Now, repairability index for smartphones in the offing Smartphone and tablet manufacturers will soon have to rate their products on a repairability index to help consumers make informed choices. A government panel on Friday submitted a report recommending introduction of the index. “Companies are not manufacturing devices for life. They are actually forcing consumers to buy another product as they have planned for their obsolescence. Technology has made sure products have short lifespans,” said Nidhi Khare, Consumer Affairs Secretary. thrissur l saturday l may 03, 2025 l `9.00 l PAGES 16 l city EDITION 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 NIA sees Pak Army hand in Pahalgam terror attack Preliminary report points to role of LeT, ISI, and Pak Army: Sources M U K E S H R A N J A N @ New Delhi Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan share a light moment during the dedication ceremony of Vizhinjam International Seaport in Thiruvananthapuram on Friday | B P Deepu PORT OF PRIDE The Vizhinjam International Seaport — developed in partnership with Adani Ports and SEZ Limited — is India’s first deep-water, multipurpose seaport I8,867cr investment in phase I The state-led project has an annual handling capacity of 1 million TEUs in its first phase Trial operations began on July 13, 2024, and the port became fully operational on December 3, 2024 Since then, it has handled 285 ships and processed nearly 6 lakh TEUs — 10 times the initial estimate leaderspeak Vizhinjam port will unlock immense economic potential and place Kerala at the heart of global trade routes Narendra Modi, PM This is not just the opening of a port gate - it is the opening of India’s grand gateway to the development potential of the third millennium Pinarayi Vijayan, CM KCA suspends Sreesanth for three years E x press N e w s S er v i c e @ Kochi The Kerala Cricket Association (KCA) has suspended former international cricketer S Sreesanth for three years, in a move that has triggered allegations of a coordinated crackdown against those who spoke out in support of Sanju Samson. The KCA has announced legal action ag ainst Sanju’s father, Samson Vishwanath, for remarks made against the association. The controversy began late last year when Sanju was left out of the Kerala squad for the Vijay Hazare Trophy . The decision raised questions about whether it contributed to his later omission from the national squad for the Champions Trophy held this ● More on P4 year.  PM dedicates Vizhinjam Port to the nation E x press N e w s S er v i c e @T’Puram Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday dedicated the Rs 8,700-crore Vizhinjam International Seaport - India’s first deep-water, multipurpose port - to the nation at a grand ceremony in Thiruvananthapuram , even as major political parties in the state vied with each other to take credit for realising the mega project. Touting Vizhinjam as a gateway to global maritime trade, Modi said the port marks a major step forward for India’s transshipment capabilities and economic self-reliance. “This port will unlock immense economic potential and place Kerala at the heart of global trade routes,” he said. Calling Vizhinjam a symbol of “new-age development”, the prime minister termed it a confluence of natural beauty and strategic potential. “The capacity of this transshipment hub will triple in the coming years, allowing the world’s largest cargo ships to dock here,” he said. “Until now, 75% of India’s transshipment was handled in foreign ports leading to substantial revenue loss. That is now set to change.” The development of Vizhinjam, he said, will keep that revenue within the country and create new economic opportunities, particularly for Kerala and its people. “India’s money will now serve India,” he said. Modi also credited the private sector’s role in maritime growth. “Over the past decade, investments under the public-private partnership model have upgraded our ports to global standards and made them future-ready he said. ,” Modi was greeted with enthusiastic applause upon his arrival at the venue. Opening his speech in Malayalam, he paid tribute to Adi Shankaracharya on his birth anniversary and concluded by honouring the late Pope Francis, who enjoys a strong following in the state. Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan began his address paying homage to the victims of the Pahalgam terrorist attack. He hailed the commissioning of the port as the beginning of a new era. “We have achieved it,” he declared, echoing his statement at the inauguration of the trial run held on July 13, 2024. “This is not just the opening of a port gate — it is the opening of India’s grand gateway to development potential of the third millenni● More on P4 um,” he said.  