THIRUVANANTHAPURAM l monday l october 05, 2026 l `10.00 l PAGES 12 l late city EDITION OPEC+ concurs to keep November oil output targets steady OPEC+ agreed on Sunday to keep oil production ‌targets steady for November, in line with market cues that policy shifts are unlikely until next year Exports at 60-80% of normal levels lens on future production estimates Core members of broader OPEC+ alliance of oil exporting countries are Saudi Arabia, Russia, Iraq, Kuwait, Algeria, Kazakhstan and Oman. Gulf OPEC+ producers have been pumping well below output targets in the face of continuing export ​disruptions from the US-Israel war on Iran, with exports fluctuating at 60% to 80% of normal levels, Reuters reported ■ ■ The Iran war has delayed the group’s output capacity review—crucial to determine members’ 2027 output quotas—because it has thrown estimates of future production potential into uncertainty OPEC+ pumped 25 million barrels per day in August, up ​630,000 bpd from July, still 5 million bpd below prewar levels ​in February 2 mn bpd of output cuts in place covering most opec+ members 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 Jaishankar flags deeper US shift, says global order faces new gaps Anti-CEC protests become bigger, thousands hit streets Legal opinion in favour, vigilance to probe Gyanesh Some structural changes are linked to current administration, others reflect long-term shifts J AYA N T H J A C O B @ New Delhi External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said on Sunday the US is undergoing deeper structural changes that extend beyond the policies of any one administration. He said the decline of US underwriting of the existing global order was creating new gaps and responsibilities for other major powers. He also stressed that India’s long relationship with Russia remains important even as New Delhi continues to push for dialogue and diplomacy to end the war in Ukraine. Speaking at the Munich Leaders Meeting in Delhi, Jaishankar said some of the changes in US policy could be temporary or linked to the current administration, but others reflected longer-term shifts. “It is important here to distinguish the more structural trends 120 influenza deaths, 11,319 cases till Oct A N N A J O S E @T’Puram Keralam has reported 120 influenza deaths so far this year, nearly three times the 43 fatalities in all of 2025, triggering public health concerns. As many as 110 of the deaths this year were reported in the past four months. The state also reported 11,319 influenza cases until October 3, of which 145 were reported in the first three days of this month. Experts attributed the spurt in cases to a combination of rain, humidity and crowded Onam gatherings besides increased testing. They also said the surge was not specific to the state. “The surge in cases is not specific to Keralam. Delhi and other states have been reporting it, too. The spread in most parts of India is monsoon-related. The combination of heavy rains, humidity and crowded social gatherings during Onam meant the disease spread to more people,” said Dr Rajeev Jayadevan, convenor of the state IMA Research Cell. Dr Sunny P Orethel, a Kochi-based pulmonologist, said increased testing was also a reason for the rise in reported cases.  ● More on P4 3-fold increase Cases 2024 3,385 58 2025 7,193 43 2026* 11,319 120 India has moved beyond advocacy in trying to resolve the Russia-Ukraine war by becoming more actively involved in discussions aimed at addressing issues arising from the war, including the safety of shipping in the Black Sea. “We’ve conversations with Russia and Ukraine,” said S Jaishankar from the behavioral ones and take both of them seriously .” Looking at the continuity of some policies across administrations, Jaishankar noted several initiatives associated with US President Donald Trump’s first administration continued under President Joe Biden. “Many policies which President Trump initiated in his first administration continued under Biden,” he said and cited the emergence of a US industrial policy as one example. On India’s relationship with Russia, Jaishankar said the ties had deep historical roots and expanded beyond their traditional focus on defence and security. He said Russia stood by India at critical moments when its security and territorial integrity were under threat. “That history is not forgotten,” he said, adding that the relationship today encompasses defence, nuclear cooperation, space, trade, investment, energy and resources. At the same time, he described the Russia-Ukraine war as “an unfortunate conflict” and reiterated India’s position it should end through dialogue and diplomacy “There . has to be negotiations in this regard,” Jaishankar said, noting that India had advocated this position for years and had in recent months become more directly involved in efforts to address some of the issues arising from the conflict. “We have conversations with both Russia and Ukraine in this regard,” he said. India has sought to contribute to discussions on the safety of shipping in the Black Sea as well as concerns involving grain exports, energy exports and “non-attack possibilities,” he added. Flydubai co-pilot likely to have acted independently, say Israel investigators a g