BHUBANESWAR l thursday l july 16, 2026 l `9.00 l PAGES 24 l JEYPORE EDITION ICC makes significant changes to 2027 50-over World Cup With less than 15 months to go, governing body changes competition format to be played in South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia ‘Super Series’, 2 groups of 6 and Super 7s changes in t20 World Cup format as well Earlier, the event had two seven-team groups followed by a Super 6s and semifinals. Now, 12th, 13th, and 14th teams will play Super Series with only one of them joining the other 11 teams. From there, top seven teams will move to Super 7s, to be played in round-robin before semifinal and final. The ICC said this change will ‘enhance consequence at the early stage’ ■ ■ Instead of four five-team groups, the 20-team tournament in 2028 will see five groups of four teams with top two advancing to Super 10, with five teams per group (2026 edition had a Super 8 stage) The top team from each group in the Super 10s will enter semifinal, while second and third will play eliminator for a spot in the last four 57 total number of matches in new 50-over World Cup format 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 Kudankulam N-plant ‘data’ on dark web `1.27L cr Semicon 2.0 gets Cabinet’s stamp Major boost to domestic semiconductor chip design and manufacturing ecosystem R A K E S H K U M A R @ New Delhi E x press N e w s S er v i c e @ Bengaluru Amid reports of a major leak of project-related files linked to the Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant in Tamil Nadu, the Anil Ambani-led Reliance Group confirmed a limited cybersecurity incident following an attempted ransomware attack on infrastructure operated by its third-party data centre service provider, Yotta Data Services. Reliance Group, one of the contractors associated with the plant, claimed the incident was swiftly contained and did not affect its core systems or business operations. The disclosure came after Kudankulam plant files were part of a large data dump on the dark web by ransomware group World Leaks. According to a Reuters report, the leaked material includes engineering drawings, supplier information, inspection records and insurance-related documents spanning several years. Their authenticity however, has not been , independently verified. Reliance Group said the matter has been reported to the Indian Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-In), which is examining the incident. The Kudankulam facility is India’s largest nuclear power plant and forms a key part of the country’s long-term nuclear energy expansion plans. Reliance Infrastructure, a Reliance Group company, secured a contract in 2018 to develop infrastructure for Units 3 and 4 of the project, which are expected to become operational by 2027. Experts cautioned that even if reactor systems are untouched, the exposure of infrastructure layouts, supplier infor mation, etc., could pose security risks. 100% tariff proposed by a bill brokered by a bipartisan group of U.S. Senators against 5 countries, including India & China, for purchasing oil from Russia | P14 in a major push to India’s semiconductor ambitions, the Cabinet on Wednesday approved an outlay of `1.27 lakh crore for the second phase of the Semicon India programme (Semicon India 2.0) to strengthen the domestic chip ecosystem. Allocation for the second phase of the mission is higher than the `76,000 crore earmarked under the first phase launched in December 2021 to attract global semiconductor companies to set up manufacturing facilities in India. Semicon India 2.0 aims to build the entire semiconductor value chain. The programme will support semiconductor fabs, advanced packaging, equipment manufacturing, materials, spe`62,500 crore for mobile phone making cialty chemicals and gases, research and development, talent In a bid to make India a global hub for mobile phone manufacturing, development, chip design and the govt approved the Mobile Phone Manufacturing Scheme with an capital equipment. outlay of `62,500 crore. The scheme will be implemented over 5 The first phase attractyears, from FY27 to FY31 | P14 ed global and domestic players, with Micron Technology commencMinister for Elec- tronics production, and `1 lakh ing commercial protronics and Informa- crore exports boost in coming duction at its packagtion Technology Ash- years. ing facility in Gujarat wini Vaishnaw said Under the new scheme, the and Tata Electronincentives under government will provide a 30% ics, in partnership Semicon India 2.0 incentive for manufacturing with Taiwan’s Powwill be in proportion semiconductor equipment, maerchip Semiconducto the investments terials, specialty chemicals and tor Manufacturing made by the compa- gases; 40% for silicon semiconCorporation, setting nies. The gover n- ductor fabrication plants; 35% up India’s first comment expects around for display fabs and compound mercial semiconduc`4 lakh crore in in- semiconductor fabs; 35% for adThe Made-in-India chip tor fabrication plant vestments, `2 lakh vanced packaging facilities; and to make 28 nm to 90 showcased by Union minister crore worth of semi- up to 75% funding, with state Ashwini Vaishnaw | PTI nm chips. conductor and elec- support, for R&D. Puri braves torrential rain, set for Rath Yatra With incessant rain lashing Puri, devotees thronged Singhadwar to have a glance at chariots of the Holy Trinity on the eve of annual Ratha Yatra on Wednesday | DEBADATTA MALLICK R a j K umar M o hanty @ Puri Torrential rain lashed Puri on Wednesday but neither the downpour nor the forecast of more showers over the next three days could dampen the spirit of devotees converging on the holy town for the annual Rath Yatra on Thursday . The pilgrim town received at least 168 mm of rainfall since Tuesday night, inundating several low-lying areas. Anticipating further heavy rain, the district administration ordered the closure of schools. Yet, all roads led to the abode of Lord Jagannath as lakhs of devotees from across the country and abroad arrived by trains, buses and private vehicles to witness the grand chariot festival. On Wednesday, Pujapanda servitors ceremonially handed over the Ajnamallyas (divine permissions) to the Vishwakarmas of the three chariots. Subsequently, police personnel and devotees pulled the chariots one after another from the construction yard to their designated positions in front of the Lion’s Gate of the 12th-century Shree Jagannath Temple. According to the schedule, the deities will be escorted to their respective chariots in the ceremonial Pahandi procession between 8 am and 11.30 am on Thursday . Puri Gajapati Maharaja Dibyasingha Deb will perform the traditional Chhera Pahanra ritual from 2.30 pm to 3.30 pm. After the wooden horses are attached to the chariots and the ladders removed, the much-awaited pulling of the chariots will Continued on P7 begin at 4 pm.  Day 1 of CETA: Goods worth $140 mn shipped P U S H P I TA D E Y @ New Delhi With the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) between India and the UK kicking in on Wednesday 50 consignments of goods , worth over $140 million were shipped to the UK on the first day of the agreement’s implementation, the Union commerce ministry said. “CETA will give fresh momentum to our farmers, entrepreneurs and MSMEs. Several sectors will gain stronger access to the UK market. It will also deepen cooperation in technology pro, fessional services and innovation, while supporting greater mobility for skilled Indian talent,” Prime Minister Narendra Modi said in a social media post on Wednesday . With the FTA taking effect, several labour-intensive sectors such as textiles, apparel, handicrafts, engineering goods, and gems and jewellery are expected to gain zero-duty access to the UK market. Exporters from sectors including textiles, gems and jewellery, and marine products have already dispatched consignments at zero duty on the first day of the agreement. The Gem and Jewellery Export Promotion Council (GJEPC) said that around 30 exporters shipped gold, diamond, silver and platinum jewellery worth $10 million to the UK on Wednesday . The industry body expects exports to the UK to touch $2.5 billion over the next three years. Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal said the CETA and the Agreement on Social Security have come into force. THIS EDITION INCLUDES 4+4 PAGES RATH YATRA SUPPLEMENT