SpaceX ‘catches’ rocket booster in historic first SpaceX on Sunday successfully caught the returning first-stage booster minutes after the launch of its fifth Starship test flight Catching the booster The launch tower sported monstrous metal arms that caught the descending booster. It comes after the US regulator granted SpaceX its long-awaited license to move forward with the fifth test launch of Starship How it helps SpaceX Recycling boosters will help SpaceX speed up the launch rate and save millions in cost | P10 THIRUVANANTHAPURAM l Monday l October 14, 2024 l `9.00 l PAGES 12 l late 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 Palestine, Syria among 34 eyeing BRICS membership Bishnoi gang claims responsibility for Baba Siddique murder, two held Y es h i se l i @ New Delhi S U D H I R S U R YA W A N S H I @ Mumbai Palestine, Syria, and Myanmar might be among the 20 countries that would either become members or partners of the BRICS grouping during its annual summit in Russia this month. In all, 34 countries have applied to join the bloc, sources said ahead of the upcoming meet in Kazan, Russia. Ten new members and 10 partners are expected to be announced after existing members of the bloc arrive at a consensus during the summit scheduled to be held from October 22 to 24, sources said. Partners won’t have the same rights as members, but will, in all likelihood, become permanent members by the next summit, a source said . According to the source, the 34 candidates are: Algeria, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Belarus, Bolivia, Cuba, Chad, the Republic of Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Honduras, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Kuwait, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Morocco, Nicaragua, Nigeria, Pakistan, Senegal, South Sudan, Sri Lanka, State of Palestine, Syria, Thailand, Turkey Uganda, Uz, bekistan, Venezuela, Vietnam, and Zimbabwe. PM Narendra Modi is expected to travel to Russia later this month to attend the summit. HOURS after former Maharashtra minister and NCP (Ajit Pawar) leader Baba Siddique was shot dead in Mumbai late on Saturday night, the Lawrence Bishnoi gang claimed responsibility for the murder, citing his close relationship with Bollywood star Salman Khan. The gang has threatened the actor for allegedly poaching blackbucks in Rajasthan during a film shoot in 1998. The Bishnoi community considers blackbucks holy In April this . year, some Bishnoi gang members were held in connection with the firing outside Salman Khan’s residence in Mumbai. Siddique, 66, was gunned down outside his son Zeeshan Siddique’s office in Mumbai’s Bandra East. According to police, three shooters were involved in the murder and two Two suspects on the run; FB post of purported gang member threatens actor Salman Khan Zeeshan Siddique and Arshia Siddique, son and daughter of NCP leader Baba Siddique, lead his funeral procession in Bandra, Mumbai on Sunday | ANI of them, identified as Haryana resident Gurmail Baljit Singh (23) and Uttar Pradesh native Dharmaraj Rajesh Kashyap (19), have been arrested. The third accused, Shivkumar Gautam of UP, is on the run. A fourth person, believed to be express read CM accuses guv of ‘vilification campaign’ T’Puram: CM Pinarayi Vijayan has given a strongly-worded reply to Governor Arif Mohammed Khan’s letter seeking clarity on his remarks on alleged “anti-national activities” in the state. “Such misconceived versions...are a part of a vilification campaign to malign the state,” the CM said in his letter to Khan | P4 Kerala GSDP a modest 6.52% in 2023-24 Kochi: Latest data has put Kerala Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP) growth for 2022-23 at 4.24%, a downward revision from the quick estimates of 6.6%. However, in 2023-24, the state GSDP showed a growth of 6.52%, according to the data available at Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation | P5 the handler and did the recce for the shootout, is also on the run, police sources said. “Between 9.00 and 9.30 pm on Sunday night, Baba Siddique was shot dead outside his son’s office. The assailants fired multiple rounds, fatally striking the politician in the chest. A case has been registered and handed over to the Crime Branch for further investigation. The police nabbed two accused and recovered two pistols and 28 rounds from them,” said Datta Nalawade, deputy commissioner of police (crime branch), at a press conference. Nalawade said the police are also investigating the role of the Lawrence Bishnoi gang, which claimed responsibility for the murder through a Facebook post, in the crime. “Probe agencies are perusing the post, reportedly linked to a Facebook account of Shubuu Lonkar, who may actually be Shubham Rameshwar Lonkar, who was arrested earlier this year for possession of illegal weapons. He is believed to have strong connections with the Bishnoi network,” poP8 lice sources said.  Veena questioned in payoff case, UDF, BJP trade barbs istry of Corporate Affairs, following the Karnataka High Court’s refusal to stay Veena T, the daughter of the investigation in FebruChief Minister Pinarayi Vi- ary. This was shortly after jayan, was reportedly ques- the Centre ordered the SFIO tioned by the Serious Fraud probe into the affairs of ExaInvestigation Office (SFIO) logic as well as CMRL and in Chennai recently as part Kerala State Industrial Deof the latter’s investigation velopment Corporation. into the alleged kickResponding to the backs her IT firm development, Leader Exalogic Solutions of Opposition V D received from the Satheesan ter med Cochin Minerals and the questioning an Rutile Ltd (CMRL). election stunt, as anSoon after the nouncement for the news broke, the Conbypoll is expected on gress-led UDF alMonday . Veena T leged a “deal” be“It is an attempt to tween the CPM and BJP mislead the public into beahead of the bypolls in Ker- lieving that the CPM and ala, while the BJP claimed BJP are fighting face-to-face the case exposed the LDF- in the state. We saw it in the UDF nexus in the state. case of Thrissur Lok Sabha Veena appeared before the seat and in the Karuvannur SFIO last Wednesday for the bank issue,” he said, empha, second time. She had earlier sising that the CPM and appeared before the SFIO, BJP could not hide the ● More on P4 which comes under the Min- nexus.  EXPRESS NEWS SERVICE @Kochi Social media injurious to mental health: Top US doc R is h i ta K h a nn a @ Bengaluru SOCIAL media has created a culture of comparison that impacts self-esteem, particularly among young people grappling with feelings of inadequacy and isolation, US Surgeon General Dr Vivek Murthy said. Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of an event here, Dr M u r t hy s a i d m a ny both in the US and Inyoung people feel disdia, he said this presconnected despite being sure to succeed acaconnected online, adddemically coupled with , ing that the pressure to comparison fostered by showcase an ideal life social media, can lead on social media contribto significant stress. utes to these feelings. Dr Murthy called for Dr Vivek Murthy Addressing the imurg ent refor ms in mense academic and social medical education to better pressures faced by students, i n t e g r at e m e n t a l h e a l t h training, noting that many medical curricula have not adequately addressed mental health issues. For far too long, mental and social health have been viewed as less important than physical health, America’s top doctor said, adding that mental health is an issue on which the US and India can work together.