tirupati l thursday l march 05, 2026 l `9.00 l PAGES 12 l late city EDITION nepal general elections today, hopes to usher in positive change In a big moment for the Himalayan nation, millions will turn out to vote in the first election to be held after the deadly Gen Z protests rapper turned politician balen runs for P.M. millions will cast vote on Thursday Rastriya Swotantra Party (RSP) led by Ravi Lamichhane and senior leader Balendra Shah and reformed Nepali Congress (Gagan Thapa) are voicing for issues raised by the Gen Z. CPN-UML led by K P Oli and Nepali Communist Party are known as the traditional forces. RSP has projected former Kathmandu Mayor and popular rapper Shah as PM candidate ■ ■ More than 18.9 million eligible Nepalese will exercise their franchise to elect 275 member House of Representatives (HoR) from among 3,406 candidates for 165 seats Apart from the HoR polls, 110 seats will be decided through proportionate voting. As many as 3,135 candidates are in the race 275 the number of members in house of representatives 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 U.S. looks to arm Kurdish militias to join conflict R — estimates suggest roughly 80 to 90 metres beneath rock — precisely to withstand bombing campaigns. Iran has also accumulated significant stocks of enriched uranium. According to reporting by the International Atomic Energy Agency, some material has been enriched to levels approaching 60 per cent purity — still short of weapons-grade but far closer to it than ordinary civilian enrichment. Such material could potentially be enriched further if facilities survived or were rebuilt. As former IAEA director general Mohamed ElBaradei once remarked when discussing nuclear proliferation, “you cannot bomb knowledge.” History offers a revealing precedent. After the Gulf War, inspectors from the International Atomic Energy Agency and the UN Special Commission began one of the most intrusive disarmament operations ever attempted. Teams spent years tracking down and dismantling Iraq’s nuclear infrastructure. Facilities missed during the bombing campaign were gradually uncovered through inspections, document seizures and interviews with Iraqi scientists.  Continued on: P9 IRIS Dena 180 87 61 32 State braces for severe heatwave this summer S G u r u S r i k a n t h / Us h a P e r i @ Vijayawada/Visakhapatnam Higher-than-normal temperatures are likely in Andhra Pradesh during the summer months from March to May 2026, according to forecasts issued by the India Meteorological Department (IMD). The Central Andhra and Rayalaseema regions are expected to record above-average maximum temperatures, while minimum temperatures may also remain higher than normal in parts of Rayalaseema and North Coastal Andhra. The IMD’s Amaravati Centre has predicted that Central Andhra could witness more heatwave days than usual. In its latest outlook, the IMD noted mist at isolated places over Coastal Andhra Pradesh, Yanam and Rayalaseema on March 4 and 5, with hot and humid conditions likely in North and South Coastal Andhra. A gradual rise of 2-3°C in maximum temperatures is expected over Rayalaseema between March 4 and 6. In line with these forecasts, Andhra Pradesh State Disaster Management Authority (APSDMA) Managing Director Prakhar Jain warned that heatwave conditions will intensify P4 in April and May  . The proposed tariff of 15% (up from 10%), across-the-board by the US administration is expected to be effective later this week, US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said on Wednesday during a media interaction. He added that by August, overall US tariff levels are likely to revert to their precourt ruling position, even though the US Supreme Court invalidated the steeper duties Trump had imposed unilaterally on most trading partners last year. “It’s my strong belief that the tariff rates will be back to their old rate within five months,” Bessent said in an interview. “During the 150 days, we will see studies from USTR on Section 301, tariffs from Commerce on Section 232,” Bessent said, referring to other tariff author- Bodies Still sailors retrieved missing rescued KOCHI Overtorpedoeskilled 100 Iran frigate as U.S. sub Day’s developments Attack 40 km south of Lanka’s Galle at dawn This was the first torpedo attack in decades GALLE Was scheduled to halt at Kochi for refuelling before heading to Persian Gulf Trump says US Navy ready to escort oil tankers, adding America would offer shippers insurance US Senate to vote on first resolution aimed at curbing Trump’s authority to continue military strikes on Iran Tanker traffic through Strait of Hormuz down 90%, says Kpler Number of ballistic missiles fired by Iran down 86% from Day 1 of conflict, drone launches too dip, says US Lankan healthcare workers carry the bodies of Iranian sailors who died in the attack | AFP Videograb shows periscope footage of a US submarine firing on and sinking IRIS Dena | AFP MEA sets up control room The MEA has established a dedicated control room in Delhi to assist distressed Indian nationals across the Gulf region and neighbouring countries. A look