FP The publishers permit sharing of the e-paper's pdf on WhatsApp and other social media platforms FREE PRESS Vol. 15 No. 196 | BHOPAL | SUNDAY | DECEMBER 28, 2025 | Pages 16 ` 4 | Regd. No. Indore MP/ICD 216/2024-2026 | RNI No. mpeng/2010/35815 www.freepressjournal.in Sports Kim Garth admits pain of semifinal loss to India P.15 ESTD-1983 iii QUALITY @ VALUE EDITIONS: BHOPAL WORLD Min temp on Friday-Saturday Our Staff Reporter BHOPAL fp Briefs TORONTO ‘One Stop Centre for Women’ The Consulate General of India in Canada's Toronto has set up a dedicated One Stop Centre for Women, to assist Indian women facing distress, covering issues including domestic violence, abuse, family conflict, abandonment, exploitation and legal challenges. The Centre would operate from the Indian mission in Toronto. MOSCOW Russian army holds Kupyansk The Russian army holds control of the strategic city of Kupyansk in the Kharkiv region, and conducted a large-scale strike on Ukrainian military-related targets overnight, Moscow said on Saturday. and significant temperature drop, especially at night, with some areas having minimum temperature below 5 degrees Celsius, according to metrological department. An alert for cold wave has been issued at isolated places in Bhopal, Sehore, Rajgarh, Indore, Shajapur, Mandsaur, Anuppur, Shahdol, Seoni district in next 24 hours. Dense fog at isolated places like Singrauli, Sidhi, Rewa, Mauganj, Satna, Panna, Chhatarpur is likely to occur in next 24 hours. Moderate fog is likely at isolated places in Gwalior, Datia, Bhind, Umaria, Tikamgarh, Niwari and Maihar district. On Saturday, Bhopal recorded maximum temperature of 23.5 degrees Celsius, which was 2.1 degrees below normal. It recorded minimum temperature of 4.6 degrees Celsius, which was 6.1 degrees below normal. Indore Online Report In a political twist in Mattathur panchayat of Kerala's Thrissur district, all eight elected Congress members resigned and joined hands with the BJP to take control of the council. With the BJP's support, Tessy Jose Kallaraykkal, a Congress rebel, has now be- °C 2.9 3.1 3.2 3.8 4.6 4.6 4.7 4.8 5.0 5.6 5.8 6.0 6.2 7.0 7.0 7.0 recorded day temperature of 26.3 degrees Celsius while its night temperature at 6.2 degrees Celsius was 4.7 degrees below normal. Power of organisation: Diggy creates flutter by sharing Modi’s picture PTI NEW DELHI Causing a flutter ahead of the CWC meeting, senior Congress leader Digvijaya Singh on Saturday lauded the organisational power of RSSBJP as he shared Narendra Modi's old picture and said how a grassroots worker went on to become the chief minister and prime minister by sitting at the feet of their leaders. The remarks came ahead of the crucial Congress Working Committee (CWC) meeting that decided on its agitational plan against the scrapping of MGNREGA from January 5. Allu Arjun named among 23 accused in charge sheet Zelenskyy doesn’t have anything until I approve it: Don’s tough tone PTI STAMPEDE CASE HYDERABAD 4Continued on | P8 Agencies The city police have filed a charge sheet in a court here against 23 persons, including top Telugu actor Allu Arjun, in connection with the death of a woman in a stampede during the premiere of 'Pushpa-2' film. The theatre management has been named as the prime accused in the charge sheet filed recently, while Arjun has been named as accused no 11. Earlier, Allu Arjun was arrested after the 35-year-old woman died and her eight-year-old son was injured in the stampede during the screening of 'Pushpa 2' movie at Sandhya theatre here on December 4, 2024. The stampede occurred as fans gathered to catch a glimpse of the actor during the 'Pushpa 2' premiere. 4Continued on | P8 Cong leaders quit, tie up with BJP to take control of Kerala panchayat THRISSUR City Mandsaur Shajapur Shahdol Rajgarh Bhopal Nowgong Umaria Pachmarhi Khajuraho Malajkhand Rewa Raisen Indore Shivpuri Mandla Damoh come the new panchayat president heading a newly formed front, ending the 23year rule of the Left in Mattathur. The results of the 24member panchayat were tight: Left Democratic Front 10, United Democratic Front 8, NDA 4 and 2 independents. The UDF had decided to support KR Ouseph, an independent who won as a Con- gress rebel. But just before the election, Ouseph joined hands with the LDF, leaving Congress leaders shocked. Angered by this, all eight Congress members quit the party. They said in their resignation letters that the local Congress leadership had acted unfairly and ignored loyal workers. 