Friday, October 3, 2025 | Vol. 68 No. 309 | 26 Pages THE FREE PRESS JOURNAL Reg.No MCS/048/2021-23; RNI No. 1541/1957 M.p.c.s office Mumbai. PIN 400001 INDIA EDITION | www.freepressjournal.in ● Leader in E-paper circulation CAUTION | RSS chief warns at Dussehra rally that Bharat must guard against internal unrest and hostile external forces RECORD SALE FOR SOUZA’S HOUSES IN HAMPSTEAD India warns Pakistan over Sir Creek troop build-up PTI FPJ News Service LONDON MUMBAI Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Thursday issued a blunt warning to Pakistan over its military expansion near Sir Creek, declaring that any misadventure would invite a response strong enough to “change both history and geography.” Speaking at a military base near Bhuj, Gujarat, where he celebrated Dussehra with soldiers and performed shastra puja (worship of weapons), Singh said Islamabad’s recent activity in the Sir Creek sector reflected “ill intentions.” He added in stark terms: “One route to Karachi passes through the creek.” Sir Creek, a 96-km tidal estu- power to bring about desirable changes.” Referring to the Pahalgam incident of April 22, Bhagwat said cross-border terrorists killed 26 Indian civilian tourists after asking them about their Hindu faith. He added that both the government and the Army gave a fitting reply in May, and the nation witnessed the leadership’s resolve, the valour of the armed forces, and the unity of society. Goan artist Francis Newton Souza has set a new art world auction record with his landscape 'Houses in Hampstead' fetching over USD 7.5 million at a Sotheby's auction in London, nearly seven times its guide price. The 'Modern and Contemporary South Asian Art' auction on Tuesday also saw a second painting by the founding member of the Bombay Progressive Artists' Group go under the hammer for five times the estimated price, as 'Emperor' sold for USD 6.9 million. In all, five of his works that were in the sale this week fetched a total of over USD 14.6 million, with the overall auction total that also included artists Vasudeo Gaitonde, M.F. Husain, Syed Haider Raza, Ganesh Pyne, Jagdish Swaminathan and Narayan Shridhar Bendre, fetching USD 25.5 million. "Our 'Modern and Contemporary South Asian Art' marks the department's highest total in its 30-year history, surpassing the previous record set in March," said Manjari Sihare-Sutin, Co-Worldwide Head of the sale at Sotheby's. 4Contd on | nation 4Contd on | nation Bhagwat for vigil against anarchy Ramu Bhagwat NAGPUR Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh chief Mohan Bhagwat on Thursday flagged forces trying to spread anarchy in the country, saying Bharat needs to be more vigilant against such elements. In his keynote Vijayadashami address, delivered in the RSS’s centenary year, Bhagwat said that, in recent times, attempts have been made to provoke communities within India. “Such aggressive unrest is often exploited by external forces inimical to the nation’s interests,” he cautioned. He said, “In recent times, there has been considerable turmoil in our neighbouring countries. Regime changes in Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and, more recently, Nepal due to violent public anger are a matter of concern for us. The forces wanting to create disturbances in Bharat are active both inside and outside our borders.” A disconnect with the government, he added, could create discontent, but warned, “Violent outbursts do not have the ary between Gujarat’s Rann of Kutch and Pakistan, has remained a contentious zone since Independence due to differing interpretations of maritime boundaries. Singh noted that, despite 78 years of Independence, Pakistan continues to create disputes instead of resolving them through dialogue. 4Contd on | nation Pakistan should remember—the road to Karachi also passes through Sir Creek. Rajnath Singh Defence Minister HIGH ALERT IN BAREILLY: NET SUSPENDED FPJ News Service LUCKNOW Security was placed on the highest alert across Uttar Pradesh’s Bareilly division on Thursday, with internet services suspended for 48 hours, drones patrolling the skies and thousands of police and paramilitary personnel on the ground. The extraordinary measures follow last week’s communal flare-up in Bareilly city and come as Dussehra festivities reach their peak. A notification from the state Home Department ordered that mobile internet, broadband and SMS services in Bareilly district remain suspended from 3 pm on October 2 until 3 pm on October 4. 