tirupati l tuesday l march 03, 2026 l `9.00 l PAGES 12 l anantapur EDITION pakistan penalised for exiting T20 World Cup in Super 8s? According to reports in the country, the Pakistan Cricket Board has slapped huge penalty on each of the cricketers part of the campaign fined $18,000 each for poor performance Eyes on the two big semifinals Not just the PCB, even some top govt functionaries were apparently unhappy with the team’s performance. If confirmed, this would be the first time a team would face such a penalty for exiting World Cup. Pak lost to India but somehow managed to reach the Super 8s where they succumbed to England after their match against New Zealand was rained off ■ ■ India will play England in the 2nd semifinal in Mumbai on Thursday. South Africa & New Zealand will play the first one on Wednesday PCB had earlier suspended all No Objection Certificates for their players playing at various T20 leagues after the team’s loss against India in the final of the Asia Cup | P11 5 million Pakistan rupees is the fine apparently slapped on players 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 aramco oil refinery hit Saudi Aramco shut down its Ras Tanura oil refinery near Dammam on Monday after it was hit by Iran. Earlier, debris fell on Kuwait’s Ahmadi oil refinery, injuring two Huge spike in Gas futures European natural gas futures spiked 42% as Qatar stopped production of LNG after two attacks on Ras Laffan and Mesaieed fields. Qatar snapped ties with Iran u.s. boots on ground not ruled out At least 555 killed in Iran, 11 in Israel as West Asia war rages on; Gulf allies bear the brunt; EU nations try to evacuate their residents A G E N C I E S @ Tehran, Tel Aviv, Dubai THE war launched by the United States and Israel against Iran spread across West Asia and beyond on Monday, with Lebanon’s Hezbollah entering the fray and a British air base in Cyprus targeted. The Israeli military said it began new strikes on Tehran, as first responders heard explosions ring out on the third day of the US-Israeli joint assault and blasts rocked Lebanon’s capital Beirut. Gulf monarchies threatened to retaliate as a Saudi oil refinery burned, Qatar halted LNG production, tankers were attacked off Oman and energy prices soared. President Donald Trump said he was not ruling out sending US troops into Iran, while threatening a new, “big wave” of attacks. The intensity of the attacks and the lack of any visible exit plan set the stage for a prolonged conflict. The chaos became apparent when the US said Kuwait, an ally, had “mistakenly shot down” three American F-15Es. The US said all six pilots ejected safely . It however, confirmed that four of its troops were killed. Black smoke rose from the Airspace opens 3 US F-15Es shot in Kuwait in friendly fire Wife of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei too killed Hezbollah faces Lebanon ban after attack on Israel, IDF kills Hezbollah intel chief US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth says no timeline to end hostilities First flight from Dubai carrying Indians touches base in New Delhi Trump says US yet to launch its biggest strike US embassy complex in Kuwait as Iran pressed on with attacks it launched in retaliation for the US-Israeli hits that killed its supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Its top security official Ali Larijani said: “We won’t negotiate with US.” The toll grew on all sides. Iranian Red Crescent Society said the US-Israeli hits killed at least 555 people. In Israel, 11 were killed in Iranian hits. Urging restraint, UK PM Keir Star mer said Iran’s P9 approach is “reckless”.  (From left) Tamil Nadu Governor R N Ravi, The New Indian Express Editor Santwana Bhattacharya, CEO Lakshmi Menon, Editorial Director Prabhu Chawla (right) and Rajalakshmi Engineering College Vice Chairman Abhay Meganathan during the inauguration of the 14th edition of the ThinkEdu conclave, in Chennai on Monday | P ravikumar India-Canada ties TNIE conclave spotlights AI, rebound, $2.6-bn ambitions and self-reliance uranium deal done E x p ress ne w s servi c e @ Chennai Policymakers, academics, industry leaders, artists, and public figures came together to discuss issues ranging from Artificial Intelligence and semiconductors to diplomacy culture, sustainabili, ty and role of education in India on the , first day of the ThinkEdu Conclave 2026 held in Chennai on Monday . Delivering the inaugural address at the event presented by Tata Group and Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) with Rajalakshmi Group of Institutions as title sponsor, Tamil Nadu Governor R N Ravi underscored the importance of education and AI adoption in India’s development journey . “AI is a transformative technology that empowers individuals and nations,” Ravi said, adding that India must develop its own domain-specific AI models instead of merely replicating the high-energy-consuming Silicon Valley models. Air Chief Marshal Rakesh Kumar Singh Bhadauria (Retd), Ambassador Manjeev Singh Puri, and Lt Gen Shokin Chauhan (Retd) discussed how defence