hubballi l saturday l august 08, 2026 l `9.00 l PAGES 14 l city EDITION u.s. aviation regulator orders inspection of 737 MAX for cracks While ordering the checks, the Federal Aviation Administration warned that undetected damage could reduce the aircraft’s structural integrity boeing says it’s working on cause analysis directive takes effect from sept 10 Cracks were found on some planes in a structural reinforcement around the forward service door on the right side of the airplane, next to the front galley, the FAA said. Boeing has conducted an engineering analysis to determine the cause of the cracks and is working on engineering changes to prevent it in the future, the company said in a statement on Friday ■ ■ The new airworthiness directive applies to an estimated 471 US-registered Boeing 737 Max 8s, Max 9s and Max 8-200 airplanes The directive kicks in from September 10. Airlines have been asked to inspect the area on a schedule based on each airplane’s usage and repair any cracking before returning an affected jet to service Jan 2024 was when a door plug blew out of a jet, casting a lens on boeing 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 Nato-style Pak-Saudi-Turkey pact India says it is closely monitoring the trilateral defence agreement signed in Mecca E XPR E SS N E WS S E RVIC E @ New Delhi AMID escalating tensions in West Asia due to the lingering Iran war, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Turkey on Friday signed the Mecca Joint Defence Agreement, a NATO-style pact under which an attack against one will be treated as an attack against all three. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, and Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif signed the trilateral agreement in the holy city of Mecca early on Friday . India said it is closely monitoring it. “This is a development that we are closely following, and we shall keep you updated,” said Randhir Jaiswal, spokesperson, Ministry of External Affairs, in response to questions at a media briefing. When asked about reports of a separate defence cooperation agreement between Pakistan and Somalia, Jaiswal said: “We continue to follow the develop- post PM’s speech Vande Mataram to make debut at Red Fort as I-Day itinerary J a v a r i a R a n a @ New Delhi VANDE Mataram will be played at the Red Fort on August 15, marking the first time the national song will feature as a scheduled item in the Independence Day programme, a defence ministry official said. The national song will be rendered immediately before the national anthem at the close of the Prime Minister’s address. The addition comes just over a week after Parliament passed the Prevention of Insults to National Honour (Amendment) Bill, 2026, extending to Vande Mataram the protection the 1971 law affords to the national anthem. Introduced in the Rajya Sabha on July 24, the bill makes intentionally preventing the singing of the national song or disturbing an assembly engaged in it punishable with imprisonment of up to three years, a fine, or both, with a minimum one-year jail term for a second conviction. The legislation now awaits presidential assent. The full Red Fort programme is yet to be released. The government has already invoked an Independence Day precedent for the song. Replying during the parliamentary debate, Minister of State for Home Nityanand Rai said that on August 15, 1947, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel had asked Pandit Omkarnath Thakur to render the complete Vande Mataram on All India Radio at 6.30 am to mark the beginning of India’s first Independence Day His ref. erence to the complete rendition assumes significance because the government has not indicated whether the Red Fort ceremony will feature only the two stanzas in national use or a longer version. From left: Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, and Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif sign a trilateral defence agreement in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, on Friday | Saudi Press Agency via AP Paper agreement does not offer security, says Iran The trilateral defence agreement was signed a day after Iran said it was in the final stages of an agreement with Oman on a framework for shipping through the Strait of Hormuz. Iranian lawmaker Ebrahim Rezaei said the trilateral “paper agreement” will not bring security ments between Somalia and the other country mentioned.” The trilateral pact brings together oil-rich Saudi Arabia, nuclear-armed Pakistan and Turkey which has NATO’s sec, ond-largest military and a rapidly growing defence industry . Pakistan’s foreign ministry said the pact is aimed at strengthening security. “The Agreement is intended to strengthen collective deterrence against any act of aggression, and stipulates that any armed attack against any one of the three States shall be regarded as an attack against them all. It further provides for the enhancement of all aspects of defence cooperation among the three States.” Saudi Arabia, which is bracing for attacks from the Tehranbacked Houthis, said the pact would not affect the kingdom’s existing partnerships. “The agreement does not represent any orientation toward building a military axis or sectarian/religious bloc, and it is not linked to nuclear endeavors or an arms race, but rather to building sustainable self-reliant capabilities,” its statement read. A Turkish government official described the agreement