FP The publishers permit sharing of the e-paper's pdf on WhatsApp and other social media platforms FREE PRESS Vol. 15 No. 34 | BHOPAL | FRIDAY | JULY 18, 2025 | Pages 14 ` 3 | Regd. No. Indore MP/ICD 216/2024-2026 | RNI No. mpeng/2010/35815 www.freepressjournal.in Sports From West Ham to Women’s League Glory - Aditi bows out, not down P.13 ESTD-1983 iii QUALITY @ VALUE EDITIONS: BHOPAL MONEY India should negotiate trade pact with US on its own term, says Dev UJJAIN PUNE INDORE NASHIK MUMBAI E-paper Edit The great global oil game P.6 Cinema Of cycles, bikes and Salman P.14 MP SWEEPS SWACHH SURVEKSHAN | Indore wins for the 8th time, Bhopal cleanest capital; Ujjain, Budni, Jabalpur, Gwalior, Dewas, Rewa, Shahganj and Satna shine across categories INDORE TOPS SWACHH LEAGUE, BHOPAL 2ND IN SWACHH SHAHAR Our Staff Reporter BHOPAL/INDORE In Indore, cleanliness is more than a civic responsibility — it’s a deeply ingrained way of life. So when the results of the Swachh Survekshan 2024-25 were announced on Thursday, there was neither suspense nor surprise on the streets. With an astounding 99.75% score, Indore once again reigned supreme, securing its eighth consecutive national cleanliness title — this time as the top city in the newly launched “Super Swachh League.” Unlike other cities that may have waited with bated breath, Indore’s residents went about their day calmly. No one reached for the remote to check the results — they already knew. The legacy of being India’s cleanest city has become their second nature. Their slogan, “Super se Upar”, echoed like a prophecy fulfilled as President Droupadi Murmu handed over the award at a glittering ceremony organised by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA) in Delhi. But Indore was not alone in upholding Madhya Pradesh’s banner high. In a sweeping show of civic excellence, several cities from the state featured fp Briefs JERUSALEM Netanyahu loses majority A key ultra-Orthodox ally in Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government has announced its departure from the cabinet, marking a serious setback that could potentially leave Netanyahu presiding over a minority coalition, Al Jazeera has reported. BAGHDAD Iraq mall fire kills over 60 A fire engulfed a newly opened shopping centre in eastern Iraq, killing more than 60 people, including children, Iraqi officials said Thursday. Civil defence teams rescued more than 45 people who became trapped when the fire broke out late Wednesday in the city of Kut in Wasit province, the Interior Ministry said in a statement. Others are still missing, according to staterun Iraqi News Agency. PATNA Convict shot dead in hosp A man, who was a murder convict and out on parole, was shot dead by gunmen inside a private hospital in Bihar's Patna on Thursday, police said. The deceased was identified as Chandan, a resident of Buxar district, and went to the hospital for treatment, a senior officer said. See Nation prominently across various categories. Bhopal, which was earlier ranked fifth among cities with a population of over one million, jumped to second place under the prestigious “Swachha Sahar” Presidential Award. It also retained its position as the cleanest capital in the country, reaffirming its consistency. Jabalpur impressed with a fifth-place finish in the same million-plus population bracket and was also ranked second in sustainability and inclusion among Ganga towns and religious centres. Gwalior followed at fourteenth, earning the Promising City Award for its significant strides. Meanwhile, Ujjain shone brightly in the 3 to 10 lakh population group, topping the category under the Super Swachh League. Budni, a smaller town, was declared the cleanest in the under20,000 population segment. Dewas also brought glory to the state by clinching the top rank in the 50,000 to 3 lakh category under the “Swachha Sahar” award, while Shahganj claimed the top spot in the below-20,000 population category nationwide. The sheer breadth of recognition didn’t stop there. Indore, Bhopal, and Jabalpur were all awarded 7-star ratings — the Category Door to Door Source Segregation Waste generation vs Processing Remediation of dumpsites Cleanliness of residential areas Cleanliness of market areas Cleanliness of water bodies Cleanliness of public toilets UAD minister Kailash Vijayavargiya and Bhopal Mayor Malti Rai receive Swachh Survekshan-2024 award from President Droupadi Murmu in New Delhi on Thursday. highest cleanliness accolade — while Dewas, Rewa, and Satna followed with strong 5-star scores, proving that the spirit of sanitation has taken deep roots across urban Madhya Pradesh. A total of 78 awards were distributed nationwide, recognising exemplary performance in sanitation, sustainability, inclusion, and innovation. The state made its mark across the spectrum — from metro cities to modest municipalities. The awards were presented in four