chennai l monday l march 30, 2026 l `9.00 l PAGES 78 l late city EDITION world no. 1 sabalenka completes ‘Sunshine Double’ at Miami Open Aryna Sabalenka made history as she beat Coco Gauff in the Miami Open women’s singles final 6-2, 4-6, 6-3 on Saturday. A look... First since swiatek to seal the double Means a lot: Aryna after historic feat The World No. 1 overpowered Gauff in the first and third sets with sizzling groundstroke winners and became the fifth woman and the first since Iga Swiatek in 2022 to accomplish the “Sunshine Double” — winning Indian Wells followed by Miami in the same season. It was Sabalenka’s second straight title at the Miami Open, Gauff’s hometown tournament ■ ■ ”It means a lot,” Sabalenka said after joining Poland’s Swiatek, German great Steffi Graf, Belgian Kim Clijsters and fellow Belarusian Victoria Azarenka on the list of women to win both titles in same year ”My goal always been to put my name in the history, and I just did it,” the World No. 1 added after winning the title 5 Sabalenka is fifth woman to complete ‘sunshine double’ 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 With this issue TAMIL NADU 60 PAGES 8 SECTIONS West Asia situation is sensitive and warrants restraint in public discourse, says Modi; Don keeps option for ground ops open in Iran, sends more troops Cong remarks could endanger Indian lives: pm S h ya m P V @ Palakkad A G E N C I E S @ Tehran, Tel Aviv, Dubai Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday said his government is doing everything in its power to ensure the safety of Indians working and living in Gulf countries but the Congress is trying to politicise the ongoing Iran war by making “dangerous and irresponsible” remarks. Speaking at an election rally in Palday akkad in Kerala, from where lakhs of people work in Gulf countries, Modi said the situation remains sensitive and warrants restraint in public Indians’ discourse. However, he alleged, safety top Congress leaders are issuing reckpriority less statements that could endanModi said ger the lives of Indians. countries in “It appears as though the Conthe region are gress is willing to risk the lives of prioritising the nearly one crore Indians living in safety of Indian the Gulf, merely to gain political nationals during advantage.” the conflict. “Our The PM’s comments come days embassies are after Congress leader Rahul Ganworking round the dhi attacked the Centre’s handling clock to ensure of the crisis, terming India’s forthat our brothers eign policy ‘compromised’. and sisters there “The PM will do what US and Isface no hardship,” rael say He will not work in the in. he added terest of India,” Gandhi had said. Speaking in Palakkad, Modi stressed the Centre is closely monitoring the situation and taking measures to mitigate the impact on India and Indians. “The welfare of Indian citizens abroad is central to my government’s policy response,” he added. A top Iranian official warned the US against a ground invasion, saying its troops would be set “on fire,” as regional diplomats met Sunday in Pakistan in hopes of opening direct U.S.-Iran talks and ending the monthlong war. Iran’s parliament speaker, Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf, said Iranian forces were “waiting for the arrival of American troops on the ground to set them on fire and punish their regional partners forever,” according to Iranian state France media. denounces Iran warned of escalation after Houthis Israeli airstrikes hit several uniFrance condemned versities, including ones that Israel on Sunday two claimed were used for nuclear reattacks by Yemen’s search and development. The paraHouthi rebels on military Revolutionary Guard Israeli targets, warned that Iran would consider accusing them Israeli universities and branches of escalating of US universities in the region “letension in the gitimate targets” unless offered Gulf by entering safety assurances for Iranian unithe war. “Houthis versities, state media reported. should abstain The Israeli military said an imfrom all attacks,” pact at an industrial zone may have spokesman Pascal been caused by missile shrapnel, Confavreux said shortly after it detected a new barrage fired from Iran. Foreign ministers from Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Turkey started talks on the war, with Islamabad acting as a go-between between the United States and Iran. 30 Lanka thanks India for fuel supply jammu run Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah participates in the city’s first-ever international marathon, in Jammu on Sunday | pti Iranian strikes at Saudi Arabia’s Prince Sultan Air Base damaged a US E-3 AWACS aircraft along with a few refuelling aircraft | x Prime Minister Narendra Modi waves nelkathir (rice sheaf) during an election rally in Palakkad, Kerala on Sunday | PTI to open exit door Panic gripped an IndiGo flight from Bengaluru to Varanasi after a passenger tried to open the emergency exit door mid-air twice. The man, from Uttar Pradesh, claimed he was possessed by a ghost. He was handed over to the CISF upon landing Report to guide future policies Iran taunts Trump, says waiting for US boots on ground mid-air scare as man tries COLOMBO: Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake on Sunday thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi for sending an oil shipment to ease fuel supply disruptions in the Island nation caused by the West Asia conflict. A shipment of 38,000 MT of fuel, comprising 20,000 MT of diesel and 18,000 MT of petrol, arrived in Colombo on Saturday P11 Two more Indian ships cross Hormuz NEW DELHI: Two more Indian-flagged LPG tankers, carrying roughly a day’s supply of the country’s cooking gas, have safely navigated through the war-hit Strait of Hormuz and are expected to reach Indian shores in the next couple of days. While BW TYR is proceeding towards Mumbai, BW ELM is en route to New Mangalore with an estimated arrival date of April 1 DMK promises `8K TVK list out, Vijay to contest coupon for appliances from Perambur, Tiruchy East P ra b ha k ar Ta m i l aras u P ra b ha k ar Ta m i l aras u @ Chennai Days after the AIADMK promised refrigerators to voters if it comes to power in the upcoming Assembly polls, the ruling DMK on Sunday upped the