Ro-Ko prove their worth in final ODI of series Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli wound back the clock with a matchwinning 2nd-wicket partnership to help India win against Australia After an iffy start in Perth, Rohit has grown into the series. After a streaky 50 in Adelaide, he was at his best notching up his 33rd ODI 100 in trademark fashion. While Rohit played the aggressor, Kohli was equally solid during his unbeaten 74. THIRUVANANTHAPURAM l sunday l October 26, 2025 l `12.00 l PAGES 24 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 India awaits clearer signals from US on Russian oil curbs Talks stay the course; need more clarity on sanctions, say officials J aya n t h J a c o b @ New Delhi WITH THIS ISSUE Star Trek PLUS 12 P AGES As trade pact negotiations gain traction, India is pressing for a fair deal and clearer signals from Washington on sanctions related to Russian oil. In a key meeting India’s Ambassador to the US, Vinay Mohan Kwatra, met US Deputy Secretary of Energy James Danly to review the India–US energy security partnership and recent trends in bilateral energy trade. Sources said the talks also touched on how impending US sanctions could affect global oil flows, even as supplies remain stable. “These are early days and we need more clarity on the sanctions — that’s part of the ongoing conversation with the US. Our energy security is paramount and guided by market conditions, national interests, and domestic requirements,” a source familiar with the issue said. India’s attention is on US sanctions against Rosneft and Lukoil, which supply most of its Russian oil, and the possible ripple effects of secondary sanctions. The fine-print is awaited. Germany recently took temporary control of three Rosneft subsidiaries to secure its own energy supplies -- a move that underscores the lack of a uniform Western approach to Russian oil sanctions. Meanwhile, the Trump administration’s renewed sanctions on Moscow are Kwatra meets Lockheed CEO Ambassador Kwatra also met Lockheed Martin CEO Jim Taiclet and had a ‘productive’ discussion on bilateral defence industrial collaboration and opportunities under India’s Atmanirbhar Bharat initiative being viewed as a pressure tactic as well. Sources said a Russia–Ukraine ceasefire would represent the best-case scenario for India, potentially paving the way for lifting the additional 25% tariff on Russian crude imposed by the US. With fears of secondary sanctions looming, India’s imports of Russian oil are expected to come down gradually, a shift that could push New Delhi to source more energy from the US as well. Sources believe this diversification would help offset tarif f pressures and strengthen the foundation for an energy-focused component in the trade pact. While Nayara Energy maintains a term contract for Rus- Had a fruitful discussion with Deputy Secretary James Danly on the energy security partnership —Vinay Mohan Kwatra, Indian envoy to the US sian crude, most of India’s Russian oil purchases are spot deals. Sources noted that while sufficient alternative supply exists, Russia remains a key partner. They added that Washington is unlikely to push sanctions to the point of triggering a price surge, given the potential impact on global markets, particularly on supplies to China and India. Crude prices rallied sharply on Friday with Brent at $66.42, , after Washington sanctioned Rosneft, Lukoil, and Sovcomflot, removing nearly 4.5 million barrels per day from global markets. On October 23, Trump announced sanctions on Rosneft and Lukoil, giving companies until November 21 to wind down transactions. ‘Tirupati-model admn required in Sabarimala’ proper management of Sabarimala and other shrines. “On The recent controversy over the Tirupati model, a senior the missing gold at Sabarimala IAS officer should be posted at temple has revealed the systhe board’s helm,” he told TNIE temic flaws in the functioning as part of ‘Express Dialogues’. of the Travancore Devaswom Assigned by the state, JayaBoard (TDB). While the kumar had studied the board members change functioning of the Tiruevery two years, the abmala Tirupati Devsence of a top-level proasthanams (TTD) Board. fessional management “I submitted the report is posing a challenge to in 2012. Sabarimala and efficient administration Tirupati are different in of temples and other innature. Tirupati allows K Jayakumar stitutions, said former darshan throughout the chief secretary K Jayayear. Here, the temple is kumar, who served in various opened periodically and hence capacities with the board and there are some peculiar probSabarimala. lems. A full-fledged office of Pitching for a Tirupati-modTTD is functioning at Tirumael administration at the hill la, led by a senior officer. That shrine, Jayakumar pointed at machinery is well geared to the need to plug meet any eventualloopholes in the ity he said. ,” Sabarimala adminJayakumar said istration by miniTDB should replace mising manual interventions. the “seasonal arrangements” The senior bureaucrat, who at Sabarimala with a permaled the high-powered commit- nent system. In his report, he tee for Sabarimala from 2012 to had suggested opening perma17, said structural changes nent offices of TDB at Pampa should be made in TDB for and Pathanamthitta. P4 M S V i d ya n a n d a n @ T’Puram EXPRESS READ Oz women cricketers ‘stalked, molested’ Bhopal: Two Australian women’s cricket team members were allegedly stalked and sexually harassed by a motorcycle-borne man in Indore on Thursday. The incident took place in broad day light when the two players were walking from the Radisson Blu hotel (where the team was staying since October 17) to a popular café close by. The accused was nabbed on Friday evening, an official said. P8 LSG polls: 2.84 cr electors in final list T’Puram: A total of 2.84 crore voters figure in the final voters’ list published by the State Election Commission for the upcoming local body election. The voters’ list was published on Saturday on polling station basis following the delimitation of wards. The voters’ list is available on the website https://www.sec. kerala.gov.in and also at the respective taluk offices. The draft list brought out on September 29 had 2.83 crore voters. Heartbreak after Messi affair M a n i s h a V C S @Kochi Disbelief and disappointment swept through Kerala’s football circles on Saturday as confirmation arrived that Lionel Messi and Argentina will not play in Kochi this November. The world champions’ much- hyped visit has been called off, leaving fans wondering if they were strung along by org a n i s e r s wh o ke p t changing venues and dates. The Argentine Football Association (AFA) ended the suspense on Saturday announcing , that the team would train in Spain before playing their only friendly, against Angola in Luanda on November 14. “After the match, the delegation will return to Europe to continue training until November 18,” AFA said, confirming that India is not on their ● More on P5 itinerary  .