Thursday, March 5, 2026 | Vol. 69 No. 127 | 31 Pages Reg.No MCS/048/2021-23; RNI No. 1541/1957 M.p.c.s office Mumbai. PIN 400001 THE FREE PRESS JOURNAL INDIA EDITION | www.freepressjournal.in ● Leader in E-paper circulation l E-paper edition is not a replica of the print edition GAMES NATION After weeks of tension, Stalin-led DMK, Cong seal seat-sharing deal for TN elections Cinema Nora hits back at trolls after her world peace appeal New Zealand knocks out South Africa to qualify for T20 World Cup final Edit Notes from afar: Mother, do you think they’ll drop The Bomb? OBLITERATED| Over 80 sailors believed dead. US Defence Secy Hegseth confirms attack. Ship was heading back from Indian port ‘No evidence of Future leaders dead: Trump US SUB SINKS IRANIAN imminent threat’ FRIGATE OFF LANKA FPJ News Service MUMBAI A boy walks away from an unexploded Iranian projectile that landed in the outskirts of Qamishli, Syria –PTI FPJ News Service MUMBAI US President Donald Trump on Tuesday said many individuals previously considered as possible future leaders of Iran were now dead, as he spoke about the uncertain leadership situation in the country following the ongoing conflict. Responding to a question about whether he had anyone in mind for Iran’s future leadership, during a meeting with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz in the Oval Office, Trump indicated that several potential figures were no longer alive. “Well, most of the people we had in mind are dead. So, you know, we had some in mind from that group that is dead,” he said. The US president suggested that another set of possible candidates might also have been killed. 4Contd on | nation NAVY, AIR FORCE ‘KNOCKED OUT’ FPJ News Service MUMBAI US President Donald Trump on Tuesday said Iran’s military capabilities had been severely degraded, claiming the country’s navy, air force and key defence systems had been “knocked out”, while warning of more strikes. During a meeting with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, Trump said the US and its allies had inflicted heavy damage on Iran’s military infrastructure. “They have no Navy. It's been knocked out. They have no Air Force. It's been knocked out. They have no air detection. That's been knocked out. Their radar has been knocked out. And just about everything has been knocked out,” he said. 4Contd on | nation An American submarine torpedoed and sank an Iranian naval warship in the Indian Ocean off the southern coast of Sri Lanka early Wednesday, killing at least 80 people in what US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth called the first sinking of an enemy warship by torpedo in recent times, reported Reuters. The vessel, IRIS Dena, Iran’s newest and most capable frigate, went down about 44 nautical miles south of the port city of Galle after being struck by two torpedoes, according to Sri Lankan defence sources. The ship was carrying about 180 crew members. Thirty-two survivors were rescued and taken to Karapitiya Hospital in Galle. Sixtyeight remain unaccounted for based on official figures, though the death toll is expected to rise. Some bodies have been recovered from the water. Hegseth confirmed the attack in a statement Wednesday. “An American submarine sank an Iranian warship that thought it was safe in international waters,” he said. “It was sunk by a torpedo, a quiet death, the first sinking of an enemy ship by a torpedo since World War II. Like in that war, back when we were still the War Department, we are fighting to win.” Sri Lanka’s coast guard received a distress call from the Dena at 5:08 am Wednesday. Crew members described the incident as an explosion. The Sri Lanka Navy dispatched a first vessel by 6 am and a second by 7 am. When ‘THEY ARE SICK, CRAZY’ FPJ News Service MUMBAI (Top) IRIS Dena, Iran’s newest frigate, went down near Galle after being struck by two US torpedoes. (Above) The vessel’s crew during exercises in Visakhapatnam rescue teams reached the coordinates, they found no ship, only a wide oil slick on the surface, floating debris and survivors in the water. The Sri Lanka Air Force joined the search and rescue operation shortly after. Sri Lankan Foreign Minister Vijitha Herath told Parliament the ship was carrying about 180 personnel when it issued the emergency signal roughly 40 nautical miles south of Galle, just outside the country’s territorial waters but within its search and rescue zone. 4Contd on | nation 4See also | US President Trump called elements in Iran’s leadership “sick” and “mentally ill”. “We're doing very well… what we're doing right now with Iran if we don't stop them or if we didn't stop them or if we didn't start. They've been decimated. But if we didn't do what we're doing right now, you would have had a nuclear war and they would have taken out many countries because you know what? There's sick people and mentally ill sick people. They're angry. They're crazy.” 