KANNUR l monday l april 27, 2026 l `9.00 l PAGES 12 l city EDITION Kenya’s Sawe enters history books in London marathon importance of breaking two-hour barrier African athlete, the current World No. 1, created history by becoming the first human to dip under the two hour mark in the marathon. A look... why it was only a matter of time? For a long time, humans thought this record would be impossible to achieve. Kenya’s Eliud Kipchoge, in association with Nike, in fact dipped below the two hour mark at Vienna in 2019. However, he did it in a controlled environment so it wasn’t valid for the purposes of a world record. Now, Sawe has done it. Yomif Kejelcha, who came second, also went under two-hour mark (1:59.41). ■ ■ Shoe technology has improved massively. The importance of science and holistic training approaches is evident. Also, the marathon, at the elite level, has seen official times be repeatedly slashed. The 16 fastest timings in history have all come since 2019. In fact, this is one record which has kept breaking. 1:59.30 Sawe’s timings at London marathon on sunday 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 High-energy Kudamattam lifts Pooram GO P IKA V ARRIER @Thrissur Short but superb 15 minutes The kudamattam ceremony was cut short to 15 minutes this year in the wake of the April 21 tragedy that claimed 15 lives in Mundathicode, Thrissur Strongrooms Cong keeps watch, LDF & NDA ‘not keen’ As w i n As o k K u m a r @T’Puram Despite allegations of potential malpractice surrounding the opening of strongrooms where electronic voting machines (EVMs) are stored surfacing, not all parties seem interested in putting in all of their time and effort into monitoring the visuals of CCTVs installed outside the facilities. While Congress leaders said the party workers are proactively keeping a watch at strongrooms in all districts, LDF and NDA leaders maintained that they were not very keen on focusing on the matter. Even in the capital district, which witnessed triangular tussles in seats like Nemom, Vattiyoorkavu, Kazhakkoottam and Thiruvananthapuram, the ‘CCTV monitoring room’ that shows the feed from cameras outside strongrooms, not all party representatives are present. A Congress representative from Thiruvananthapuram said they were working in shifts to ensure foolproof, round-the-clock ● More on P4 transparency  . 6pm-6.15pm kudamattam duration this year Fireworks display cancelled in the wake of tragedy The Paramekkavu and Thiruvambady factions face off during the kudamattam ceremony as thousands witness the mesmerising sight during Thrissur Pooram on Sunday | A Sanesh Festivities scaled down amid grief | P2 The moment the sun set on Sunday and the heat got tolerable, the thin crowd at Thekkinkadu Maidan swelled to thousands. Phones held high, people jostled for space in front of the Thekke Gopura Nada as caparisoned elephants lined up on either sides for the famed kudamattam ceremony . The 15 minutes that followed served as a balm to the pain caused by the April 21 tragedy, uniting the large crowd in celebrations. In the end, the cancellation of the fireworks display had no effect on the spirit of Pooram lovers. The Pooram ceremonies began at 6am with the procession of It is a joy to watch Kanimangalam Sastha. Ghataka and listen to the Pooram – the parading of ele- melam under the phants and processions of other shade of the Ilanji participating temples— followed. and with Sree Deities Karamukku Bhagavathy, Vadakkumnathan in the background Chembukkavu Bhagavathy Pana, mukkumpally Sastha, Laloor Krishna, a young Bhagavathy, Choorakkottukavu Pooram fan Bhagavathy Ayyanthole Karthyay, ani and Naithalakkavu Bhagavathy held their pooram and bowed to Sree Vadakkumnathan. “It is always mesmerising to watch the elephants, carrying the idol of the deity coming out of Thekke , Gopura Nada. It invokes a positive energy and connect us to our roots,” said Rakesh, who came from Kuwait to be part of the Pooram. By the time the Ghataka Pooram concluded, the Thiruvambady Bhagavathy completed the pooja at Brahmaswam Madom and the panchavadyam began. Kongad Madhu on ‘thimila’ led the panchavadyam for the ‘madathil varavu’ of the deity When the pro. cession reached Sreemoolasthanam, the baton was passed to Cherussery Kuttan Marar, who gave a scintillating performance as the first-time pramani of the ● More on P4 Pooram.  