FP The publishers permit sharing of the e-paper's pdf on WhatsApp and other social media platforms FREE PRESS Vol. 15 No. 2 | BHOPAL | MONDAY | JUNE 16, 2025 | Pages 14 ` 3 | Regd. No. Indore MP/ICD 216/2024-2026 | RNI No. mpeng/2010/35815 www.freepressjournal.in World Military parade rolls through DC as protesters across US decry Trump ESTD-1983 iii QUALITY @ VALUE EDITIONS: BHOPAL UJJAIN MONEY PUNE INDORE NASHIK Brand Sutra Protein, Without The Pressure P.12 MIDDLE EAST CONFLICT RAGES | Iran says Israel struck two oil refineries, raising prospect of broader assault on Iran’s heavily sanctioned energy industry ISRAEL, IRAN TRADE STRIKES AS NUCLEAR TALKS CALLED OFF If attacked, full strength of US forces will come down on you: Trump warns Iran AP Israel unleashed airstrikes across Iran for a third day on Sunday and threatened even greater force as some Iranian missiles evaded Israeli air defences to strike buildings in the heart of the country. Planned talks on Iran's nuclear programme, which could provide an off-ramp, were cancelled. The region braced for a protracted conflict after Israel's surprise bombardment of Iran's nuclear and military sites on Friday killed several top generals and nuclear scientists, and neither side showed any sign of backing down. Iran said Israel struck two oil refineries, raising the prospect of a broader assault on Iran's heavily sanctioned energy industry that could affect global markets. The Israeli military, in a social media post, warned Iranians to evacuate arms factories, signalling what could be a further widening of the campaign. 4Continued on | P8 fp Briefs GHAZIABAD Mansarovar Yatra begins IANS NEW YORK Flames rise from an oil storage facility after hit by an Israeli strike in Tehran, Iran Israel warns Iranians to evacuate arms facilities All Indians safe, monitoring situation: Indian mission he Israeli military warned Iranians on Sunday to immediately evacuate "military weapons production factories," likely signalling new strikes are coming. Col Avichay Adraee, a military spokesperson, posted the warning on the social platform X in Iran's Farsi language. Adraee in the past has signalled other strikes in the Gaza Strip, Lebanon and Yemen amid the Israel-Hamas war in the Gaza Strip. His warning came just after Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi signaled Tehran would stop its attacks on Israel if Israel stopped its strikes A T ll Indians in Israel are safe and the embassy is constantly monitoring the situation and the safety of its nationals amid a conflict with Iran, the Indian mission said on Sunday. Embassy sources told PTI that it has set up a 24*7 helpline and is maintaining contact with members of the community.Emphasising that the "safety and security of Indian nationals is paramount to us", the mission in a fresh advisory issued on Sunday advised its nationals to "stay vigilant, strictly avoid any unnecessary movement” 4 dead, 18 injured as bridge on Indrayani river collapses PTI US President Donald Trump issued a stern warning to Tehran on Sunday, as hostilities between Iran and Israel escalated into a third consecutive day of cross-border attacks, clarifying that the US had no involvement in the latest strikes but cautioned that any provocation against American interests would be met with overwhelming force. Taking to the social media platform Truth Social, Trump wrote, "The US had nothing to do with the attack on Iran, tonight. If we are attacked in any way, shape or form by Iran, the full strength and might of the US Armed Forces will come down on you at levels never seen before. 4Continued on | P8 Woman with lung ailment dies after testing positive for Covid FP News Service PUNE JABALPUR Chanting "Har Har Mahadev", the first batch of 39 pilgrims was flagged off on Sunday from Ghaziabad for the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra which has resumed after a hiatus of five years. The flag-off ceremony took place at the Kailash Mansarovar Bhavan in Indirapuram where Uttar Pradesh Tourism and Culture Minister Jaiveer Singh launched the pilgrimage. KUSHINAGAR First rocket launch in UP A successful model rocket launching test was conducted in Uttar Pradesh's Kushinagar district, marking the first time a payload was launched via a rocket from the state, officials said. The test conducted on Saturday by the Astronautical Society of India in association with the Indian National Space Promotion and Authorisation Centre (IN-SPACe) and Indian Space Research Organisation saw the model rocket ascend 1.12 km at 5:14:33 PM, a complete success. PATNA Lalu gets SC panel notice The Bihar State Commission for Scheduled Castes has issued a notice to RJD president Lalu Prasad for allegedly disrespecting Babasaheb Bhim Rao Ambedkar. The Commission has given the former chief minister 15 days to respond, warning that failure to do so could lead to legal proceedings. Four persons died and 18 others were seriously injured after an old iron pedestrian bridge on the Indrayani river collapsed on Sunday afternoon in Pune's Maval tehsil, prima facie due to crowding by tourists who ignored the warning board at the spot, a state minister said. Teams of the National Disaster Response Force have been conducting rescue operations at the spot over the last four hours to remove the portions of the structure and locate a trapped person, officials said. "While two bodies were recovered from beneath the structure, two persons succumbed to injuries during treatment after being rescued," said Talegaon Dabhade police station senior inspector Pradeep Rayannawar. 