4Contd on | nation mumbai, world US lawmakers react after Iran briefing FPJ News Service said many of their concerns remained unresolved. Several lawmakers who atA classified briefing to tended the session expressed members of the US Congress scepticism about the adminison the Iran conflict left law- tration’s justification for the makers sharply divided, with strikes. Seth Magaziner, Represeveral saying the administra- sentative for Rhode Island, said tion failed to present clear evi- after the briefing that “no evidence of an imminent threat or dence was presented that Iran a coherent longposed an imminent term strategy folthreat.” Chris Van lowing the strikes. Hollen, Senator for The closed-door Maryland, also briefing took place criticised the adat the US Capitol ministration’s exand was attended planation, saying by members of “even behind closed both the House of doors, they couldn’t Seth Magaziner Representatives get their story and the Senate. It straight.” followed earlier Their remarks leadership-level inreflected broader telligence briefings concerns raised by given to congresseveral Democratic sional leaders belawmakers who arfore the strikes. The gued the briefing session was confailed to clearly vened to explain demonstrate an imChris Van Hollen the circumstances mediate threat surrounding the US military from Iran or outline a longoperation against Iranian tar- term strategy for the conflict. gets and the intelligence assessOther lawmakers raised ments that preceded it. questions about the legal basis The briefing was delivered for the operation and warned by Secretary of State Marco the strikes could escalate into a Rubio, Secretary of Defence broader conflict. Some Pete Hegseth, CIA Director members said Congress should John Ratcliffe, and Gen Dan play a greater role in authorisCaine, Chairman of the Joint ing any further military action. Chiefs of Staff. The officials outRepublican lawmakers were lined the administration’s ra- generally more supportive of tionale for military action and the administration’s actions. presented intelligence assessThe session took place amid ments related to Iran’s capabil- growing debate over the presiities and activities in the region. dent’s authority to carry out According to lawmakers military operations without exwho spoke afterward, the plicit congressional authorisabriefing began in the afternoon tion. No official attendance list and lasted about one-and-a- has been released because the half hours. Members were meeting was classified, but nuallowed to ask questions during merous lawmakers confirmed the session, although several they were present. MUMBAI GULF TENSIONS SINK STOCKS US MAY UP TARIFF TO 15% SOON: BESSENT RUPEE SLIDES TO RECORD LOW QATAR LNG SUPPLY HIT, INDIA WARY MEA SETS UP A CONTROL ROOM Indian equity markets stumbled on Wednesday as tensions in West Asia pushed crude prices higher, reviving fears of inflation, currency weakness and slower growth. Dalal Street saw a broad sell-off, with Sensex plunging as much as 2.23% intraday and the Nifty sliding 2.25%. Tata Steel and Larsen & Toubro led the losses, though Bharti Airtel, Infosys and Tech Mahindra bucked the trend. money The US may raise its universal import tariff from 10% to 15% as early as this week, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said, signalling fresh turbulence in global trade policy under President Trump. The 10% levy was introduced last month after the US Supreme Court struck down much of the earlier tariff regime. Bessent said the current duties can remain in force for only 150 days while officials explore legal routes to reinstate the previous framework. money The rupee plunged 67 paise to close at a record low of 92.16 against the US dollar on Wednesday. Forex traders said a stronger dollar, with the index crossing 98, and global risk-off sentiment weighed on the currency. Heavy selling in domestic equities and persistent foreign fund outflows added to the pressure as the rupee slipped to an intraday money low of 92.35. Qatar has halted LNG production after attacks on its facilities amid the West Asia conflict, disrupting supplies to India and tightening gas availability for key sectors. India, heavily reliant on long-term LNG contracts with Qatar, has already seen cargo suspensions, forcing supply cuts of up to 40% for industrial users and city gas distributors. CGD companies warn that replacing Qatari gas with costly spot LNG could money erode CNG’s price advantage. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has set up a control room to assist those affected by the escalating crisis in West Asia. Almost one crore Indian citizens live in West Asia. "A Control Room has been set up in the Ministry of External Affairs in view of the current situation in West Asia and the Gulf region," the MEA said on Wednesday. "Helpline: 1800118797 (Toll Free)." Nitish headed to Delhi? Athawale in, RPI-A out: RS list raises brows Indefinite truckers’ Son to be Deputy CM strike from tonight Athwale’s absorption Ravikiran Deshmukh MUMBAI Dheeraj Kumar PATNA Bihar CM and JD(U) president Nitish Kumar, who has ruled the state for more than 20 years, may be nominated to the Rajya Sabha, with BJP likely to install its own man and give the post of deputy CM to Nitish Kumar’s son, Nishant Kumar. Bihar is the only state in Hindi heartland where BJP has never had its own CM. The last date for filing nomination papers for RS is March 5, and top JD(U) leaders are holding closed-door meetings to take a final call. JD(U) working president and RS MP Sanjay Jha held a nearly three-hour discussion with Nitish Kumar and is reportedly persuading him to move to the Upper House. Senior JD(U) leader and Union minister Rajiv Ranjan Singh, also known as Lalan Singh, is expected to reach Patna from Delhi on Thursday morning. 4Contd on | nation When the BJP released its much-awaited list of candidates for the Rajya Sabha biennial polls on Wednesday, it caught not only party members off guard but also NDA allies. The four names announced — Vinod Tawde, Ramdas Athawale, Maya Ivnate and Ramrao Wadkute — upended weeks of speculation and sidelined several heavyweights who had been widely tipped for nomination. The most significant pick is into the BJP ticket, while pragmatic, marks a quiet but consequential dilution of his party's independent identity Ramdas Athawale, Vinod Tawde, Maya Ivnate, Ramrao Wadkute Tawde, a senior party leader whose inclusion simultaneously resolved a delicate alliance question. By fielding him, the BJP effectively absorbed RPI-A chief Ramdas Athawale into its own ticket, allowing the Union Minister of State for Social Justice to retain his Rajya Sabha seat — this time as a BJP nominee rather than as leader of his own party. Athawale, an NDA ally since 2011 and a Union government minister since 2016, had served two previous terms in the Upper House under the RPI-A banner. 4Contd on | nation 4See also | mumbai Finnish Prez Stubb begins four-day India visit PTI NEW DELHI Finnish President Alexander Stubb was given a Guard of Honour at Palam Air Force Station, New Delhi. –ANI Finnish President Alexander Stubb began a four-day visit to India on Wednesday aimed at strengthening bilateral cooperation across a wide range of sectors, including trade, investment and critical technology. PM Narendra Modi welcomed him and said the visit would take India-Finland relations to “new heights”. Stubb will hold talks with Modi on Thursday, following which the two sides are expected to finalise several MoUs to boost cooperation in various sectors. The crisis in West Asia is also likely to feature during the talks. “The visit will further strengthen the relations between Finland and India, including in the area of trade,” Stubb said on social media before leaving for New Delhi. The Finnish president will also be the chief guest at the inaugural session of the Raisina Dialogue on Thursday evening. “Welcome to India, President Alexander Stubb. I fully agree with you, your visit will take India-Finland relations to new heights. I eagerly look forward to our meeting tomorrow and to your keynote address at the Raisina Dialogue 2026,” Modi said on X in response to Stubb’s remarks. “India and Finland share a warm and friendly relationship rooted in shared demo- cratic values. President Stubb's visit will impart further energy to India-Finland relations,” MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said on social media. Stubb is accompanied by a high-level delegation. The visit comes weeks after Finnish PM Petteri Orpo attended the AI Impact Summit in New Delhi. The Finnish president will travel to Mumbai on Friday, where he is scheduled to meet business leaders. FPJ News Service MUMBAI Transporters in Maharashtra have decided to go on an indefinite strike from midnight on Thursday to protest against the state transport department’s e-challan scheme. Shashank Rao, leader of the taximen's and autorickshawmen's union, however, said members of his organisation will not join the protest. Malkit Singh Bal, adviser to the All India Motor Transport Congress — Maharashtra, told FPJ on Wednesday that talks with Transport Commissioner Rajesh Narvekar had ended in a stalemate. "Transporters have no option but to go ahead with the protest," he said. A rally of truckers will be held at Azad Maidan on Thursday, after Transporters say they have been slapped with hundreds of crores in fines via echallans for imaginary traffic violations which trucks will be parked on whichever road they happen to be on at midnight. The government would be solely responsible for consequences, he said. Bal alleged that transporters had been slapped with hundreds of crores in fines through e-challans for imaginary traffic violations. "Even when a trucker is not in Maharashtra on the day of the alleged offence, he has been asked to pay up," Bal said. 4Contd on | nation