Yangpa River Maheshvara Ri Kumarayana Point Karakoram Pass Daulat Beg Oldi Depsang Plains A k s ai C h i n Ladakh KOCHI l saturday l October 03, 2026 l `10.00 l PAGES 16 l late city EDITION Centre marks 28 strategic Ladakh sites on official map The Centre on Friday formally identified 28 strategic places and geographical features in Ladakh on the official map of India | P7 Some of the places named by govt, includes locations in Aksai Chin controlled by China G a lw a Sakyasri Giri Atisha Giri n R iv e JOLMORI r Hot Spring Gogra LEH Hot Spring Darbuk Pangong Tso LAC friction points among sites identified The government said in a statement that formally identifying them on the Survey of India map of Ladakh will help streamline official cartography, facilitate accurate recognition and promote greater public awareness. Gogra and Hot Spring, key friction points during the 2020 India-China military standoff, are among the strategic locations identified on the map ■ 10 Comes after similar action in Arunachal ■ The list includes Alisha Giri, Brangsa, Chapchingal Pass, Kanishka Peak, Karun Pir mountain, Kuksel, Martand Giri, Parpik glacier, Skamri Glacier, Shachmirik Pass, Shkorga Valley and Zorawar Peak It comes nearly two months after the government identified a total of 27 places and features located in Arunachal Pradesh peaks and three mountains among the 28 places/features identified 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 to ease prices G7 to release 100 million barrels of oil reserves Was terror attack on VDS faces heat, Flydubai, says UAE high command Presidential adviser cautions against conspiracy theories set to step in R A K E S H K U MA R @ New Delhi E x pre s s N e w s Ser v i c e @ New Delhi E x pre s s N e w s Ser v i c e @T’Puram AS diesel shortages have hit supplies and pushed up fuel prices, the Group of Seven (G7) industrial nations on Friday announced the release of up to 100 million barrels of crude oil and diesel from their emergency reserves to ease soaring prices. Following the announcement, oil prices fell by $2. Brent was down $1.80, or 1.76%, at $100.50 a barrel, while West Texas Intermediate dropped $2.02, or 2.18%, to $90.85 a barrel. The move is also expected to help calm the Indian stock market, which has recorded its longest losing streak in 25 years amid pressure from high crude oil prices. The decision came after US President Donald Trump urged European allies, particularly Germany and France, to immediately release emergency diesel reserves or face a potential US diesel export ban. Trump is under pressure to address surging prices ahead of November’s midterm elections. The G7 said the reserves would be released immediately over four months. The release will be coordinated through the International Energy Agency . Diesel and crude oil prices have been on the rise amid the deepening US-Iran conflict. Diesel shortage has also been linked to Ukrainian drone strikes on Russian oil-processing facilities. Subsequently, Russia imposed strict restrictions on diesel exports. UAE Presidential adviser Anwar Gargash on Friday described the cockpit attack aboard a Flydubai plane from Dubai to Tel Aviv as a “dangerous terrorist act”, and praised Indian pilot Captain Smit Machchhar for his role in preventing a potentially catastrophic outcome. Gargash said Machchhar “deserves every bit of appreciation” for demonstrating exemplary courage after he was allegedly attacked by his co-pilot during Flydubai Flight FZ1073 on Wednesday . He also cautioned against speculation, saying that “vigilance and caution remain essential in confronting the risks of extremism and terrorism. Gargash, a former UAE minister of state for foreign affairs, praised Machchhar for preserving the safety of those aboard the His (Smit) aircraft during the professionalism emergency . and moral sense in The flight, carry- the darkest of ing 174 people, in- circumstances cluding 27 children, make him a hero was travelling from Anwar Gargash, Dubai to Tel Aviv Presidential adviser, when the incident UAE occurred. According to reports, the co-pilot allegedly attacked Machchhar with a knife inside the cockpit, causing the aircraft to plunge nearly 14,000 feet in less than 30 seconds. Other crew members and passengers intervened and overpowered the attacker, restoring control over the aircraft. The plane was subsequently diverted to Saudi Arabia and landed safely in Tabuk. The co-pilot, identified by Israeli officials as an Omani national, was arrested after the landing. Gargash also hit out at conspiracy theories surrounding the incident. “Modern aircraft are not merely traditional control devices, but fully digital environments of surveillance.” With Chief Minister V D Satheesan’s style of functioning drawing criticism from within the Congress, the party’s high command is poised to intervene, ending its hands-off approach during the new government’s honeymoon period. A day after senior leader and UDF 2 months convener Adoor Prakash publicly since last criticised the chief minister, influUDF meet ential AICC general secretary K C Venugopal said on Friday that the T’Puram: Amid Adoor Prakash’s party’s central leadership would step in to resolve their differences. open charges “The party has a mechanism to against the CM discuss and resolve internal issues. over lack of Differences of opinion will be consultations within the front, settled through dialogue. The party the fact remains leadership will take the lead in resolving them, no doubt,” he told that the UDF reporters. hasn’t met for However, visibly irked by media the past two months, even as reports suggesting that Prakash had acted at his behest, Venugopal treadthe state ed cautiously, seeking to distance government himself from the controversy while took several faulting the UDF convener for going decisions | P4 public. “Some people want to portray me as being on the wrong side of every issue. I haven’t done anything, not even made a remark, against this government. Why link me to someone’s personal opinions?” he asked. Prakash, however, remained defiant despite the lack of public support from allies and criticism from ● More on P4 Venugopal and other leaders. 