KOCHI l saturday l august 01, 2026 l `10.00 l PAGES 16 l LATE city EDITION Hamas agrees to disarm, accepts Trump’s peace plan for Gaza Hamas on Friday threw up a surprise, saying it will disarm and accept a deal announced by US President Donald Trump to end its war with Israel Israel wary, No official reaction yet Concessions to save Gazans, says Hamas Israel is yet to officially comment, but sources said there will be no withdrawal of Israeli forces from their current lines until the disarmament is genuine and total. “A lot needs to fall in place for this to work,” EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said. “Verifying Hamas’ compliance will be a challenge. Israel would need to eventually withdraw from Gaza,” she said ■ ■ Trump says “complete disarmament” by Hamas is a critical step toward a new Palestinian government in Gaza Ghazi Hamad, a member of Hamas’ negotiating team, said the movement was making “concessions for the sake of our people in the Gaza Strip, to save them from killing and displacement” | P9 4-page plan for Hamas disarmament and gradual Israeli withdrawal 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 Mega allocation for offshore oil & gas exploration Spain Strait of Gibralter Ceuta Morocco Cabinet clears I84K-cr Samudra Manthan plan to strengthen long-term energy security Risky business Drilling in ultradeepwater areas could cost up to D2,400 crore per well. Plus, there is no certainty that the investment will result in a discovery or production increase Floating solar projects To boost India’s solar power generation, the government approved the Pradhan Mantri Surya Sarovar Yojana, a I5,070-crore scheme to set up 5,000 MW (5GW) of floating solar power projects over the next five years. According to the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy, India currently has 0.7 GW of installed floating solar capacity RA K E SH K U M AR @ New Delhi IN a bid to increase domestic oil and gas production, the government on Friday approved the `84,000-crore Samudra Manthan scheme to accelerate deep-sea exploration. According to the petroleum ministry, the scheme will add 600 million tonnes of oil equivalent (MTOE) to India’s hydrocarbon reserves. It is projected to increase annual domestic oil and gas production by 10-15 MTOE, with the potential to reach 20 MTOE at peak production. The biggest share of the scheme—`43,200 crore—has been earmarked to support the drilling of 60 deepwater and ultra-deepwater exploration wells. The government will provide financial support to staterun ONGC and Oil India as well as private exploration firms to encourage drilling in deepwater areas where exploration is expensive and highly risky . The support comes after the government opened nearly 99% of the offshore areas that were earlier classified as ‘no-go’ zones due to defence and space-related restrictions. Another `28,500 crore has been allocated for large-scale 2D and 3D offshore seismic surveys and advanced data processing using technologies such as artificial intelligence. The surveys will help create detailed maps of the seabed and identify promising locations for drilling. The scheme also provides `10,000 crore to build common offshore infrastructure for developing stranded discoveries in basins such as Mahanadi and Kutch, where high evacuation costs have made projects commercially unviable. Shared infrastructure is expected to reduce project costs and bring these discoveries into production. In addition, `2,000 crore has been allocated for setting up an Oil and Gas Manufacturing and Services Zone to promote domestic manufacturing of oilfield equipment and services under the Make in India initiative. The government expects the move to reduce import dependence and strengthen the domestic supply chain. India currently imports more than 88% of its crude oil requirement. The scheme will help cut dependence on imported crude. The move follows Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s announcement of the National Deep Water Exploration Mission, named Samudra Manthan, during his Independence Day address on August 15, 2025. EXPRESS READ Muthanga stir: All let off in cop murder case Kalpetta: Twenty-three years after Muthanga tribal agitation, the Wayanad Principal District and Sessions Court on Friday convicted four activists for attempting to murder two government officials during the 2003 violence, while acquitting all the accused in the case relating to the death of police constable K V Vinod. P5 S Sreejith promoted to the rank of DGP T’Puram: The state government has promoted Prisons Director General, ADGP S Sreejith, to the post of the Director General of Police. The 1996-batch IPS officer has been retained as Prisons head after an ex-cadre post was created there. IMD forecasts deficient rains in Aug-Sept New Delhi: The IMD on Friday forecast below-normal rain during the second half of the southwest monsoon season (August-September), raising concerns about the prospects of kharif crops. The first half of the monsoon season (June-July) recorded 13% deficit of the long-period average rainfall. 