as “purely defensive in nature” . The pact comes amid heightened instability in West Asia and follows Saudi Arabia’s efforts to diversify its security partnerships after attacks on its critical infrastructure. Pakistan and Saudi Arabia already have a bilateral defence pact, under which an attack on one country would be treated as aggression against both. Buzz back on Akali-BJP pact ahead of Punjab polls as Badal meets Modi H a r p r eet B a j w a @ Chandigarh SHIROMANI Akali Dal (SAD) president Sukhbir Singh Badal on Friday met Prime Minister Narendra Modi at his office in the Parliament House complex, triggering speculation that the Punjab-based party may revive its alliance with the BJP ahead of the Assembly elections less than six months away . However, Punjab BJP chief Kewal Singh Dhillon sought to downplay its implications. “The PM is for everyone; anybody can meet him,” he said in Chandigarh. And sources close to Badal described the interaction as informal. The SAD walked out of the NDA in 2020 over the three farm laws, ending more than two decades as one of the alliance’s oldest constituents. The laws were later withdrawn. Observers believe state-specific issues such as deteriorating law and order, recurring Kejriwal’s poser The first to take note of the meeting was AAP national convenor Arvind Kejriwal, who asked if an alliance between SAD and BJP was in the works. ”Are the two parties coming together?” he posted on X paper leaks, drug menace and other challenges may have figured in the talks. A few days earlier, Badal met Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini at the latter’s residence, where it is believed the meeting with PM was discussed. With elections due in Punjab in six months, both parties face internal pressures. In the BJP’s Punjab unit, senior leaders including former minister Tikshan Sud have publicly expressed dissatisfaction with the state leadership. The SAD, too, is battling factionalism, with several leaders having joined the SAD (Punar Surjit), and the Akali Dal (Waris Punjab De) of jailed MP Amritpal Singh seeking to expand in rural areas. Sources said the present situation could favour an alliance, given infighting in the Congress and the AAP government’s poor record. Yet both sides have repeatedly ruled out a tie-up. In June, BJP national president Nitin Nabin said the party would contest all 117 seats independently. Badal has likewise said the SAD will go it alone. SAD leader Maheshinder Singh Grewal was cautious. “Details of the meeting have not been shared yet,” he said. Congress pressure? Horatti quits as Council chairman E x p r e s s Ne w s Se r v i c e @ Bengaluru Legislative Council Chairman Basavaraj Horatti, a BJP MLC, resigned on Friday with Chief Minister DK Shivakumar and senior Congress leaders insisting on him to make away for electing a Congress MLC as the new chairman. The Congress has announced Saleem Ahmed and Umashree as the party’s nominees for Chairman and Deputy Chairperson posts, respectively . Speaking to reporters, Horatti said the CM had told him to step down. He said that he had already announced his decision to resign on August 14, but the CM insisted that he submit his resignation immediately in the presence of others. The ruling party had asked him to resign and the CM had spoken to him twice over the phone before meeting on Friday in person. “When the CM himself comes and asks you to resign, what do you call it if not pressure,” Horatti asked. He alleged that the resignation letter was typed and got it signed. “It means pressure was imposed on me,” he add- Council chairman election on Aug 14 Chief Minister DK Shivakumar said that elections for the posts of Council chairman and deputy chairman will be held on August 14. “We will first elect the deputy chairman and then election for the chairman will also be conducted on the same day,” he added. ed. Horatti was told that a no-confidence motion would be moved against him if he refused to resign. He wanted to quit respectfully he said. , Horatti said he was deeply hurt over the circumstances surrounding his resignation. “Under such circumstances, the resignation has to be given in the House, unless there is any individual or personal issue. I did not have any such issues. It is a practice to submit the resignation in the House,” Horatti said. He said “if I am made to resign without any reason, it is not correct.” P4 @ Chennai PR E E T HA NAIR @ New Delhi AS the deadlock in Parliament entered the fourth week over the Opposition’s protests over Home Minister Amit Shah’s absence, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju on Friday said the Opposition cannot dictate which minister will come to the House and respond. Speaking in the Lok Sabha, Rijiju also said Shah comes to Parliament every day and stays till late night. As per procedure, the minister who has listed business has to come to the House. “You cannot dictate which minister will come to the House and who will respond. That is decided by the government and the Chair,” said Rijiju. He said Shah’s name “sends shivers down the spine of terrorists” and the Opposition “won’t be able to digest” when Shah speaks in Parliament. Rijiju’s remarks came after Opposition MPs stepped up the protests in both Houses demanding that Shah make a statement on the alleged police crackdown on protesting students. In the Rajya Sabha, Congress president and Leader of Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge