400 AND COUNTING: DJOKOVIC CREATES ANOTHER HISTORY On a dramatic Saturday, Jannik Sinner survived heat to advance, while Serb former World No 1 Novak Djokovic became the first man to win 400 Grand Slam matches. Djokovic, chasing a record 25th Major, saw off Netherlands’ Botic van Zandschulp 6-3, 6-4, 7-6(4). The 10-time winner at Melbourne Park hasn’t won a Slam since 2023 but he’s feeling fresh and injury free P15 BENGALURU  SUNDAY  JANUARY 25, 2026  `12.00  PAGES 28  LATE CITY EDITION 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 SC judge criticises executive influence in judge’s transfer into what is constitutionally supposed to be an independent process,” he asserted. A sitting judge of the Supreme In October last year, the colCourt publicly criticising its legium headed by the then collegium that appoints and Chief Justice of India B R Gavai transfers judges to the higher had revised its initial proposal judiciary is decidedly rare. to transfer Justice Atul SreedHowever, Justice Ujjal Bhuyan haran from the Madhya Pradesh on Saturday stuck his neck out High Court to the Chhattisgarh by questioning a deciHigh Court, recomsion of the collegium mending instead his to transfer a high transfer to the Allacourt judge at the rehabad High Court. The quest of the Central colle gium said the government. change was made folObserving that the lowing a government executive has absoluterequest. ly no say in the matter In Chhattisgarh, Jusof transfer and posttice Sreedharan would The Central ings of judges, Justice have joined the High government can Bhuyan made the larg- have no say in the C o u r t c o l l e g i u m , er point that judges whereas in Allahabad matter of should not be seen as his seniority would be transfer and bending over back- posting of High much lower. The deciwards to justify denial Court Judges... It sion drew criticism due is within the of liberty or human to his reputation as an rights. He warned that exclusive domain independent judge. Earof the judiciary “if we lose our credibillier, Justice Sreedharan ity nothing will be left Justice Ujjal Bhuyan had taken suo motu ac, of the judiciary .” tion against a Madhya Justice Bhuyan made Pradesh minister for the point while delivering the G remarks against a serving feV Pandit memorial lecture on male Colonel. “Constitutional Morality and Justice Bhuyan, without Democratic Governance” at ILS naming Justice Sreedharan Law College, Pune. questioned the reason for his “When the collegium records transfer from one HC to anoththat the transfer of a high court er, just because he had passed judge was being made at the re- certain inconvenient orders quest of the Central govern- against the government. “Does ment, it reveals a striking in- it not affect the independence trusion of executive influence of the judiciary?” he asked. S U C H I T R A K A LYA N M O H A N T Y @ New Delhi T20 WC: B’desh out, Scotland in EXPRESS NEWS SERVICE @ Chennai AND just like that, the Asian bloc, the most powerful bloc in inter national cricket seems to be in tatters, at least for the time being. But there was no way out once Bangladesh stood their ground of not travelling to India so close to the T20 World Cup beginning from February 7. Though there have been withdrawals in the past, because of the passion involved in the sub-continent, this seems more high profile and talked-about. P15 Path open to lift 25% tariff: US Russian oil import down, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent sees possibility of easing levy P U S H P I TA D E Y @ New Delhi A couple of booster shots have arrived just before the Union Budget, which could possibly lift the sentiments of the Indian economy further. Even as the country is all set to sign a free trade deal with the European Union, which both sides see as the ‘mother of all deals’, the US hinted at a diplomatic path to lift the 25% additional import duty it levied on Indian goods after a “marked decline in India’s imports of Russian oil in recent months”. US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent hinted during a media interaction that the US administration could consider reducing the 50% tariff imposed on several sectors of Indian exports, as there has been a significant fall in imports of Russian oil in recent months. The indication is being seen as hints of a potential easing of WITH THIS ISSUE trade headwinds at a crucial juncture. Coming just a week ahead of the Union Budget 2026, the development has raised hopes of improved export prospects, stronger bilateral trade sentiment, and a more supportive global backdrop for India’s growth narrative. During his interaction with an American news outlet Politico at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Bessent said: “We put 25% tariffs on India for buying Russian oil. And the Indian purchases, by their refineries, of Russian oil have collapsed. That is a success.” Bessent assured that the administration will be open to discussions to ease them. “The tariffs are still on. I would imagine there is a path to take them off.” US President Donald Trump announced a total of 50% tariff (including a 25% tariff due to imports of crude oil from Rus- EXPRESS READ India votes against UN resolution on Iran OUR REPUBLIC OF RARE RITUALS PLUS 12 P AGES NEW DELHI: India voted against a resolution at the UNHRC condemning Iran’s violent crackdown on recent protests and extending international investigative mandates. The resolution was adopted at the Council’s 39th special session with 25 votes in favour, seven against and 14 abstentions. Besides India, China, Pakistan, Indonesia and Iraq voted against the measure P9 Month Dec 2024 Jan 2025 Feb 2025 March 2025 Apr 2025 May 2025 June 2025 July 2025 Aug 2025 Sept 2025 Oct 2025 Nov 2025 Dec 2025 Russia US 1,482 1,674 1,476 1,868 1,924 1,851 2,089 1,591 1,689 1,614 1,619 1,836 1,146 67 293 145 289 337 298 303 364 230 207 568 451 330 INDIA’S CRUDE IMPORTS KBD: 1,000 barrel per day sia) on several Indian exports, including textile, apparel, carpets, gems and jewelleries from August-end. This additional tariff came as a penalty for buying Russian oil. According to Bessent, the tactic of pressuring India has worked as the import of crude oil from Russia has come down considerably in the last few months. We put 25% tariffs on India for buying Russian oil. And Indian purchases of Russian oil have collapsed. I would imagine there is a path to take them off Scott Bessent Relief for exporters Cuts to US tariffs and the FTA with EU will bring much respite to Indian exporters Eating honey? Most samples in South India untested B O S K Y K H A N N A @Bengaluru CONSUMERS in South India are at a health risk of consuming synthetic, adulterated or pesticide-ridden honey even as the demand for the nectar and its byproducts is rising for health and beauty reasons. Far too few honey samples from southern states are coming up for testing under the National Beekeeping and Honey Mission – or Madhukranti, despite the rising number of honey-testing laboratories across India. To take the quality of honeytesting a few notches higher, the ICAR-IIHR Bengaluru is working on creating methods to detect and trace levels of antibiotics and pesticides in honey P6 .