16 pages, including 4 pages of KOCHI Express Migrant Tsunami Morocco Algeria Mauritania Mali Over 48,000 migrants returned to Morocco from Spain’s Ceuta after an estimated 60,000 of them crossed the frontier into its north African enclave in recent days. At least 43 migrants died during the crossing. The influx came after Spain’s Supreme Court ruled that migrants stopped at sea while trying to reach Ceuta or Melilla, another Spanish exclave, cannot be summarily returned to Morocco | AP/PTI | Report: P9 PM SHRI imbroglio opens fresh UDF fault lines E x p r e s s N e w s Se r v i c e @ T’Puram/Kozhikode Major fault lines have emerged within the ruling UDF over the PM SHRI issue, with a senior leader of the key ally IUML flatly rejecting front convener Adoor Prakash’s claim that the alliance has approved the implementation of the controversial scheme in the state. “The issue was not even discussed at the UDF meeting,” IUML stalwart and Industries Minister P K Kunhalikutty asserted, a day after Prakash said the state government would implement the scheme. With an increasing number of Muslim organisations openly opposing the UDF—and the IUML in particular—over the PM SHRI issue, the ruling front has come under mounting pressure. Compounding its troubles, the Union government, in a reply to Congress MP Jebi Mather in the Rajya Sabha, clarified that states are free to withdraw from the scheme. Against this backdrop of growing pressure on both the UDF and the IUML to pull out of the scheme, Kunhalikutty came out with a firm s t a n d o n F r i d ay. Speaking to reporters, he said any decision on the contentious scheme would be taken only after the cabi- net sub-committee entrusted with examining the issue submits its report. “Once the report is submitted, the UDF and the government will take a call,” he said. Kunhalikutty rejected outright claims that the UDF had decided to go ahead with the PM SHRI scheme, dismissing them as base- Under no circumstances will the UDF accept the Union government’s norms on the school curriculum or the selection of schools under the scheme — P K Kunhalikutty, Industries Minister Want to forgive Gen Z for hurling expletives at me during protests: PM RA J E SH K U M AR THA K UR @ New Delhi ‘Kids should contribute to nation-building’ As part of his Instagram outreach with Gen Z and his followers, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said in his post on Friday night about his desire to help those who have transformed into misguided children, to help them become aware of reality and contribute to nation-building rather than remain misled. IN another late night video message to Gen Z, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday said he wanted to forgive students who recently hurled expletives against him. After the Jantar Mantar showdown, “some naughty children hurled abuse at me and my late mother,” he said. Describing it as unpleasant and disturbing, he said that those who had resorted to such language required guidance rather than condemnation, as they were misguided. Modi said it was a “cultural shock” to witness such conduct from Gen Z. However, he added that he did not want them to become entangled in legal complications. Instead, he wanted to forgive them and help reform them so that they could change their mindset. “Mai maf karna chahata hun” (I want to forgive them), the PM said, adding it is everyone’s duty to show the right path to the misguided children. Modi also appealed for restraint and forgiveness following the abusive slogans di- rected at him during student protests at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar. He urged the society to guide, rather than punish, those who had gone astray and abused him. “What happened at Jantar Mantar has been seen by the country and the world,” he said. “Some misguided youngsters used language that has no place in any civilised society he said. ,” “Let’s guide the misguided. Let’s work together. Let’s work for Bharat...I live for your future”, he told the youth and the wider Gen Z population. Amid euthanasia push, Kerala plans designated stray dog feeding spots S h a i n u M o h a n @ T’Puram Even as local bodies in the state are preparing to go for euthanasia of terminally ill and aggressive stray dogs following the Supreme Court’s directives, the animal husbandry department has proposed a parallel framework to regulate the feeding of community dogs by introducing designated feeding spots, fixed feeding hours and identity cards for registered caregivers. The draft standard operating procedure (SOP), which is ex- Dept proposal Those intending to feed stray dogs will have to obtain approval from local body Dogs should be fed only at designated locations and during specified hours They must carry an official caregiver identity card pected to be approved by the local