Major breach as gunman storms DC gala, opens fire Assailant stopped outside the ballroom where Trump was seated A g e n c i e s @ Washington A man armed with guns and knives stormed the lobby of a hotel in Washington where US President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance were attending the White House Correspondents’ Association Dinner on Saturday night. The gunman was confronted and stopped outside the ballroom of the hotel where Trump and other senior government officials had gathered. Investigators said they believe the gunman, 31-year-old Cole Tomas Allen from Los Angeles, planned to target Trump. Video posted online showed him running past security barricades as Secret Service agents ran toward him. One officer was shot in a bullet-resistant vest but was recovering, officials said. The gunman was tackled and was not injured. The security breach occurred after the welcoming speech and during dinner, before Trump was due to speak.Vice President J D Vance was removed first, while agents initially covered Trump in place before escorting him and first lady Melania Trump from the room. They were held for some time in a secure presidential suite at the hotel before returning to the White House. According to acting US Attorney General Secret service agents evacuate US President Donald Trump from the venue of an event after gunshots were fired; (inset) Trump speaks at the White House later on | AP Relieved to learn Trump and Vance are safe: Modi Reacting to the shooting incident, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said he was relieved that US President Donald Trump, First Lady Melania Trump and Vice President J D Vance are safe and unharmed. Violence has no place in a democracy, he added Todd Blanche the suspect was staying at the Washington Hilton hotel where the black-tie dinner was held on Saturday . As per reports, he is a teach- Stuck in traffic on hot days? Mind your US says Iran sent heart and lungs, says NATPAC study better proposal, U n n i k r i s h n a n S @T’Puram What is Joint Exposure Index (JEI)? A two-year study by researchers from the KSCSTENational Transportation Planning and Research Centre ( N AT PAC ) , T h i r u v a n a n thapuram, and the Kerala University has found that people spending time near busy traffic junctions during peak afternoon hours face a significantly higher health risk—one that combines the dangers of air pollution and heat stress which together put one’s heart and lungs at risk. The findings come at a critical time. Kerala is currently experiencing one of its most intense pre-monsoon heatwaves in recent years, with the India Meteorological Department (IMD) issuing alerts across several districts and Single risk score that combines two threats: PM2.5 (air pollution) and Heat Index (felt temperature) Captures how the two hazards multiply each other Heat stress raises breathing rates, increasing inhalation of fine particles. The particles trigger inflammation that impairs the body’s ability to regulate temperature, compounding strain on the respiratory and cardiovascular systems. health authorities advising p e o p l e t o avo i d o u t d o o r exposure between 11am and 3pm. The NATPAC study adds a sobering dimension to that warning—for a large section of the population that simply cannot stay indoors. The study, conducted across 2022 and 2023 at two monitoring s t at i o n s i n T h i r u va n a n thapuram—Plamoodu, a dense urban traffic junction, and Kar- The danger window Highest risk: 10am to 3pm daily Worst months: March, April, May yavattom, a more open suburban campus area—tracked PM2.5, the fine particulate matter generated by vehicle exhaust, road dust, and atmospheric chemical reactions, alongside the Heat Index which combines temperature with humidity to reflect how hot conditions actually feel to the human body . The central finding is that these two stressors amplify ● More on P4 each other.  Raghu Rai no dies at 83 more legendary photo journalist The chronicler of the real India story, who captured the nation’s fleeting moments with his lens for six decades, lost his battle to cancer on Sunday. He shot some of the most significant historical events, including the Bangladesh refugee crisis and Bhopal gas tragedy, and his black-and-white photos shed light on ordinary lives with abundant clarity and unmatched compassion | P7 Araghchi back in Pak A g e n c i e s @ Washington / Islamabad There were hopes on Sunday that the eagerly awaited second round of talks between Iran and the US could take place in the days ahead, after President Donald Trump said Iran has sent a “better proposal” and the Iranian foreign minister Abbas Araghchi returned to Pakistan briefly for further talks with the Pakistani leadership. T r ump proday posed the US and Iranian officials can talk by phone for a peace solution to the conflict. In an interview on Fox News Channel, Trump said he made that decision rather than send a delegation on a 17-hour flight. It came hours after he told reporters that his administration received a new proposal from Iran. “They gave us a paper that should have been better. And interestingly immedi, ately, when I canceled it, within 10 minutes, we got a new paper that was much bet- 58 