4Contd on | nation Oslo historian scoffs at Trump’s Nobel bid FPJ News Service MUMBAI The prospect of US President Donald Trump bagging the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize has been dismissed as “completely unthinkable” by Asle Sveen a historian in Oslo, the city where the prize is awarded. The blunt remark reflects Despite nominations, experts dismiss US president’s chances as political posturing deep scepticism among experts who see Trump’s latest peace push as political theatre rather than statesmanship. Donald Trump has long coveted the Nobel, once cal- ling it an “insult” to the United States that he had not been honoured. This year, he has rallied a remarkable set of backers. Seven world leaders have nominated him: Armenia and Azerbaijan for his mediation efforts; Gabon and Rwanda for his role in talks with the Democratic Republic of the Congo; and Cambodia, Pakistan and Israel, who credited him for initiatives in their regions. 4Continued on | P10 Chennai customs SRA seeks hike in corpus fund Taliban FM India visit in bribery storm next week Ravikiran Deshmukh MUMBAI FPJ News Service MUMBAI A Chennai-based import firm’s standoff with Chennai Customs has exploded into a public controversy, with Wintrack Inc alleging sustained harassment and bribery demands and the customs authorities countering that the company misdeclared and misclassified goods. The dispute spilled onto social media, where both sides posted detailed accounts and rebuttals, prompting the Union Finance Ministry to step in. INDIA, CHINA TO RESUME FLIGHTS THIS MONTH FPJ News Service MUMBAI India and China will restart direct flights later this month, ending a suspension of more than five years. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said on Thursday that services between designated cities in both countries will resume by late October, subject to the commercial choices of airlines and fulfilment of operational requirements. Direct flights between the two neighbours have been suspended since 2020, following the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic and the sharp deterioration in relations after a violent clash in eastern Ladakh triggered a prolonged military standoff. Despite this, China remains India’s largest bilateral trade partner. The decision comes weeks after Prime Minister Narendra Modi travelled to China for the first time in seven years to attend a Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit. 4Contd on | nation On Thursday, the Finance Ministry said it had asked the Department of Revenue to conduct a fair, transparent and fact-based inquiry into the allegations raised by Wintrack Inc (Chennai). A senior DoR officer has been deputed to carry out a detailed factual inquiry. The Ministry added that the government is treating the matter with “utmost seriousness” and remains committed to taking appropriate, expeditious action in accordance with the law. 4Contd on | nation The Slum Rehabilitation Authority (SRA) has proposed a steep hike in the corpus fund collected from developers for every tenement constructed under slum redevelopment projects. The contribution, currently fixed at `40,000 per tenement, may rise to between `1 lakh and `3 lakh, depending on the height of the building. Since only the state government can amend SRA rules, a notification inviting objections and suggestions from the public was issued on Sept 22. The corpus fund is meant to cover the maintenance of FPJ News Service MUMBAI redeveloped buildings for ten years, during which slum dwellers occupy their allotted homes free of cost. The fund also pays for firefighting systems and other essential safety measures. At present, developers deposit `40,000 per tenement with the SRA. In January this biological ageing varies from person to person. New advances in brain imaging and artificial intelligence now allow researchers to estimate “brain age” based on patterns in MRI scans, including loss of brain tissue, thinning of the cortex and damage to blood vessels. In this study, brain age was estimated using over 1,000 different imaging markers. Afghan Taliban foreign minister Amir Khan Muttaqi will visit India next week after the UNSC granted him a waiver from international travel restrictions. This will be the first trip to New Delhi by a senior Taliban leader since the group seized Kabul in August 2021. Officials confirmed that the UNSC’s 1988 sanctions committee approved an exemption on September 30, permitting Muttaqi to travel to India between October 9 and 16. He is expected to meet external affairs minister S Jaishankar on October 10. Muttaqi was earlier unable to visit in September when the waiver was blocked, reportedly due to objections from the US and Pakistan. The visit is being seen as a careful recalibration by India— strengthening working ties with the Taliban without formally recognising its regime. New Delhi re-established a diplomatic presence in Kabul in mid-2022 to safeguard regional interests and counter China’s growing influence. 4Contd on | nation 4Contd on | nation year, the SRA CEO urged the Housing Department to revise the regulation under Mumbai’s Development Plan, arguing that higher contributions are necessary to provide adequate safety in high-rise rehabilitation towers. 