tirupati l tuesday l may 27, 2025 l `9.00 l PAGES 12 l anantapur EDITION Hamas agrees to U.S. proposal on Gaza ceasefire, release of hostages The proposal for a Gaza ceasefire was mooted by US special envoy Steve Witkoff, Reuters reported quoting a Palestinian official close to the group Israel rejects truce plan, say reports Under the new proposal, 10 living hostages will be released in two groups and a 70-day ceasefire will be observed. There was no immediate official comment from Israel, but local media reported that Israel has rejected the proposal outright. “The proposal received by Israel cannot be accepted by any responsible government,” Times of Israel reported quoting an official ■ 52 ‘Partial withdrawal of Israel from gaza’ ■ ■ “Hamas is setting impossible conditions and an inability to release the hostages,” the official was quoted as saying by Times of Israel According to reports, the formula proposed by the US includes a partial withdrawal of Israeli forces from the Gaza Strip Israel’s position is that war will end only when Hamas is eradicated People were reportedly killed in Israeli strikes in Gaza Strip on Monday 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 Mumbai on its knees after Early monsoon onset S u d h i r S u r ya w a n s h i @ Mumbai Mumbai Pedestrians wade through an inundated road amid rains, in Mumbai, on Monday | pti kerala Acharya Atre Chowk underground metro station inundated due to heavy rainfall on Monday | pti boat mishap Close shave for Sourav Ganguly’s bro, sister-in-law A rescue official helps residents of Kanjiramattam in Kerala cross a swollen river across a check dam | shiyami Heavy rains trigger mini landslip at Anbu Anna colony near old Manjanakorai in Nilgiris on Monday | Express Waited for 15 days after Pahalgam to see if Pak acts on terror, says PM Says India’s fight is with cross-border terrorism and its support structures, not Pakistani masses E XPR E S S N E W S S E RVIC E D i l i p S i n g h Ks h at r i ya FORMER BCCI president Sourav Ganguly’s brother Snehashish and his wife Arpita had a narrow escape when their speedboat overturned, throwing the couple into the sea off Puri beach on Saturday evening. The couple was enjoying water sports when their boat was hit by a huge tide and overturned. The incident took place near the light house, over 20 metres inside the sea around 6 pm. Videos of the capsized speedboat that went viral showed lifeguards rushing to rescue the tourists using rubber tubes. Sources said the boat had a carrying capacity of 10 but the operators apparently allowed only 3-4 on board. It was also the last boat to go into the sea for the day . Arpita alleged the boat overturned as it had less passengers and the sea was rough. “I have decided to write to Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi and the Puri SP requesting them to stop water sports as Puri has very rough sea,” she told PTI. She added the timely intervention of the lifeguards saved their lives. “We are verifying whether the operator has licence, was working legally and by following due procedures or not. Further action will be taken accordingly,” said Puri SP Vinit Agrawal. , Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday revealed he waited 15 days after the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack, hoping Pakistan will go after the assailants. “But it seems it (terrorism) is their bread and butter,” he remarked. Modi said India’s fight is with cross-border terrorism and those who fuel and fund it, and not with the Pakistani masses. He slammed Pakistan’s rulers for turning terrorism into a money spinner, contrasting India’s rise as the world’s fourth-largest economy with Pakistan’s downfall. Calling out the army’s terror links, Modi warned of dark days ahead for Pakistan if its youth don’t break free from this path. His remarks came @ Bhubaneswar Tamil nadu THE south-west monsoon announced its early arrival in Mumbai on Monday with a bang, throwing normal life out of gear by inundating low areas and disrupting suburban and metro train services. According to the weather department, this is the earliest onset of monsoon in Mumbai in the past 75 years. Officials said the metropolis on Monday experienced the heaviest rainfall in the month of May since 1918, with the Colaba observatory recording rainfall of 295 mm. Apart from Mumbai, heavy rains were reported in Thane, Raigad, Ratnagiri, Sindhudurg, Pune, and Nasik districts of Maharashtra on Monday . Early arrival of the monsoon also disrupted farmers’ harvesting activities. The weather department has predicted more rain in Mumbai over the next 24 hours, accompanied by thunderstorms and strong winds. Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis directed officials to remain on high alert. Municipal authorities, the fire brigade, police, and other emergency services are on standby, while five NDRF teams have been stationed across the city for any emergency response, the CM’s office said. @ Ahmedabad Foreign Secy to visit US from May 27-29 Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri will visit the US from May 27 to 29 for meetings with senior officials of the Trump administration. It is a follow-up to the PM’s trip to the US in February last while launching development projects worth `53,400 crore, highlighting India’s growth amid regional threats. “India’s fight is against terror from across the border, not against the people of Pakistan,” he said while addressing a public rally at Bhuj. “I want to ask the people of Pakistan—what have you gained? Today, India is the world’s fourth-largest economy . Where are you? Who destroyed the future of your children? Who forced you to wander from place to place?” Modi asked. He accused the Pakistani establishment of exploiting terrorism for profit. “The masterminds of terrorism and the people of Pakistan must listen—your government and army are promoting terrorism. For them, terrorism has become a source of income,” the prime minister said. Calling on Pakistan’s citizens to reflect on their nation’s path, he stated, “You must now decide—does this path benefit you? Will the power games your leaders are playing help your children’s future?” Modi also issued a stern warning: “To rid Pakistan of terrorism, its people and youth must rise. Choose a life of peace and prosperity—or else face Modi’s bullet.” Family members of Col Sofiya Qureshi shower flower petals on Prime Minister Narendra