asserted that the Chair man, C P Radhakrishnan, had issued a direction to Amit Shah. However, Rijiju dismissed the claim. E x p r e s s Re a d Udupi Congress leader shot dead Won’t budge an inch on Cauvery: Vijay Mangaluru: Congress leader former president of Mudarangadi Gram Panchayat David D’Souza (55) was shot dead by two assailants on Friday afternoon. He was an active political worker of the Congress in the region. The attackers reportedly fired three rounds before fleeing | P7 Chennai: Breaking his silence on the Cauvery imbroglio, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay on Friday told the state Assembly that his government would not budge an inch on ensuring the protection of the state’s right on the Cauvery issue or fighting against the Mekedatu dam | P7 Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay’s wife Sankgeetha on Friday withdrew her divorce petition filed before the Cheng alpattu Family Court. Appearing before the court through video conference, Sankgeetha informed Judge D Sujatha that she did not wish to pursue the matter. Recording that the counsel for the respondent (Vijay) had no objection, the court permitted her to withdraw the case E x p r e s s Ne w s Se r v i c e @Bengaluru A 19-year-old second-year BTech student at the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) was found dead in his hostel room on the institute’s campus on Thursday morning. Police said he died by suicide and have registered a case of unnatural death. The student, identified as Rakshan, hailing from Chikkaballapura, was pursuing BTech in Mathematics and Computing and had been staying on the campus for the last two years. According to IISc sources, the student was supposed to meet a counsellor three days ago, but did not attend the session. The police are examining the handwritten note recovered from the student’s room and are verifying if he was under any academic stress or there were other reasons behind his death. “The student died in the hostel inside the IISc campus. We feel sorry for the boy. He was quite good. We feel that he may have believed that he was not living up to expectations. He was supposed to meet a counsellor three days back, but skipped it. We have a very good counselling system. We generally allow counselling facilities to students. It is compulsory A suicide . note recovered from the room has been handed over to the police,” said IISc sources.  P7 Rain-soaked A woman wades through a waterlogged road amid torrential rainfall, at Azadpur Mandi, in New Delhi on Friday | PTI Oppn can’t dictate who Vijay’s wife withdraws divorce petition will speak in LS: Rijiju E x p r e s s Ne w s Se r v i c e IISc student dies by suicide in hostel room with liberty to initiate fresh proceedings if required. Sankgeetha, in her divorce petition filed in February this year, had sought dissolution of the marriage and sought permanent alimony and the right to continue residing at the couple’s Neelankarai residence. She had alleged that Vijay was in an extramarital relationship with his female co-star, and this has been causing her emotional and mental suffering. She further stated that repeated attempts at reconciliation between 2021 and 2025 through legal counsel and personal discussions failed due to her husband’s continued association with the co-star, which she said was a “violation and betrayal” of marital trust. Rumours of the couple’s separation began surfacing after Sankgeetha’s absence from Vijay’s film events. Their relationship has largely stayed private throughout their marriage, despite Vijay’s public profile. SIR Roll verification extended to Aug 17 The last date for house-tohouse verification as part of the exercise has been extended to August 17. It was previously revised from July 29 to August 8. The latest revision is because the number of Absent, Shifted, Dead, Duplicate and Others (ASDDO) is very high in the state. Catch ‘em young Soon, banking, stock market lessons in K’taka govt schools A s h w i n i M S r i pa d @Bengaluru Government school students will soon be taught the basics of banking, savings, investments and stock markets as part of a new financial literacy initiative by the state government. To begin with, the initiative will be rolled out in all 956 Karnataka Public Schools across the state targeting high school and pre-university students. The initiative aims to promote financial planning and money management among students. A circular issued by the Kar nataka Education Department said that under the programme, bank officials, financial advisers and faculty members from Commerce and Management colleges will conduct sessions on savings, digital payments, responsible borrowing, insur- ance and the fundamentals of taxation. As part of the curriculum, students will be introduced to stock market concepts such as shares, trading and investments, helping them understand the functioning of financial systems at an early age. The programme will also focus on creating awareness about financial fraud and ways to prevent it. The circular stated that the initiative will be implemented through workshops, interactive sessions, exhibitions, experiential learning programmes and other activities. Schools have been directed to coordinate with banks, financial institutions, chartered accountants, Entrepreneurship Development Centres and nearby colleges to organise mentori n g a n d aw a r e n e s s p r o grammes. CONTINUED ON: P7