FP The publishers permit sharing of the e-paper's pdf on WhatsApp and other social media platforms FREE PRESS Vol. 15 No. 197 | BHOPAL | MONDAY | DECEMBER 29, 2025 | Pages 12 ` 3 | Regd. No. Indore MP/ICD 216/2024-2026 | RNI No. mpeng/2010/35815 www.freepressjournal.in Nation PM: 2025 year of proud milestones for country P.7 fp Briefs ESTD-1983 iii QUALITY @ VALUE EDITIONS: BHOPAL MONEY Tariff era challenges fuel export resilience, growth UJJAIN PUNE INDORE NASHIK Sports Abhishek mesmerises... P.10 SUBMARINE SORTIE | She is 2nd prez to undertake a submarine sortie. In February, 2006, Kalam was the first 3 Maoists surrender WEST PALM BEACH Zelenskyy to meet Trump President Donald Trump will host his Ukrainian counterpart, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, on Sunday to try to close out a peace agreement that would end nearly four years of war sparked by Moscow's invasion of Ukraine. Russia intensified its attacks on Ukraine's capital and elsewhere in the days before the meeting. The two will meet at Mar-a-Lago, Trump's private club in Palm Beach, Florida, where the US president is spending the holidays. NEW DELHI SC Aravalli hearing today The Supreme Court’s crucial suo motu hearing on issues relating to the definition of the Aravalli Hills on Monday is likely to address concerns over the protection of the ecologically fragile range in the light of the government’s commitment. As per the causelist published on the website of the apex court, a Bench comprising Chief Justice of India (CJI) Surya Kant, and Justices J.K. Maheshwari and A.G. Masih will hear the suo motu writ petition titled “In Re: Definition of Aravalli Hills and Ranges and Ancillary Issues” on December 29. NEW DELHI Fog disrupts flights, trains Flight and rail services across large parts of North India were disrupted on Sunday morning, as dense fog conditions prevailed over several states, severely reducing visibility and affecting normal movement. The IMD had issued a yellow alert for the morning in Delhi, warning of dense fog. PTI MURMU DIVES DEEP President Droupadi Murmu with Chief of the Naval Staff Admiral Dinesh K. Tripathi during a sortie on Navy’s indigenous Kalvari class submarine INS Vaghsheer at Karwar Naval Base, Karnataka on Sunday PTI NEW DELHI, President Droupadi Murmu on Sunday undertook a sortie onboard Indian Navy's indigenously-built frontline submarine INS Vaghsheer on the Western seaboard. Murmu is the second President to undertake a submarine sortie. In February 2006, APJ Abdul Kalam experienced a submarine sortie onboard INS Sindhu Rakshak. Aviation Ministry launches 24x7 Control Room Resolves over 14,000 grievances Chief of Naval Staff Admiral Dinesh K Tripathi accompanied President Murmu, who is also the Supreme Commander of the armed forces, during the sortie in the Kalvari class submarine from the Karwar naval base in Karnataka, officials said. The President, donning a naval uniform, waved at naval personnel before entering the submarine. She also interacted with the crew of INS Vaghsheer and lauded their dedication, while describing the indigenous submarine as a shining example of the Indian Navy's professional excellence and combat preparedness. "President Droupadi Murmu undertook a dived sortie on the Western Seaboard onboard INS Vaghsheer," the President's Secretariat said. It said the President was briefed on the role of the submarine arm in India's maritime strategy, and the operational capabilities as well as contributions in safeguarding national maritime interests. 4Continued on | P8 PTI were proving ineffective against many diseases like pneumonia and UTI (Urinary Tract Infections). "This is a matter of great concern for all of us," he said. According to the report, Modi said, a major reason for this is people's indiscriminate use of antibiotics. He said antibiotics are not medicines that can be taken mindlessly. He said the medicines should be used only on the such movement and coordination with central agencies was ongoing. BSF officials said that the personnel deployed along the international border have been kept on a high state of alert at all times to avert any untoward incident, particularly in view of the unrest and volatile situation prevailing in the neighbouring country. The force reiterated that the international border in the sector was under constant surveillance and any attempt at illegal cross-border movement would be promptly detected and dealt with. 4Continued on | P8 Bhopal 4.8 Temp Khajuraho 4.8 Our Staff Reporter Our Staff Reporter A 20-year-old man was killed in a powerful explosion while riding his motorcycle on Ichhawar-Ashta road near Ramnagar village in Sehore district on Sunday, police said. The blast, believed to have been caused by explosive material being carried on the vehicle, severely damaged rider’s lower body and completely destroyed the motorcycle. Police station in-charge of Ichhawar, Pankaj Wadekar, told media that the victim has been identified as Sukhram Barela, a resident of Jamli village. He was travelling from Ichhawar towards Ramnagar when the incident occurred between 10.30 am and 11 am, The explosion