preparedness and diplomatic engagement must work together in navigating an increasingly complex global order. Additional Chief Secretary Supriya Sahu and Tata Motors CSO Jyotin Kutty Sastabhavan underscored the role inside Flames and smoke rise from Israeli airstrikes on Dahiyeh, a southern suburb of Beirut, Lebanon in Monday | AP/PTI Frenetic Modi diplomacy for de-escalation in W Asia J ayanth J a c ob @ New Delhi Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke with his Israeli counterpart Benjamin Netanyahu, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and other Gulf leaders on Monday as West Asia plunged deeper into crisis following the killing of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in a joint US-Israeli Indian sailor strike and Tehran’s sweeping retaliation. dies in attack In his call with Netanyahu, Modi conveyed India’s concern over the spiralling conflict An Indian sailor was killed after an and pressed for an immediate cessation of hostilities. “Conveyed India’s concerns over explosives-laden recent developments and emphasised the safeunmanned boat ty of civilians as a priority India reiterates the . struck oil tanker MV MKD Vyom off need for an early cessation of hostilities,” Modi posted on X. the coast of The conversation came hours after Modi Oman’s Muscat chaired a meeting of the Cabinet Committee Governorate | P7 on Security to review the situation and assess contingency plans for Indian nationals in the region. During his conversation with Mohammed bin Salman, who also serves as Prime Minister of Saudi Arabia, Modi agreed that the “earliest restoration of regional peace and stability is of utmost importance.” He condemned attacks targeting Saudi territory and reiterated India’s solidarity A similar message was conveyed to . Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, the King of Bahrain. He also spoke with Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, UAE President, condemning attacks and calling for de-escalation through talks and diplomacy . Presents THINKEDU CONCLAVE The journey of human civilisation has always been on the back of technology. Becoming a developed nation by the centenary of Independence is not merely an aspiration but a necessity RN Ravi, TN Governor Aim is to release comprehensive human brain maps that can serve as a global reference in neuroanatomy. More than 100 human brains are being mapped now Dr Mohanasankar, IIT-M professor played by communities, businesses, and gover nments in protecting local ecosystems. Thiruvananthapuram MP Shashi Tharoor, during his conversation with senior journalist Kaveree Bamzai, predicted a bright prospect for the Congress in Kerala, and stressed on the importance of liberal values and education. Actor Khushboo Sundar and filmmaker G Dhananjheyan discussed cinema’s political influence, contrasting digital popularity with electoral legitimacy . CPM Rajya Sabha MP John Brittas contended that right-wing rhetoric on education does not match ground realities, citing stark contrasts in school dropout figures between Gujarat, Chennai, and Kerala. Smriti Z Irani, former Union Minister, said that India’s future lies in science, underscoring the need for women’s economic empowerment and greater private investment in research. The event began with Saraswati Vandana by Shreya Ramnath and rendition of devotional songs by students from the Rajalakshmi Group of Institutions. Welcoming the gathering, Prabhu Chawla, Editorial Director of TNIE, lauded the ThinkEdu Conclave 2026 as a global hub of ideas since its inception in 2012. Over 250 students took part on the first day of the conclave. Israel-Iran war reflects US strategy: Tharoor; Right-wing rhetoric unreal: Brittas | P5 ‘Poor’ air quality in R’varam; AQI rises by 101 pc K V S A I L E N D R A @ Rajamahendravaram Air quality in the historic river city of Rajamahendravaram has deteriorated sharply, with pollution levels now exceeding national safety benchmarks. The alarming rise comes at a critical juncture as preparations gather pace for the upcoming Godavari Maha Pushkarams, expected to draw lakhs of devotees from across the country . Raising the issue in Parliament recently, MP Daggubati Purandeswari urged the Union government to allocate `150 crore under a Clean Air Package to mitigate pollution in the temple town before the mega religious event. She warned that failure to address the worsening air quality could pose serious health risks to visiting pilgrims. Air pollution in Rajamahendravaram has shown a steep and statistically significant rise over the past four years, with the city’s annual average Air Quality Index (AQI) increasing from 85 in 2022 to 171 in 2026 — a 101 per cent surge. The latest figures place the historic river city in the ‘Poor’ category under national AQI classification standards, raising serious public health concerns ahead of the upcoming Godavari Maha Pushkarams. Data compiled from national air quality monitoring systems indicate P4 worsening pollution trends.  