Delhi control room numbers: 9am to 9pm 1800118797 (Toll Free) +91 11 2301 2113 +91 11 2301 4104 +91 11 2301 7905 Embassy emergency contacts Bahrain: +973 39418071 Iran: +989128109115 / +989128109102 / +989128109109 / +989932179359 Iraq: +964 771 651 1185 / +964 770444 4899 Israel: +972 54 7520711 / +972 54 2428378 Jordan: +962 770 422 276 Kuwait: +965 65501946 Lebanon: +961 76860128 Oman: +968 98282270 (WhatsApp) / 80071234 (Toll Free) Qatar: +974 55647502 Ramallah, Palestine: +970 592916418 Saudi Arabia (Riyadh): +966 11 4884697 / 800 247 1234 (Toll Free) Saudi Arabia (Jeddah): +966 126648660 / +966 12 2614093 United Arab Emirates: +971 543090571 (WhatsApp) / 800 46342 (Toll Free) 15% US tariff to kick in this week, says Bessent P u s h p i ta D e y @ New Delhi too close for comfort VIZAG Total crew Senior journalist based in London, author of Nuclear Rivals in the Middle East SHYAM BHATIYA eports from Washington indicate that American officials are discussing the possibility of supporting Kurdish militias and other Iranian opposition groups as tensions with Tehran intensify Accord. ing to reporting by CNN and The Wall Street Journal, US officials have explored contacts with Kurdish leaders operating near the Iranian border. The idea — reportedly under discussion within the CIA and the White House — would involve backing Kurdish forces along the mountainous frontier between Iraq and western Iran. The discussion points to a deeper dilemma confronting American planners. Air strikes can damage nuclear facilities, but eliminating a nuclear programme entirely is far more difficult. Iran’s nuclear infrastructure was deliberately designed after the Iraq experience to be dispersed, hardened and difficult to destroy from the air. Facilities such as the Natanz Nuclear Facility and the deeply buried Fordow Fuel Enrichment Plant form part of a network intended to survive aerial attack. Some enrichment facilities, including Fordow, were constructed deep inside mountains IRIS Dena had participated in Indian Navy’s International Fleet Review and multinational Exercise Milan off Vizag in mid-Feb ities that have withstood court challenges. He added that the effort to rebuild Trump’s tariff programme under these authorities would bring US duty rates back to their prior levels within five months. “They are slow moving, but they are more robust,” Bessent said while talking about the Section 232 national securitybased and the Section 301 unfair trade practices tariffs. Trump announced the revised 15% rate in late February and , justified this tariff under a national emergencies law. India is in the middle of signing of the Bilateral Trade Agreement with the US. While it was due to be signed by March, after the US Sepreme Court ruling, the scheduled visit of the negotiating team to the US in the last week of February was postponed. Ayatollah Ali Khamenei’s funeral due on Wednesday evening postponed Spain PM defiant, says no to war, deepening a rift with the US; refused to allow use of its bases to attack Iran Canada PM Mark Carney says US-Israeli strikes on Iran inconsistent with international law Iran ballistic missile heading toward Turkish airspace via Iraq and Syria destroyed by NATO air defence systems J a v a r i a R a n a @ New Delhi An Iranian Navy frigate that had participated in the Indian Navy’s International Fleet Review and the multinational Exercise Milan in Visakhapatnam in mid-February was struck by a torpedo fired by a US Navy nuclear-powered attack submarine in the Indian Ocean Region early Wednesday amid the , escalating conflict involving the US, Israel and Iran. “Yesterday, in the Indian Ocean, an American submarine sank an Iranian warship that thought it was safe in international waters. Instead, it was sunk by a torpedo, quiet death. The first sinking of an enemy ship by a torpedo since World War II (sic),” US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said on Wednesday Torpedos were in . play during the Falklands War in 1982 and the 1971 India-Pakistan war. The vessel, IRIS Dena, issued a distress call south of Sri Lanka soon after the strike, triggering a search and rescue operation in which 32 injured sailors were evacuated out of a crew of 180. The frigate was on its return voyage to Iran after participating in the naval engagements hosted by India when it reported the emergency at dawn. It is learnt the vessel was scheduled to halt at Kochi for refuelling before beginning its onward passage westward towards the Persian Gulf. The vessel was about 40 nautical miles south of Galle, just outside Sri Lanka’s territorial NDA govt created 6.28 lakh jobs in 20 months, says CM E x p r e ss N e w s S e r v i c e No industry leaving the State: Govt @ Vijayawada Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu declared that the coalition government has created 6.28 lakh jobs in just 20 months since assuming office. Addressing the House on Wednesday, he explained that employment opportunities were generated across multiple sectors - 2.48 lakh in MSMEs, 1.46 lakh through skill development, 95,000 in industries, 64,000 in food processing and 