BELAGAVI  SUNDAY  MARCH 01, 2026  `12.00  PAGES 26  LATE CITY EDITION ABOVE-NORMAL HEATWAVE DAYS BETWEEN MARCH AND MAY: IMD Above-normal heatwave days are expected over most parts of the country between March and May, the IMD said in its forecast on Saturday ENTIRE GANGETIC PLAIN UNDER HEATWAVE RISKS TO VULNERABLE POPULATION The regions under a severe heatwave risk include West Rajasthan, Gujarat, Haryana, Punjab, southern and eastern Maharashtra, eastern Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, Gangetic West Bengal, Odisha, Chhattisgarh, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, and parts of north Karnataka and northern regions of Tamil Nadu, said IMD DG Mrutyunjay Mohapatra ■ The likelihood of a severe heatwave may pose risks to vulnerable populations such as the elderly, children, outdoor workers, and individuals with pre-existing medical conditions Many parts of the country are may experience above-normal rainfall in March, while northeast India may get below normal rainfall ■ Third HIGHEST MINIMUM TEMPERATURE WITNESSED THIS FEB SINCE 1901 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 Tehran hits back against Tel Aviv, Gulf allies of the US Syria Ilam Jordan A G E N C I E S @ Tehran/Tel Aviv THE US and Israel launched a major attack on Iran on Saturday with Presi, dent Donald Trump calling on the Iranian public to “seize control of your destiny” by rising up against the Islamic leadership that has ruled the nation since 1979. Iran retaliated by firing missiles and drones toward Israel and US military bases in West Asia. Some of the first strikes on Iran appeared to hit areas around the offices of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Smoke could be seen rising from the capital as part of strikes that Iranian media said occurred nationwide. It wasn’t immediately clear whether the 86-year-old leader was in his offices when the attack occurred. A strike on a school in southern Iran killed 63 people, a local official said. AFP was unable to immediately access the site in order to verify the toll. Iran then launched a counter missile salvo, whose impact could be heard in Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Qatar, Kuwait and the UAE, as well as Israel. “The Iranian armed forces consider as legitimate targets the sites from which the US and Zionist operations were carried out,” Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said on Iranian TV . Plumes of black smoke hung over Tehran on Saturday, including in the Pasteur district, site of the home of Khamenei, and there was a huge security deployment in the capital. “Iranian Supreme Leader Khamenei and President Masoud Pezeshkian were among the targets of the attack,” Israel’s public broadcaster reported, citing an Israeli source. Iranian local media reported Khamenei, Pezeshkian, Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and “all the command- ers” of Iran’s army were in good health. The attacks came after US President Donald Trump expressed frustration at Iran’s stance in negotiations over its nuclear and missile programmes. “We are going to destroy their missiles and raze their missile industry to the ground,” Trump said, warning of possible US casualties. Explosions were heard over central Doha and near Al-Udeid military base, the largest US facility in the region. Witnesses in Dubai saw missiles streaking across the sky. The famed Fairmont The Palm hotel and Atlantis The Royal, were attacked, and the area was evacuated. Kuwait and the UAE reported intercepting incoming Iranian missiles. Abu Dhabi said it “reserves its full right to respond”, slamming the attacks as “a dangerous escalation”. Baramati air crash’s report faults plane operator, airport was carried out in March 2016 and thereafter no runway reTHE preliminary report on the carpeting was carried out which Baramati air crash that killed resulted into fading of all the Maharashtra deputy chief min- runway markings and presence ister Ajit Pawar last month re- of loose gravels on the runway vealed the aircraft operator surface,” the report read. VSR Ventures’ failure to adSharing details of the accihere to Standard Operating dent which occurred at 8.46 am Procedures, and the bypassing on January 28, the AAIB said of the visibility norms for safe the aircraft was handed over operation of flights from Pune ATC to Barat the aerodrome. No windsock amati airport when it The Aircraft Acci- at Runway 11 was 38 miles away dent Investigation The airport lacked from it. Bureau (AAIB) on navigational aids The tower at BaraSaturday made pubmati airfield that other than wind lic its report on the morning was manned socks. “Two accident involving by a ground instructor windsocks have Learjet-45XR. been installed at of a Flight Training Despite poor visiOrganisation. He was the aerodrome, bility (3 km instead both towards RWY communicating with of the mandatory 5 the incoming aircraft 29 side. No wind km), the cockpit crew sock was available to assist the landing. chose to land and towards runway 11 “As per the CCTV those manning the footage, the aircraft side,” it said control gave the gowas observed to have ahead, the report specified. banked towards right before It pointed to the poor infra- impacting the terrain. It first structure and maintenance at impacted the trees before hitthe airport where the runway ting the ground which is at a markings, which guide the pi- lower elevation than the runlots in landing, had faded as re- way surface. The ground imcarpeting was done 11 years pact of aircraft was at a lateral ago. The airport also lacked distance of about 50 metres on navigational aids. the left from edge of RWY 11,” “The last runway re-carpeting the