Modi during a Vadodara roadshow | PTI To avoid protesters, Manipur guv flies 7 km to Raj Bhavan P r a s a n ta M a z u m d a r @ Guwahati Amid stepped up protests, Manipur Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla was forced to travel a distance of barely 7 km in a chopper to go to Raj Bhavan from the Imphal airport on Monday After he landed in Imphal . from Delhi where he attended the Rising Northeast Investors Summit, an army chopper took him to the historic Kangla Fort. From there, he covered the remaining 300 metres to the Raj Bhavan by road amid heightened security . Hundreds of protesters had formed a human A K Bhalla chain on the airport road following a call by a Meitei outfit to hold mass protests against the alleged instruction by security personnel to conceal the words ‘Manipur State Transport’ displayed on a state-run bus in which a media team was travelling recently . External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar briefs a parliamentary panel, in New Delhi on Monday | PTI Jaishankar clears the air, says Islamabad told 30 mins after op J aya n t h J a c o b @ New Delhi External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Monday firmly denied allegations that India had warned Pakistan ahead of Operation Sindoor, asserting that the Director General of Military Operations (DGMO) informed Islamabad only after the air strikes on terrorist camps were completed. In a briefing to a parliamentary panel, Jaishankar clarified the timeline: Pakistan was notified about the strikes on terror camps in the early hours of May 7 — roughly 30 minutes after the operation concluded, he said. The remarks came in response to repeated allegations by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, who accused Jaishankar of tipping off Pakistan prior to the strike. The government had earlier dismissed the claim as “misrepresentation of facts”. “The Foreign Secretary was briefed on the 1.30 am operation, which was followed by a Press Information Bureau statement. Thereafter, the DGMO told his counterpart in Pakistan about the operation,” Jaishankar said. TDP show in Jagan’s turf YSR Kadapa turns yellow: Mahanadu set to begin today E x p r ess Ne w s S e r v i c e @ Kadapa The stage is set for the Telugu Desam Party’s (TDP) annual three-day Mahanadu conclave, beginning on Tuesday at Pabbapuram Layout near Kadapa town. This is the first time in 43 years that the event is being held in Kadapa. TDP leaders are determined to make this year’s conclave, concluding on May 29, to be unique, groundbreaking, and memorable compared to past editions. Following the NDA’s significant electoral victory in the undivided Kadapa district in last year’s elections, TDP leaders wanted to assert the party’s dominance in the home district of YSRCP leader and former Chief Minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy . Massive security arrangements involving 5,000 police personnel have been made to ensure the smooth conduct of the event. The Mahanadu is taking place on a 145-acre site at Pabbapuram Layout on the outskirts of Kadapa. TDP leaders assert that the scale and style of this Mahanadu will surpass all previous editions. The three-day conclave will culminate in a massive public meeting, expected to draw over five lakh attendees. The selection of Kadapa, former CM Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy’s native district, holds symbolic importance for the party TDP aims to assert its resurgence in the . region, especially after the NDA’s sweeping success in the 2024 general elections, where it won 7 out of 10 Assembly seats in the undivided Kadapa district. Party leaders are using this opportunity to showcase their strength and send a strong message from what was once a YSRCP stronghold. Under the guidance of TDP National President N Chandrababu Naidu and General Secretary Nara Lokesh, the event is being organized by Politburo member R Srinivasulu Reddy and P4 supervised by State President P Srinivas Rao. POCSO case against Bhushan A Delhi court on Monday accepted police closure report to cancel the sexual harassment case against ex-WFI chief Brij Bhushan respite from summer Early onset of SW monsoon brings cheers to ryots S G u r u S r i k a n t h @ Vijayawada The Southwest monsoon arrived in Andhra Pradesh’s Rayalaseema region on Monday, May 26, nine days ahead of its usual June 4 onset, marking the earliest arrival since 2009. This follows last year’s slightly early onset on June 2. Historical data from the India Meteorological Department (IMD) notes the earliest monsoon onset over Kerala on May 17, 1988, with Andhra Pradesh typically seeing monsoon rains SW monsoon onset and withdrawal over AP Years Date of onset Date of withdrawal from AP 2025 26th May — 2024 2nd June 15th Oct Madhav K 2023 11th June 19th Oct 2–3 days later. The 2009 onset occurred on May 23 over Kerala, reaching Andhra Pradesh shortly after. Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu celebrated the early monsoon as a “positive devel- 2022 13th June 23rd Oct 2021 04th June 25th Oct 2020 07th June 28th Oct 2019 20th June 16th Oct opment” for Andhra Pradesh’s agriculture-dependent economy In an ‘X’ post, Naidu shared . an image of farmers transplanting rice in a lush, waterlogged field at sunset, emphasizing the vital role of rainfall for farmers. “In an agriculture-based state like ours, abundant rains are essential for our farmers’ prosperity he said, expressing ,” hope that the IMD’s forecast of widespread rainfall in the coming days will bring relief to the P4 farming community  . Eight youths go missing in Godavari river E x p r ess Ne w s S e r v i c e @ Kakinada Eight youngsters are feared to have drowned in the River Godavari at Kaminilanka in Mummidivaram mandal on Monday while taking a bath. A group of 11 youths from Kakinada, Ramachandrapuram, and Mandapeta had come to attend a wedding reception at Sherilanka village in K Gangavaram mandal. They later ventured into the Godavari River at Kaminilanka for a bath. Due to the river’s depth, eight of them reportedly drowned. Of the 11, three managed to swim back to the riverbank, while the remaining eight went missing. The trio tried to rescue their friends but were unsuccessful. Rescue operations are currently underway . Expressing shock over the incident, Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu directed the Konaseema District Collector to intensify search and rescue efP4 forts.