self-government department (LSGD), recommends eliminating open garbage dumps, enforcing scientific disposal of poultry and meat waste, and identifying low-footfall feeding zones to reduce human-animal conflict. As per the proposal, anyone intending to feed stray dogs will have to obtain approval from the local body feed only at designated lo, cations and during specified hours, and carry an official caregiver identity card. Animal husbandry department deputy director D Sanjay told TNIE that those who want to feed strays including animal welfare organisations, animal lovers and citizens should submit a request to the secretary of the respective local body and ● More on P4 get an ID card.  historic gold rush Asmita Dey celebrates her gold at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow on Friday. Coming from a humble background, the judoka from a small town in Tripura became India’s first gold medallist. Later, Harsh Singh added another gold to tally | PTI I P11 Omar, Payal ‘embraced freedom’, will dissolve marriage: SC SUCHITRA K ALYA N M OHA N T Y @ New Delhi PUTTING a lid on a long legal chapter of matrimonial dispute spanning over 16 years, the Supreme Court on Friday agreed to dissolve the marriage of J&K Chief Minister Omar Abdullah and Payal Abdullah after noting their joint position that they have “embraced freedom”. “We will make it a part of our order and will dispose it of in terms of that ... will pass a formal order later,” said a bench of justices P S Narasimha and Alok Aradhe. Senior advocate Kapil Sibal, appearing for the National Conference leader, on Friday informed the bench that an application under Article 142 of the Constitution, seeking dissolution was filed as the matter was “settled between the parties.” “Both of them have embraced freedom. It’s all settled. (Article) 142 has been filed in the case. Your lordships may grant divorce,” he contended before the court. Sibal added that all other matters will be withdrawn as it was set out in the application. The court was hearing two petitions, including Omar’s plea seeking divorce A ‘dead’ union The Supreme Court had asked the couple to resolve their disputes. Presenting the case for divorce, Sibal submitted that the marriage was “dead” as they have been living separately for 15 years on grounds of cruelty The cou. ple had got married on September 1, 1994. In July 2024, the court sought Payal’s response to Omar’s challenge to a Delhi High Court order that dismissed his appeal and upheld the 2016 family court decision denying divorce. After his plea was dismissed by Delhi HC, Omar moved the apex court. Before the HC passed the order, the family court on August 30, 2016 had dismissed the plea, ruling that Omar failed to prove cruelty or desertion. His petition claimed the marriage was irretrievably broken, with no conjugal relationship since 2007 and separation since 2009. less. He said the UDF convener had merely responded to reporters’ questions “in his own style”. “Under no circumstances will the UDF accept the Centre’s norms on the school curriculum or the selection of schools under the scheme,” he asserted. He also trained his guns on the previous LDF government, pointing out that it had signed the MoU for the scheme, citing the need to secure central ● More on P4 funds.  State to upgrade all Maveli Stores, launch 24x7 Supplyco outlets E x p r e s s N e w s Se r v i c e @Kozhikode Kerala’s neighbourhood Maveli Stores are set for a significant makeover, with the state government announcing plans to upgrade all existing outlets to Maveli Super Stores, while expanding Supplyco’s retail network with 24-hour convenience stores. Announcing an ambitious overhaul of the state’s public distribution and retail network, Food and Civil Supplies Minister Anoop Jacob promised to roll out an early, large-scale market intervention programme ahead of the Onam season. He said the government aims to complete the upgrading of all existing Maveli Stores to larger Maveli Super Stores — with better stocks and facilities — as early as possible. Stating that the round-the-clock c o nve n i e n c e s t o r e s w i l l strengthen Supplyco’s presence in the retail sector, the minister said the first such outlet will begin operations in September at Vyttila Hub in Ernakulam. He made the announcement after inaugurating the upgraded Maveli Super Store at Mathottam in Kozhikode. He said through these intitiatives, the government was accelerating efforts to make essential commodities more accessible and affordable across Kerala. “The objective is not merely to renovate buildings but to modernise the entire consumer experience and strengthen Supplyco’s ability to intervene effectively in the market,” he said. Kerala currently has 868 Maveli Stores and 112 Maveli Super Stores operating under Supplyco. The upgraded stores are designed to be larger, better stocked, and more efficient, offering a wider range of products and improved shopping ● More on P4 facilities.