings of the Nagercoil @ Kanniyakumari prison. A panel of doctors from A day after the death of S Kanniyakumari, Tirunelveli Sabari Varman — a prisoner and Thoothukudi Governin judicial custody in Nager- ment Medical College Hospicoil — due to alleged custodial tals conducted the postmortorture, three prison staff tem from noon to 2 pm on were arrested late on Tuesday Tuesday after the family and placed under suspension. members of the victim on The charges under which Monday demanded that the they were booked are autopsy be conductnot clear yet. ed by an independThe arrests came ent panel of hours after a postexperts. mortem report rePolice sources vealed 19 injuries on identified the arrestthe 35-year-old disaed as chief jail warbled victim’s body, den Thirumalai including on his elNambi Suresh and S Sabari Varman bows, forear ms, jail wardens Jagen k n e e s, a n d l e g s. and Sivakumar of Sources said the arrested jail the Nagercoil district jail. staff allegedly assaulted the The action against the poman and tied him up inside lice personnel came after the prison on Sunday night Kanniyakumari District Suafter he made loud noises perintendent of Police R Staand caused a disturbance. lin conducted an inquiry at A senior police officer said the prison on Tuesday, and the suspects were arrested Nagercoil Judicial Magisafter holding an investiga- trate R Sathyamoorthy held tion with eyewitnesses and inquiries at the hospital for after perusing the CCTV re- the last two days.  P5 E x p ress N ews S er v ice J ayanth J acob @ New Delhi battle for supremacy In the second semifinals, England stand between Argentina and another WC final. A look... About 148 seafarers are onboard 7 Indian-flagged qatar vessels in the Persian Gulf. Given the current situation, they are not planning to come out of the region as of now Indian govt official Saudi Arabia killed while another was injured. On MT Mombasa, nine Indian crew members sustained injuries, including two who are reported to be seriously hurt. “The Deputy Chief of Mission of the Embassy of Iran in New Delhi was summoned this Yemen morning by the Ministry of External Affairs and a strong protest against these attacks was lodged with him,” the statement said. India alsoof Aden for Gulf called an immediate end to attacks on commercial shipping and urged Eyes on Messi It’s impossible to look beyond Argentina games without mentioning the 39-year-old. If they lose, it could easily be his last ever meaningful game for Albiceleste. His eight goals in the tournament have helped in taking defending champions this far | P13 England vs Argentina 12.30 AM* | IST Thursday Abu Musa UAE Bandar Abbas Jask Konarak Chabahar Oman all sides to return to dialogue. “We strongly condemn these attacks... We reiterate our deep concern over the resumption of attacks and escalation of hostilities in the West Asian region and call for immediate cessation of violence and a return to dialogue and diplomacy .” The UAE Ministry of Defence said the strikes triggered fires and caused material damage to both vessels, though the blazes were later brought under control. Describing the in- Trump U-turn on 20% Hormuz toll US President Donald Trump on Tuesday did a U-turn on plans to charge a 20% toll on cargo going through the Hormuz, saying the West Asia will instead make trade deals with the US. “Based on highly productive conversations with Middle East leadership, I have decided to replace the 20% US Reimbursement Fee with Trade and Investment Deals,” he said | P11 Pakistan Israel cident as a “serious violation of international law,” the ministry said that the attacks posed a Arabian threat to regional secugrave Sea rity and stability . The attacks came hours after the US carried out strikes on Iran following President Donald Trump’s announcement that Washington was “reinstating” a blockade on Iran in the Strait of Hor muz. Iran launched retaliatory attacks targeting Bahrain, Jordan and the two UAE-linked tankers. SC declines namaz plea in disputed Bhojshala site 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 Tuesday agreed to expeditiously examine the Muslim parties’ challenge to the Madhya Pradesh High Court verdict declaring the Bhojshala complex in Dhar as a temple dedicated to Goddess Saraswati, but declined to allow namaz inside the disputed site on Fridays. A bench of Chief Justice Surya Kant and justices Joymalya Bagchi and V Mohana issued notices to the Centre, the Madhya Pradesh government and the Archaeological Survey of India. The court refused to restore the status quo ante under which Muslims were allowed Friday prayers at the site. However, it suggested that an open area adjacent to the premises could be earmarked for the Muslim community to offer prayers on Fridays between 1 pm and 3 pm. The bench described the arrangement as purely ad-hoc. It also restrained the ASI from carrying out any structural changes to the complex without the court’s permission.