16 pages, including 4 pages of KOCHI Express Captain Smit Machchhar on a video call with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, from the UAE | PTI PM to pilot: You showed spirit of non-violence r a j e s h ku m a r t h a kur @ New Delhi “I was doing it for my own life but at the same time I also knew that I cannot let him kill all of them,” said Captain Smit Machchhar, who foiled an attempt by his co-pilot on Wednesday to crash an Israel-bound Flydubai flight. Machchhar was speaking to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday in a video call from a hospital in the UAE. “Today is Gandhi Jayanti; you have demonstrated the true essence of nonviolence by living it,” Modi said. Hailing Machchhar’s grit, Modi added, “We Indians are not people who take lives, we are people who save lives,” he said. He told the pilot that prayers were being offered across India for his recovery, and that he had already spoken to the pilot’s mother and wife, adding he remained “just a phone call away India was waiting to .” welcome him, PM Modi told the pilot. Machchhar, who has flown for 17 years, said he opened the cockpit door when he realised the aircraft was going down. “I knew that it’s one last push,” he said, adding that he acted with whatever energy was left in him while lying injured in the cockpit. Failure to register FIR against Pinarayi in Payoff case a crime: ED P R a m d a s @Kochi What did the govt do? Though the advocate general and the Failure to register an FIR against director general of prosecution, too, had former chief minister Pinarayi Viopined that an FIR be registered, the jayan and his family in connection government opted for a preliminary with the CMRL payoff case would inquiry and formed a nine-member amount to helping them and attract probe team. The move has been the offence of money laundering unchallenged in the Kerala High Court. der the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) against the officer conproceeds of crime (bribe press cerned, the Enforcement money) which would atclusive tract the offence of monDirectorate (ED) had told the state police chief ey laundering under in its letter last month. Section 3 of PMLA,” said the Sep“The act of not registering an FIR tember 7 letter, a copy of which is when actionable evidence is provid- with TNIE. ed would amount to knowingly asIt said Section 3 is stringent and sisting the accused in generation of covers anyone who knowingly as- sists the accused. “Any person, including a government officer, who knowingly assists the accused in the generation, concealment or possession of bribe money would be guilty of money laundering,” said the letter. It also cited Supreme Court judgments that empowered the ED to take “appropriate remedy” in case the FIR was not registered. The ED had requested the state police to register an FIR for corruption against Pinarayi, his daughter Veena T, who owned the now-defunct Exalogic Solutions, and her husband and former minister P A Mohamed Riyas under the Prevention of Corruption Act 1988 and other rele● More on P4 vant laws.  AS I A N G A M E S Gold rush: India smash massive six S IX gold in a day — this is by far the best day for India at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games. If India were struggling to win gold medals in the first 10 days, the last three days have been quite productive. The day however, belonged , to the boxers and women’s hockey team. If three boxers secured a top of the podium finish, sending the country into a celebratory frenzy, the icing on the cake came later in the day on the hockey field. For the first time in 44 years, the women’s team rose from the lows of Paris 2024 to beat China 1-0 and clinch Indraneel Das Express @ asian games Nagoya gold at the Asian Games. In the process, they also sealed their berth for the LA 2028 Olympics on Friday Lalremsiami landed . the first strike in the tenth minute but from thereon, it was goalkeeper Bichu Devi’s heroics and a defence that ensured India a historic gold medal. Meanwhile, archers created history by winning India’s first-ever recurve gold. Sujeet Kalkal in wrestling was also Indian women’s hockey team celebrate their gold medal | PTI unstoppable. The three boxers, who stood on the top of the podium, were Lovlina Borgohain in the morning and two youngsters – Parveen Hooda and Ankush Panghal. With this, India have climbed to fifth place in the medals tally with 16 golds. P11 2 more gold in the offing On Saturday, India have a chance to add at least two more gold to the tally in men’s hockey and cricket team events. E x p r e s s Re a d Messi row: SIT questions Abdurahiman T’Puram: The special investigation team (SIT) probing the allegations surrounding the failed proposal to bring Argentine footballer Lionel Messi and team to Keralam questioned former sports minister V Abdurahiman on Thursday. He was questioned on the criteria for selecting the sponsor and the foreign visits he undertook in connection with the proposal. A source said Abdurahiman denied any wrongdoing | P4 KSEB hopeful of ending power cuts Kochi: With Himachal Pradesh State Electricity Board (HPSEB) agreeing to provide 600 MW power during peak hours from October 1 to May 31, 2027, the KSEB is hopeful of ending the power cut which triggered widespread protests across the state in September. The KSEB started receiving 600 MW from Himachal on Thursday, which helped avoid power cut during the past two days | P5