thrissur l Sunday l september 21, 2025 l `12.00 l PAGES 24 l city edition Check-In Systems Paralysed by Cyberattack Across Europe Attack on check-in and boarding systems affected air traffic and caused delays at several major airports in Europe on Saturday Collins Aerospace MUSE software affected Collins Aerospace, whose systems help passengers check themselves in, print boarding passes and bag tags and dispatch their luggage from a kiosk, cited a “cyber-related disruption” to its MUSE (Multi-User System Environment) software at “select airports.” Collins is an aviation and defense technology company that is a subsidiary of RTX Corp 9 Brussels, Berlin Brandenburg targets Disruptions at Brussels, Berlin Brandenburg, and London Heathrow airports forced check-in and boarding to be carried out manually ■ Airports said the issue centered around a provider of check-in and boarding systems — not airlines or the airports themselves. Heathrow, Europe’s busiest airport, said the disruption has been “minimal” ■ Flights cancelled , 15 faced delays at Brussels Airport 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 Dadasaheb Phalke Award for Mohanlal E x p r e s s N e w s S e r v i c e @ Kochi Malayalam cinema icon Mohanlal has been chosen for the Dadasaheb Phalke Award 2023. The nation’s highest recognition in cinema marks the crowning glory of the thespian’s illustrious career that has spanned more than four decades. Announcing the honour on Saturday, the ministry of information and broadcasting, in a post on X, said, “Mohanlal’s remarkable cinematic journey inspires generations. His unmatched talent, versatility, and relentless hard work have set a golden standard in Indian film history The award will be con.” ferred at the 71st National Film Awards ceremony on September 23. Reacting to the accolade on Facebook, Mohanlal posted, “Truly humbled to receive the Dadasaheb Phalke Award. This honour is not mine alone, it belongs to every person who has walked alongside me on this journey To . my family audience, colleagues, , friends, and well wishers, your love, faith, and encouragement have been my greatest strength and have shaped who I am today . I carry this recognition with deep gratitude and a full heart.” Congratulating the actor, This honour is not mine alone, it belongs to every person who has walked alongside me on this journey. I carry this recognition with deep gratitude — Mohanlal Prime Minister Narendra Modi said Mohanlal epitomises “excellence and versatility” and has been a “leading light of Malayalam cinema” while also excelling in other languages. Hailing the recognition, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan posted on X: “A truly deserving recognition for his extraordinary contributions to Indian cinema. This proud moment brings joy to every Malayali and to our nation as a whole.” In total, Mohanlal has won five national awards, including two best actor honours, nine Kerala state film awards, and several Filmfare awards. He was con- I don’t want you! Historically, the US was letting in the bottom quartile, earning $66,000 a year, often needing government assistance. It was illogical. This programme will now only admit people at the very top. If someone is that valuable, companies can pay $100,000 a year. If not, they can hire an American —Howard Lutnick, US Commerce Secy 2.8L Indian jobs on the line as Trump slaps $1L H-1B fee S a n a l S u d e v a n / D i pa k M o n d a l @ Chennai/New Delhi Will soon reveal ‘H-bomb’ to expose ‘vote theft’: Rahul E x p r e s s N e w s S e r v i c e @Kalpetta Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, once again claimed that he will soon reveal a ‘hydrogen bomb’ that will prove vote theft by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the BJP . Speaking to reporters in Wayanad on Saturday Rahul , lashed out at the Election Commission of India. He alleged that even after repeated requests from the CID in Karnataka, the EC has not provided information regarding the phone calls related to the ‘vote theft’ allegations. “Once the details come out, the people of India will no longer have any doubt that Narendra Modi has done ‘vote chori’,” he said. “All the allegations raised in the press meet have blackand-white proof. There is a CID investigation going on in Karnataka on the issue. The CID has specifically asked the Election Commission for information regarding the phone numbers associated with the ‘vote chori” ● More on P5 he added.  