FP The publishers permit sharing of the e-paper's pdf on WhatsApp and other social media platforms FREE PRESS Vol. XLII No. 31 | INDORE | WEDNESDAY | JULY 9, 2025 | Pages 16 ` 3 | Regd. No. Indore MP/ICD 216/2024-2026 | RNI No. 38281/83 www.freepressjournal.in Sports Sohail bags historic silver at Kudo World Cup 2025 P.14 ESTD-1983 iii QUALITY @ VALUE EDITIONS: INDORE MONEY ‘India in talks with Australia to source rare earth minerals’ UJJAIN PUNE BHOPAL NASHIK MUMBAI E-paper Edit It’s not revision, but exclusion P.10 Cinema There’s a new romance in town P.16 3 Covid deaths in Indore in 3 days; MP toll 9 Our Staff Reporter INDORE A 50-year-old woman from Indore, who was undergoing treatment for Covid-19 at Vishesh Jupiter Hospital, passed away on Monday night. She was also suffering from acute myeloid leukemia (a form of blood cancer) and other health complications. Though initially kept in isolation at the hospital, her family later brought her home, where she succumbed to the illness. This marks the third Covid-related death in Indore over the past three days, bringing the city’s toll to 50-year-old woman dies of Covid amid health complications four in the current surge. active patients are in home isolation. Covid toll in MP rises to nine Across Madhya Pradesh, the total Covid death count has now reached nine. Other recent fatalities include a 44-yearold woman from Khargone, a 74-year-old woman from Indore, a 52-year-old tuberculosis patient from Ratlam, and a 52year-old woman from Bhind. In Indore, earlier deaths included a 64-year-old woman with respiratory failure, septicemia, Rapid response teams active and viral pneumonia, and a 55year-old woman who was suffering from tuberculosis. No new case on Monday On a positive note, Indore did not report any new Covid-19 cases on Monday, marking the first zero-case day in nearly ten days. The total number of Covid cases in the district stands at 187, with seven active cases. All DEAL NEARLY DONE | US Prez sends missives to as many as 14 countries that will have to pay more. Some are America’s allies To control the spread, the health department has deployed nine Rapid Response Teams (RRTs). These teams are responsible for contact tracing, collecting samples from suspected cases, and ensuring compliance with home isolation protocols. Chief Medical and Health Officer Dr. Madhav Hasani Indian nurse in Yemen to be hanged on July 16 US TARIFFS DEADLINE STRETCHED TO AUG 1 N said that most of the current patients have mild symptoms and are recovering at home. Testing is currently being conducted only for symptomatic individuals. “There is no cause for panic, but people should remain alert and follow preventive measures,” he advised. He further urged high-risk groups—including individuals with diabetes, hypertension, chronic illnesses, pregnant women, children, and the elderly—to wear masks in crowded places and strictly adhere to Covid-appropriate behavior. Pulwama to Gorakhnath: FATF uncovers terror’s digital trail Agencies NEW DELHI Online Report Agencies NEW YORK/WASHINGTON President Donald Trump has said that the US is close to making a trade deal with India, as his administration started sending letters detailing the levies that Washington will impose on products from those countries entering America. "Now, we've made a deal with the United Kingdom, we've made a deal with China...We're close to making a deal with India," Trump said on Monday. "Others we met with and we don't think we're going to be able to make a deal, so we just send them a letter. If you want to play ball, this is what you have to pay." His remarks fp Briefs DASSAULT REFUTES REPORTS Dassault Aviation has formally refuted media reports suggesting that its Chairman and CEO, Eric Trappier, made technical or operational remarks about the Indian Air Force’s role in ‘Operation Sindoor’, particularly regarding the use of Rafale fighter jets. The French defence firm clarified that Trappier has not made any such statements, contrary to what some press reports have claimed. The clarification comes as French Dassault Aviation CEO Eric Trappier was reported to have denied that multiple Indian Rafale fighter jets were downed during the recent IndiaPakistan conflict. came as the US extended the suspension of its April 2 reciprocal tariffs until August 1, providing a three-week time for India and the US to resolve their pending issues. Trump's remarks came as his administration sent out the first tranche of "letters" to various countries on Monday detailing the tariffs that the US will impose on products from those countries entering America. The countries that got these letters, signed by Trump, were Bangladesh, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Cambodia, Indonesia, Japan, Kazakhstan, Lao People's Democratic Republic, Malaysia, Serbia, South Africa, South Korea, Thailand and Tunisia. FP News Service ‘People-centric’ bloc: PM’s BRICS reforms promise An electricity consumer received a major jolt when he was slapped with a Rs 49.41 lakh bill, in Guna. He is not alone, scores of people from over 30 colonies have got hefty power bills, and they are all blaming it on the newly installed smart meters.   