Donald Trump sounds warning note to Russia after it bombed Ukraine’s energy grid Don’s coming for Russia 1 Trump mulls sanctions on Russia until a ceasefire and peace agreement are reached hubballi l saturday l march 08, 2025 l `9.00 l PAGES 16 l city EDITION 2 Ukraine used Mirage jets to repel an overnight attack on its energy infrastructure 3 The US suspended military aid to Ukraine this week, including sharing of intelligence 4 Poland announced plans to train all adult men in warfare, as the war in Ukraine escalates 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 Walking the fine line ILLUSTRATION : MANDAR PARDIKAR D e v a r a j B H i r e h a l l i @ Bengaluru edu sector gets a Guarantees have been formulated on the basis of the Universal Basic Income principle. If people are financially empowered, the state’s economy grows as well money matters IN CRORE Siddaramaiah, Chief Minister D4,09,549 D3,11,739 D71,336 D26,474 Budget outlay for 2025-26 This is just a nominal budget. A poor government’s poor budget. Exit budget of a retiring Chief Minister. This is of no use to Karnataka or Kannadigas R Ashoka, LoP Revenue expenditure Capital expenditure Loan repayment guarantees as they were affecting development. He launched a new scheme called CM’s Infrastructure Development Programme (CMIDP) allocating Rs 8,000 crore, promising balanced development across Karnataka with a focus on minor irrigation, roads, and urban infrastructure in all the 224 Assembly constituencies. In his second term as CM, it is his CM: Minority quota not INSIDE shot in the arm I P2 based on religion I P4 Jayan t h j a c ob @ New Delhi D200 CM Siddaramaiah presents `4,09,549 crore budget Strikes balance between social welfare & growth Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, who also holds finance portfolio, on Friday presented a Rs 19,262-crore revenuedeficit Karnataka Budget for 2025-26 with a total outlay of Rs 4,09,549 crore against the revised estimate of Rs 3,65,865 crore for 2024-25. Siddaramaiah, who presented a record 16th budget as finance minister, attempted to balance between social welfare schemes and infrastructure development, while sticking to fiscal discipline. The experiment with allocation of over one-fourth of the outlay for social welfare schemes prevailed with a major chunk of Rs 51,034 crore ear marked for the guarantee schemes, as against Rs 52,000 crore in 2024-25. Presenting the budget, he pointed out that the state managed the guarantees within the prudent fiscal deficit norm of 3% of GSDP and debtGSDP ratio of 25% for the last two budgets. If the state can sustain with the guarantees, it would help it turn to a revenue surplus budget by next fiscal, according to analysts. He tactfully addressed the outbursts of legislators against the Elephant-dragon ballet right call: China Movie ticket price to be capped at Liquor prices likely to go up Bengaluru: Liquor prices in the first four slabs (with lowest MRP) of Indian Made Liquor (IML) are likely to go up from April 1 given the increase in excise revenue target by Rs 3,500 crore. CM Siddaramaiah announced Rs 40,000 crore as the “revenue collection target for 2025-26”, while rationalising the estimated total revenue (collection) of “Rs 36,500 from (earlier Rs 38,525 crore) excise in revised estimates for 2024-25.” third budget and second consecutive revenue deficit budget on record. Budget 2025-26 includes revenue expenditure of Rs 3,11,739 crore, capital expenditure of Rs 71,336 crore and loan repayment of Rs 26,474 crore. The increase in capital expenditure to Rs 71,336 crore from Rs 55,877 crore (2024-25) is a key indicator of CM’s push to infrastructure development. CONTINUED ON: P5 Employers can breathe easy I P5 Siddu tries to strike regional balance I P6 A duet between the elephant and the dragon contributing to each other’s success is the ‘only right choice’ for India-China relations, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said on Friday as he acknowledged positive strides in bilateral ties after a four-year stalemate between the two Asian powerhouses. “There is every reason for us to support each other rather than undermine each other or undercut each other,” Wang, who is also a member of the powerful political bureau of the ruling Communist Party of Chi- na (CPC) and a special representative for boundary talks from the Chinese side, said at his annual press conference here. A ‘cooperative pas de deux’ (steps of two) is the ‘only right choice for both sides,’ Wang said while replying to a question on how Beijing views the course of bilateral ties after the two countries ended the fouryear stalemate in ties. “China always believes that the two should be partners that contribute to each other’s success... There is every reason for us to support each other rather than undercut each other, work with each other rather than guard against each other. 2 foreigners among 4 attacked, 1 goes missing A m i t S U pa d h y e @ Hubballi Four tourists, including two foreign nationals, were assaulted by three men on the banks of the Tungabhadra Left Bank Canal (TLBC) at Sanapur village in Koppal district on Thursday night. The tourists have been identified as Daniel from the US, Neema Tala (name changed) from Israel, Pankaj Patel from Nashik in Maharashtra and Bibas from Odisha. Bibas, who was pushed into the canal, is yet to be traced. Neema Tala, who was assaulted, has filed a rape complaint with the local police. Three tourists were treated in Gangavati sub-divi- sional government hospital. The incident took place when Ambika Naik, who runs a homestay at Sanapur village, took the tourists to the TLBC area for skygazing. According to the complaint, three men, who came by a car, started assaulting Neema Tala and Ambika Naik. Daniel, Patel and Bibas were pushed into the canal when they tried to stop the trio from attacking the women. While Daniel and Patel swam to safety, Bibas, who could not swim, went missing. The police found a two-wheeler, a handbag with a camera, a broken guitar, and some bloodstained clothes. P2 This is the path that truly serves the fundamental interests of the two countries and people,” Wang said. Fo l l o w i n g a g r e e m e n t s reached during a meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Xi Jinping in Kazan, Russia, last year, both countries began high-level discussions aimed at normalising their strained relationship and fostering trust. Reflecting on their long histories, Wang said the boundary issue should not define their entire relationship, nor should it allow specific differences to overshadow the partnership. This year marks the 75th anniversary of ChinaIndia diplomatic relations. ED proceedings against CM’s wife, minister quashed Yat h i r a j u @ Bengaluru In a big relief to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s wife BM Parvathy and Minister for Urban Development and Town Planning Byrathi Suresh, the High Court of Karnataka on Friday quashed the proceedings of money laundering initiated against them by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) over the alleged irregularities in allotment of 14 compensatory sites to Parvathy by MUDA. Justice M Nagaprasanna allowed the petitions filed separately by Parvathy and Suresh questioning the legality of the proceedings initiated by the ED. CONTINUED ON: P2