4Continued on | P8 Portion of under-construction bridge collapses in Shivpuri A portion of an under-construction overbridge collapsed in Shivpuri district on Sunday, leaving six labourers injured, an official said. The incident took place at 1pm near a bus stand and railway level crossing along Pohri highway, he added. "No one was working below the portion that collapsed, which averted major casualties. The six injured labourers have been hospitalised. They were laying concrete on the bride, which is being built at a cost of Rs 80 crore," he said PM Modi in Cyprus PTI NICOSIA E-paper Edit City plan needed for ‘the unseen’ P.6 Will conflict wreak havoc on investor confidence? DUBAI MUMBAI A woman with a history of lung ailment who tested positive for Coronavirus died on Sunday in the Government NSCB Medical College and Hospital here. The deceased from Saliwada, Mandla district, was pregnant and admitted to the hospital for delivery, joint director Sanjay Mishra said. She delivered the baby on Saturday and developed some lung complications, he said. She was tested for coronavirus  and found positive, he said. She was moved to the isolation ward for treatment. She died today, he added. Seven killed in chopper crash near Kedarnath Biswajeet Banerjee RUDRAPRAYAG In the wake of a tragic helicopter crash near Gaurikund in Uttarakhand that killed all seven people onboard—including an infant—helicopter services on the Char Dham Yatra route have been suspended for two days. The chopper, operated by Aryan Aviation, was ferrying pilgrims from Kedarnath to Guptkashi when it crashed in a remote forested area near Gaurimai Khark early Sunday morning. Among the victims were pilgrims from Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, and Gujarat, including entire families. Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami ordered the suspension citing bad weather and passenger safety concerns. "Helicopter services will remain suspended for the next two days. The safety of pilgrims is our utmost priority," he said following an emergency meeting with top officials. welcoming me at the airport. This visit will add significant momentum to India-Cyprus relations, especially in areas like trade, investment and more," Modi posted on X. 4Continued on | P8 Three days after a Londonbound Air India plane crashed in Ahmedabad, authorities here have so far identified 47 victims through DNA testing and bodies of 24 have been handed over to their families, an official said on Sunday. As many of the bodies were burnt beyond recognition or damaged otherwise, authorities are carrying out DNA tests to establish the identity of victims of the horrific tragedy. "A total of 47 plane crash victims have been identified so far through DNA matching. Of these, bodies of 24 victims have been handed over to the re- Three days after the tragic crash of Air India flight AI-171 in Ahmedabad, which has so far claimed 271 lives, hospital authorities confirmed on Sunday the identification of former Gujarat chief minister Vijay Rupani through DNA matching Love makes everyone do crazy things, even frogs! After heavy rains on Saturday night, something magical happened at Rathore Pond on Jhirniya Road. Dozens of Indian Bull Frogs turned bright yellow to win over their lady loves. After mating, the non-poisonous Indian Bullfrog reverts to its normal colour. From a distance, the pond looked like it was full of sunflowers. Local people rushed to see this rare sight, taking photos and videos. This amaz- ing show happens only once a year when the rains begin. Biology teacher Prof Kanhaiya Singh explains that all the yel- UK F-35 makes emergency landing at Kerala airport Agencies THIRUVANANTHAPURAM A United Kingdom (UK) Navy F-35 fighter jet made an emergency landing at Thiruvananthapuram International Airport on Saturday evening due to low fuel, according to sources. The aircraft, which is part of the British Carrier Strike Group's aircraft carrier HMS Prince of Wales, is currently stationed at the airport. Air Force officials have termed the emergency landing a routine diversion, stating it was fully aware of the situation, provided all necessary assistance, and is coordinating with relevant agencies. Dassault CEO trashes Pakistan’s claims on downing Rafale jets IANS NEW DELHI CM Mohan Yadav, Deputy CM Rajendra Shukla and others attend the second day of BJP training programme in Pachmarhi Lessons to learn: l Use social media smartly to stay connected with people l Explain governmentschemes and development work to public l Visit booth workers regularly to maintain party’s grassroots strength government's achievements.” Several senior party leaders addressed different sessions, offering practical advice on leadership, communication and organisational discipline. 