broad categories: Super Swachh League Cities, Clean Cities, Special Category (including Ganga towns, Rank wise Swachh cantonment Survekshan Award 2024 boards, Safai CITIES RANK Mitra Suraksha, and MahaBhopal 2nd(10lakh) kumbh), and State Level Jabalpur 5th(10 lakh) Promising Clean City Awards. Gwalior 14th(10 lakh) The event saw the presence of Madhya Pradesh’s This year’s rankings didn’t Urban Administration and Dejust celebrate cleanliness — velopment Minister Kailash they showcased a quiet revolVijayvargiya, Indore Mayor ution in how cities approach Pushyamitra Bhargav, and urban living. And in that revolBhopal Mayor Malti Rai — all ution, Madhya Pradesh led receiving the honours on befrom the front — not just with half of their winning cities. brooms, but with belief. India cautions NATO chief against double standards on Russia ties IANS NEW DELHI Reacting strongly to NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte's recent comments on countries engaging in business with Russia, India on Thursday reiterated that there should be no "double-standards" on the matter. "We have seen reports on the subject and are closely following the developments. Let me reiterate that securing the energy needs of our people is understandably an overriding priority for us. In this endeavour, we are guided by what is MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal available in the markets and also by prevailing global circumstances. We would particularly caution against any double standards on the matter," Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said during a weekly media briefing in New Delhi. ‘Not worried by US rider on Russian oil’ IANS NEW DELHI Union Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas Hardeep Singh Puri on Thursday said India has diversified its sources for buying oil in the global market, due to which the government is not "unduly worried" over any US crackdown on Russia's oil exports. Speaking at the Urja Varta 2025, the minister said India currently buys oil from 40 nations, as compared to 27 countries in 2007, and the global market is well-supplied. "There is a lot of oil available in the market. Iran and Venezuela are currently under sanctions. But are they going to be under sanctions forever? Many countries, including Brazil, Canada and others, are ramping up output. I am not unduly worried about supplies as of now. We have diversified our sources," Puri said. The minister's statement came against the backdrop of US President Donald Trump announcing that secondary sanctions would be imposed on countries buying Russian oil. 4Continued on | P8 Earlier this week, Rutte, during his visit to Washington, stated that China, India and Brazil could face severe economic sanctions if they continue doing business with Russia. "If you are the President of China or the Prime Minister of India, or the President of Brazil, and you are still trading with Russia and getting their oil and gas, then you know: if the man in Moscow doesn't take the peace negotiations seriously, I will impose 100 per cent secondary sanctions," Rutte said. 4Continued on | P8 SC allows MP HC to interview prospective civil judges PTI NEW DELHI India vows support in Nimisha case NEW DELHI: India on Thursday reiterated its commitment to offer full assistance in the case of Nimisha Priya, a Kerala nurse sentenced to death in Yemen for the murder of a Yemeni national, asserting that it is also in touch with some friendly governments to render all possible support. "This is a very sensitive matter and the Government of India has been offering all possible assistance in the case. We have provided legal assistance and also appointed a lawyer to assist the family. We have also arranged regular consular visits for the family, and we are in touch with both local authorities and the family members to resolve this issue," said MEA. 4Continued on | P8 In a stunning statement on the global chess stage, 19year-old Indian Grandmaster Rameshbabu Praggnanandhaa delivered a shocking defeat to World No. 1 Magnus Carlsen during Round 4 of the Las Vegas Freestyle Chess Grand Slam, securing the GAME RECAP Beating Carlsen always feels special. But staying consistent across rounds is the real challenge. I’m happy with how I played.” Praggnanandhaa in international chess. top spot in Group A and continuing his meteoric rise ED chargesheets Vadra, attaches 43 properties PTI NEW DELHI The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Thursday filed a charge sheet against Robert Vadra, the businessman husband of Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, in a money laundering case linked to alleged irregularities in a land deal in Haryana's Shikohpur, official sources said. This is the first time that any probe agency has filed a prosecution complaint naming the 56-year-old Vadra in a criminal case. The federal investigative 4Continued on | P8 agency, sources told PTI, has also attached 43 immovable properties worth Rs. 37.64 crore pertaining to Vadra and his linked entities like Sky Light Hospitality Pvt. Ltd. and others. A provisional attachment order was issued by the agency on Wednesday under the PMLA, they said. Sources said the charge sheet has been before the Rouse Avenue court here under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). 