caused severe injuries to Sukhram Barela’s lower body near a stone-crushing machine. The explosion caused severe injuries to Sukhram’s lower body, throwing it a considerable distance from the road. No suspicious objects were found at the scene, and the area was immediately secured. Prima facie, police said, the explosive might have been intended for digging a well, small-scale mining in fields or fishing activity. Police and a Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) team rushed to the spot after the incident was reported. Mandsaur 2.5 Malajkhand 5.1 Shahdol 2.8 Raisen 5.6 Shajapur 3.2 Shivpuri 6.0 Rewa 3.2 Mandla 6.0 Rajgarh 3.5 Gwalior 6.2 Pachmarhi 3.8 Datia 6.3 Nowgong 4.2 Indore 6.6 Umaria 4.5 Damoh 6.8 State Marco Rubio and Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan expressed a desire to speak with New Delhi. India launched Operation Sindoor on May 7, targeting terror infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir in retaliation for the Pahalgam attack that killed 26 civilians. The strikes triggered four days of intense clashes between the two countries and ended with an understanding Madhya Pradesh continued to reel under intense cold wave on Sunday, with 10 districts recording temperatures below 5°C. The districts affected include Mandsaur, Shahdol, Shajapur, Rewa, Rajgarh, Pachmarhi, Khajuraho, Bhopal, Umaria and Nowgong. Biting cold paralysed normal life in Bhopal, which recorded 4.8°C, with people Maha Shikshan Mandal to get funds for Marathi promotion FP News Service to stop the military actions on May 10. "As many as 79 of 80 drones sent by India were intercepted within 36 hours. India then made the mistake of attacking the Nur Khan Airbase in the early hours of May 10, prompting Pakistan's retaliatory operation," Dar, who is also the foreign minister, said while outlining Pakistan's diplomatic engagements in 2025. 4Continued on | P8 4Continued on | P8 Nowadays, people have started believing that just taking a pill would cure all their problems Narendra Modi Prime Minister doctor's advice. "Nowadays, people have started believing that just taking a pill would cure all huddling around bonfires for protection from chill. The current winter spell, characterised by northerly cold winds and low visibility, disrupted daily life, transportation and health across the state. Health advisories urged caution for vulnerable groups like elderly, children and those with re- their problems. This is the reason diseases and infections are proving to be too strong for these antibiotics. "I urge all of you to refrain from using medicines at your own discretion. This is especially important when it comes to antibiotics. I would simply say: Medicines require guidance, and antibiotics require doctors. This practice will prove to be very helpful in improving your health," he said. spiratory issues, due to risks of hypothermia and fog-related accidents. 4Continued on | P8 United States has become the REAL United Nations: Trump Online Report WASHINGTON DC JABALPUR Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis announced that the Maharashtra government will provide funds to Maharashtra Shikshan Mandal, Jabalpur for promotion of Marathi language. He was speaking at the centenary celebration function of Maharashtra Shikshan Mandal held at Manas Bhavan. Speaking on the New Education Policy, he said the Prime Minister has launched the policy to promote native languages. Fadnavis said a Marathi person never thinks narrowly, he always thinks from a global perspective. Education and culture are two subjects which the Marathi people like, he said. Pak Dy PM admits Nur Khan airbase was attacked in May LAHORE Indian-American lawmaker Ro Khanna has condemned the killing of a Hindu garment factory worker in Bangladesh, urging the global community to speak out against such "vile acts of hatred and bigotry". Dipu Chandra Das, 27, was lynched by a mob and his body set on fire over alleged blasphemy in Baluka in Bangladesh's Mymensingh district earlier this month BHOPAL BHOPAL The Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA) has operationalised a dedicated 24x7 control room in Delhi to strengthen passenger support and streamline grievance redressal across airports and airlines. Pramod Kumar Thakur, Deputy Director General of the Ministry of Civil Aviation, said the control room has been functional since the night of December 9 and brings all key stakeholders under one roof. "This control room has been operational since the night of the 9th, and we have brought together all the stakeholders - all our airlines, airport operators, our MoCA team, our DGCA team, our development team - all the teams are seated here in one place.", Thakur said. US lawmaker condemns killing of Hindu man City Agencies NEW DELHI Protestors burn an effigy of Muhammad Yunus during a protest condemning the killing of Hindus in Bangladesh CHILL CHART PM cautions against indiscriminate antibiotics use Flagging the issue of antibiotic resistance, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday urged people not to take such medicines without consulting a doctor. In