4Contd on | nation Poor sleep could age brain faster PTI SOLNA (SWEDEN) We spend nearly a third of our lives asleep, yet sleep is anything but wasted time. Far from being passive downtime, it is an active and essential process that helps restore the body and protect the brain. When sleep is disrupted, the brain feels the consequences - sometimes in subtle ways that accumulate over years. A new study from the Karolinska Institute has now shown that poor sleep may make the brain appear older than a person’s actual age. Researchers examined sleep behaviour and detailed brain MRI scan data in more than 27,000 UK adults between the ages of 40 and 70. “We found that people with poor sleep had brains that appeared significantly older than expected based on their actual age,” said lead researcher Abigail Dove. While everyone ages chronologically at the same pace, Dussehra gold fever A jewellery showroom in Vashi did brisk business on Dussehra despite steep gold prices. PIC: FAROOQ SAYED Science cuts may trigger brain drain Agencies WASHINGTON Donald Trump’s sweeping cuts to science funding could trigger a brain drain and have ripple effects on research worldwide, Nobel Prize officials in Sweden have warned. Since taking office in January, the US president has slashed billions of dollars in funding, curbed universities’ academic freedoms, and overseen mass layoffs of scientists across federal agencies. Nobel officials Hans Ellegren and Thomas Perlmann told AFP that such measures could erode America’s position as the world’s leading research nation. “In the post-war period, the US has taken over Germany’s role as the world’s leading scientific nation. When they now start cutting research funding, it threatens the country’s position,” said Hans Ellegren, secretary general of the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences, which awards the Nobel Prizes in physics, chemistry, and economics. 4Contd on | nation offgrid Pati Patni aur Boss a la Judaai BJP slams Rahul’s tirade FPJ News Service MUMBAI Chinese businesswoman spends US $420,000 on employee’s divorce, later demands a refund. In a plotline eerily similar to the Bollywood blockbuster ‘Judaai’, a court case in Chongqing, south-western China, has stirred widespread debate after a wealthy businesswoman spent three million yuan (US$420,000; �3,72,78,360) to free her younger employee from his FPJ News Service marriage—only to later demand the money back.The woman, surnamed Zhu, runs a company in Chongqing. The South China Morning Post reported that she became captivated by a man named He shortly after he joined her firm. Despite both being married at the time, the two began an affair and planned to divorce their respective spouses to start a new life together.To help He separate from his wife, Chen, Zhu transferred three million yuan on his behalf. The money was described as compensation for Chen and as support for the upbringing of their child.Zhu and He moved in together after his divorce, but within a year the couple split, with Zhu citing incompatibility. Zhu then filed a lawsuit against He and Chen, demanding the return of the funds.In the first trial, the Chongqing court sided with Zhu, ruling that the money constituted an “invalid gift” that violated public order and good customs. The court ordered that the money be refunded.However, Chen and He appealed. 4Contd on | nation MUMBAI Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s comments at a seminar in Colombia, where he alleged a “wholesale attack on the democratic system” in India, drew a fierce backlash from the BJP on Thursday. Speaking at EIA University in Medellín during his South America tour, Gandhi contrasted India’s democratic model with China’s authoritarian system, stressing that India’s strength lies in its diversity and traditions. “India has multiple Party accuses Congress leader of demeaning India in Colombia remarks religions, traditions and languages… Different ideas, religions and traditions require space. The best method for creating that space is democracy,” he said. He warned that the “biggest risk” to India was the erosion of democratic values. Gandhi added that India could never replicate China’s system of suppressing people, pointing instead to the country’s spiritual traditions and intellectual legacy as sources of resilience. “Currently, there is a wholesale attack on the democratic system in India, so that is a risk,” the Leader of the Opposition asserted, insisting that allowing diverse traditions to flourish is essential for India’s future. The BJP wasted no time hitting back. Party spokesperson Gaurav Bhatia posted a clip of Gandhi’s remarks on X, accusing him of repeatedly insulting the country on foreign soil. 4Contd on | nation