Gautam Pateliya of Brijbihar Colony reported receiving a staggering bill of Rs 49.41 lakh for a household with no AC and a non-functional TV. He usually received a bill that never exceeded Rs 1,500. Another woman, a vegetable vendor, tearfully shared her plight; she received a Rs 28,000 bill even though her house has just one bulb and a fan. Another consumer, Abhishek Sen, earning Rs 8,000 monthly, was shocked by a Rs 13,000 bill. Protesters said that these inflated bills are not isolated incidents but a widespread issue wherever smart meters have been installed. On Tuesday, they reached the collectorate under the banner of All-India Electricity Consumers Association. PM Narendra Modi placed a strong focus on environmental sustainability and global health during his address at the BRICS Summit in Rio de Janeiro, calling climate justice a “moral obligation” and outlining India’s future priorities as it prepares to chair the group next year. Looking ahead, PM Modi announced that India will chair BRICS in 2026, and said it would adopt a “people-centric” and “humanity-first” approach. Under its presidency, India will work to redefine BRICS as “Building Resilience and Innovation for Cooperation and Sustainability.” 4Continued on | P8 4Continued on | P8 Residents stage a protest against the rising electricity bills (FP PHOTO) with 116 votes in favour, 12 abstentions, including India, and 2 against, from the US and Israel. It highlighted the deepening crises in Afghanistan nearly four years after the Taliban’s return to power, pointing to widespread poverty, systematic oppression of women and girls, escalating security threats, and a collapsing economy. It called for greater accountability from the Taliban. The statement came as the Elon Musk-owned platform asserted that the government of India, on July 3, sought the blocking of over 2,300 X handles in India. The list, it claimed, included the handle Reuters in India. 4Continued on | P8 ‘X took 21 hrs to unblock Reuters’ inistry of Electronics and IT said, “'X' has unnecessarily exploited technicalities and didn't unblock the URLs. However, after a lot of follow up on an hourly basis, X has finally unblocked Reuters and other URLs after 9 pm on 6th July 2025. M n 40 CRPF jawans killed n Aluminium powder used in IED procured via EPOM Amazon Gorakhnath Incident (2022) n Rs 6.69 lakh sent via PayPal to ISIL links abroad n 44 cross-border transactions uncovered n VPNs used to hide origin KEY FATF OBSERVATIONS n E-commerce & online payments abused for terror n State sponsorship suspected in some operations n Need for stronger regulation, surveillance ment is enough. FATF’s Comprehensive Update on Terrorist Financing Risks outlines how platforms once seen as symbols of progress—digital wallets, VPNs, global marketplaces— are being twisted to serve hate. These tools, FATF says, now help extremists move money quietly, hide their tracks, and purchase deadly materials without raising alarms. In April 2022, a lone attacker inspired by Islamic State ideology stormed the Gorakhnath Temple. He was stopped, but the money trail told its own story. 4Continued on | P8 7 gates each of Satpura, Surja opened Flood-like situation in Balaghat; 15 families shifted BHOPAL RIO DE JANEIRO/BRASILIA Centre refutes X’s censorship charge India skips UNGA vote on Afghanistan 4Continued on | P8 Pulwama Attack (2019) The Financial Action Task Force (FATF) has sounded a warning: the digital world is now doubling as a covert channel for terror financing. From the devastating 2019 Pulwama attack to the 2022 Gorakhnath Temple incident, the FATF’s latest report shows how terrorists are exploiting online platforms to fund bloodshed. In Pulwama, 40 CRPF jawans never returned home. The blast that took their lives was powered, in part, by aluminium powder—ordered online, like any household item, through e-commerce platform EPOM Amazon. That tiny detail reveals a terrifying new front: terror doesn’t need borders or cash couriers anymore. A shopping cart and a digital pay- Our Staff Reporter Agencies The government on Tuesday said it has not made any fresh requests to block access to certain X accounts in the country and that it had proactively got blockage of a prominent international wire agency lifted. The UN General Assembly has overwhelmingly adopted a resolution urging the Taliban to reverse repressive policies and ensure inclusive governance, amid growing global concern over Afghanistan’s deteriorating humanitarian, economic, and human rights situation. The resolution was passed on Monday BRICS MEMBERS WILL HAVE TO PAY ADDITIONAL 10% TARIFF, WARNS TRUMP GUNA PTI Vidhi Santosh Mehta 4Continued on | P8 `49L electric shock for Guna resident NEW DELHI MUMBAI "We're sending out letters to various countries telling them how much tariffs they have to pay," Trump said. He added that the countries were "ripping" the US and "were charging us tariffs at levels that nobody's ever seen before. We have some countries that were charging 200% tariffs and making it impossible