ter,” Trump said. In a sign that indirect efforts were ongoing, the ISNA news agency reported that Iran had transmitted “written messages” to the Americans via Pakistan that were “about some of the red lines of the Islamic Republic of Iran, including nuclear issues and the Strait of Hormuz”. Meanwhile, a day after he left Islamabad without meeting the US delegation, Iranian foreign minister Abbas Araghchi returned to Pakistan on Sunday and met Army Chief Field Marshal Asim Munir. Geo News, quoting sources, reported that Araghchi left for Moscow after the brief visit. The Iranian leader arrived at Nur Khan Airbase in Rawalpindi after completing a day-long visit to Oman, the Dawn newspaper reported, quoting sources. Araghchi was to convey “Iran’s positions and views on the framework of any understanding to completely end the war”, Geo TV reported. Bengal polls Voter deletions, anti-incumbency add to Didi’s worries S UBHENDU MAITI @ Kolkata with just two days left for the second and final phase of elections in the remaining 142 out of 294 assembly constituencies in West Bengal, the mood on the ground is sober. For TMC supremo and Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, it is her most crucial election that could decide the fate of her party’s long rule in the state. er, who donated to Kamala Harris’s presidential campaign. His motive was not clear. Trump said the suspect had written an anti-Christian manifesto. “The guy is a sick guy he ,” told Fox News. “When you read his manifesto, he hates Christians.” Trump said the suspect’s family had reported him to the police ahead of the event. Questions swirled regarding the security at the reception and how a gun was brought into the hotel. Attendees pointed out while there was a magnetometer placed outside the ballroom, there was no security screening at the entrance to P9 the hotel itself.  She banks on her 30 percent minority vote bank share by consolidating Muslim voters, who are worried the SIR exercise might result in a citizenship crisis in the coming days if the BJP comes to power. The BJP’s campaign, led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, is targeting Hindu voters focusing threats of ghuspetiya (Bangladeshi infiltrators) in 10 border districts—Darjeeling, Kalimpong, Jalpaiguri, Alipurduar, Cooch Behar, North and South Dinajpur, Malda, Murshidabad and North 24 Parganas. The BJP alleges the long TMC rule has triggered demographic changes of West Bengal. For the BJP, it’s a tough battle to come to power for the first time in the state in the backdrop of deletions of around 91 lakh voters from the post-SIR electoral rolls. The deleted voters roughly 12% of the state’s electorate - were classified as absent, shifted, dead and duplicate, while the status of another adjudicated 2.7 million remains under review of the appellate tribunals. What is likely to impact the results, apart from the nine million removed voters, is the 5-6% swing in the Hindu votes and the mass transfer of officials considered close to the ruling TMC. Speaking to this newspaper, Debashis Ghosh, a packaged milk seller and a staunch Trinamool Congress supporter, said: “I have been voting for Didi since 2011 but this time, I may not,” adding that he changed his mind after participating in Modi’s roadshow. Another voter, Matiur Rahaman, a resident of Beldanga assembly segment in Murshidabad district with around 70 percent Muslim population, said: “Large number of Muslim voters are worried about Didi’s stand on Waqf and OBC issues and decided to shift our suppor t to the Left and Congress.” Passengers being evacuated from Swiss International Airlines flight | X 4 hurt amid rescue after Swiss jet fire S l a l i t h a @ New Delhi Four passengers were injured during evacuation after a Swiss International Airlines (SWISS) jet carrying 245, including four infants, aborted takeoff from Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport due to a fire in the early hours of Sunday . A source said the passengers are being treated at Medanta Hospital in Gurugram. It is not clear how they were injured. Flight No LX147, bound for Zurich, was about to take off at 1.08 am from runway 10/28 of Terminal 3 with 245 on board, including four infants and 13 crew members, when smoke was detected near a wheel. “The Airbus A330 aircraft was accelerating on the runway for take-off when the pilot detected smoke from the left wheel located at the rear of the plane. He immediately decided to abandon the take-off,” the source said. The airline spokesperson later said an issue occurred with one of the engines during takeoff. An emergency was declared for 30 minutes at runway 10/28 in Delhi airport, he added. “Four passengers remain in the hospital... A cabin crew member sustained a sprained ankle,” an airline spokesperson said.