ferred the Padma Shri in 2001 and the Padma Bhushan in 2019. In 2009, he was also inducted as an honorary lieutenant colonel in the Territorial Army the first , Indian actor to receive the distinction. Even after four decades, Mohanlal continues to redefine excellence. From Drishyam to recent hits like Lucifer, and L2: Empuraan, he is not only an enduring superstar but also a constantly evolving artist — an icon whose journey inspires audiences and filmmakers alike, proving that his cinematic peak is far from behind him. P2 The Trump administration on Saturday imposed a fee of $1,00,000 per year on each H-1B visa holder, dealing a body blow to the 2,83,397 (71%) skilled technology workers from India, as per 2024 data. At 71%, India was the largest beneficiary of H-1B last year, while China was a distant second at 12%. “We need great workers, and this pretty much ensures that that’s what’s going to happen,” Trump said at the Oval Office as Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick stood by The new rule . would raise the cost of sponsoring an Indian H-1B worker from the current $215 to a staggering $100,000 per year or up to $600,000 over a six-year visa period. The Trump administration says the fee is designed to ensure that only “extraordinary” workers are let in. TCS accounted for over 5,505 H-1B visas granted for fiscal year 2025 (October 2024-September 2025), followed by Cognizant (3,700), Infosys (2,004), LTIMindtree (1,807), and HCL Tech (1,728). In 2025, TCS was the second-largest recipient of H-1B visas after Amazon, which received approvals for 10,000. Pew Research notes that since 2010, a majority of H-1B approvals each year went to workers born in India. It added that since fiscal 2012, about 60% or more of H-1B workers approved each year held computer-related jobs. In 2023, the share was 65%, with these workers reporting a median annual salary of $1,23,600. Nasscom, the apex body of India’s technology industry, said the steep increase in H-1B visa fees will have a ripple effect on America’s innovation ecosystem and the job market. “It will also impact Indian nationals working in the US on H-1B visas for both global and Indian companies. India’s technology services companies will face business continuity challenges for onshore projects,” it said. Nasscom also flagged the timeline for implementation as a major concern, since the new rules apply to anyone entering the US after 12.01 am on September 21. “A one-day deadline creates considerable uncertainty for businesses, professionals, and students across the world. Policy changes of this scale are best introduced with adequate transition periods,” it added. IT services exports to the US generate around $100 billion in revenue for India, and Trump’s latest move could disrupt this (see box). Although Indian IT firms have increased local hiring in the US, the revised visa fee is expected to have a short-term impact. Some companies may even consider recalling employees to India. Another concern is wage pressure in India’s IT industry if employees return. Yogeesha Channabasappa, an IT consultant, said, “With more people competing for India-based roles, wage growth may flatten in the short run.” EXPRESS READ SIR faces oppn from Cong, CPM in state T’Puram: All major political parties, barring the BJP, in Kerala have registered their opposition towards conducting the Summary Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in the state at a meeting convened by Chief Electoral Officer (CEO)-Kerala Ratan Kelkar here on Saturday. The timing of holding the exercise in the coming months, when the local body elections are scheduled to be held in the state, was the major point of opposition raised by the parties, including CPM and the Congress. P5 Top H1B beneficiaries IT firms 2025 5,005 Cognizant 3,660 Infosys 2,004 LTIMindtree 1,807 HCL 1,728 Wipro 1,523 TCS U.S. revenue for major Indian IT cos % US revenue TCS Infosys HCL Tech Wipro Tech  Mahindra 48% 58% 66% 63% 51% Stunned techies scramble to US, scrap fly out plan Invokes Bhagavad Gita At Ayyappa meet, Pinarayi makes a political statement s l a l i t h a @ New Delhi THE abrupt announcement by the US to levy an annual fee of `88.13 lakh on H1-B visa holders from September 21, with a mere 36-hour window, stunned Indian techies living in the US as well as those planning to visit the country . Plans to travel outside America or in the return direction have been abruptly cancelled or advanced by hundreds of them and their families. While many cancelled plans to travel at the last minute while waiting to board flights to India, several others already in India are scrambling to return amid lack of clarity as the US fiat comes weeks before Indian professionals and their families travel to India for Diwali and other holidays. Atal Agarwal, founder of OpenSphere, an AI company that offers Global Mobility Services for Immigrants, told this paper from Canada that he was inundated with messages for help from Indians in the US. “Never in modern history