Nasa finds strongest clue yet of potential ancient life on Mars NASA’s Mars rover Perseverance has uncovered rocks in a dry river channel that may hold potential signs of ancient microscopic life. The Perseverance rover uncovered colourful, speckled rocks in a dried Martian riverbed that contains iron phosphate and iron sulphide, chemical compounds that can be produced when microorganisms chomp down on organic matter. kalaburagi l thursday l september 11, 2025 l `9.00 l PAGES 14 l city EDITION 45180/12 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 Trump pushes India-US trade talks back on track Says no difficulty in sealing deal; there’s limitless potential: Modi P U S H P ITA D E Y & D I PA K M O N D A L @ New Delhi INDIA-US trade talks, which were stalled amid diplomatic friction arising out of Washington’s punitive tariff action on New Delhi, are likely to resume soon with US President Donald Trump striking a conciliatory towards India and PM Narendra Modi reciprocating positively . Late on Tuesday, Trump announced via TruthSocial that India and the US were trying to address trade barriers through negotiations. “I look forward to speaking with my very good friend, Prime Minister Modi, in the upcoming weeks. I feel certain that there will be no difficulty in coming to a successful conclusion for both of our great countries,” he said. In response, Modi stated: “In- dia and the US are close friends and natural partners. I am confident that our trade negotiations will pave the way for unlocking the limitless potential of the India-US partnership. Our teams are working to conclude these discussions at the earliest. I am also looking forward to speaking with President Trump. We will work together to secure a brighter, more prosperous future for both our people.” Government sources said the talks will resume soon, with ministries from tariff-affected sectors claiming they have been assured by the commerce ministry that a favourable deal is on the horizon. Confirming the development, Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal said India is in talks with the US and other trade partners. “We are in active dialogue with the US and with New Zealand. With Qatar, we will be finalising the terms of reference by the first week of October,” Goyal said at an event in Delhi. India and the US have been negotiating a bilateral trade agreement, with the first tranche expected to be completed by September-October. However, tensions over India’s Russian oil purchases led the US to call off the visit of its trade negotiators to Delhi in August last week, effectively stalling the process. At that time, the commerce ministry said the delegation’s visit would be rescheduled, but no new dates were provided. The US has since imposed a 50% tariff on Indian goods, pushing New Delhi to explore other export markets. Now, with the leaders of both countries signalling renewed goodwill, talks are expected to gain momentum. Ex-CJ Karki leads interim PM’s race E x p r ess N e w s S e r v i c e @ New Delhi Armed soldiers patrolled empty streets and guarded key buildings in Kathmandu on Wednesday, enforcing a strict curfew amid uneasy calm following days of violent anti-corruption protests that forced Nepal PM KP Sharma Oli to resign. Hopes are rising for a political resolution as youth protest leaders signal readiness for talks, even as nearly 700 air passengers, including Indian pilgrims, remain stranded at the Kathmandu airport that reopened in the evening. The Nepal Army, now effectively in control of security said , the situation remained tense, but “under watch”, and extended a nationwide curfew until at A soldier accompanies prisoners, who escaped during protests, to a jail in Kathmandu on Wednesday | PTI least 6 am on Thursday “Infiltra. tors under the guise of protests have committed arson, looting, and violent attacks. We are committed to restoring peace and protecting lives,” said Army spokesperson Raja Ram Basnet. The health ministry confirmed 30 deaths since Monday and over 600 injuries, including both protesters and police, in what has become Nepal’s worst unrest in decades. Armoured vehicles guarded the scorched Parliament building, set ablaze on Tuesday while security check, points checked IDs of every vehicle crossing city limits. The protests erupted after a social media ban sparked outrage among Gen Z-led groups already angry at entrenched corruption, political dynasties, and government overreach. Though the ban was lifted, the damage was done. The leaderless protest movement, primarily made up of students and young professionals, has now proposed former Chief Justice Sushila Karki as interim prime minister. At 73, Karki is seen as a rare figure of integrity in a political landscape dominated by patronage. e x p r e ss r e a d Lawyer murders pregnant wife in Belagavi dist; three arrested belagavi: A lawyer and two of his accomplices have been arrested for killing his six-month pregnant wife and staging it as an accident. The crime was reported in Ugar BK village of Chikkodi taluk of Belagavi district on Sunday night | p5 Radhakrishnan likely to take oath as Vice-President on Friday new delhi: Vice-President-elect CP Radhakrishnan is likely to take the oath of office on Friday. The swearing-in ceremony may take place at 9.30 am at Rashtrapati Bhavan, with President Droupadi Murmu administering the oath, sources said | p10 Enhance monthly maintenance to parents, K’taka HC tells Union Govt Yat h i r a j u @ Bengaluru IN a move beneficial to the elderly across the country the Kar, nataka High Court has recommended the Centre to revisit Section 9 of the Maintenance and Welfare of Parents and Senior Citizens Act, 2007, to enhance the ceiling on the monthly maintenance to be paid to them, considering the exponential inflation in the cost of living. “Can maintenance so meagre achieve the objects of the Act? Can a citizen secure dignity, subsistence, and medical aid within the confines of Section 9? This requires pondering, so to say otherwise would be to reduce the existence of those senior citizens to ‘as a mere animal existence’. This court cannot legislate; it cannot rewrite Section 9, yet it bears the responsibility to sensitise the Government of India that a provision which stood meaningful in 2007, now mocks its own benevolence in 2025,” the HC observed.  p5