4Continued on | P8 PWD clarifies cause BHOPAL Pragg stuns Carlsen in Vegas LAS VEGAS AWARD CATEGORIES CITIES Super Swachh League Indore Super Swachh League Ujjain Super Swachh League Budni Swachh Shahar Bhopal Swachh Shahar Dewas Swachh Shahar Shahganj Best Saifai Mitra Surakshit Shahar Promising City award Cong cries corruption, probe on A major mishap was narrowly avoided in MP Nagar on Thursday after a portion of the main road, recently repaired and asphalted for the Global Investors Summit (GIS) 2025, suddenly caved in during heavy rainfall. Fortunately, no pedestrians or vehicles were present at the time of the collapse. According to eyewitnesses, the road sees daily movement Round 4 Result: Praggnanandhaa (White) def. Carlsen (Black) in 39 moves Time Control: 10 minutes + 10-second increment Style: Tactical precision, controlled aggression Key Moment: Mid-game positional switch left Carlsen under relentless pressure 100% 94% 100% 100% 100% 100% 100% 100% 99.75% 99.25% PRE-GIS ROADWORK SINKS Vegas Victory ANI 100% 98% 100% 100% 100% 100% 100% 100% 100% 92% 100% 100% 100% 100% 100% 100% 99% AWARDS AND CITES WITH RANK AND POPULATION ARE AS FOLLOW Our Staff Reporter The Supreme Court on Thursday allowed the Madhya Pradesh High Court to conduct interviews and declare results of the Civil Judge, Junior Division (Entry Level) Exam 2022. A bench of Justices P S Narasimha and A S Chandurkar asked the high court to go ahead with the process after it was informed that 77 candidates had cleared the main civil judges exam. TOTAL PERCENTAGE INDORE AHMEDABAD SURAT of thousands of commuters and is one of the busiest stretches in the city. The collapsed section measured approximately 9 feet in depth, 3 meters in length and 1.5 meters in width. 4Continued on | P8 Bhopal’s Public Works Department (PWD) chief engineer Sanjay Kumar Maske has clarified the cause of the pit formed on Chetak Bridge Road near Jyoti Talkies. The road, under PWD since 2002, has an old underground stone-wall drain built nearly 50 years ago. Covered by the municipal corporation and obstructed by a public toilet, the drain could not be inspected and continuous water absorption from nearby drains weakened the wall, leading to the collapse, the chief engineer said. RANK 1st ( 10 lakh) 1st(3-10lakh) 1st(below20K) 2nd(10 lakh) 1st(50k-3lakh) 3rd(below 20k) Jabalpur Gwalior AIR INDIA CRASH AAIB slams ‘selective and unverified reporting’ by int’l media IANS NEW DELHI As certain international media houses continue to plant unverified and fake news regarding the Air India Ahmedabad crash, the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) on Thursday cautioned against “selective and unverified reporting”, calling such coverage “irresponsible and potentially damaging to the probe’s integrity”. AAIB reacted after the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reported that a cockpit recording of dialogue between the two pilots of the ill-fated Air India flight, that crashed last month, allegedly indicates the captain cut the flow of fuel to the plane's engines. “It has come to our attention that certain sections of the international media are repeatedly attempting to draw conclusions through selective and unverified reporting,” said AAIB in a statement. "Such actions are irresponsible, especially while the investigation remains ongoing. We urge both the public and the media to refrain from spreading premature narratives that risk undermining the integrity of the investigative process,” the probe agency added. Stadium stampede: K’taka report blames RCB, DNA Network, KSCA PTI BENGALURU The Karnataka government has blamed IPL franchisee RCB, its event management partner, and the state cricket association for ignoring standard procedures and safety measures, leading to a stampede that claimed 11 lives and injured 33 others last month. In its status report on the June 4 stampede near the M Chinnaswamy stadium that was submitted to the Karnataka High Court, the state government said RCB, its event management partner, and the state cricket association unilaterally organised the team's massive victory parade and celebration without prior permission or furnishing mandatory details to the authorities. The report has been submitted to the High Court. The report emphasised that the organisers never formally sought police permission in the prescribed format as mandated by the Licensing and Controlling of Assemblies and Processions (Bangalore City) Order, 2009. 4Continued on | P8