encies @ Tel Aviv THE Omani co-pilot accused of attacking his colleague on board the Flydubai flight to Israel and trying to seize the controls most likely acted alone, Israeli sources told CNN on Sunday . Another Israeli source said that, at the moment, Israel does not know of any link to a group or government. The co-pilot in in custody in the UAE. Israel and UAE are both probing the incident. Saudi Arabia, where the plane made an emergency landing, is also conducting its own investigations. Australia police probe local links A counterterrorism unit in Australia is probing local links of the Omani pilot of FZ1073. According to media reports, the Omani national studied ​at a university in Melbourne Authorities in the UAE had shared with Israel a list of passengers and crew ahead of the FlyDubai flight, regional officials said on Sunday but Israel , had not raised red flags on any passenger or member of the crew before the flight took off. Flydubai flight FZ1073 avoided disaster on its journey from Dubai on Wednesday plummet, ing 16,000 feet in 30 seconds after the attack on the plane’s captain. Despite being wounded, pilot Captain Smit Machchhar unlocked the cockpit door and signal his distress to passengers and crew, who rushed into the cockpit to regain control of the aircraft. The Wall Street Journal reported on Friday that Omani authorities had barred the pilot from flying over suspicions he had adopted radical ideological views. Police detain protesters demanding resignation of CEC Gyanesh Kumar in New Delhi on Sunday | Parveen Negi S udhir S urya w anshi & U D AYA N K I S H O R E @ Mumbai/New Delhi Protests demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over alleged election irregularities continued on Sunday, with opposition parties taking to the streets in Mumbai and multiple student groups agitating in New Delhi. In Mumbai, Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray the MNS chief Raj Thackeray NCP , , (SP) state president Jayant Patil and Congress leader Spat among Balasaheb Thorat, with supporters thousands, participated in Congress, AAP, the ‘Virat Garjana Morcha’ CJP and AISA (Grand Roar March) which supporters have culminated in a rally . been swiping at “We are fighting to get each other on X real freedom to India that although AISA’s has been muzzled by the Neha Bora and BJP through the Election CJP’s Abhijeet Commission and other inDipke reaffirmed dependent institutions that their support for are no longer free and fair... each other and 13 crore voters were denied their struggle the right to vote just so the BJP could win state elections in Maharashtra, West Bengal comfortably Uddhav alleged, referring to deletions in ,” the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls. Raj Thackeray said the SIR should be cancelled and voting done by ballot papers. In the capital, Congress, AAP, various student organisations, and civil society groups held protests as police fortified central Delhi to bar them from reaching Jantar Mantar. AISA’s Neha Bora, and AAP’s Delhi chief Saurabh Bhardwaj were among several detained and later released. Bora was detained in a police car near Shangri-La hexagon. Protesters lay on the ground and climbed atop the car to block its movement forcing police to drive in reverse to take her away . P R a m das & S han A S @Kochi/T’Puram Signalling fresh trouble for embattled Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar, the Keralam government has ordered a vigilance inquiry against him in connection with the suicide of a Malaysian civil engineer two decades ago, while the IAS officer was serving as the secretary of the public works department. The announcement by Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala on Sunday followed a legal opinion by the director general of prosecution (DGP) alleging that Gyanesh committed serious acts of misconduct while awarding works to contractors of his choice with the intention of enriching himself and causing substantial financial loss to the state government. If available The DGP also pointed to the evidence possibility of charging Gysubstantiates the allegation, there is anesh with abetment of suicide. no legal impediment to Lee See Been, who served proceed against as chief project manager for Gyanesh Kumar PATI-BEL, an Indo-Malayeven now...by sian consortium involved in conducting a upgrading the MC Road unthorough inquiry der the Kerala State TransLegal opinion port Project, ended his life in 2006. Gyanesh’s name had figured in one of Lee’s suicide notes, which also alleged systemic corruption that plagued the project’s implementation. The DGP stated that “crime never dies” is a fundamental legal principle. Legal consequences for serious offences such as corruption, abuse of authority, undue enrichment and abetment of suicide do not automatically cease merely because time has passed, and a court can still hold an accused person accountable, the opinion said. It stated that Gyanesh, then a senior bureaucrat, allegedly used his authority and influence to escape the clutches of the law. However, proceedings can still be initiated against him by setting the law in mo● More on P4 tion, the opinion stated.  