4Continued on | P8 WASHINGTON As US President Donald Trump and Zelenskyy plan to meet in Florida this Sunday, Trump has said that any possible peace agreement between Ukraine and Russia will need his approval as Zelenskyy prepares a new 20-point peace plan, Politico reported. In an interview, Trump said, "He doesn't have anything until I approve it," Trump said. "So we'll see what he's got." Zelenskyy is expected to meet Trump in Florida on Sunday. He has said he will present a new 20-point peace plan aimed at ending the nearly four-year-long war with Russia. The peace plan proposed by US and Ukrainian officials is 90 per cent ready, Zelenskyy said on Friday. The proposal reportedly includes the idea of a demilitarised zone and discussions on security guarantees from the United States. Meanwhile, Trump is positive towards the upcoming meeting with leaders to end the war between Russia and Ukraine. offgrid Chinese train hits 700 km/hr in 2 seconds Online Report BEIJING China has set a world record with its fastest maglev train, achieving a speed of 700 km/h in just two seconds. Researchers at China’s National University of Defence Technology conducted a test on a magnetic levitation train and managed to accelerate a vehicle weighing around a tonne to this incredible speed. The test was performed on a 400metre (1,310-foot) maglev track, and the train was brought safely to a halt after reaching that speed, making it the fastest superconducting electric maglev train ever. The train floats above the track using superconducting magnets that lift it and push it forward without actually touching the rails. At this speed, the maglev could connect cities over long distances in minutes. This maglev technology also shows how future travel like the hyperloop, where trains move through vacuumsealed tubes at super high speeds, could become possible. 4Continued on | P8 INDORE NASHIK MUMBAI E-paper Cinema Katrina wishes love & light to... P.14 COLD WRAPS STATE Cold wave disrupts normal life in Bhopal, dists PUNE Readers’ Corner Nooni & Simple Joys P.6 Prez: Kyiv strikes show Putin’s true attitude WINTER BITE | 2.9°C in Mandsaur, 3.1 in Shajapur, 3.2 in Shahdol; cold wave alert issued at isolated places Madhya Pradesh continued to reel under biting cold as minimum temperature that plunged below 10 degrees Celsius in most cities on intervening night of FridaySaturday. State is caught in a broader winter system bringing biting cold and fog, prompting health advisories. Cold wave has paralysed normal life in Bhopal and other districts. The state is experiencing biting cold ahead of New Year due to withdrawal of western disturbance, allowing frigid, dry northwesterly winds from Himalayas to sweep across central parts of country, causing rapid radiative cooling, clear skies, dense fog, UJJAIN BJYM leader runs car over 5; two dead Escapes from custody FP News Service MORENA A BJYM leader allegedly ran his car over five people, resulting in the death of two and injuring three others from the same family in Morena district.The incident took place in Porsa town late Friday night. Accused Dipendra Bhadoria is the town unit president of BJP Yuva Morcha. According to information, Bhadoria's recklessly driven car hit five people and later collided with another vehicle. Eyewitnesses claimed that Bhadoria was intoxicated while he was at the steering wheel.Angry locals caught the accused and beat him up before handing him over to the police. However, Bhadoria allegedly escaped from custody soon after. 4Continued on | P8 Satna to get Narmada water from Bargi dam: CM Yadav performs bhoomi pujan of 650-bed hospital on government medical college premises ISBT will be named after Vajpayee FP News Service SATNA Chief Minister Mohan Yadav has said the residents of Satna will get the Narmada River water through the Bargi dam by the next year, which will permanently solve the water shortage in the district. He also said that the newly built ISBT will be named after former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee. Yadav, who was on a day’s trip to Satna city on Saturday, made the statements during the inauguration of the ISBT bus stand. 4Continued on | P8 Industrial park to be set up on 100 acres Chief Minister Mohan Yadav has said the Vindhya region is an important place for trade and commerce. He further said a new industrial park would be set up on 100 acres for industrial development. He also said that eight acres would be allotted to Vindhya Chambers of Commerce, and a Gita Bhawan would be built in Satna for holding events related to business and cultural activities. The building will be constructed on PPP mode, he said. Acting on ‘sixth sense’, SC quashes rape conviction PTI NEW DELHI The Supreme Court has quashed the conviction of a man in a rape case, noting the complainant and the convict have married each other and observed that the consensual relationship between the parties was given a criminal colour owing to a misunderstanding. A bench of Justices B V Na- garathna and Satish Chandra Sharma said that when the matter came up before the top court, after considering the facts of the case, "we had a sixth sense that the appellant and the respondent prosecutrix could be brought together once again if they decided to marry each other". It noted the parties had married each other in July this year and had been residing together since then. "This is one of those rare cases where, on the intervention of this court, the appellant herein, who had applied to seek suspension of his sentence, was ultimately benefited by quashing of his conviction as well as the sentence," the bench said in its December 5 verdict. The top court delivered its verdict on an appeal by the man challenging an April 2024 Madhya Pradesh High Court order rejecting his application seeking suspension of the sentence. A trial court had convicted the man in the case and sentenced him to rigorous imprisonment for 10 years along with a Rs 55,000 fine. 4Continued on | P8