4Continued on | P8 Rare sight: Frogs turn yellow for love FP News Service spective families. These deceased were from Rajasthan and different parts of Gujarat," Additional Civil Superintendent Dr Rajnish Patel told reporters. All but one of the 242 passengers and crew on board the Boeing 787-8 (AI171) and another 29 persons, including five MBBS students, on the ground were killed in the plane crash on Thursday. The aircraft crashed into the campus of a medical college in Meghaninagar moments after taking off from Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport at 1:39pm on Thursday. DNA test identifies ex-Guj CM offgrid BHIKANGAON 4Continued on | P8 AI TRAGEDY BHOPAL Prime Minister Narendra Modi with President of Cyprus Nikos Christodoulides local Nepalese-origin women who were cutting grass nearby, saw the helicopter spiraling down before it burst into flames. The wreckage was found charred, with the bodies badly burned. The flight, usually a short 10-minute journey between Kedarnath and Guptkashi, went down just minutes after take-off, somewhere between Gaurikund and Sonprayag. PTI AHMEDABAD BJP MPs, MLAs get tips to connect better with people On the second day of the BJP’s training programme in Pachmarhi, party MPs and MLAs were told to sharpen their public engagement strategies, improve their public image and effectively use social media to connect with citizens and promote government work. At a key session, BJP National General Secretary Vinod Tawde told legislators, “The respect of party workers and public service should be your prime goals. Use social media to stay in touch with public and communicate The crash occurred at around 5:30 a.m. in the Rudraprayag district, about 350 km from Lucknow. Initial reports from the District Disaster Management Office suggest that poor weather conditions may have caused the crash. “The site of the crash is extremely remote, and all onboard have perished,” confirmed Nandan Singh Rajwar, the District Disaster Management Officer. Eyewitnesses, including DNA tests identify 47 victims; 24 bodies handed over to kin Our Staff Reporter Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived in Cyprus on Sunday for a two-day visit during which he will hold talks with President Nikos Christodoulides to strengthen bilateral ties. In a special gesture, President Christodoulides welcomed PM Modi on his arrival at the Larnaca International Airport. Modi is the first Indian prime minister to visit Cyprus in over two decades. "Landed in Cyprus. My gratitude to the President of Cyprus, Mr. Nikos Christodoulides for the special gesture of NDRF personnel at the spot after a helicopter crashed near the Kedarnath shrine, in Rudraprayag district low frogs were males trying to impress females, and after mating they will change back to their normal brown and green colours. They turn bright yellow just for a few hours during mating season. This change is completely natural and safe. These frogs tell us that the rainy season has officially started. It's nature's own love story happening right before our eyes. Indian Bull Frog is the biggest in India, growing up to 17 centimetres long. They usually have dark brown or olive-green skin with tigerlike stripes. These frogs live in ponds across South Asia. Female frogs can lay thousands of eggs at once, which grow into tadpoles. Many Indian states have banned hunting these frogs to protect them. People in Bhikangaon were excited to witness this natural wonder. Some called it the most beautiful thing they had ever seen in the pond. Dassault Aviation Chairman and CEO Eric Trappier has dismissed as "factually incorrect" Pakistan’s claims about having shot down three Rafale fighter jets of the Indian Air Force during Operation Sindoor. In an interview to French magazine Challenges, Trappier said: "What Pakistan is claiming about downing three Rafales is simply not true."He made it clear that Dassault, the French company that manufactures the Rafale, has received no official communication from the Indian Air Force indicating any such losses. "What we already know is that what the Pakistanis are saying about destroying three Rafale planes is inaccurate," Trappier said. "When the complete details are known, the reality may surprise many," he added.In the interview just ahead of the Paris Air Show, Trappier highlighted the formidable reputation of the Rafale as a premier multirole fighter jet. " If you want a single aircraft capable of air-to-air combat, reconnaissance, ground strikes, nuclear deterrence, and aircraft carrier deployment, Rafale is unmatched," he asserted.While acknowledging the stealth advantage of the American F-22, he maintained that the Rafale is superior to the F-35 in realworld versatility and performance. "It’s far better than anything China currently offers," he contended.India has already denied that any of its fighter jets were destroyed during Operation Sindoor, which had successfully demolished terror infrastructure with precision bombing deep inside Pakistan territory. This was followed by missile attacks that caused considerable damage to key bases of the Pakistani Air Force. 4Continued on | P8