FP The publishers permit sharing of the e-paper's pdf on WhatsApp and other social media platforms FREE PRESS Vol. XLII No. 227 | INDORE | THURSDAY | JANUARY 22, 2026 | Pages 16 ` 3 | Regd. No. Indore MP/ICD 216/2024-2026 | RNI No. 38281/83 www.freepressjournal.in Sports ‘It will be strange watching T20 WC from home’ P.14 ESTD-1983 iii QUALITY @ VALUE EDITIONS: INDORE UJJAIN WORLD PUNE BHOPAL NASHIK Cinema ‘Greek God Pro Max’ P.16 ‘SAY NO & WE WILL REMEMBER’ Trump serves Greenland ultimatum, calls Denmark ‘ungrateful’ but rules out use of force DONSPEAK DAVOS US President Donald Trump on Wednesday insisted that the United States would not use military force to acquire Greenland, even as he renewed his push for control of the strategic Arctic island in a combative address at the World Economic Forum (WEF) that unsettled allies and sharpened transatlantic tensions. Speaking before global political and business leaders in Davos, Trump said the US was “booming” economically while Europe was “not heading in the right direction.” But his effort to highlight domestic economic gains was quickly overshadowed by pointed remarks on Greenland, which he said the US was best placed to control for national and global security. “I won’t use force,” Trump said, while calling for “immediate negotiations” with Denmark over the autonomous territory. He repeated his argument that Greenland is vital for US and NATO security as melting Arctic ice opens new shipping lanes and intensifies competition with Russia and China. 4Continued on | P8 fp Briefs NEW DELHI Rupee hits record low The rupee plunged 77 paise to a record low of 91.74 against the US dollar in intra-day trade, weighed down by foreign fund outflows, strong dollar demand from importers, and global uncertainties. POWER SHIFT: The United States is booming, but Europe is not heading in the right direction SECURITY BURDEN: Every NATO ally must defend their own territory GREENLAND: No nation is in a position to secure Greenland other than us ON US STANDING: America is in the strongest position it has been in decades CM Yadav highlights state’s progress in green energy Our Staff Reporter BHOPAL Chief Minister Mohan Yadav spoke about Madhya Pradesh’s progress in new and renewable energy projects during a round table meeting on the sidelines of World Economic Forum in Davos on Wednesday. He said the state has successfully integrated green energy into the mainstream of development and shared details of existing and upcoming renewable energy initiatives. CM Mohan Yadav and Union minister for new & renewable energy Prahlad Joshi in roundtable meeting in Davos Deputy Governor of East Java Province, Indonesia, Emil ElestiantoDardak, praised Madhya Pradesh’s progressive policies in renewable energy sector. 4Continued on | P8 Chief Secy warns collectors on graft & poor governance Our Staff Reporter BHOPAL COLLECTOR-COMMISSIONER MEET E-paper Edit When dragons and tigers age P.6 Vances expecting 4th kid in July DAVOS DETONATION| At WEF, US President lashed out at allies, warned of a collapsing old order, defended America’s primacy and reignited controversy over Greenland, triggering unease across Europe and within NATO Agencies MUMBAI ‘If not at table, we’re on menu’ anadian Prime Minister Mark Carney warned at the World Economic Forum in Davos that the US-led rules-based global order is breaking down, giving way to intense great-power rivalry. Urging “middle powers” to act collectively, he said compliance no longer guarantees safety. “If we’re not at the table, we’re on the menu,” Carney said, backing Greenland and Denmark amid renewed geopolitical tensions. C Trump praises Modi US President Donald Trump on Wednesday expressed confidence over the India-US Bilateral Trade Agreement (BTA), noting that the two countries are “going to have a good deal”, while praising Prime Minister Narendra Modi as a close friend and respected leader. Trump made this comment while speaking to Moneycontrol, following his address at the 56th Annual Summit of the World Economic Forum. Govt removes Ashok Nagar Collector Our Staff Reporter BHOPAL ICC board Father of 4 daughters rejects BCB & sole breadwinner request of family, dies PTI DUBAI Our Staff Reporter INDORE In a decisive move, the International Cricket Council (ICC) Board on Wednesday rejected the Bangladesh Cricket Board’s (BCB) request to shift its T20 World Cup matches to Sri Lanka, stating that all fixtures will proceed as scheduled in India since independent security assessments found “no credible threat” to Bangladesh’s players, officials, or fans. The decision came after a virtual ICC Board meeting, where 14 out of 16 members voted against relocation, with only Bangladesh and Pakistan supporting the move. The ICC has granted the BCB an additional 24–48 hours to confirm its participation. BCB President Aminul Islam said he will consult the Bangladesh government one last time, but maintained, “We know that India is not secure for us. We remain in the stance that we want to play in Sri Lanka.” The ICC emphasised that multiple independent security evaluations, venue-specific plans, and host-government guarantees all concluded that there is no verifiable risk to the Bangladesh team. If Bangladesh withdraws, Scotland—the highestranked non-qualified team— is likely to replace them in Group C. A 