KOLLAM l monday l march 30, 2026 l `9.00 l PAGES 14 l 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 PM accuses LDF and UDF of looting state for decades, says NDA will form next govt in Kerala BJP real A-team in Kerala, unchanged will change: Modi native to what he described as a decades-long duopoly He re. Accelerating NDA’s cam- futed the allegations that the paign as the Kerala assembly BJP acts as a “B-team” for eielections entered a decisive ther front, turning the charge phase, Prime Minister Naren- on its head. “The CPM claims dra Modi on Sunday launched the Congress is the BJP’s Ba scathing attack on the ruling team, while the Congress LDF and the UDF, accusing makes the same allegation them of “looting” Kerala against the CPM. This effecthrough an alternating power tively means that they both a r r a n g e m e n t f o r s e v e n have admitted that in this elecdecades. tion the only real A-team is the Stating that “what BJP Modi said, as the ,” remained unchanged crowd — around 30% will change”, Modi asof them women — serted that the BJP-led erupted in cheers deNDA will form the next spite the intense heat If these two government in the state in Palakkad. corrupt parties In the speech that after the April 9 polls (LDF & UDF) are and added that BJP is afraid of anyone, lasted nearly an hour, the real ‘ -team’ in the it is the BJP. They Modi claimed that A fear that if the Kerala is witnessing a state now. BJP comes to changing electoral During his visit to power, all their the state, the prime wrongdoings will mood, with growing acceptance of the BJP minister addressed a be exposed across key social segmassive election rally Narendra Modi ments. “There is a difin Palakkad and later ferent atmosphere in took out a high-octane roadshow at Swaraj Round in Kerala, sending a message of Thrissur, where hundreds lined change,” he said, adding that up to greet him, braving the youth, women and farmers were increasingly aligning with scorching sun. At the packed rally titled the NDA. “What remained un‘Maattathinte Kaattu Modikko- changed will change. Now, Kerppam’ (Wind of change with alam will develop,” he said. Modi alleged a tacit underModi) at Fort Maidan in Palakkad, Modi began his speech standing between the two domiby invoking cultural symbol- nant alliances in Kerala. “For a ism, referring to the Kalpathy few years, LDF runs the governtemple and drawing a parallel ment and fills its pockets, and with Kashi, the parliamentary after that, the UDF comes and continues the loot. Kerala has constituency he represents. He sought to position the remained trapped in this arNDA as the only credible alter- rangement,” he said. ● More on P6 30 Prime Minister Narendra Modi waves at the crowd during a roadshow held as part of NDA’s poll campaign in Thrissur on Sunday. Union Minister Suresh Gopi and NDA candidates Padmaja Venugopal, Aneesh Kumar and C C Mukundan look on | T P Sooraj Cong remarks put Indian lives in W Asia at risk: PM S h ya m P V @ Palakkad Prime Minister Narendra Modi waves nelkathir (paddy sheaf) during a poll rally in Palakkad on Sunday | madhu V Assembly elections ladies & the unbecoming of gentlemen I P4 saffron ‘merchant’ upsets ‘venice’ calculus I P5 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 Palakkad in Kerala, from where lakhs of people work in Gulf countries, Modi said the situation remains sensitive and warrants restraint in public discourse. However, he alleged that Congress leaders are issuing reckless statements amid an evolving international situation that could endanger the lives of Indians. “It appears as though the Congress is willing to risk the lives of nearly one crore Indians living in the Gulf, merely to gain political advantage,” Modi said. The PM’s comments come days after Congress leader Rahul Gandhi attacked the Centre’s handling of the West Asia crisis, terming India’s foreign policy ‘compromised’ and ‘a joke’. “The PM will do what US and Israel say He will not work in . the interest of India,” Gandhi had said last week, criticising India’s foreign policy stance. Speaking in Palakkad, the prime minister stressed the Centre is closely monitoring the situation and taking measures to mitigate the impact on India and Indian nationals living in the region. DMK releases manifesto, promises Oppn cross as coupons worth `8,000 for women U’khand begins audit on status of minorities e x p r ess ne w s se r vice @ Chennai N AR E N DRA S E T H I @ Dehradun Tamil Nadu CM M K Stalin releases the DMK manifesto at Anna Arivalayam in Chennai on Sunday; Kanimozhi and Durai Murugan are also seen | P Jawahar superstar,” Stalin said. The CM also promised to increase the monthly financial aid for women through the Kalaignar Magalir Urimai Thogai scheme from `1,000 to `2,000. The old age pension scheme will be increased from `1,200 to `2,000 and for differently abled financial assistance would be increased to `2,500 Stalin said that the Chief Minister’s breakfast scheme which is now being implemented for the students up to Class V will be extended to Class VIII. fered safety assurances for Iranian universities, state media A top Iranian official warned reported. the US against a ground invaThe Israeli military said an sion, saying its troops would be impact at an industrial zone set “on fire,” as regional diplo- may have been caused by mismats met on Sunday in Paki- sile shrapnel, shortly after it stan in hopes of opening direct detected a new barrage fired US-Iran talks and ending the from