visakhapatnam l sunday l august 17, 2025 l `12.00 l PAGES 24 l late city EDITION flashfloods wreak havoc in pak, 344 dead maximum damage in khyber pakhtunkhwa The toll from monsoon rains that have triggered flashfloods across northern Pakistan rose to 344 on Saturday The majority of the deaths were recorded in mountainous Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province. Most were killed in flash floods and collapsing houses. Torrential rains, which triggered the flash floods, are expected to continue intermittently until August 21, according to the Provincial Disaster Management Authority’s weather note on Saturday blocked highways being restored ■ The affected districts include Bajaur, Buner, Swat, Manaehra, Shangla, Torghar, and Batagram. Buner was the worst-hit, recording 184 deaths, followed by Shangla’s 36 deaths | P9 ■ Instructions have also been issued to mobilise all resources for restoration of blocked highways and link roads in tourist areas 2,000 workers deployed for rescue and relief operations 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 Some positives for India as Trump open to secondary tariff rethink US prez nudges Putin towards peace deal at summit, lines up Monday talks with Zelenskyy B M u r a l i @ Tirumala J aya n t h J a c o b a n d P u s h p i ta De y @ New Delhi A high-stakes summit between US President Donald Trump and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin on Friday produced no ceasefire in Ukraine but shifted the diplomatic narrative toward a possible peace deal — one that remains vague, contested, and fraught with uncertainty . For India, caught in the crosshairs of the looming US penalty tariffs over Russian oil imports, the suspense now tilts slightly toward hope. The nearly three-hour summit in Alaska, the first face-toface meeting between the two leaders since Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022, ended with Trump calling for a direct peace pact between Kyiv and Moscow, bypassing the ceasefire route long advocated by Ukraine and its Western allies. “It was determined by all that the best way to end the horrific war... is to go directly to a Peace Agreement, and not a mere Ceasefire,” Trump said on social media. Calling Russia a “very big power” and Ukraine “not”, Trump urged Kyiv to “make a deal”, suggesting that continued resistance might be futile. He said he would host Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at the White House on Monday and if that went well, , would schedule a follow-up meeting with Putin. “Potentially millions of people’s lives will , be saved,” he said. Stree Shakti Day One: 12 Lakh Women Travel Free E x p r e s s N e w s Se r v i c e @ Vijayawada The Stree Shakti scheme, providing free travel to women in RTC buses, launched on Friday by the coalition government, has become a grand success, with over 12 lakh women passengers traveling within 30 hours. According to sources, there was a tremendous response from all parts of the state for the free bus ride to women, one of the promises under the much-publicized Super Six. Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu reviewed the implementation of the scheme from time to time and issued necessary instructions to officials. Women saved up to Rs 5 crore by utilizing the free travel in RTC buses on the very first day the scheme was rolled out. As per requests made by women passengers, the Chief Minister directed officials to allow free travel to women on buses operated on ghat roads. Initially the RTC management , did not permit free travel to women on buses running on ghat roads due to overload concerns. However, following the Chief Minister’s directions, the RTC decided to extend the free ride to women on buses running on ghat roads. With the possibility of more women, particularly employees, traveling in RTC buses from Monday (August 18), officials were told to make arrangements accordingly Apart from . Aadhaar cards, the government will also allow other identity cards proving the locality of P4 women for free travel.  Tirumala Laddu sales soar: 4L units sold daily with enhanced quality He (Putin) lost an oil client, so to speak, which is India, which was doing about 40% of the oil. China, as you know, is doing a lot…And if I did what's called a secondary sanction, or a secondary tariff, it would be very devastating from their standpoint. If I have to do it, I'll do it. Maybe I won't have to do it Donald Trump US President Donald Trump (C) and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin shake hands after a joint press meet in Alaska | AFP India welcomed the summit terming the pursuit of peace is commendable. MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said, “India appreciates the progress made in the Summit. The way forward can only be through dialogue and diplomacy. The world wants to see an early end to the conflict in Ukraine.” Zelenskyy, while cautious, said after a long call with Trump that Ukraine was ready for “constructive cooperation” and supported the idea of a trilateral summit. But Moscow was non-committal. In a post-summit interview with Fox News, Trump indicated that land swaps and security guarantees were part of the informal talks. “I think we’re pretty close to a deal... Ukraine has to agree to it. Maybe they’ll say no,” he said. For India, the lack of a definitive ceasefire