50-year-old e-rickshaw driver, a father of four daughters and the sole breadwinner of his family, has died in Indore, with relatives alleging that contaminated drinking water triggered a diarrhoea outbreak in Bhagirathpura area that led to his death. BHAGIRATHPURA WATER CRISIS While local residents have claimed that the outbreak has claimed 25 lives so far, a status report submitted by the Madhya Pradesh government to the Indore bench of the High Court on January 15 mentioned seven deaths, including that of a five-month-old boy. As the funeral procession of 50-year-old Hemant Gaikwad left his house in Bhagirathpura on Wednesday morning, the mourners struggled to console his mother, wife and four daughters. Hemant's younger brother, Sanjay said, "My brother died due to contaminated water. We lost him after just 15 days of illness. He breathed his last on Tuesday night while undergoing treatment at a private hospital." He further said his elder brother used to drive an erickshaw and was the sole breadwinner for his family. Sanjay said his brother's family is financially weak and the state government should provide all possible assistance. "Those responsible for my brother's death must be punished," the grief-stricken sibling demanded. He claimed that the people of Bhagirathpura have been facing the problem of contaminated water for the past two years, and despite numerous complaints to the municipal corporation, it remained unresolved. Hemant's daughter, Riya, said, "My father suffered from diarrhoea due to contaminated water, and we admitted him to a private hospital. When his condition worsened, he was taken to another private hospital, where he died." Amid conflicting claims about the death toll, a 'death audit' report recently compiled by a committee from the city's Government Mahatma Gandhi Memorial Medical College indicated that the deaths of 15 persons in Bhagirathpura may be linked to the outbreak. According to officials, contaminated water was found in 51 tube wells in Bhagirathpura, and the tests indicated the presence of E. coli bacteria, which caused widespread infection in the area. A leakage in the municipal drinking water pipeline in Bhagirathpura also led to the mixing of sewage water from a toilet, they added School van crash kills class 3 girl, injures 11 in Betul Head-on collision leaves 5 critical; driver of other vehicle absconds IANS BETUL Chief Secretary Anurag Jain stated that the Chief Minister believes some Collectors are minting money in districts, though he clarified not all officers are involved. Corrupt officials, he said, should be removed immediately. The remarks came during a presentation on good governance at the Collector-Commissioner conference at Mantralaya on Wednesday. Jain warned officers that he receives all information about activities in their districts and urged them to steer clear of corruption. He pulled up officials from low-performing dis- Raj police raids RKDF group over marksheet scam Our Staff Reporter Anurag Jain tricts and expressed concern over illegal mining in Shahdol, where government employees are frequently attacked by mining mafia. He directed DGP Kailash Makwana to deal with such incidents with an iron fist. He also raised concerns over pending cases of land division, mutation and demarcation exceeding 100 days, noting poor performance in several districts --Anuppur and Rewa in land division, Vidisha and Satna in demarcation, Morena and Bhind in mutation, and Bhind and Vidisha in encroachment removal. Revenue collection was another area of concern, with only 1 crore of 1.9 crore LokSewa applications resolved, and Shivpuri performing the worst. Officers were directed to resolve domicile, The State Government removed controversial Ashok Nagar Collector Aditya Singh on Wednesday evening. Saket Malviya, Director of Employees Selection Board, has been appointed as the new Collector. Aditya Singh has been posted as Director, Bhopal Gas Tragedy and Rehabilitation. Singh had been in the eye of controversy for some time. The Anandpur Dham committee had clashed with him and lodged a formal complaint. 4Continued on | P8 4Continued on | P8 ‘26-26’ terror plot ahead of R-Day; agencies on alert A road accident in Madhya Pradesh’s Betul district claimed the life of a young schoolgirl and left several children seriously injured on Wednesday, sparking concerns over road safety in the region. The incident occurred near the Purna River in the Bhainsdehi police station area, around 60 km from the district headquarters, police officials said. A school van carrying young students collided Graca Machel to receive Indira Gandhi Peace prize 2025 head-on with an oncoming vehicle, causing the van to overturn violently. The crash occurred in the early hours, turning a routine school journey into a scene of horror. Harshita Patankar, a Class 3 student, died on the spot. A total of 15 schoolgoing children were travelling in the van. Of them, 11 children sustained injuries, with five in a critical condition. 