kochi l tuesday l june 17, 2025 l `9.00 l PAGES 16 l late city EDITION India women to kick-start ODI World Cup against Sri Lanka The Harmanpreet Kaur-led Women in Blue will be playing the opening match of the tournament in Bengaluru on September 30 Kaur & Co to play Pak in Colombo on Oct 5 With the ongoing agreement between India and Pakistan cricket boards, the latter will not travel to India and will be camped in Colombo for their league-stage games. India and Pakistan are scheduled to play each other in Colombo on October 5. It will be the first match between the neighbouring countries after the recent cross-border tensions. ■ 2013 Home advantage for India and Sri Lanka ■ Apart from hosts India, Sri Lanka will play five of their league games in Colombo. Their two games in India are in Bengaluru and Guwahati. If Pakistan advance past the round-robin stages, they will play the semifinal and final in Colombo. If they don’t, Guwahati will host that semifinal. Bengaluru will host the other semifinal and final | P11 The last time India hosted the Women’s ODI World Cup 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 Census-2027 notification finally out M U K E S H RAN J AN @ New Delhi Rescue team work at the site where a missile launched from Iran struck Tel Aviv, Israel, on Monday | AP/PTI Israeli Missiles hit Iran’s state tv hq Israel on Monday struck Iran’s state TV while a live broadcast was underway, forcing the anchor to rush out as debris started falling in the studio iaea WARNS OF contamination The International Atomic Energy Agency warned of both radiological and chemical contamination at Iran’s nuclear enrichment facility in Natanz India begins to move out its citizens in Iran Students to be evacuated via Armenia, UAE Israel, Iran RAMP UP ATTACKS civilian CASUALTIES RISE J AYANTH J ACO B @ New Delhi AS hostilities between Iran and Israel intensify India has , begun relocating its nationals from high-risk zones in Iran and is mulling on evacuation plans via both land and sea routes through Armenia and the United Arab Emirates, sources said. The first batch of 110 students has reached the Armenian border, from there they will be evacuated by air. The external affairs ministry on Monday said Indian nationals, including 1,500 students—from Jammu and Kashmir, Karnataka, and other states—are being moved to safer areas within Iran. Embassy officials are in constant touch with local leaders and the Indian community. An estimated 10,000 Indian nationals are in Iran. Tehran, where a majority of Indian students are enrolled in institutions such as Tehran University of Medi- cal Sciences and Iran University of Medical Sciences, has seen heightened risk amid Israeli strikes. Some students are being relocated to Qom, 148 km from Tehran. Sources said land evacuation via Armenia and a sea route through the UAE are being explored as viable options. “It’s an evolving situation and we are exploring every ways and means to ensure the safety of our nationals as we have done in the past,” said a source. External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar has spoken to his Armenian counterpart Ararat Mirzoyan and UAE Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan to discuss the situation. It’s painful for both parties, but I’d say Iran is not winning this war. They should talk before it’s too late US President Donald Trump The Centre on Monday formally notified the much-delayed National Population Census 2027, which was due way back in 2021, but had to be put off after the Covid-19 pandemic outbreak. The Gazette notification said, “the Central Government hereby declares that a census of the population of India shall be taken during the year 2027.” The notification added that the reference date for the Census shall be 00.00 hours of the 1st day of March, 2027, except for Ladakh and snow-bound Caste enumeration definitely on, says govt The Union home ministry rubbished Congress apprehensions on caste enumeration as the notification did not mention it. “The census will include caste enumeration... It has already been mentioned in press releases dated 30 April, 4 June and 15 June, that the census will also have caste enumeration,” the govt said non-synchronous areas of Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand. As for the rest, the reference date shall be 00:00 hours of October 1, 2026. The notification was issued by Mritunjay Kumar Narayan, Registrar General and Census Commissioner. The census exercise will be held in two phases—House Listing Operation (HLO) and Population Enumeration (PE). While HLO will involve collecting data on assets and amenities in each household, the PE exercise will capture the demographic, socio-economic, cultural and other details of every person in each household. Also, caste enumeration will 24 lives lost in 1 year as illegal electric fences turn deathtraps M S V i d ya n a n d a n @ T’Puram A woman holds her baby as