or framework complicates matters. But it doesn’t close the door. T r ump had earlier announced a 25% secondary tariff on Indian purchases of Russian oil, set to take effect on August 27. But in remarks after the summit, he signalled the measure might be delayed. It’s a dud National Medical Register is no more mandatory cent of doctors had enrolled @ New Delhi on the platform by May . In a written reply to a THE government’s ambi- question in the Lok Sabha tious National Medical Reg- by Samajwadi Party MP ister (NMR), launched last Aditya Yadav, MoS (Health) year with the aim of creat- Anupriya Patel confirmed ing a centralised and on August 8 that dynamic database NMR registration of modern medicine was no longer manpractitioners in the datory “The applica. country has failed to , tion for issuance of take off. Less than a NMR is voluntary,” year after it was she stated in Parliamade mandatory, m e n t . Ya d av h a d IMA’s the Union Health posed his question concerns Ministry has quietly based on a report The Indian rolled back the republished in this Medical quirement, declarnewspaper earlier Association ing registration as this year, which had raised voluntary . highlighted the poor The NMR portal, concerns about response to the reglaunched on August the redundancy istration drive. 23, 2024, by Union of the process, As per an RTI rehealth minister J P and urged the ply received by KerNMC to Nadda, was billed as ala-based ophthala big leap to ensure streamline the mologist and RTI system transparency and activist Dr K V Babu, verification in Inonly 996 doctors had dia’s medical workforce. registered on the NMR porThis paper on May 1 was tal as of August 8 — of over the first to report that the 13 lakh doctors in India.“This NMR portal was largely un- move is welcome. But it does successful in registering not absolve National Medimodern medicine practi- cal Commission (NMC) of tioners. Less than one per its failure,” Dr Babu said. K a v i ta B a j e l i D at t express read 3 held for `353 crore investment fraud Vijayawada: Vijayawada police have unearthed a massive investment fraud allegedly run through a fake animation company and arrested 3 persons in connection with the scam on Saturday. The accused were found duping investors to the tune of nearly `353 crore | P3 US team may defer Aug 25 India visit New Delhi: A US team, which was scheduled to visit India from August 25, for the next round of negotiations for the proposed bilateral trade agreement is likely to defer the meeting to a later date, an official said. The negotiations were scheduled from August 25-29 “Because of what happened today... I don’t have to think about that right now. I may have to think about it in 2–3 weeks,” he told Fox News, implying that the tariff deadline could quietly lapse. “It’s still fingers crossed. But we are ready to deal with any eventuality in our national interest,” said a source. However, Trump’s additional claim that India had “already stopped buying Russian oil” raised eyebrows. New Delhi made no such announcement and continues to defend its sovereign right to energy diversification. The iconic Tirumala Laddu, a sacred of fering to Lord Venkateswara and a symbol of divine grace at the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD), has achieved a historic milestone. For the entire month of July 2025, the production and sale of laddus surpassed an unprecedented 4 lakh per day, a feat attributed to rigorous quality control measures, enhanced staffing and improved incentives under the current TTD administration. The Tirumala Laddu, cherished by devotees as a blessed prasadam, is more than just a sweet—it embodies centuries of tradition and devotion. Official records reveal that TTD produced 1,25,10,300 laddus and sold 1,24,40,082 in July generat, ing a revenue of `62.2 crore. This remarkable achievement marks a significant leap from the past, when such sales were typically seen only during major festivals like Brahmotsavam. The TTD, under the leadership of Trust Board Chairman BR Naidu and Executive Officer J Shyamala Rao, has implemented key reforms to enhance production efficiency and quality Three months ago, the Trust . Board approved the addition of 84 workers, bringing the total workforce involved in laddu production to approximately 1,150. This includes 700 Potu workers (Brahmin cooks), 209 exclusive sales staff, office person- Divine Success streamlined Enhanced coordination among Potu workers has streamlined operations, ensuring optimal conditions. The TTD’s focus on devotee satisfaction has transformed the Tirumala Laddu into a daily phenomenon nel, ingredient truck loaders, unloaders, tray cleaners, and technical staff managing gas plants and ghee supply lines. The administration also alleviated financial burdens on workers by removing GST from their wages and increasing wa g es, fostering g reater dedication. Assistant Executive Officer (AEO) Munirathnam, under the supervision of Additional EO Venkaiah Choudhary over, sees critical quality checks, including the sugar syrup density, texture, and ingredient proportions, such as cashew, raisins, cardamom, and sugar candy. These checks occur twice daily to ensure consistency addressing past criticisms , about ingredient quality  P4 . Special NCERT module on Partition gets Cong’s goat P r ee t h a N a i r @ New Delhi A political