After journo stir, Delhi cops send sex harassment complaints to CB U D AYA N K I S H O R E @ New Delhi a games to remember Deaths (*Till Oct 3) Year Shift in Indian strategy on Russia-Ukraine conflict Members of the Indian contingent waving the Tricolour during the Asian Games closing ceremony in Nagoya, Japan, on Sunday. India finished fourth in the medal tally with 21 gold, 27 silver and 37 bronze — for a total of 85 medals. Athletics brought 24 medals (1 gold) while boxers (3 gold), archers (5 gold) and shooters (3 gold) also stole the show with stellar performances. India will look to build on the momentum and shift focus to the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles | PTI Scores of journalists sat in protest in front of Parliament Street Police Station here on Sunday demanding registration of an FIR on sexual harassment complaints of three women scribes against Delhi police personnel. The police finally transferred the plaints to its Crime Branch for “impartial enquiry”. Members of Congress, AAP and CJP joined the journalists’ protest after three women scribes said they were sexually harassed by cops during detention of protesters at Jantar Mantar at Saturday’s agitation against Chief Elec- ‘Such behaviour cannot be normalised’ The Press Club of India said behaviour of this kind cannot be normalised in a democracy. Journalists must be allowed to work freely, without fear, it said. tion Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. They alleged no women personnel had been present at the spot. One of the complainants claimed that an Assistant Commissioner of Police sexually assaulted her. “I asked ACP Vivek Bhagat of Delhi Police about the absence of women police personnel, following which he sexually assaulted me and pushed me Keralam on the move express read Households in state have biggest appetite for travel in the country R ajesh R a v i @Kochi If Keralam were a person, it would be the friend who always has a bag half-packed by the door. Travel appears to be becoming part of everyday life in the state, with nearly nine in 10 rural households reporting at least one same-day trip in the preceding month, according to the National Statistics Office’s (NSO) latest Domestic Tourism Expenditure Survey 2025-26. As many as 85.9% of rural households in the state reported taking at least one same-day trip, well above the national average of around 65%. Urban Keralam, too, was on the move, with 72.1% of households reporting such an outing, against the all-India average of 46.2%. The overall figure for the state stood at 78.7%, underscoring a strong appetite for travel. The aggregate national average came in at 58.2%. The survey, conducted between July 2025 and June 2026, captures travel patterns across Driven by Domestic Demand 1 Domestic travel spending in India generated 86% (I17,653.7bn) of total internal spending in 2025 compared with 14% (I2,865.4bn) for visitor exports (ie, foreign visitor spending or international tourism receipts), according to the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) 2 India, covering overnight journeys and same-day trips. However, not every trip is a holiday; it may also be driven by social visits, medical care, shopping, business or religious purposes. Pilgrimage and religious vis- Domestic travel spending is expected to rise by 6.8% per annum to I36,460.4bn from 2026 to 2036 its accounted for 47.7% of overnight trips taken in the preceding 365 days across the country , making them the leading purpose of such travel. Social visits were another major driver, accounting for about 89% of back,” she said. The New Delhi district police in a statement said the complaints were transferred to the Crime Branch which will examine the allegations. The Press Club of India pointed out that the woman journalist had spent hours at the police station on Saturday night to get an FIR registered. “Behaviour of this kind cannot be normalised in a democracy. Journalists must be allowed to work freely, without fear, and document those who gather to raise various issues,” it said in a statement. Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi questioned the delay in police action. overnight trips in the preceding 30 days. Travel choices also vary between rural and urban areas. Buses and hired vehicles were the main modes of transport for rural overnight travellers over the year, while urban travellers largely preferred trains. For shorter trips, buses were the most widely used mode in both categories. Staying with friends and relatives remains central to domestic travel. Among overnight trips in preceding 30 days, 93% of rural travellers and nearly 90% of urban travellers stayed with friends or relatives without paying for accommodation. Hotels and guesthouses accounted for larger share of overnight stays among urban travellers over the ● More on P4 year. R Rajasree selected for Vayalar award T’Puram: Writer R Rajasree has been selected for this year’s Vayalar Award for her novel ‘Athreyakam’. Chief Minister V D Satheesan will present the award on October 27 | P4 Leadership vacuum amid medicine shortage T’Puram: As public hospitals in state struggle with a shortage of essential medicines and surgical supplies, Kerala Medical Services Corporation Ltd, the state’s central procurement agency, finds itself leaderless | P5