nagapattinam l thursday l september 11, 2025 l `9.00 l PAGES 12 l city EDITION 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 signs of microbial activity on rocks 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. Lead researcher Joel Hurowitz of Stony Brook University said it is the best candidate yet in the rover’s search for signs of life ■ 30 Earth-based analysis needed: Scientists ■ Scientists cautioned that non-biological explanations are possible for the findings, and Earth-based analysis is needed to confirm the ancient life theory. The samples are expected to reach Earth in 2040 The sample was collected from reddish, clay-rich mudstones in Neretva Vallis, a channel that once carried water into Jezero Crater rock samples collected so far by perseverance rover 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 puts trade talks back on track Radhakrishnan likely to take V-P oath Friday Says there is no difficulty in sealing a deal PUSHPITA DEY & DIPAK MONDAL @ New Delhi Some of the prisoners who escaped during the anti-government protests, being escorted back to a jail in Kathmandu, Nepal on Wednesday | PTI Ex-CJ Karki leads interim PM’s race, Army restores calm Express News Service @ New Delhi Armed soldiers patrolled empty streets and guarded key buildings in Nepal’s capital on Wednesday, enforcing a strict curfew amid uneasy calm following days of violent anti-corruption protests that forced Prime Minister K P 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 least 6 am Thursday. “Infiltrators under the guise of protests have committed arson, looting, and violent attacks. We Modi to flag off TN’s first Amrit Bharat on Sept 15 B ANBUSELVAN @ Chennai Prime Minister Narendra Modi will flag off a new Amrit Bharat weekly express between Erode and Jogbani in Bihar, close to the Nepal border, on September 15, according to official sources. The train, to be maintained at Erode, will be Southern Railway’s first Amrit Bharat service — a non-air-conditioned train offering Vande Bharat-like facilities aimed at long-distance travellers. The launch comes ahead of the Bihar Assembly polls. Indian Railways is also preparing to introduce sleeper version of the Vande Bharat Express shortly, which is expected to connect one of Bihar’s major stations. Significantly this will be the , first Amrit Bharat express to be hauled by WAP-5 locomotives at both ends in push-pull mode, enabling it to clock speeds of up to 130 kmph.  p5 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 , checkpoints 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. Demonstrations quickly escalated into riots, with government buildings, party offices, and even former prime ministers’ homes set on fire. 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. Advocate Raman Kumar Karna, speaking to Reuters, confirmed that protest leaders are seeking a meeting with the army to present the proposal. Despite the violence, signs of civic resolve were visible in Kathmandu. Small groups of young people some wearing masks and carrying bin liners were seen cleaning streets outside charred buildings. Kathmandu’s Tribhuvan International Airport reopened, but hundreds remain stranded, including Indians. Among them are 130 from the Isha Foundation returning from Kailash Mansarovar, and dozens of tourists caught mid-transit. “The Indian Embassy told us to stay where we are until they can advise further,” said Mayur Patil from Mumbai. P8 Army personnel keep vigil outside the President’s residence, a day after it was set ablaze in Kathmandu | PTI Other names in play to head the new govt Apart from former chief justice Sushila Karki (pic), Kathmandu Mayor Balendra Shah and former electricity board CEO Kulman Ghising were being considered to lead an interim govt. 7,000 Five juvenile inmates died during a clash with security personnel at a jail in Nepal, while more than 7,000 prisoners escaped After kidney controversy, TN overhauls organ donation panels S i n d u j a J a n e @ Chennai After recent incidents of alleged sale of kidneys in Namakkal, the Tamil Nadu Health and Family Welfare Department has reconstituted the State-level Authorisation Committee (SAC) and District-level Authoris at i o n C o m m i t t e e s (DACs) for scrutinising and granting approvals for live organ donations across the state. After the complaints of illegal organ transplants sparked legal and political troubles for the state government, licences granted to two hospitals for `5,000 cr MoUs in hosur event kidney transplantation were cancelled by the authorities. The GO issued this week by health secretary P Senthilkumar, however, did not cite that as the reason for the reconstitution of the panels. It instead pointed to letters sent by the Director of Medical Education and Research (DME) in April 2023, October 2023, and in February 2024 on the need for these panels to be “reformed to make them more accountable and efficient”. The new order has been issued one-and-half years after the acceptance of a proposal sent by the DME.  p5 Requests of outsiders to be checked State-level panel will scrutinise applications from all foreign nationals or people from other states admitted in any registered hospital in TN for transplants. Deans of govt med colleges will head the district-level committees About `5,000 crore worth MoUs, primarily in the logistics and warehousing sectors, are expected to be signed at second edition of TN Rising Summit in Hosur on Thursday | P4 Modi condemns Israeli airstrikes on Qatar J aya n t h J a c o b @ New Delhi Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday condemned the recent Israeli strikes in Doha during a phone conversation with Qatar’s Emir, Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al-Thani, calling the attacks a violation o f Q a t a r i sovereignty . “ S p o ke w i t h Amir of Qatar Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al-Thani and expressed deep concern at the attacks in Doha,” Modi posted on X. “India condemns the violation of the sovereignty of the brotherly State of Qatar.” A readout from the External Affairs Ministry said “PM expressed deep concern over the attacks in Doha and condemned the violation of the sovereignty of the State of Qatar. PM appreciated the role being played by Qatar in promoting regional peace and stability in, cluding its mediation efforts in Gaza to achieve ceasefire and release of all hostages.” Modi reiterated support for resolution of all issues through dialogue and diplomacy and the need to avoid escalation. He highlighted that India stands firmly in support of peace and stability in the region, and against terrorism in all its forms and manifestations. Sheikh Tamim Sheikh Tamim thanked Modi for the expression of solidarity with the people and the state of Qatar. RA J ESH KUMAR THAKUR Vice President-elect C P Radhakrishnan is expected to take the oath of office on Friday, sources said. The swearing-in ceremony is likely to take place at 9.30 am at Rashtrapati Bhavan, with President Droupadi Murmu administering the oath, sources within the government and the BJP said. However, an official confir mation is awaited. Radhakrishnan, 67, was elected Vice President on Tuesday, defeating the joint C P Radhakrishnan opposition nominee B Sudershan Reddy by a margin of 152 votes. Radhakrishnan is currently the gover nor of Maharashtra. There is a buzz that he may res i g n f r o m t h i s p o s t by Thursday . The Election Commission on Wednesday issued he official certification of Radhakrishnan’s election. Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar and Election Commissioners Vivek Joshi and S S Sandhu signed the certificate. 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 sounding conciliatory towards India and Prime Minister Narendra Modi reciprocating positively . Late on Tuesday, Trump announced 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: “India and the US are close friends and natural partEU team coming ners. I am confident that our trade negofor trade talks tiations will pave the way for unlocking European Trade the limitless potential of the India-US Commissioner partnership. Our teams are working to Maros Sefcovic conclude these discussions at the earliwill visit India on est. I am also looking forward to speaking Thursday for with President Trump.” India-EU FTA talks Government sources said the talks will resume soon, with ministries from tariffaffected 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 that India is in talks with the US and other trade partners. “We are in active dialogue with the United States of America 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. @ New Delhi