has a policy affecting 500K+ highly skilled workers been implemented with a 48-hr notice ... Airports are flooded. Flight prices are skyrocketing.” Airfares from New Delhi to the US were in excess of $4,500 on a private airline’s portal. Communication sent to staff by Amazon, Facebook and Microsoft urged employees to stay put in the US while asking those outside to return before the deadline. Individuals on H-1B visas told a news agency anonymously that the underlying emotion among H-1B visa holders and families right now is “a crazy sense of panic and worry”. Has humanitarian consequences: MEA New Delhi: INDIA on Saturday said it is closely studying the full implication of the US decision to impose a $100,000 annual fee on H-1B visas, warning that the move could cause “humanitarian consequences” and disrupt families. In a measured response, External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said: “The full implications of the measure are being studied by all concerned, including by Indian industry, which has already put out an initial analysis clarifying some P7 perceptions related to the H1B program.”  Travancore Devaswom Board president P S Prasanth handing over an Ayyappa idol to Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan during the inauguration of the Global Ayyappa Sangamam at Pampa on Saturday | Shaji Vettipuram J a i s o n W i l s o n @ Pathnamthitta Quoting from Bhagavad Gita to delineate qualities of a true devotee and pitching Sabarimala as a rare shrine that embodies secular spirituality, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Saturday donned an all-new avatar. In an earnest effort to win back the lost mass base among the Hindu community after the Sabarimala women entry fiasco, he rolled out a detailed road map for the future development of the hill shrine. Eyeing a consecutive third term, the Left leader sent out an evident political message ahead of the elections, as he said at the Glo- Row over bal Ayyappa Sangamam in Pampa empty chairs that Sabarimala’s uniqueness lay in mars meet transcending religious divides and atPampa: The tracting devotees from across faiths. Noticeably the CM received praise much-hyped , from SNDP general secretary Vellap- Global Ayyappa pally Natesan who termed Pinarayi a Sangamam ended true devotee at heart. Vellappally who on Saturday under , arrived at the venue along with the a cloud of CM in his official vehicle, described controversy, as Pinarayi as the only leader with the images of empty quality to become a chief minister chairs across again. At a time when the UDF and the venues sparked BJP have been eyeing inroads into the criticism from Ezhava community, Left was able to Opposition s e n d o u t a m e s s a g e t h r o u g h parties, which branded the meet Vellappally . Billed as a mega event by the Tra- a “massive vancore Devaswom Board (TDB) to failure.” P2 transform Sabarimala into a global destination, the event had two ministers from Tamil Nadu in attendance, in addition to an array of prominent people from the state. Devaswom Minister V N Vasavan, who presided over the meet, read out the message from Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath extending wishes to the meet. In a marked shift from his Marxist vocabulary Pinarayi , dipped into the ‘Bhagavad Gita’ during his inaugural ad● More on P2 dress.  WITH THIS I SSU E Thinking Inside the Bot PLUS 12 PAGES India vs Pak: Sports no longer tool of diplomacy swa r o o p swa m i n at h a n @ Chennai OVER the last few months, there has been a growing clamour for the Indian cricket team to refuse to play Pakistan and it grew before their first match in Asia Cup group stage. India comfortably won the game — there is honestly a noticeable difference in the skill levels of both teams — but what caught the eye was what happened on the sidelines. India’s refusal to shake hands or exchange pleasantries, a kind of common sporting brotherhood. After the match, Suryakumar Yadav expressed his solidarity with the families affected by the attack in Pahalgam in April. Following that attack the sport- ing relations between India and Pakistan nosedived. An Indian cricket team twice boycotted Pakistan in a meet in England. The Pakistan hockey team — usually habitual travellers to India — skipped the Asia Cup earlier this month; relationships are not the same anymore. Even in a heightened state of tension, sport has been used as a diplomatic tool to try and put peace at the forefront. From 1987, when Pakistan president, Zia-ul-Haq, travelled to India to watch a Test featuring the two countries to 1996, when the two teams joined forces to play a game in Sri Lanka to show it was safe. On Sunday In, dia and Pakistan will meet P12 again at the Asia Cup.