residents evacuate downtown Tel Aviv on Monday | AP/PTI Tehran said despite the closure of Iranian airspace, “all land borders are open for crossing” and has requested India to share details of those intending to leave. The Indian Embassy in Tehran urged all nationals to stay indoors, avoid non-essential movement, and follow advisories. As the war entered the fourth day on Monday, Iran confirmed 224 deaths while the toll in Israel rose to 24. India, which maintains diplomatic ties with both nations, reiterated its call for de-escalation. “Existing channels of dialogue and diplomacy should be utilised,” said MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal. However, with neither side showing intention to dialing down tensions, the region is bracing for more strikes. On Monday, Israel ordered residents of Tehran to evacuate the district immediately, warning that lethal strikes P9 were coming.  Illegal electric fences claimed 24 lives in the state over a one-year period, ending this March. This is a sharp increase from the 16 deaths reported in the previous year. In 2024-25, Palakkad accounted for the most deaths (10), followed by Thrissur (5) and Malappuram (3). Two people were killed in Pathanamthitta while one person each died in Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam, Alappuzha and Kannur, showed the data with the state’s Electrical Inspectorate (EI). In 2023-24 too, Palakkad reported the highest number of deaths (9). “Several farmers are using illegal electric fences to prevent wildlife incursions. Casualties can be prevented if they take the legal route — erecting the structures with an equipment, fence energiser. An ISIcertified energiser costs around `10,000,” says Vinod G, Chief Electrical Inspector. As per law, electric fences require prior sanction from the EI. A fence energiser converts power into short high-voltage pulses and will not kill humans or animals upon contact. Though non-lethal, such fences will effectively deter animals or intruders. “Anti-social elements using electric fences to trap wild boars for trading their meat is another cause for concern. Such fences are directly connected to the KSEB power line. Unsuspecting landowners or passersby fall victims to it,” Vinod said. According to him, a high-level committee had recently discussed the issue of illegal fences. “On its basis, the EI will recommend the government to form micro-level committees to identify and prevent installation of such fences,” said ● More on P4 Vinod. In rare move, FATF condemns Pahalgam attack J AYANTH J ACO B @ New Delhi Cause for concern Deaths due to illegal electric fencing in Kerala (2024-25) Palakkad: 10 Thrissur: 5 Malappuram: 3 T’Puram: 1 Kannur: 1 Deaths Year-wise data 2021-22 P’thitta: 2 Kollam: 1 Alappuzha: 1 7 14 2023-24 16 2024-25 Injured 3 2022-23 1 1 24 1 Farmer electrocuted by illegal wild boar trap Alappuzha: A 65-year-old farmer lost his life on Monday after coming into contact with an electrified snare set up to capture wild boars at Chavady in Thamarakulam panchayat in Alappuzha. P4 E X PRE S S RE A D Bypoll campaigning to end today Malappuram: With just hours left for the public campaigning to end in Nilambur, all major fronts intensified their election campaign in the assembly constituency on Monday. The grand finale of the high-voltage campaigning will be held at different places in Nilambur town on Tuesday evening. The by-election will be held on June 19. P4 India’s overseas trade shrinks in May New Delhi: Geopolitical tensions and policy uncertainty around trade tariffs have impacted India’s merchandise trade in May as both exports and imports recorded a decline. Goods exports fell 2% YoY in May to $38.73 billion compared to $39.59 billion a year ago. Imports also declined by 1.7% to $60.61 billion during the month. P10 sea of woes Sisily, 73, sources drinking water from a tap within the compound of her house flooded by seawater at Kattiparambu near Kannamaly in Ernakulam. Heavy rain has resulted in rough seas with waves surging inland. A number of houses and roads have been inundated in the coastal region | A Sanesh L160 to L260 per litre Ambalappuzha palpayasam to cost more B I J U E PA U L @ Alappuzha Come August, the legendary Ambalappuzha palpayasam will cost more. The Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) has decided to increase the price of the prasadam (consecrated food offering) served to devotees at the Ambalappuzha Sree Krishna Swamy temple to `260 per litre from `160. The quantity of palpayasam prepared will also be increased. Currently, 225 litres are prepared every day which will be , increased to 350 litres on Thursdays, Sundays and other auspicious days, and 300 litres on Palpayasam being prepared | file pic other days. Officials said the price of the palpayasam is being increased after 14 years. According to V J Sreekumar, koima sthani of the temple, the revision was decided by the TDB. “Demand for the payasam has increased. However, production is controlled based on the direction of the Kerala High Court, to maintain sanctity he added. ,” The palpayasam is distributed to devotees in adherence to norms prepared by the TDB and the HC. Of the 225 litres that is prepared daily, 70 litres is distributed to devotees who pre-book orders in one litre containers. Another 70 litres of the prasadam is offered daily on spotbooking basis in the same quantity This is distributed at . 