Iran. month-long war. Foreign minisIran’s parliament day ters from Pakistan, speaker, Mohammad Saudi Arabia, Bagher Qalibaf, said Egypt and Turkey Iranian forces were started talks on the “waiting for the arrivwar, with Islamabad France al of American troops denounces acting as a go-between on the ground to set between the United Houthis them on fire and pun- France condemned States and Iran. The ish their regional partfour-way meeting beon Sunday two ners forever,” accord- attacks by Yemen’s tween the Muslim naing to Iranian state Houthi rebels on tions was convened “to media. review the evolving reIsraeli targets, Iran warned of esgional situation and accusing them calation after Israeli discuss issues of muof escalating airstrikes hit several tual interest”, Pakitension in the universities, including Gulf by entering stan’s foreign ministry o n e s t h a t I s r a e l the war. “Houthis s a i d i n a b r i e f should abstain claimed were used for statement. nuclear research and from all attacks,” US-Israeli strikes development. The par- spokesman Pascal hit the Iranian port amilitary Revolution- Confavreux said. city of Bandar Khamir ary Guard war ned near the Strait of Horthat Iran would consider Israe- muz, killing five persons, Irali universities and branches of nian state media reported. US universities in the region IRNA news agency said four “legitimate targets” unless of- persons were wounded. A G E N C I E S @ Tehran, Tel Aviv, Dubai S h ya m P V @Palakkad ANNOUNCING the party’s election manifesto for the ensuing assembly election, DMK president and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin on Sunday announced that a coupon worth `8,000 would be given to women-heads of the family under non-income tax slab to purchase or replace household essentials through Illatharasi scheme. “Women heads of the family can choose household essentials like washing machine, TV , grinder, fridge, mixer, microwave oven, induction stove etc of their choice either to purchase newly or to exchange from their nearby store,” Chief Minister said while announcing the promise. Speaking to the reporters after the announcement, Stalin said that they have implemented a lot of schemes which were not part of the DMK’s election manifesto in 2021. “Last time they called the DMK Manifesto a hero. Now the manifesto is entering into the election as a Iran taunts Trump, says waiting for US boots on ground Stalin also announced a slew of promises for students from increasing the financial aid for college children through the Pudhumai Penn scheme and Tamil Pudhalvan scheme to `1,500 from `1,000. On the employment front, Stalin promised that he would attract `18 lakh crore foreign investment and create job opportunities for about 50 lakh youths, apart from increasing the software export from `2.5 lakh crore to `5 lakh crore. EXPRESS READ Army sharpens air defence, drone skills ‘Pak giving refuge to anti-India terror groups’ 3 injured in suspected Army fratricide case New Delhi: Amid the West Asia conflict offering hard lessons on air defence and drone warfare and with Defence Minister Rajnath Singh calling the military to internalise them, the Indian Army has been conducting intensive exercises across its field commands to sharpen its edge in both domains. P7 Chandigarh: Pakistan continues to shelter terrorist outfits on its soil, including groups that target India and particularly those focused on Jammu and Kashmir, according to a report by the US Congressional Research Service titled ‘Terrorist and Other Militant Groups in Pakistan’. P7 Srinagar: Three army personnel were injured in a suspected fratricidal firing incident inside an army camp in the Trehgam area of Kupwara district in J&K on Saturday night. According to sources, a soldier allegedly opened fire at his colleagues inside the camp following an altercation. P8 In a move that has sparked political tensions, Uttarakhand’s BJP-led government has constituted a high-level committee to audit the status of minorities in the state, ahead of next year’s Assembly elections and the upcoming Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. The seven-member high-level committee will do a comprehensive study of the socioeconomic, educational, and cultural shifts within the minority communities in the state over the last 25 years–essentially since the inception of Uttarakhand. The committee will be chaired by retired judge Akhilesh Chand Shar ma. Other members include retired IAS officer Shatrughan Singh, Pushkar Singh Dhami, Doon University Uttarakhand CM Vice-Chancellor Surekha Dangwal, subject expert Manu Gaur, State Minority Commission Vice-Chairperson Farzana Begum, social worker Rajpal Singh, and the Director of the Minority Welfare Department as the member secretary . Speaking to this newspaper, senior committee member and retired IAS officer Shatrughan Singh said, “The committee’s work is in progress, and it has already held four meetings.” While the government has called it a purely administrative exercise, the Opposition has raised a red flag. “The way the BJP is trying to delete names of people from the Muslim community from the electoral rolls, it appears the government is gathering this data to create a hostile environment and facilitate exploitation,” Mohan Kala, spokesperson for the Uttarakhand Congress, alleged, noting the timing is suspect. Iranian strikes at Saudi Arabia’s Prince Sultan Air Base damaged a US E-3 AWACS aircraft along with a few refuelling aircraft | AP