The Editorial Page: As Iran confronts existential threat, its minorities will shape the contest 8 WEDNESDAY, MARCH 4, 2026 JOURNALISM of COURAgE MuMbAI, lAtE CIty, 20 PAgES ₹5.00 l www.indianexpress.com DA I ly f R O M : A h M E DA b A D , C h A N D I gA R h , D E l h I , J A I P u R , kO l k AtA , l u C k N O W , M u M b A I , N Ag P u R , PAt N A , P u N E , vA D O DA R A REG.NO. MCS/067/2018 - 20 RNI REGN. NO. 1543/57 IAEA CONFIRMS IRAN’S NATANz NUCLEAR FACILITY HIT; ISRAEL SENDS TROOPS TO SOUTH LEBANON JEFFREY EPSTEIN SHADOW MEA told Commerce it didn’t recommend ‘ministerial meeting’ with Bill Gates FICCI event scheduled for Feb 19 postponed, MEA flagged ‘political angle’, said it had ‘approval of competent authority’ Bill Gates arrived in India on February 16 and met Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu in Amaravati. X/@NCbN Harikishan Sharma ganised by industry body Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry to THE MINISTRY ofExternalAf- mark its centenary year, “Curfairs advised the Commerce tain Raiser of FICCI @100.” Ministry against a “ministerial This event was scheduled meeting” with Microsoft co- for February 19, the same day founder and philthe global AI sumanthropist Bill mit began in the eXpress Gates during his Capital. visit to India last “MEAdoesnot month amid rerecommend a newed global ministerial meetscrutiny over Gates’s associ- ing of HCIM (Hon'ble Comations with convicted sex of- merce and Industry Minister) fender Jeffrey Epstein, The withMrGates,ortheirjointparIndian Express has learnt. ticipation at an event, from the The Commerce Ministry is political angle at this stage,” an learnttohavesoughttheMEA’s official at the MEA’s AMS opinion regarding an event or»CONTINUED ON PAGE 2 New Delhi, March 3 exclusive maharashtra 118 146 181 68 ExpLOSIvES UNIT BLAST IN NAGpUR: 16 WOMEN WHO NEvER RETURNED pAGE 4 Someone from within best choice for Iran, says Trump as war rages Israel pounds Tehran, Beirut; Iran hits Tel Aviv, US embassy in Saudi Arabia Shubhajit Roy New Delhi, March 3 Associated Press & Reuters Washington, Dubai, Tel Aviv, March 3 SHEDDING SOME light for the first time on his future plans for Iran, US President Donald Trump on Tuesday said “someonefromwithin”theIranianregimemightbethebestchoiceto take power once the military campaign is over. Earlier in the day, Trump had shut the door on talks with Iran, saying that it was “too late” — even as explosions tore through Tehran and Beirut on the fourth day of theUS-Israelmilitaryoperation against Iran. “Their air defense, Air Force, Navy, and Leadership is gone. They want totalk.Isaid“TooLate!”Trump said in a Truth Social post on Tuesday.Laterintheday,speaking at the White House while welcomingGermanChancellor FriedrichMerz,hegaveahinton Iran's post-conflict future. Back on the battlefront, Iranian drones slammed into the US embassy in Saudi Arabia, causing minor damage and starting a fire, after hitting the diplomatic mission in Kuwait. Washingtonrespondedbyshutting those missions and ordering non-emergency government personnel and their families to leave countries across West Asia. Air raid sirens sounded repeatedlyinIsrael,warningofincoming attacks and sending millionsintobombshelters.The IsraelimilitaryreportedIranian missile strikes on Tel Aviv. “Search and rescue forces, together with numerous emergency teams, are currently operating at the impact sites in centralIsrael,”themilitarysaid. In relentless attacks though Tuesday, Israel flattened the »CONTINUED ON PAGE 2 Griefoverlives lost,saysGovt; missionmoves Indianstudents outofTehran Graves being prepared for those killed in a US-Israeli strike on a girls’ school in Minab, Iran. Local media reports said over 160 were killed in Saturday’s strike. The UN Human Rights office has called for an investigation into the incident. REutERS MORE REPORTS, PAGES 6, 9, 15, 16, 17 India has ‘reasonably On Govt table: Diaspora comfortable’ oil stocks, safety, fuel price cushion enough for 6-8 weeks for middle class at home Sukalp Sharma New Delhi, March 3 INDIA HAS crude oil and fuel stocksforsixtoeightweeksand is in a “reasonably comfortable” situation to prevent any near-term supply shortage of major fuels like petrol, diesel, and liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) amid the ongoing conflict in West Asia, a senior official from the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas (MoPNG) said Tuesday. The conflict has led to the halting of shipments through the critical chokepoint of the Strait of Hormuz, from where a bulk of India’s oil and gas »CONTINUED ON PAGE 2 LATEST l DIu yOuth kIllED IN AttACk Off OMAN, 2 OthER INDIANS fEARED DEAD l IRAN'S QuDS fORCE COMMANDER IN lEbANON kIllED IN StRIkE: ISRAEl l IRAN tARgEtS tWO AMAzON DAtA CENtRES IN uAE, ONE IN bAhRAIN l tEhRAN’S MEhRAbAD AIRPORt COMES uNDER AttACk: IRAN MEDIA l SOME u.S. PERSONNEl, kIN tO lEAvE kuWAIt, bAhRAIN, IRAQ, QAtAR, JORDAN, uAE Express News Service New Delhi, March 3 ASTHEIranwarrages,thegovernment is preparing on three key fronts: safety of Indian citizens in West Asian countries, protecting the middle class from any impact of oil prices, and aligning its diplomatic outreach in the region with national interest in mind. Accordingtoseniorgovernmentfunctionaries,thesethree issues were discussed in detail at the meeting of the Cabinet Committee of Security on Sunday,March1.Subsequently,key ministries including civil aviation, petroleum and natural gas, were also roped in to pre- THE BIG PICTURE FOR THE first time since Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was killed in strikes by Israel and the US, India Tuesday referred to the West Asia situation as “conflict in Iran and the Gulf region” and said “many lives have been regrettably lost and we express our grief in that regard”. In Tehran, the Indian embassy said it has moved Indian studentsfromtheIraniancapital to safer locations and only a few students remain in the city — around9,000Indians,including students, are said to be in Iran. Theembassy,inanadvisory, said, “In view of the developing situation,allIndiannationalsin Iran are advised to exercise utmost caution, avoid unnecessary movements and remain indoors as far as possible.” In New Delhi, Randhir Jaiswal, spokesperson for the Ministry of External Affairs, issued adetailedstatement—without naming Khamenei — to make four points: express “deep concern and great anxiety” over thefast-deterioratingsituation, impact on Indian nationals in the region along with trade and traffic, express condolences over the deaths due to the strikes, and that Delhi’s efforts to help those in distress. With Iran retaliating by targeting countries hosting US personnel and, in the process, widening the theatre of »CONTINUED ON PAGE 2 Business as Usual By EP UNNY The Gulf Stream pAGE 13 pare for a situation where the war drags on for longer than expected. »CONTINUED ON PAGE 2 The rise and rise of Balendra Shah: Former Judicial postings can’t Pahalgam attack GoPro mayor of Kathmandu who backed Gen Z stir be made at the drop of activated in China: NIA a hat, says Bombay HC As Nepal votes tomorrow, 35-yr-old could mark the shift 2025 protests foretold COURT SEEKS BEIJING ASSISTANCE Express News Service Jammu, March 3 AN NIA court in Jammu has issuedaLetterRogatory(letterof request) to the competent judicialauthorityinChinaforassistance in finding the supply chain and end-user details of an electronic device linked to the probe into last year’s terror attack in Pahalgam. The move came in response to an application filed by NIA Deputy Inspector General San- deep Choudhary under BNSS Section 112, which empowers Indiancourtstoissuea‘Letterof Request’ to authorities in foreign countries regarding evidencethatmaybeoutsideIndia. Terrorists had on April 22 last year killed 25 tourists and a local guide in South Kashmir’s Pahalgam. Referring to the seizure of various material and electronic devicesconnectedwiththeconspiracy and execution of the »CONTINUED ON PAGE 2 Yubaraj Ghimire Kathmandu, March 3 A POLITICAL nobody until 2021, who joined a party organisation only two months ago, 35-year-oldBalendraShahrepresents the paradigm shift in Nepal politics that the September 2025 Gen Z protests promised to usher in. In a field crowded with aspirants for the Prime Minister’s post who are overwhelmingly above 70, the charismatic Shah — popularly known as “Balen” — is half their age, and was a vocal supporter of the Gen Z protests. Andthatisnotthefullextent ofhisappealasNepalheadsinto elections on March 5. Shah has also sealed his position as the contender by aligning himself shrewdly with the Rashtriya SwatantraParty(RSP),founded in2022andhenceevenyounger »CONTINUED ON PAGE 2 Recalls order to fill vacancies ‘expeditiously’ Express News