his monthly 'Mann Ki Baat' radio address, Modi said the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) recently released a report which said that antibiotics Security agencies in Meghalaya on Sunday dismissed claims by the Bangladesh Police that the killers of Inquilab Moncho leader Sharif Osman Hadi had entered the state. The claims are unfounded and misleading, BSF chief in Meghalaya, Inspector General O P Opadhyay said. A top Dhaka Metropolitan Police officer earlier in the day said that two primary suspects in the Hadi murder case have crossed into Meghalaya via the Haluaghat border "with the help of local associates". "There is no evidence to suggest that any individual crossed the international border from the Haluaghat sector into Meghalaya. The BSF has neither detected nor received any report of such an incident," Opadhyay told PTI. The claims being circulated are unfounded and misleading, he said. A senior Meghalaya police officer also said that there was "no input or intelligence to corroborate" the claim of the suspects' presence in the Garo Hills region. The officer said local police units had not detected any Blast on moving Mercury drops below 5°C in 10 districts bike kills 20-yr-old Alerts issued for fog, frost man in Sehore mann ki baat PTI BSF, Meghalaya cops junk Dhaka claim on Hadi killers SHILLONG Pakistan's Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar has admitted that India attacked its Nur Khan airbase in the early hours of May 10, in possibly a first-time admission eight months after the four-day armed conflict between the two countries. Dar also said that Islamabad did not request mediation between Pakistan and India during the May conflict, but claimed that US Secretary of NEW DELHI E-paper Edit Cong gears up for fresh push P.6 PATNA Three Maoists, including two carrying a bounty of Rs 3 lakh each on their heads, surrendered before Bihar DGP Vinay Kumar in Munger district on Sunday, an official statement said. Banned CPI (Maoist) zonal commander Narayn Koda and sub-zonal commander Bahadur Koda, carrying a collective reward of Rs 6 lakh on their heads, and another red rebel Vinod alias Bino Koda surrendered before the police, it said. MUMBAI US President Donald Trump on Sunday congratulated Thailand and Cambodia on a ceasefire agreed the previous day after weeks of border clashes that have killed dozens. "I want to congratulate both great leaders on their brilliance in coming to this rapid and very fair conclusion," said Trump, who has claimed credit for a previous truce that was broken earlier this month. In a post on his Truth Social platform, Trump called the outcome "FAST & DECISIVE, as all of these situations should be!" He added that Washington, which has been involved in mediation efforts along with China and Malaysia, was "proud to help." Ahead of talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Trump lauded his self-proclaimed role in ending world conflicts, saying "perhaps the United States has become the REAL United Nations." "The United Nations must start getting active and involved in WORLD PEACE!" 4Continued on | P8 Indian man wins race discrimination claim against UK KFC manager PTI PTI MOSCOW LONDON An Indian man who accused his manager at a KFC franchise outlet in south-east London of wrongful dismissal and race discrimination has won nearly 67,000 pounds in compensation after a tribunal ruled in his favour. Madhesh Ravichandran, from Tamil Nadu, told an employment tribunal hearing that his Sri Lankan Tamil boss discriminated against him and used references such as "slave" and "Indians are fraudsters" directed at him. In details from the hearing published this week, tribunal judge Paul Abbott upheld Ravichandran's claim of wrongful dismissal and race discrimination against Nexus Foods Limited. "The complaints of direct Man wins nearly 67,000 pounds in compensation after a tribunal ruled in his favour Moscow response to European attack will be devastating, warns Lavrov race discrimination are wellfounded and succeed," reads the judgment. "We have found on the facts that the claimant was subjected to the less favourable treatments. his holiday request was refused because he was Indian and [restaurant manager] Kajan wished to prioritise requests from Sri Lankan Tamil colleagues, and he was referred to as a 'shit' and a 'slave' which is self-evidently less favourable treatment because of his race," it notes. Russia does not intend to attack anyone in Europe, but its response to any strike will be devastating, Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Sunday, noting the EU's "war party" has become a stumbling block in Ukraine peace efforts. Lavrov's warning came on a day Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is scheduled to meet with US President Donald Trump at the latter's Mar-aLago estate in Florida. "My message for European politicians who seem to have problems getting to grips with this fact is to repeat one more time that there is no need to be afraid of Russia attacking anyone," Lavrov said in an interview with state-run news agency TASS. 4See also | World 4See also | World