11am every day after poojas. A further 60 litres is offered to devotees, half a litre each. The rest is used for temple rituals. One litre of the palpayasam is the most that a devotee can purchase, officials said. The TDB plans to introduce an online booking system for distribution of the prasadam. A directive has been issued to the devaswom deputy commissioner to introduce a mobile application for the purpose. Ninety litres will be made available for online booking after introduction of the app, officials said. The board has also initiated steps to make a larger varpu (bronze) vessel. A nearly 1,200-litre vessel will be required to prepare 350 litres of payasam. We will issue a tender for buildP4 ing the vessel, they said.  be done for the first time after Independence as part of the Census, which is in its eighth edition. Overall, this is the 16th edition of the Census since its beginning in 1881. As many as 34 lakh enumerators and supervisors and around 1.3 lakh census functionaries will conduct the operation with cutting-edge mobile digital gadgets, Union home minister Amit Shah said on Sunday after chairing a high-level meeting to review the preparations for the Census exercise. Union Home Secretary Govind Mohan, Mritunjay Kumar Narayan and other senior officials participated. AS India intensifies its diplomatic push to put Pakistan on the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) grey list, the global anti-terror financing watchdog has issued a rare, strongly worded condemnation of the terrorist attack in Pahalgam, flagging the financial lifelines that sustain such violence. “The FATF expresses grave concern and condemns the brutal terrorist attack in Pahalgam, Jammu & Kashmir, India, on 22 April 2025,” it said, noting the brutality of the incident in which 26 tourists were killed. Victims were executed after being forced to reveal their religion—an act FATF described as a targeted and horrifying assault on civilians. Only twice in the past has FATF publicly condemned a specific terrorist attack, in 2015 and 2019. This underscores the gravity of the Pahalgam incident in the eyes of the international community . “This, and other recent attacks, could not occur without money and the means to move funds between terrorist supporters,” the FATF said, highlighting the central role of terror financing in enabling such operations. India is currently engaged with FATF member states to reclassify Pakistan under its ‘grey list’, citing Islamabad’s failure to act decisively against groups responsible for crossborder terrorism. FATF will soon release a comprehensive report on terrorist financing risks, which, for the first time, will acknowledge ‘state-sponsored terrorism’ as a financing threat. The condemnation of the Pahalgam attack signals a shift in international willingness to call out statelinked financing of terrorism. 16 pages, including 4 pages of kochi Express 119 IDed, 64 bodies handed over D i l i p S i n g h Ks h at r i ya @ Ahmedabad The process to identify victims of the June 12 AI-171 air crash picked up pace on Monday as officials said DNA samples of 119 of them have been successfully matched. At least 270 people perished in the aircrash. Ahmedabad Civil Hospital Superintendent Dr Rakesh Joshi said 64 bodies have already been handed over to the respective families. Another 24 families are expected to collect the mortal remains of their loved ones in the coming days, while 11 families await confirmation of DNA matches with additional relatives. Twelve families are still awaiting final DNA results. Authorities expect the identification to conclude swiftly once pending reports are in. Among the bodies identified on Sunday was that of former Gujarat chief minister Vijay Rupani. He was cremated in Rajkot with full state honours on Monday . Probe teams scouring the aircraft debris recovered the cockpit voice recorder (CVR), the second black box. The CVR, along with a wire trailing from the aircraft’s rear section, was handed over to the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB). The first black box, called the flight data recorder, was recovered a day after the accident. Besides, human remains were found amid the debris and shifted to the Civil Hospital for postmortem. Parallelly a high-level multi, disciplinary committee led by Union home secretary Govind Mohan discussed the possible causes of the crash so as to evolve a policy roadmap for fuP8 ture safeguards.