30,500 in government recruitment, including Mega DSC and police constables. He emphasised that the government has already surpassed its pre-election promise of 20 lakh jobs and has set up a committee to further strengthen employment generation. Naidu asserted that Andhra Pradesh is once again becom- CM Chandrababu during the assembly session on Wednesday | express ing a preferred destination for global investments. He pointed to major projects from Google, Tata-TCS, ArcelorMittal, NTPC and AM Green, covering IT, data centres, steel and green energy . The Visakhapatnam investment summit alone attracted commitments worth `13.25 NDA government has asserted that the state continues to attract major investments, denies industries leaving. The government explained that land allotments are always subject to conditions such as timely payment of land cost, adherence to project timelines and compliance with regulations | P4 lakh crore, expected to generate 16 lakh jobs. He said Andhra Pradesh is now recognised for the “speed of doing business”, with 26 policies enabling rapid approvals, industrial parks planned across all 175 constituencies and tourism given industrial status to boost P4 growth.  waters, when it issued the distress call. The Sri Lanka Navy dispatched ships and aircraft, while the Sri Lanka Air Force joined the rescue effort to evacuate sailors from the vessel. Sri Lanka’s Foreign Minister Vijitha Herath told Parliament that the injured sailors were transported to various hospitals. Lankan Navy spokesperson, Buddhika Sampath further said the response was under the country’s international maritime obligations. “We responded to the distress call under our international obligations as this falls within Sri Lanka’s Search and Rescue Area in the Indian Ocean,” he said. Responding to a query from The New Indian Express earlier, the US Embassy spokesperson in New Delhi had said the US Navy destroyer USS Pinckney, an Arleigh Burkeclass warship slated to participate in the International Fleet Review and Exercise Milan, did not attend the events due to emergent operational requirements. The US Navy instead deployed a P-8 maritime patrol aircraft for the engagements. The destroyer had departed Singapore on February 11 after repairs. The Chief of the Iranian Navy, Rear Admiral Shahram Irani, had also travelled to Vizag for the engagements, attending the International Fleet Review, the Indian Ocean Naval Symposium Conclave of Chiefs and Exercise Milan hosted by the Indian Navy . express read Vetlapalem firecraker blast toll rises to 25 Kakinada: The death toll in the Vetlapalem firecracker factory explosion has risen to 25, with two more victims succumbing to injuries at Kakinada Government General Hospital (GGH) on Wednesday | P3 5 Bengaluru residents killed in Chittoor crash Tirupati: Five Bengaluru residents, including elderly couple, die in highway road crash near YSR Junction in Gangavaram mandal while heading to Tirumala, after car collides with cement lorry on Wednesday morning | P3 AMNS steel plant breaks ground in A’palle soon Visakhapatnam: Preparations for ArcelorMittal Nippon Steel’s integrated steel plant groundbreaking ceremony in Anakapalle district are on track, with the event likely in March’s last week | P4 T20 World Cup Mumbai high: Upbeat India set for tactically sound England challenge g o m e s h s @ Mumbai India head coach Gautam Gambhir in Mumbai on Wednesday | Debadatta mallick The moment one turns towards towards the Anshuman Gaekwad gate of the Wankhede Stadium from Marine Drive, one can witness relentless hustle. Cars were lined up as fans standing in groups were enquiring about availability of tickets. Excitement was palpable. And rightly so, two sides with considerable pedigree and history would be locking horns for a coveted place in the T20 World Cup final against New Zealand on Sunday . As expected, the semifinal between India and England is drawing a lot of attention. Such is the enormity of the occasion and India are looking beyond practice to win that match, even if it required to invoke the divine. Nothing can be left for chance. The team even postponed practice by an hour on Tuesday so that they do not train during the inauspicious moments of Lunar Eclipse. Bowling coach Morne Morkel confirmed it. And when they did come out to train on Tuesday each individual put in that extra effort to chisel those rough edges. Three hours of intense rituals and entire house was in attendance -- Sanju Samson, Hardik Pandya, Tilak Varma, skipper Suryakumar Yadav, Washington Sundar. In fact, Pandya batted for more than two hours straight and well past 10 PM. E n g l a n d wo rk t h ro u g h stealth and guile. They exhibited the trait in Sri Lanka where tactics mattered more than slam-bang batting. Their skipper Harry Brook is in good knick and is ably supported by the likes of Will Jacks, Sam Curran and the ilk. Going by the current form and trend, Gautam Gambhircoached side cannot put a foot wrong. The first semifinal in Kolkata was one-sided as New Zealand whacked South Africa out of WC. Hopefully, the secP11 ond will be a cracker.