report said. S L A L I T H A @ New Delhi Shiraz Busherhr Saudi Arabia Combo footage of social media videos — verified by AFPTV teams — of an explosion in Tehran on Saturday, after the US launched its attack on Iran | AFP REGIME CHANGE WAR THE champagne was on ice since Friday evening. After 66 years of hardships and painful wait, Jammu and Kashmir, who was once considered the punching bag of North Zone cricket, lifted the Ranji Trophy title, getting better of a more fancied side Karnataka. The team was ecstatic and celebrated with every ounce of what- J&K players celebrate after winning their first Ranji Trophy title | D HEMANTH Minab Qatar Sites hit in Iran Iran’s retalition Mapping the attack and counter-attack The map shows the joint US-Israel strikes targetting key military installations in Iran such as Isfahan, Bushehr, Minab, Tabriz and a host of other regions. In response, Iran struck Gulf allies of the US such as Qatar, UAE, Oman, Saudi Arabia, Jordan and parts of Israel TALKING HEADS Iran has continued to develop its nuclear program. When we are finished, take over your government. It will be yours to take. This will be probably your only chance for generations Ensuring nuclear safety and preventing any actions that could further escalate tensions or undermine the global nonproliferation regime is of key importance Ursula von der Leyen, EU chief Donald Trump MATTER OF SHAME Principal assaults 2 minors, held; wife, teacher arrested too E X P R E S S N E W S S E R V I C E @ Bengaluru THE principal of a private residential school, his wife and a teacher have been arrested by the Devanahalli police in a POCSO (Protection of Children from Sexual Offences) case as the principal has been accused of sexually assaulting two minor sisters. The victims initially approached the teacher to narrate their ordeal, but were told that such behaviour is common and need not be reported, the police said. Principal Dhanajay and his wife Shailaja have been arrested by the police. Shailaja is accused of attempting to cover up the incident by coercing the victims to keep quiet and keeping them in captivity for eight days. The couple is also accused of confiscating the victims’ mobile phones, fearing that they might inform their parents. The two girls used the mobile phone of another student and reached out to their parents, complaining about the sexual assault they went through. A police complaint was filed on Friday, and the couple was arrested on Saturday CONTINUED ON P7 . WITH THIS ISSUE EAT PLAY TALK ever energy left after five days of toil. They were dancing, hugging, yelling and shouting. Their chief minister Omar Omdullah was in attendance and stood there watching the team scripting history The . team was not a hurriedly assembled cast. It was years in the making, brick by brick. They have beaten the likes of Mumbai and came close to making their first semifinals last Bahrain UAE PLUS 12 P AGES Baa-Hubballi, the beginning: J&K’s crowing moment A M I T S U PA D H Y E @ Hubballi Lorestan Province Isfahan Oman Israel Brazen bid to disturb peace, say Russia, China Tabriz TEHRAN Urmia Karaj Damavand Zanjan Qom IRAN Kermanshah Iraq year when Kerala took a onerun lead. On Saturday, a draw was all J&K needed after taking a 291-run lead in the first innings. Skipper Paras Dogra, a veteran of many seasons puts it succinctly “I can. not explain and I don’t have any words. It is the biggest thing in my life. Biggest gratitude I will have in my life before I leave this word,” he said. EXPRESS READ US, Israel launch a flurry of strikes on Iranian targets New Delhi urges restraint, respect for sovereignty J AYA N T H J A C O B @ New Delhi INDIA on Saturday voiced deep concern over the escalating situation in Iran and the wider Gulf region, urging all sides to exercise restraint and respect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all states. In a statement, the External Affairs Ministry said: “India is deeply concerned at the recent developments in Iran and the Gulf region. We urge all sides to exercise restraint, avoid escalation, and prioritise the safety of civilians.” The government underscored that dialogue — not military confrontation — must guide the path forward. “Dialogue and diplomacy should be pursued to de-escalate tensions and address underlying issues. Sovereignty and territorial integrity of all states must be respected,” the statement added, reiterating India’s longstanding position on adherence to international law and regional stability . The remarks come at a time of heightened volatility in West Asia following military actions and retaliatory strikes that sparked fears of a broader regional conflict. The Gulf region hosts over 10 million Indians, making stability there both a strategic and humanitarian priority for New Delhi. The MEA said Indian missions across the region remain in contact with the diaspora. “Our missions in the region are in touch with Indian nationals and have issued appropriate advisories asking them to remain vigilant, stay in contact with the missions, and follow local security guidance.” India also has deep economic stakes in the region, with a significant share of its crude oil imports and trade flows linked to Gulf nations. Any prolonged instability could have implications for global energy markets. 3 suffocate to death inside water sump in Bengaluru’s Whitefield BENGALURU: A 67-year-old man, along with two others, died owing to suspected suffocation from toxic fumes while cleaning a water sump at Immadihalli under Whitefield police limits in east Bengaluru on Saturday. The deceased are Munishamappa, 67, the house owner; Rudra Kumar, 40, a plumber; and Vishwanath Achari, 24, a delivery boy | P7