4Continued on | P8 Congress MLA attends RSS Hindu Sammelan, party seeks action BHOPAL Agencies A team of Rajasthan Police conducted searches at five premises of RKDF University on Wednesday in connection with a back-dated marksheet scam, police said. Sources said the raids followed a complaint regarding issuance of a Bachelor of Physical Education degree in back date. The university is currently constructing four medical colleges under PPP mode. Earlier, in May 2022, Hyderabad Police had arrested a NEW DELHI former RKDF University vice chancellor in a related case. Commissioner of Police Harinarayanchari Mishra said the team coordinated with Bhopal Police and took their support to carry out searches at university premises, director’s residence and other properties associated with RKDF group. Security agencies across the country, particularly in the national capital, have been placed on the highest level of alert following intelligence inputs about a coordinated terrorist strike planned around Republic Day, codenamed “26-26”. The alert comes amid warnings that Pakistan-backed terror outfits, aided by Punjab-based criminal networks, are planning attacks on high-profile Intel warns of coordinated strikes by Pak-backed terror groups, Punjab gangsters; Ram Temple, Delhi among possible targets religious and public targets. According to intelligence sources, the plot is allegedly being orchestrated by Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) through terror PTI Our Staff Reporter NEW DELHI BHOPAL your first objective.” However, she explained that the initial search for familiar places soon gives way to a deeper realisation. “Our planet is alive. Some people think there are just rocks out there, but it is moving,” she said, describing visible seasonal changes, shifting ocean colours due to algae blooms, and ice formations near the poles. Mozambican rights activist and humanitarian Graca Machel has been selected for the Indira Gandhi Prize for Peace, Disarmament and Development for 2025, the Indira Gandhi Memorial Trust announced on Wednesday. The decision was taken by an international jury chaired by former National Security Advisor Shivshankar Menon. The award, comprising Rs one crore, a trophy and a citation, recognises Machel’s lifelong contribution to education, health, nutrition, women’s economic empowerment and humanitarian work under challenging circumstances. A distinguished African stateswoman, Machel played a key role in Mozambique’s freedom struggle and later became the country’s first Minister of Education and Culture after independence in 1975, significantly expanding school enrolment. 4Continued on | P8 4Continued on | P8 A Congress MLA from Timarni, Abhijeet Shah, attended a programmeorganised by RSS in Harda district, prompting party leaders to demand action against him. The BJP’s ideological fountainhead is marking its centenary year by holding Hindu Sammelans across the country. A similar event was held at Rahatgaon village in Harda on January 17. Shah was seen joining others at the event, chanting the slogan “JayatuJayatu Hindu Rashtra” (Victory to the Hindu Nation) and later being felicitated with a garland. Hindu seers were seated on the stage, with a backdrop reading: “Hindu Sangathan Hi SabhiSamasyaonKa Hal Hai, Sangathit Hindu-Samarth Hindu.” Opposing Shah’s presence, Harda District Congress Committee spokesperson wrote a two-page letter to the state leadership, including party chief JituPatwari. He said Congress leader Rahul Gandhi is openly opposing these organisations’ groups such as Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) and Al Qaeda, with logistical support from Khalistani networks and Punjabi gangsters acting as ground operatives. Possible targets include the Ram Temple in Ayodhya, the Raghunath Temple in Jammu, Delhi, and other major cities. Security agencies have intensified surveillance, particularly at sensitive locations and key entry and exit points such as railway stations and bus terminals across Delhi-NCR. offgrid Humans arguing seems ‘silly’ from space: Sunita PTI NEW DELHI Astronaut Sunita Williams said space travel profoundly changed her perspective on life, making human arguments and differences seem “so silly” when Earth is viewed as a single, living planet from outer space. Williams, 60, who retired from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) on December 27, 2025, is currently visiting India. She was speaking at an interactive session titled “Eyes on the Stars, Feet on the Ground” at the American Center here. Reflecting on her experiences, Williams described space travel as the ultimate “team sport”, emphasising that nations must work together because “this is our one planet, we are here together”. Speaking about her most recent mission—an intended eightday test flight to the Inter- national Space Station (ISS) that stretched to more than nine months due to technical issues with the Boeing Starliner spacecraft—she highlighted the importance of collaboration and resilience. “When you get to space, I think everybody does this… we all want to look for our home,” she said, noting her personal connection to India through her father and to Slovenia through her mother. “That’s Royal connection Abhijeet Shah Makarai is son of late Raja Ajay Shah of the erstwhile princely state of Makrai and nephew of MP cabinet minister Kunwar Vijay Shah. He defeated his sitting BJP MLA uncle, Sanjay Shah, by a slim margin of 950 votes to win from Timarni-ST constituency in the 2023 state elections. ideologies and working to protect communal harmony and Constitution, and Shah’s participation contradicted party principles.