FP The publishers permit sharing of the e-paper's pdf on WhatsApp and other social media platforms FREE PRESS Vol. 15 No. 88 | BHOPAL | THURSDAY | SEPTEMBER 11, 2025 | Pages 16 ` 3 | Regd. No. Indore MP/ICD 216/2024-2026 | RNI No. mpeng/2010/35815 www.freepressjournal.in Sports Blue Colts hit Brunei for six, but fall short in Asian dream P.15 ESTD-1983 iii QUALITY @ VALUE EDITIONS: BHOPAL WORLD ‘I look forward to speaking with my very good friend’ India and the US are natural partners and teams from both sides are working to conclude negotiations on a bilateral trade deal, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Wednesday in response to US President Donald Trump's remarks that efforts are on to address "trade barriers" between the two countries. The exchange between the two leaders on social media is largely seen as part of efforts by both New Delhi and Washington to reset their ties that witnessed increasing stress in the last few weeks after Trump doubled tariffs on Indian goods. fp look forward to speaking with my very good friend, Prime Minister Modi, in the upcoming weeks. I feel certain that there will be no difficulty in coming to a successful conclusion for both of our Great Countries!" Trump said. I EC to take call on pan-India SIR rollout soon; NEW DELHI likely to be held Singh honoured by year-end posthumously Late former Prime Minister and renowned economist Dr Manmohan Singh has been posthumously conferred the P V Narasimha Rao Memorial Award for Economics for his contributions to India's economic transformation. NEW DELHI Fitch ups ’26 GDP forecast to 6.9% Fitch Ratings on Wednesday raised India's GDP growth forecast to 6.9 per cent for current fiscal year, from 6.5 per cent earlier, citing strong June quarter growth and domestic consumption-led demand. WASHINGTON Congressman condemns attack Indian-American Congressman Suhas Subramanyam has denounced a spate of recent attacks on Hindu temples across the United States, calling them “hateful” acts that reflect a broader rise in violence against places of worship. PTI 4Continued on | P8 India explores rare-earth deal with Myanmar Online Report I ndia is working to obtain rare-earth samples from Myanmar with the assistance of a powerful rebel group, according to four people familiar with the matter, as it seeks alternative supplies of a strategic resource tightly controlled by China. India’s Ministry of Mines asked state-owned and private firms to explore collecting and transporting samples from mines in northeastern Myanmar that are under the control of the Kachin Independence Army, three of the people said. State-owned miner IREL and private firm Midwest Advanced Materials – which received government funding last year for the commercial manufacturing of rare-earth magnets – were among those involved in the discussions, the sources said. New Delhi hopes to test the samples in domestic labs to ensure they contain sufficient levels of heavy rare earths that can be processed into magnets used in electronic vehicles and other advanced equipment, according to the people. The ministry made the request – signalling a rare instance of Delhi engaging with a non-state actor -at an online meeting in July, according to two of the people. The meeting was attended by representatives from IREL, Midwest and at least one other company, one of the sources said. BHOPAL 4Continued on | P8 NEW DELHI A parliamentary committee has called fake news a "serious threat" to public order and democratic process, and recommended amending penal provisions, increasing fine and fixing accountability to deal with the issue. In its draft report adopted on Tuesday, the Standing Committee on Communications and Information Technology has also called for mandatory presence of fact-check- ing mechanism and internal ombudsman in all print, digital and electronic media organisations. Sources said the committee has made a raft of suggestions, including a collaborative effort among all stake-holders covering government, private and independent fact-checkers to tackle the challenge of fake news. 4Continued on | P8 Nepalese in city 4 Chhatarpur anxious as protests families caught rage back home in Nepal Family, relatives unreachable amid shutdowns Urge PM for safe return Our Staff Reporter CHHATARPUR FP News Service BHOPAL Fourteen members, including women and Nepalese living in the city are deeply worried children of four families from Chhatarpur in about the safety of their families and relatives MP, are caught in Nepal, which is in political back home. Internet and mobile services have turmoil. They appealed to Prime Minister Narbeen suspended in Kathmandu and nearby endra Modi to help them leave the country. areas for the past two days, leaving many unable The incidents of arson, looting and killings to contact their loved ones. Though other parts sparked fear among the Indians living in Nepal. of Nepal still have internet access, fears of escaA trader from the grain market under the lating violence and unrest reChhatarpur Kotwali, Pappu Mamain. tole, and transporters Nirdesh RELATIVES STUCK Yuvraj Sharma, who works Agarwal, Guddu Agarwal and for a private firm in Bhopal, said his two sons the members of the Kushwaha family are are pursuing higher studies at Pokhara Univercaught in Nepal. Nirdesh Agarwal, who is sity, about 200 km from Kathmandu, the heart caught in a hotel, is sending videos of the violof student protests. “They are safe for now. I’ve ence on the roads of Nepal through the hotel asked them to stay in their hostels. Food is availwindow. able but I am worried and stressed,” Sharma said, adding he stays in touch with them via EFFORTS UNDERWAY TO WhatsApp. RESCUE MP FAMILIES: CM Jeev Sapkata, associated with a political party’s media cell in the city, said his 17-year-old In a tweet, Chief Minister Mohan Yadav said son Shridharstudying at Global College in Nepal some families from MP are caught in Nepal. is currently safe. “I spoke to him just 30 minutes Yadav wrote he was concerned about it and before violence broke out,” he said. directed the officials to bring them back. Ghanshyam, employed at Bharat Bhavan, has Efforts are on to help those families through family in Lumbini, another troubled region. coordination with the officials of the Union “The situation is bad. Government, he tweeted. 4Continued on | P8 Our Staff Reporter UNITED NATIONS Parliament panel recommends mandatory fact-checking system NEW DELHI The Election Commission will soon decide on the date to rollout special intensive revision on a pan-India basis and the exercise to clean up the voter list across states may take place before the end of the year, officials said Wednesday. After a day-long meeting of EC's state chief electoral officers here, officials said with as many as five assembly polls due next year, the all-India SIR could take place in the coming months in 2025. While senior EC officials made a presentation on the SIR policy of the Commission, the chief electoral officer of Bihar shared the state's experience in implementing the special intensive revision of electoral rolls. The CEOs were told to keep the electoral rolls of their states, published after the last SIR, ready. Some state CEOs have already put the voter list published after their last SIR on their websites. The Commission has said that after Bihar, SIR will be carried out in the entire country. Assembly elections in Assam, Kerala, Puducherry, Tamil Nadu and West Bengal are due in 2026. The primary aim of the intensive revision is to weed out foreign illegal migrants by checking their place of birth. IANS CRACKDOWN ON FAKE NEWS PTI E-paper At Kolkata meet, Rs 14,600cr investment proposals pour in 4Continued on | P8 "Our teams are working to conclude these discussions at the earliest. I am also looking forward to speaking with President Trump. We will work together to secure a brighter, more prosperous future for both our people," Modi said. US President Donald Trump has reportedly asked the European Union (EU) to join the United States in slapping tariffs up to 100 per cent on India and China-- two of the biggest Russian crude importers-- as part of their so-called collective effort to increase pressure on Moscow to end its war in Ukraine. Trump made the extraordinary demand by dialling into a Tuesday meeting between senior US and EU officials gathered in Washington to discuss ways to hit at the revenue Moscow needs for the war in Ukraine, according to a report by The Financial Times. Briefs MUMBAI UNSC reforms essential for peacekeeping ops to be effective: India proposed trade deal. LIKEWISE, SAYS PM coming weeks" and sounded confident that both sides would be able to seal the NASHIK Peacekeeping operations can be effective only if the Security Council is reformed to give it the legitimacy that comes from reflecting the contemporary realities, according to India. "The effectiveness of UN peacekeeping is tied to the structure and legitimacy of the UN Security Council, which must be reformed to ensure expansion in both permanent and non-permanent categories to reflect the contemporary realities," India's Permanent Representative P. Harish said on Wednesday. The major contributors, like India -which has sent the most troops -- to peacekeeping operations are shut out of the permanent membership in the Council, which gives the missions their mandates. Trump asks EU to slap tariffs of up to 100% on India, China The US president said he was looking forward to speaking to Modi in the "up- INDORE Cinema ‘Stop taking Mumbaikars for granted’ P.14 INDIA-US TRADE TRUCE ON HORIZON PTI PUNE Edit Test of neutrality for the new V-P P.6 This is our revolution. It’s our turn now: Gen Z PARTNERS AGAIN? | Exchange between Modi & Trump on social media is seen as part of efforts to reset ties that witnessed increasing stress recently NEW DELHI UJJAIN 4Continued on | P8 Madhya Pradesh received investment proposals worth Rs 14,600 crores during an interactive session in Kolkata on Wednesday. The event aimed to explore investment opportunities for the upcoming PM Mitra Park in Dhar, which Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to inaugurate on September 17. CM Mohan Yadav engaged with investors, saying that PM Mitra Park will give a new boost to state’s textile sector. He held one-to-one discussions with investors, highlighting Madhya Pradesh’s investor-friendly environment, strategic location and supportive policies. He urged industries to take part in India’s development journey and said the park will play a key role in making the country self-reliant. The CM stressed Chief Minister Mohan Yadav along with investors during the Interactive Session on Investment Opportunities in MP held in Kolkata on Wednesday Company Sector Ruia Group Multi Rs 4200 cr 5000 Vikram Solar Renewable energy Rs 10, 150 cr 9000 Essenn Bio Greens pvt ltd Food processing Rs 150 cr 400 Ajanta Shoes Foot wear Rs 100 cr 2500 Rs 14600 cr 16900 Total that the state offers worldclass infrastructure and a con- Nepal's Gen Z picks ex-Chief Justice Sushila Karki as interim leader She says ‘Indians treat me as their sister’ FP News Service T he 71-year-old jurist, Sushila Karki, chosen by Nepal’s Gen-Z protesters to head a transitional administration, told the media that she felt humbled by the trust reposed in her. Karki, who described herself as a friend of India, said her years at BHU in Varanasi, where she completed her master’s degree in political science in 1975, left a lasting impression. “I am very much impressed with Indian leaders… Indian friends treat me as a sister," she told CNN-News18, adding, “Main Modi ji ko namaskar karti hoon. I have a good impression of Modi ji." Recalling her university years, she said, “I studied in BHU… I have many friends in India. I still remember my teachers in BHU. The relation- ship with India is very good and it goes back many years. India has helped Nepal a lot. Indians always wish well for Nepal." Sushila Karki made history in 2016 when she became Nepal’s first woman to serve as Chief Justice of the Supreme Court. Known for her fearless judgments and zero tolerance for corruption, she presided over landmark cases, including the jailing of a sitting minister for graft. Her tenure also brought her into sharp conflict with the political establishment, culminating in an i m p e a ch m e n t motion against her in 2017, widely seen as retaliation for her independence. Before reaching the top of the judiciary, she had built a long career as an advocate and later as a justice, rising through the ranks since the late 1970s. Investment proposal Estimated job creation ducive atmosphere for industries to thrive. We’re proud of our Constitution: SC cites Nepal, B’desh unrest FP Online T he Supreme Court on Wednesday drew parallels between ongoing violent protests in Nepal and last year's Bangladesh unrest while hearing a presidential reference challenging its April order on gubernatorial bill clearances. "We are proud of our constitution, see what is happening in neighbouring countries," CJI Gavai said, referring to deadly protests in Nepal by its Gen Z population that have claimed more than 20 lives. "And Bangladesh," added Justice Vikram Nath, referring to the students' protests in the neighbouring country that prompted the fall of the Sheikh Hasina government, forcing her to flee to India. The hearing centred on President Droupadi Murmu's challenge to the court's directive requiring governors to clear state bills within 30 days. 4Continued on | P8 NEPAL REPLAY IN FRANCE? 250 held as protesters clash with police over demonstrations against Macron, budget cuts AP PARIS Protesters blocked roads, lit blazes and were met with volleys of tear gas on Wednesday in Paris and elsewhere in France, heaping pressure on President Emmanuel Macron by attempting to give his new prime minister a baptism of fire. The government's interior ministry announced 250 arrests in the first hours of what was a planned day of nationwide demonstrations against Macron, budget cuts and other complaints. See World Protesters march during a rally of the ‘Block Everything’ movement in Marseille, south of France fearless 65-yr-old woman fights jackal for 30-min Rainbow Lorikeet in Indore zoo this Diwali Arsh Rafik Visaal FP News Service SHIVPURI A 65-year-old woman fought a jackal for 30 minutes, using her sari to strangle the animal before fainting from exhaustion and injuries. The woman named Surajiya Bai Jatav from Barkhadi village was cutting grass for her cattle when a jackal suddenly attacked her from a nearby culvert around 5 pm on September 8 (Mon- The jackal is seen strangled by woman’s saree day). The animal knocked her down and began biting her legs and hands while she screamed for help in the isolated field. ‘Death started appearing in front of my eyes. I understood that now death is certain if I don't fight back,’ Surajiya said from her hospital bed. ‘I gathered courage and held the jackal's jaw tightly with both hands.’ The brave woman sat on the jackal and pulled its jaws in different directions until it started bleeding. When the animal weakened after 20 minutes of fighting, she quickly removed her sari and made a noose around its neck. ‘Before it could attack again, I sat on top of it and removed the sari. I made a noose and put it around its neck,’ she explained. Her grandson Devendra Jatav found her unconscious with the dead jackal nearby, her sari noose still around its neck. Surajiya had suffered 18 bite wounds across her body. She was rushed to Badarwas Health Centre and then referred to the district hospital in a critical condition. After regaining consciousness six hours later, doctors confirmed that she suffered serious injuries but is on way to recovery. INDORE Australia’s R a i n b ow L o r i ke e t will make Kamla Nehru Prani Sanghralaya its home next month. Two pairs of Bisons also known as Wild Buffalos too would arrive at the zoo before Diwali. Zoo education officer Nihar Parulekar on Wednesday described Rainbow Lorikeet as exotic bits