row broke out on Saturday over a new special module by the National Council of Education Research and Training (NCERT), which holds the Congress leadership, Muhammad Ali Jinnah, and Viceroy Lord Mountbatten responsible for Partition of India. The module, released by NCERT to mark ‘Partition Horrors Remembrance Day’, drew the ire of the Congress, which demanded that the module be set on fire as it presents a distorted history . Speaking to reporters on Saturday, Congress leader Pawan Khera said, “Is 1938 mentioned or not in the NCERT module? In 1938, the Hindu Mahasabha’s national conference in Gujarat announced that Hindus and Muslims could not live in one country. Is 1940 mentioned in the module?” he asked. In 1940, Jinnah adopted the Hindu Mahasabha’s idea at the Muslim Three elements “On August 15, 1947, India was divided. But this was not the doing of any one person. There were three elements responsible...: Jinnah, who demanded it; second, the Congress, which accepted it; and third, Mountbatten, who implemented it. But Mountbatten proved to be guilty of a major blunder,” the NCERT module said League’s Lahore session. “It was mooted in 1938 by the Hindu Mahasabha, and Jinnah repeated it in 1940,” he said. “Burn the document if all this is not mentioned in it. Partition happened due to the nexus between Hindu Mahasabha and Muslim League. Generations will not forgive them,” he said, adding that Mahasabha-Muslim League coalition governments in Bengal, Sindh and North West Frontier Province (NWFP) after 1942, led to Partition. Responding to the Congress’ allegations, BJP spokesperson Gaurav Bhatia said Rahul Gandhi’s ‘appeasement politics’ mirrors Jinnah’s divisive ideology. “NCERT has brought the truth of Partition to textbooks. The Rahul-Jinnah party is rattled because their role is exposed,” Bhatia said. NCERT published two separate modules — one for Classes 6 to 8 and another for Classes 9 to 12. These are supplementary resources in English and Hindi, not part of regular textbooks, and are meant to be used through projects, posters, discussions and debates. The module quotes Jinnah as saying he never thought Partition would happen. “Later, even Jinnah admitted that he had not expected Partition to happen. He told his aide, ‘I never thought it would happen. I never expected to see Pakistan in my lifetime’,” it said. Suspected JeM member arrested in Dharmavaram E x p r e s s N e w s Se r v i c @ Anantapur/Vijayawada In a joint operation carried out based on specific intelligence that several Muslim youths were being lured into terrorist activities, the Intelligence Bureau (IB), National Investigation Agency (NIA), and Dharmavaram police on Saturday nabbed a person named Noor Mohammed Sheik, suspected to be a member of the banned Jaishe-Mohammed (JeM), a Pakistan-based jihadist Islamic group. During the operation, police raided his house and seized 19 SIM cards of different numbers from his possession. The arrested youth, Noor, is suspected of having close ties with terrorist groups and was an active member of several WhatsApp groups posting antinational posts and messages. Speaking to media persons, In-charge Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) U Narsingappa said the arrested youth resides in Kota Colony in Dharmavaram town and works as a cook in a hotel in the same town. While monitoring potential terrorist activities in the region, NIA officials observed Noor’s suspicious activities and immediately kept a P4 watch on him.  W I T H T H I S I SS U E Code Green PLUS 12 P AGES New ‘injury replacement’ rule for domestic cricket g o me s h s @ Chennai IN what could be a major rule change for the upcoming 202526 domestic season, the Indian cricket body has made provisions for ‘serious injury replacement’ for multi-day redball cricket. This rule change comes after the ICC announcement in June that full-member nations will trial replacement players for domestic first-class cricket. Unlike the past where a likefor-like replacement was allowed only for concussion sub- How it works When a player suffers an external injury (fracture, deep cut, etc.) within the playing area and gets ruled out of the match, the onfield umpires have the authority to determine extent of the injury. They can consult match referee and doctor to determine The team manager submits a request for a like-for-like replacement as soon as possible to the match referee The referee determines whether it is a valid replacement or one team gets an advantage before approving stitutes, if a player suffers an external injury on the field they can be replaced by the respective teams. This change, along with a few others, was The names should be from nominated substitutes unless it is a keeper briefed to the umpires during a seminar in Ahmedabad ahead of the season. “The serious injury must have been sustained during play and within the playing area described in clause 1.2.5.2 above. The injury must have occurred due to an external blow and result in fracture / deep cut / dislocation etc. The injury should render player unavailable for remainder of the match,” the new playing conditions document reads. Last month when Rishabh Pant fractured his foot and could not be replaced during the Manchester Test between India and England, it sparked a debate on the subject. Dhruv Jurel kept wickets but was not P11 allowed to bat.