Austria-Algeria 3-3; sixth goal for Messi On a manic final day of the group stages of the World Cup, AustriaAlgeria served up a feast before advancing at Iran’s expense. Elsewhere, a Lionel Messi freekick meant the Argentine scored a sixth goal of his campaign already Today's matches bengaluru l monday l june 29, 2026 l `9.00 l PAGES 18 l late CITY EDITION Lionel Messi scored for a 7th straight WC game as Argentina beat Jordan 3-1 | AP Brazil vs Japan 10.30 PM; Germany vs Paraguay 2.00 AM*; Netherlands vs Morocco 6.30 AM* *IST Tuesday | P13 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 Let’s make Indian Ocean an ocean Iran attacks of opportunity: Modi in Seychelles Bahrain, Kuwait West asia flare-up Pacts on security, extradition, maritime cooperation, digital payments and health signed J AYAN T H J ACO B @ New Delhi PRIME Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday said that India envisions the Indian Ocean as an “ocean of opportunity” where maritime security goes hand-in-hand with economic prosperity, as India and Seychelles elevated their strategic partnership by signing nine agreements, including an extradition treaty . Addressing a joint press meet with Seychelles President Patrick Herminie after the wide-ranging talks, Modi said the Indian Ocean was a shared space. “Our vision is to make the Indian Ocean an ocean of op- Will ban gutka if it has drugs: CM E x p r e s s Ne w s Se r v i c e @Bengaluru Karnataka Chief Minister DK Shivakumar on Sunday said the State Government will ban the sale of pan masala, gutka and similar chewing tobacco products if they are found to contain narcotic substances. The CM said this at the 31st Foundation Day celebrations of the Rajiv Gandhi University of Health Sciences and the Nasha Mukt Bharat Conclave at Kanteerava Stadium. P7 portunity,” Modi said, adding that its “security sustainabili, ty and prosperity are our shared responsibility .” He said the approach formed the core of India’s MAHASAGAR (Mutual and Holistic Advancement for Security and Growth Across Regions) vision. “The defence and security of India and Seychelles are integral to each other.” The two sides signed nine agreements on security, connectivity, health, agriculture, digital payments, maritime cooperation, space and capacity building. The key pact was an extradition treaty aimed at strengthening cooperation against cross-border crime. Prime Minister Narendra Modi receives the ‘Guardian of the Blue Horizon’ from Seychelles President Patrick Herminie in Seychelles on Sunday | PMO via PTI Photo On economic cooperation, Modi said both countries would continue exploring new opportunities for industry and in- vestment. “Work will also be done to enhance connectivity between India and Seychelles,” he said, adding India would share its experience in digital public infrastructure. President Her minie said maritime security remained central to bilateral ties, with both countries reaffirming commitment to combating piracy drug trafficking, etc. , Earlier in the day, Modi was conferred Seychelles’ highest honour for a foreign dignitary , the Special Presidential Distinction “Guardian of the Blue Horizon”, in recognition of his leadership on sustainability, the Blue Economy, climate action and ocean governance. SIR data collection from Tuesday B o s k y K h a n n a @Bengaluru The involvement of citizens in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise will start from June 30 with the Office of the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO), Karnataka, commencing the door-to-door data collection. From June 20, when SIR started in Karnataka, till date, the CEO office has printed over 11 crore forms, while the state has 5,55,74,064 voters. Each elector will get two sets of partially printed, customised forms, which they have to fill. One will be retained by the elector, after it is duly signed by the Booth Level Officer (BLO), and the second will be handed over to BLOs for filing and accounting. To ensure that no voter is left out, election officials have listed phone numbers of BLOs and Electoral Registration Officers (EROs) on their website. Taking this a step ahead, election officials have decided that if a voter’s house is locked for a long time, a sticker will be pasted on their door, which will have the contact details of BLOs. Citizens can then contact BLOs to get their enumeration forms. “A person’s enumeration forms will not be handed over to their neighbour or somebody else in their absence. It will only be given to the listed elector or authorised family members. A provision is also being made to slip the form into the house of the elector, in select instances. The enumeration forms will have the contact details of BLOs, whom the electors can contact and hand over the forms,” said CEO Karnataka V Anbukkumar. P4 after US strikes Agencies The renewed flare up in the Gulf showed no signs of easing on Sunday with Iran launching drone and missile attacks targeting Bahrain and Kuwait hours after United States airstrikes hit the Islamic Republic. Iran and the US have both accused the other of violating their fragile ceasefire, straining negotiations meant to end the war that began on February 28. The US military said it had struck multiple targets in Iran at President Donald Trump’s direction, adding “Iran had a chance to honor the ceasefire agreement” but “elected not to” when its forces attacked the oil tanker Kiku with a one-way drone. Iran’s Revolutionary Guards said it carried out strikes against Kuwait and Bahrain in retaliation for US attacks, warning any further aggression would be met with a “crushing response”. The Guards “destroyed eight important US military facilities at the Ali al-Salem base in Kuwait and at the Fifth Fleet naval base in Port Salman in Bahrain,” they said in a statement. Efforts to reopen the Strait of Hormuz without Iran’s direct oversight sparked the crossfire. A multinational maritime body overseen by the US Navy said Saturday that it would expand a route near Oman for both inbound and outbound traffic. Iran’s top diplomat warned any attempt to bypass the Strait of Hormuz routes agreed with the US would “increase tensions” in the West Asia.  P11 Gulf security framework Iran on Sunday proposed a security framework that includes all Gulf states, without any interference from outside countries A building in Bahrain damaged in an Iran drone attack | X Lebanon attacked Israel renewed its strikes on Lebanon on Sunday, Lebanese state media reported Lawyers refuse to defend Ram temple fund scam accused N a m i ta B a j pa i @ Lucknow While the Ayodhya police conducted raids on the houses of eight accused in the Ram temple donations case on Sunday several lawyers in the tem, ple town have refused to represent the accused. Local sources said there is a growing sentiment within the Ayodhya le g al frater nity against taking up the case to defend the accused. The issue is expected to be formally discussed, and a final decision will be taken at a general body meeting of the Faizabad Bar Association on Monday . Bar Association president Kalika Mishra said the unanimous refusal to represent the accused would be put before the Bar Association’s general body meeting and a decision would be taken. Sources claimed the legal fraternity is angry over the alleged theft of offerings at the temple and has united in the demand for ster n action against all eight accused. “Stern action should be taken against these accused by adopting the bulldozer policy ,” senior advocate Rajendra Chaudhary said. Bar Association secretary Shailendra Jaiswal said people’s sentiments were hurt by the theft of temple offerings.