Service Mumbai, March 3 Balendra Shah is contesting against K P Oli, whose government the Gen Z protests toppled last year. AP OBSERVING THAT appointments to district and other courts “cannot be made at the drop of the hat” and priority must be given to quality over the speed, the Bombay High Court recalled its order seeking expeditiousfillingofover3,000 additionallysanctionedandalready vacant judicial posts in Maharashtra. The HC had also sought blueprint of the steps to fill up such posts. A bench of Justices Bharati H Dangre and Sarang V Kotwal last week was hearing review petition filed by Registrar General of the HC in proceedings related to PIL by one Vaijnath »CONTINUED ON PAGE 2 l NISHANT KUMAR LIKELY TO jOIN HIS FATHER’S PARTY ON MARCH 5, FILE NOMINATION FOR UPPER HOUSE Quiet, spiritual, now political: Nitish Kumar’s son steps out from the shadows Santosh Singh been to Gaya before, this time hewasnotacurioustourist.The itinerary next took him to the ON FEBRUARY 14, Nishant Tetar reservoir, where officials Kumar arrived in Bodh Gaya, briefed him on how Ganga marking the start of his first ex- water was drawn from the tensivetourofBihar.Dressedin Hathidah Ghat, transported a white kurta-pyjama and a through pipelines to reservoirs creamsweater,Nishant,theson andtreatmentplants,andthen of Bihar CM Nitish Kumar, purifiedandsuppliedtohomes walked around the Mahabodhi in Gaya. Then, he made a stop at the Dashrath temple, learnt about page 1 Manjhi Memorial to itshistory,meditated pay tribute to the under the Bodhi tree “Mountain Man”. where the Buddha This was part of a series of achieved enlightenment, and met international tourists. Ni- carefully curated public apshant was photographed pay- pearancesNishanthasmadeof ing respects to the Buddha and late, amid strong indications that he would join the party on posing with a monk. Though the CM’s son had March 5 and file the nominaPatna, March 3 anchor tion for the March 16 Rajya Sabha elections. On Tuesday, JD(U) leader and state minister Shrawan Kumar announced Nishant’simpendingentryinto politics, saying, "On the eve of Holi,letussharegoodnews:Nishant Kumar is soon going to join politics. It is the wish of the party rank and file.” Nishant’s first steps in politicscomeatatimewhenhis 75-year-old father is well ensconced in his chair. However, murmurs have continued about Nitish’s health and there has been a lingering anxiety in party circles about finding his politicalheir,someonewhowill navigate the alliance with the BJP. For many party workers E. eXplained Race for Rajya Sabha from Bihar Bihar CM Nitish Kumar with son Nishant. fIlE and leaders, it is Nishant. Out of public view Fondly called Nishi by his friendsandfamily,Nishantwas borntoNitishandManjuSinha, aschoolteacher,onJuly20,1975. With his father having jumped headfirst into politics, Nishant hardly saw him at home and There are five RS seats at stake in Bihar, with 41 being the magic number. The JD(U) and the BJP have 85 and 89 seats respectively in the 243-member House, securing them two seats each. For the fifth, the NDA has 38 votes and needs three more. The Opposition can win the fifth seat if all the parties, including BSP and AIMIM, come together. was close to his mother, who raised him single-handedly, said sources close to the family. Among Nishant’s friends at BIT Mesra, near Ranchi, were Islampur MLA Ruhail Ranjan, son of the late Rajiv Ranjan, formerUnionMinisterAshwini Kumar Choubey’s son Arjit Shashwat, Bihar Deputy CM Samrat Choudhary’s brother Rajesh Choudhary, and Amit Chourasia, the son of former Sikkim Governor Ganga Prasad. “For the first two years at BIT, no one knew he was Nitish Kumar’s son,” said Ruhail. Leaderssaidthatdespiteremaining out of public view, Nishant closely follows political developments and keeps him- selfinformedaboutgovernance matters. “He has studied the Jal-Jeevan-Hariyali Mission (launchedin2019)thoroughly,” said a source close to Nishant, adding that he is an avid reader of books on socialism, contemporary Bihar, and the RSS, along with religious texts such as the Srimad Bhagavad Gita. Family friends drew parallels between father and son. “Both have spiritual leanings,” said one. “After engineering, Nitish read Osho extensively. Nishant, too, reads mystical andspiritualliterature,bothIndian and foreign.” Asked if father and son discuss politics, A source in the »CONTINUED ON PAGE 2