E x p r e s s Re a d Interim relief to IPS officer Naik in Raghu Ramakrishna Raju case The AP High Court on Monday granted interim relief to Bihar cadre IPS officer Meghavat Sunil Kumar Naik in a custodial torture case linked to former Narsapur MP and Assembly Deputy Speaker Kanumuru Raghu Ramakrishna Raju. Justice Venkata Jyotirmayi Pratap directed police not to take harsh action but asked Naik to cooperate and appear before the investigating officer daily till next hearing. Naik sought anticipatory bail, saying he was not initially named in the FIR and was later added as the seventh accused I P4 J AYA N T H J A C O B @ New Delhi INDIA and Canada on Monday signed a $2.6-billion longterm uranium supply agreement and a pact on critical minerals, marking a significant rebound in bilateral relations after the meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Canadian counterpart Mark Carney . The agreements were part of a broader agenda that includes a new India-Canada Defence Dialogue and a commitment to concluding a comprehensive economic partnership by 2026, aiming to raise bilateral trade to $50 billion by 2030. The reset comes after years of strained relations under former Canadian PM Justin Trudeau. Addressing the media, Modi described the day as an “important milestone” and said “since our first meeting, our relationship has been infused with new energy, mutual trust, and positivity India and Cana. FTA in the works da share an unwavering beIndia and Canada have lief in democratic values… launched negotiations for a Today, we discussed transfree trade agreement, forming this vision into a officially known as the Next Level Partnership.” Comprehensive Economic He highlighted Canada’s Partnership Agreement. Talks $100 billion investment in will cover trade in goods, Indian markets as a strong services and other mutually indicator of confidence in agreed policy areas. The pact India’s growth trajectory . is expected to be finalised The two leaders also fosoon, officials said cused on critical minerals, with Modi noting the pact will “strengthen resilient supply chains” and support technological and industrial collaboration. In defence, both sides agreed to expand cooperation, including maritime domain awareness, military exchanges, and enhanced defence industries. “We will work to enhance defence industries, maritime domain awareness, and military exchanges. To this end, we have decided to establish the India-Canada Defence Dialogue,” Modi said, underlining deep mutual trust. Carney described the agreements as “not merely the renewal of a relationship, but the expansion of a valued partnership with new ambition, focus and foresight… a partnership between two confident countries charting our own course for the future.” Beyond energy and defence, the leaders pledged collaboration in technology, innovation, and education. Modi highlighted partnerships connecting startups, universities, and research institutes in AI, healthcare, agriculture, quantum computing, supercomputing, and semiconductors. CM assures all help to Telugus stranded in Gulf E x p ress N e w s S ervi c e @ Vijayawada With tensions escalating in the Gulf region due to the Israel–Iran conflict, Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu has directed officials to ensure the safe return of Telugu people stranded in several countries. Reviewing the situation at the camp office with Real-Time Governance (RTGS) officials and representatives of the AP Non-Resident Telugu Society (APNRTS), the Chief Minister instructed authorities to coordinate closely with the Central government and Indian embassies in Saudi Arabia, Dubai, Qatar, Kuwait and other affected nations. He emphasised that stranded citizens must be contacted immediately and provided with necessary assistance without delay . Naidu stressed that APNRTS and RTGS should work in close coordination on relief operations and continuously monitor developments, particul a rly at a i r p o r t s wh e re fl i g h t cancellations have disrupted travel. He assured that the State government stands firmly behind stranded Telugu people and has initiated measures to safeguard them until their return. The Chief Minister advised Telugu migrants not to panic and to stay in safe places until airports reopen and flight services resume. He announced that temporary accommodation and assistance are being arranged through APNRTS coordinators in collaboration with local Telugu families. To facilitate communication, the government has set up a 24/7 helpline: 0863-2340678, WhatsApp +91 85000 27678, and email support via helpline@apnrts.com, support@apnrts.com and info@apnrts.com. The APNRTS website (https://apnrts.ap.gov.in) also provides updated information. Meanwhile, Minister for NRI Empowerment and Relations Kondapalli Srinivas confirmed that APNRTS officials are in constant touch with coordinators and are tracking developments at airports. He urged stranded Telugu migrant workers to make use of services of the Indian Embassy and the State’s helplines for immediate support. The CM reiterated that every effort is being made to bring Telugu migrants home safely ..