THE April 22 Pahalgam attack was perpetrated by the Lashkare-Taiba (LeT), Pakistan’s InterServices Intelligence (ISI), and the Pak Army, according to a preliminary report prepared by the National Investigation Agency (NIA). Sources said the report mentions the conspiracy behind the brutal attack, in which 26 people were killed, was executed by the LeT with the active support from the ISI and the Pak Army . The preliminary probe found the involvement of around 20 identified active Kashmir Valley over g round workers (OGWs) in providing logistics support to the terrorists. OWG is a term used by security agencies to refer to people who provide logistics support to militants and assist them in their surreptitious movement. express read Smoke leads to panic at Koz MCH Kozhikode: Smoke that billowed out of the UPS room created panic in the emergency wing of Kozhikode Medical College Hospital on Friday night. Following this, patients in the ICU were evacuated. Fire and Rescue teams from Beach fire station and Meenchanda reached the spot and brought the situation under control. The smoke emanated from the CT scan area. in v e s t m e n t c o n c e r n s Box office data release triggers outrage among producers A N N A J O S E @Kochi The Kerala Film Producers Association’s (KFPA) decision to release monthly box office collection figures — a move it claims is aimed at helping investors — is evoking negative reviews. The move, initiated from February, has thrown open a rift, with some producers warning that it could backfire and end up discouraging investment, besides distorting perceptions of success in a fragile market. According to the KFPA’s March 2025 report, just one film – L2: Empuraan – out of the 15 released that month was commercially successful. The association defends its decision to release the figures, saying it would help inform producers of industry trends and financial outcomes. However, not everyone is convinced. Producer Sandra Thomas, among those vehemently opposed to the move, said the move has started hurting the industry. “The numbers they release are partial. There are multiple sources of income, including OTT rights, remake rights, dubbing rights and theatre collection. When we release the theatre collection, it gives the wrong impression that the entire industry is in loss,” she explained. Santhosh T Kuruvilla, co-producer of films like Da Thadiya, Mayaanadhi and Nna Thaan Case Kodu, too, was critical of the decision. “I don’t know who hired these people to release monthly reports of Malayalam films. These are confidential numbers. If a body authorised or constituted by the state is releasing these figures, then it is understandable,” he posted on social media recently and called on those involved to stop “spreading false ideas” about the industry . Kuruvilla warned that publicising box office failures could dampen investor confidence. “The goal of film production is not just high returns. The entertainment industry works on long-term ● More on P4 goals,” he said.  According to NIA sources, the identified OGWs are currently being intensely interrogated. During interrogation, it was revealed that both the main attackers were in touch with their Pakistani-based handlers and they received specific instructions on the timing, logistics, and execution. NIA sleuths will also question two key OGWs— Nisar Ahmad alias Haji and Mushtaq Hussain—who are currently lodged in Kot Bhalwal Jail in Jammu to ferret out information from them. “The duo are known associates of LeT and were earlier arrested for their role in aiding terrorists involved in the 2023 attack on Army convoys in Bhata Dhurian and Totagali,” a source said. According to NIA report, two prime suspects identified as Hashmi Musa (alias Suleman) and Ali Bhai (alias Talha Bhai) are Pakistani nationals. Terrorists entered Kashmir Weeks ago NIA found the terrorists entered Kashmir weeks before the attack and were helped by a network of OGWs, who gave them all the logistics support including shelter, navigation, and reconnaissance Recce at 4 places, including Baisaran NIA said the terrorists reached Pahalgam around April 15 and did recce at Baisaran Valley, Aru Valley, Betaab Valley, and an amusement park. They chose Baisaran due to thin security CWC meet calls for fitting reply to terror groups P ree t ha N a i r @ New Delhi URGING the Centre to act with firmness in the wake of the Pahalgam terror attack and penalise Pakistan, a resolution passed by the Congress Working Committee (CWC) on Friday said this is an opportune time to demonstrate the nation’s collective will to teach the neighbouring country a lesson for its export of terror. In another resolution, the party asked the government to announce a “clear timeline” for every stage of the caste census. The meeting chaired by Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge also pressed for timebound accountability into “serious lapses” in security and intelligence in one of the most heavily-guarded regions of the country. “The masterminds and perpetrators of this cowardly attack must face full consequences for their actions,” the resolution said. The meeting was attended by Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi.