BELAGAVI l friday l september 05, 2025 l `9.00 l PAGES 14 l LATE CITY EDITION Armani, who built $10 billion global fashion empire, dies Italian designer Giorgio Armani, one of the most iconic names in the contemporary fashion, died at his home on Thursday at the age of 91 Giorgio Armani 11 July 1934 - 4 sept 2025 A favourite of many hollywood a-listers Armani’s fashion empire spanned clothing, accessories, perfumes, home furnishings, cosmetics, books, chocolates, and more. His designs graced over 200 films and became a red carpet staple, dressing stars like Anne Hathaway, Brad Pitt, George Clooney, and Jodie Foster. Recently, his health made headlines after he missed Milan Fashion Week in June ■ 50 his designs Redefined elegance ■ In 1975, Armani and his partner Sergio Galeotti sold their car for $10,000 to launch their own menswear ready-to-wear label The first breakthrough came in the late 1970s with the creation of the liningless sports jacket, embodying his vision of relaxed, understated elegance. It was an immediate success in the West | P11 years since Armani founded his fashion empire 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 NIRF RANKING IIT Madras retains top slot overall, IISc comes in 2nd Peace deal done with Kuki-Zos After over 2 years, NH-2 to be opened for the free movement of commuters and essential goods Express News Service @ New Delhi Terms of agreement The Kuki National Organisation and United People’s Front agreed to 1 Relocate 7 designated camps away from areas vulnerable to conflict 2 3 4 Reduce the number of designated camps Relocate the weapons with nearest CRPF/BSF camps Stringent physical verification of cadres by security forces to de-list foreign nationals, if any K’taka wants SEC to switch to ballot papers for local body polls D eva ra j B H i r e h a l l i @ Bengaluru The Karnataka cabinet on Thursday decided to recommend to the State Election Commission to revise the voters’ list and hold all upcoming local bodies’ polls in Karnataka, including the five corporations under Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA), using ballot papers instead of EVMs. The Congress government’s decision comes soon after Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi concluded his 16-day ‘Voter Adhikar Yatra’ in poll-bound Bihar. On August 8, Rahul had held a protest against the Centre and ECI in Bengaluru, alleging ‘vote theft’ in Bengaluru Central LS constituency. It is MUDA: Desai report gives clean chit to CM The cabinet on Thursday approved the Justice PN Desai Commission report on alleged irregularities in the Mysuru Urban Development Authority. “The report said there is no evidence against CM Siddaramaiah and his family members,” said Law Minister H K Patil | P4 being interpreted as the State government sending out a message to the Central government and pitching the State Election Commission (SEC), an independent agency, against the Election Commission of India (ECI), which insisted that Rahul Gandhi file an affidavit to support his allegations. “The Cabinet recommends that the State Election Commission prepare the voters’ list and hold local bodies elections, including the GBA, with ballot papers. There is an erosion of confidence and credibility among people towards EVMs. The cabinet has decided to make necessary laws by amending the existing Acts,” Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister HK Patil told the media after the cabinet meeting. He said the amended Acts will be placed before the cabinet in 15 days, and then sent for the governor’s approval. Patil defended the move, saying it has evolved from people’s opinion, the decline in credibility of EVMs, and complaints of malpractices in the voters’ list, especially the inclusion of non-existent voters.  P4 disasters in north Illegal tree felling may have led to floods, says SC Express News Service @ New Delhi Taking serious note of the devastating landslides and flash floods in northern parts of the country, the Supreme Court on Thursday sought the stand of the Centre, National Disaster Management Authority and others, while noting that “illegal felling of trees led to the disasters”. A bench of Chief Justice B R Gavai and Justice K Vinod Chandran also issued notices to the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, the Na- forcement of ground rules, the statement said, adding violations will be dealt with firmly, including review of the SoO pact. The Kuki-Zo council, an umbrella group of Kuki-Zo groups, is yet to issue a formal statement. Since May 3, 2023, after ethnic clashes broke out, the state has been divided on ethnic lines with Meiteis restricted to the valley districts and Kuki-Zo people in the hills. The first tripartite SoO agreement was signed in August 2008 and renewed every year till February 28, 2024, when the renewal was kept in abeyance following allegations that the insurgent group was indulging in ethnic clashes and providing training to village defence volunteers, a charge the groups denied. While former chief minister Biren Singh and his MLAs wanted the SoO agreement cancelled, Kuki-Zo groups and their legislators requested the Centre to renew the pact. tional Highway Authorities of India as well as the governments of Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Jammu and Kashmir, and Punjab. “We have seen unprecedented landslides and floods in Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh and Punjab. From the media reports it is noticed that in the flood a huge number of wood was flowing along. Prima facie it appears that there has been illegal felling of trees. Thus issue notice to respondents,” the CJI said, adding that a balance ought to be struck between development and environment. ‘Strike balance between development, nature’ Chief Justice of India B R Gavai said state governments need to strike a fine balance between pushing development projects and protecting environment The SC was hearing a plea filed by environmentalist Anamika Rana seeking guidelines and an inquiry to prevent ecological disasters and to protect Himalayan states, particularly in view of re- curring landslides and flashfloods. During the hearing, the CJI asked Solicitor General Tushar Mehta to take note of the grim situation and ensure remedial steps. “A large number of wooden logs are seen to be falling around. It shows illegal felling of trees,” the CJI said. Mehta said he would take up the matter with the environment ministry urgently The CJI said . he noticed the seriousness of the issue and posted the matter for hearing after two weeks. From the media reports it is noticed that in the flood a huge number of wood was flowing along. Prima facie it appears that there has been illegal felling of trees — B R Gavai, Chief Justice of India 11 killed As landslides hit himachal At least eleven people were buried under heavy debris and mud after a landslide struck Inner Akhara bazaar in Kullu district of Himachal Pradesh early Thursday. One body has been recovered | P10 More power to Tejas 1 Talks with GE for 113 F404 aero engines over, pact to be signed by September-end 2 They are for additional Tejas Mark1As. Govt approved procuring 97 Mk1As in August File Photo: Tejas The Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Madras has retained the top slot in the overall category of rankings in the National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF) 2025 for the seventh straight year. At the second and third positions in the ‘overall’ rankings are IISc Bengaluru and IIT Bombay IIT Delhi has secured . the fourth position. The rankings, released by Union education minister Dhar mendra Pradhan on Thursday, ranked IIT Madras as the best in engineering, innovation, and the newly introduced sustainable development goals categories. This is the 10th consecutive year that IIT-M has been ranked the best engineering institute in the country . Among universities, IISc Bengaluru has bagged the top spot, while the Jawaharlal Nehru University and Manipal Academy of Higher Education have secured the second and the third positions, respectively. Karnataka-based Manipal Academy of Higher Education is also the first private institution to feature in the top three of the NIRF rankings. The National Law School of India University, Bengaluru, has been ranked the best law college in India. The National Law University, Delhi, and NALSAR University of Law, Hyderabad, have retained the second and third spots, respectively . In the management institution category IIM Ahmedabad , has come on top, while IIM Bangalore has been ranked the second best. The best institution for medical education, according to the ranking, is AIIMS Delhi. talks with Kuki-Zo insurgent groups to renegotiate the terms In a major breakthrough ahead and conditions of the SoO. of Prime Minister Narendra MoAs per the tripartite SoO agreedi’s proposed visit to Manipur, ment signed by the Centre, Mathe Union Ministry of Home Af- nipur government and Kuki-Zo fairs (MHA) on Thursday arrived groups on Thursday, the territoat an agreement with the Kuki-Zo rial integrity of Manipur will be insurgent groups to renew the maintained. “The parties under Suspension of Operations (SoO). the pact agree for relocation of 7 It also persuaded them to open designated camps of militants National Highway-2 that was away from areas vulnerable blocked for Meitei people for to conflict in Manipur and PM’s the last two years since the also agree for a negotiated ethnic clashes broke out in Manipur solution to bring lasting the state on May 3, 2023. peace, stability to Mavisit In an official statement, nipur,” the Union home the government said the deministry said. cisions came after a series of The Kuki-Zo Council decidmeetings between officials of the ed to open National Highway-2, MHA and a delegation of the Ku- which passes through Manipur, ki-Zo Council (KZC) over the past for free movement of commuters, few days here. Kuki National Or- essential goods, the statement ganisation (KNO) spokesperson said, adding the Council has comSeilen Haokip confirmed to me- mitted to cooperate with security dia persons that the agreement forces to maintain peace along had been signed. the National Highway . Over the last two years, the A Joint Monitoring Group will MHA had been regularly holding henceforth closely monitor enMU K ES H RA N JA N @ New Delhi A couple of LCA MK1s would be delivered to the Indian Air Force in October this year 3 Another deal for GE engines soon MAYA N K SI N G H @ New Delhi India intends to soon sign a contract with American giant General Electric to procure 113 F404 aero engines for the advanced version of the light combat aircraft (LCA) Tejas Mark1A. The deal is in addition to a previous one for F404s for which supplies are on, though there was a brief hiccup attributed to supply chain issues, when US President Donald Trump’s tariff terror first kicked in. Sources in the Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) said that “negotiations with GE has been completed and the contract will be signed at the end of this month.” In August, the Cabinet Committee on Security gave its approval for 97 LCA Mk1A jets to be manufactured by HAL at a cost of around `67,000 crore. Meanwhile, a couple of LCA MK1s would be delivered to the Indian Air Force (IAF) in October this year, another source in the HAL said. “Ten aircraft have already been built and are being tested. The first delivery will take place in October, with one aircraft from Nashik already ready for handover,” he said. The Mk1A has completed weapons integration trials, including the firing of Astra and ASRAM missiles. Besides the F404s, India has already procured 10 F414 engines from GE, sources said. They will be used to develop prototypes of the Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA) and the Twin Engine Deck Based Fighters (TEDBF) for the Navy . As for Tejas Mk2, it is scheduled to be rolled out in 2027, while 83 Mk1A fighters are expected by 2029. The Mk1A is expected to play an important role in mitigating the decrease in combat jets and the overall drop in the combat squadrons. Putin raps Don’s colonial tactics against India Express News Service @ New Delhi Russian President Vladimir Putin has sharply criticised US President Donald Trump for employing what he described as “colonial-era” pressure tactics against global powers like India and China. Speaking to the media in Beijing on Wednesday, where he was attending China’s Victory Day parade, Putin took aim at Trump’s aggressive economic policies, warning that such an approach undermines diplomacy with sovereign nations. “Powerful economies” like India and China, with heavy populations, have their domestic political mechanism and laws,” Putin Vladimir Putin said, stressing that these countries are not to be treated as subordinates. “When somebody tells you, they are going to punish you, you have to think about the leadership of those countries, those big countries, which have difficult periods of their history too, will react.” “You have to understand that if one of them shows weakness, his political career will be over, so that influences his behaviour,” Putin added. “The colonial era is over. They have to realise they cannot use this term when speaking with their partners,” he said, criticising Trump’s approach and his apparent lack of understanding.