ante in its manifesto by assuring the implementation of an ‘illatharasi scheme’ under which women heads of families not in the income tax bracket will receive a coupon worth `8,000 to purchase or replace household appliances. “Women heads of the family can select household essentials like washing machine, TV grinder, fridge, mixer, mi, crowave oven, induction stove etc. of their choice either to purchase or exchange at their nearby stores,” Chief Minister and party president MK Stalin said, unveiling the poll promises. Thoothukudi MP Kanimozhi, who led the manifesto committee, said the decision to offer a coupon was taken to give a choice to the women. Speaking to reporters, the CM said his government had implemented several schemes which were not part of the DMK’s election manifesto in Announcing his party’s candidates for 2026 Assembly elections, actor-turned-politician and Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) president Vijay declared on Sunday that he will make his electoral debut from two constituencies — Perambur in Chennai and Tiruchy East. Among the candidates fielded in the state’s 234 constituencies are TVK general secretary N Anand from T Nagar, treasurer P Venkataraman from Mylapore, and campaign management general secretary Aadhav Arjuna from Villivakkam. Deputy general secretaries CTR Nirmal Kumar and Raj Mohan have been fielded from Thirupparankundram and Egmore, respectively . Former AIADMK leader KA Sengottaiyan, who recently joined TVK, will contest from his stronghold of Gobichettipalayam, while former IRS officer and party propaganda secretary KG Arunraj has been nominated from Tiruchengode. Farmer leader Arul Armugam, who has been protesting for farmers’ rights since the AIADMK was in power, is set to take @ Chennai CM MK Stalin releases DMK’s manifesto for Assembly poll on Sunday | p jawahar 2021. “The DMK manifesto has been called a hero. This time, the manifesto is also the heroine and is entering the election as a superstar,” he said. Continuing the party’s focus on women voters, Stalin said the monthly financial aid for women under the Kalaignar Magalir Urimai Thogai scheme would be raised from `1,000 to `2,000.  P7 Assembly elections Will DMK hold onto its safe Harbour? I P5 Chennai, the epicentre of marquee fights I P5 Row as Uttarakhand to audit status of minorities TVK chief Vijay and other leaders during the announcement of the party’s candidates in Chennai on Sunday | Express on DMK minister EV Velu in Tiruvannamalai constituency . Although Chief Minister MK Stalin had supported Arul when the DMK was in the opposition, Arul was arrested and detained under the Goondas Act when he protested against the Melma SIPCOT project under the DMK regime. Arul had claimed that the arrest was made at the behest of Velu. Interestingly, former AIADMK Nanguneri MLA V Narayanan, who left the party after the seat was given to AMMK in the NDA bloc, has been accommodated in the TVK and fielded from the same constituency P7 . Tickets for 22 women Of the 234 candidates, TVK has given tickets to at least 22 women, 12 Muslims, and 10 Christians. Among the candidates, there are 55 postgraduates, 12 doctors & 15 lawyers According to its official mandate, the sevenmember highlevel committee will evaluate the economic and educational status of minorities. The committee will then prepare a detailed report based on empirical data, which will guide the government’s future welfare policies It will provide the government with a clear record. This data will enable the government to take informed decisions for their development Khajan Dass, minister ment as the member secretary . Speaking to this newspaper, In a move that has sparked po- senior committee member and litical tensions, Uttarakhand’s retired IAS officer Shatrughan BJP-led government has con- Singh said, “The committee’s stituted a high-level commit- work is in progress, and it has tee to audit the status of mi- already held four meetings.” norities in the state, ahead of While the government has next year’s Assembly elections called it a purely administraand the upcoming Special In- tive exercise, the Opposition tensive Revision (SIR) of elec- has raised a red flag. “The way toral rolls. the BJP is trying to delete The seven-memnames of people from ber high-level comthe Muslim commumittee will do a comnity from the electoral prehensive study of rolls, it appears the the socioeconomic, government is gathereducational, and culing this data to create tural shifts within a hostile environment the minority comand facilitate exploitamunities in the state tion,” Mohan Kala, over the last 25 spokesperson for the years—essentially Pushkar Singh Dhami, Uttarakhand Consince the inception gress, alleged, noting Uttarakhand CM of Uttarakhand. that the timing is susT he committee will be pect. Azad Ali, president of the chaired by retired judg e Jan Adhikar Party said, “This , Akhilesh Chand Sharma. Other surreptitious formation of a members include retired IAS committee suggests a conspiraofficer Shatrughan Singh, Doon cy is being hatched to strip the University Vice-Chancellor Su- community of its rights.” rekha Dangwal, subject expert The BJP has dismissed the Manu Gaur, State Minority allegations as fear-mongering. Commission Vice-Chairperson Minority welfare minister Farzana Begum, social worker Khajan Das said the data will Rajpal Singh, and the Director allow the government to take of the Minority Welfare Depart- informed decisions. N A R E N D R A S E T H I @ Dehradun E x p r e s s Re a d VCK candidate list: Thiruma to contest from Kattumannarkovil Man murders wife, 9-year-old daughter in Chennai, arrested Chennai: Announcing the candidates for the eight constituencies allocated for the VCK in the DMK-led alliance, party president and Chidambaram Lok Sabha member Thol Thirumavalavan on Sunday said that he would be contesting the upcoming Assembly election from Kattumannarkovil constituency in Cuddalore district | P4 Chennai: A 47-year-old man allegedly murdered his wife and nine-year-old daughter while they were asleep at their house in Chennai on Sunday. The accused, identified as Srinivasan of Thiru Vi Ka Nagar, allegedly committed the crime following an altercation with his wife. He was arrested later in the day | P2