to do business. "And what the tariffs are doing is they're driving people in and companies into the United States," he said while speaking to reporters ahead of a dinner with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in the White House on Monday. imisha Priya, the Indian nurse who is on death row after being convicted for the murder of a Yemeni national, will be executed next week on July 16. Last year, the President of Yemen approved the death sentence of Nimisha Priya, who is from Kerala. Sources in the Ministry of External Affairs told media that they have been closely following the matter since then and have been in regular touch with local authorities and her family members, and have rendered all possible assistance. The sources said the ministry is closely following the matter. TERROR FUNDING VIA DIGITAL CHANNELS Seven gates of Satpura Dam of Sarni in Betul district, were opened on Tuesday leading to a flood-like situation in Bal- aghat district. Fifteen families were shifted at safer places, according to district administration officials. Balaghat collector Mrinal Meena said, ‘Seven gates of Satpura dam were opened leading to floodlike situation in Balaghat. Low-lying areas faced the brunt of flood. Fifteen families were shifted to safer place but after noon, water level started receding’. In Tikamgarh, seven gates of Ban Sujara dam were opened late at night due to rising water levels in Dhasan River. Mid-Air scare: IndiGo cancels Raipur flight post take-off Our Staff Reporter 4Continued on | P8 Bharat bandh today: 25 crore workers to go on strike Banks, transport to be hit INDORE The passengers on board flight 6E-7295 Indore-Raipur became nervous after hearing about a technical fault on Tuesday morning. The pilot returned from 60 nautical miles away to Devi Ahilyabai Holkar Airport and ultimately, the flight with 60 passengers on board was cancelled. To note, following the Ahmedabad plane crash, the airlines are more alert about technical faults in aircraft. As per schedule, Indigo’s Indore-Raipur flight took off at 6:30 AM from the city airport, but a technical fault occurred half an hour later. The aircraft had covered more than half the journey, but instead of taking the risk, the pilot decided to return to the city airport This action was taken to manage the increased inflow of water into the dam. The gates were opened by half a metre each, resulting in approximately 420 cubic metres per second of water being released into the river, which is expected to cause a 5-6 feet rise in the river's water level. Online Report O STATE OF PANIC round 30 minutes into the journey, approximately 100 kilometres away from the Indore airport, the aircraft reportedly experienced a sudden jolt, causing panic among passengers. Passengers were quoted in various reports recounting the moment the aircraft shook without warning and the panic thereafter. A and the aircraft landed here at 7.15 AM. Official sources informed that after taking-off from the city airport for Raipur, the aircraft started showing alarm signs. The pilot Immediately, sought permission from ATC Indore for landing and the plane landed at the city airport. The engineers of the IndiGo thoroughly checked the aircraft and found that it was a false alarm. 4Continued on | P8 ver 25 crore workers from banking, insurance, postal services, coal mining and other sectors are set to join a nationwide strike on Wednesday, called 'Bharat Bandh'. The strike is organised by a joint forum of 10 central trade unions against what they call “anti-worker, anti-farmer and pro-corporate policies” of the government. Union leaders say the strike will affect banking, postal services, coal mining, factories and state-run transport. Farmers and rural workers will also join protests across the country. learning lag 8 x 7=?... 47% class VI students don’t know tables PTI NEW DELHI Only 55 per cent of Class 3 students can arrange numbers up to 99 in ascending or descending order while only 53 per cent of them in Class 6 know tables up to 10, a Ministry of Education (MoE) survey has found. The Performance Assessment, Review and Analysis of Knowledge for Holistic Development (PARAKH) Rashtriya Sarvekshan, formerly known as the National Achievement Survey (NAS), was conducted on December 4 last year, covering 21,15,022 students from both government and private schools in Grades 3, 6 and 9, across 74,229 schools in 781 districts, spanning 36 states and Union Territories. The survey said 1,15,022 children from the three grades were assessed and 2,70,424 teachers and school leaders responded through questionnaires. According to the report, only 55 per cent of students in Class 3 can arrange numbers up to 99 in ascending or descending order while 58 per cent of the students can perform addition and subtraction of two-digit numbers. In Class 6, only 53 per cent of students understand and visualise arithmetic operations and the relationships among them, know addition and multiplication tables at least up to 10 and apply the four basic operations on whole numbers to solve daily life problems. 4Continued on | P8