vijayawada l friday l december 26, 2025 l `9.00 l PAGES 12 l late city EDITION Ban on women using smart phones in raj dist withdrawn Village elders in Rajasthan’s Jalore district have withdrawn the ban imposed on women using smartphones after facing strident opposition Ban was misunderstood, say villagers ‘ban to curb children hooked to phones’ A meeting of the panchas (village elders) was convened on Thursday in Gazipur village, where they unanimously decided to withdraw the ban, saying the decision kept children in mind, but it was “misunderstood”. Earlier, on December 21, the panchas had banned daughters and daughters-in-law of 15 villages from using smartphones, starting Jan 26 ■ ■ A member of the panchas, Natharam Chaudhary, explained that the decision of December 21 was taken after numerous complaints from women that their children used to borrow their phones after school Chaudhary said kids spend the entire day watching videos, which has adverse effects on their brain; the ban was taken to curb this habit Dec 21 was when the village panchas announced the fiat CHENNAI ■ MADURAI ■ VIJAYAWADA ■ BENGALURU ■ KOCHI ■ HYDERABAD ■ VISAKHAPATNAM ■ COIMBATORE ■ KOZHIKODE ■ THIRUVANANTHAPURAM ■ BELAGAVI ■ BHUBANESWAR ■ SHIVAMOgGA ■ MANGALURU ■ TIRUPATI ■ TIRUCHY ■ TIRUNELVELI ■ SAMBALPUR ■ HUBBALLI ■ DHARMAPURI ■ KOTTAYAM ■ KANNUR ■ VILLUPURAM ■ KOLLAM ■ TADEPALLIGUDEM ■ NAGAPATTINAM ■ THRISSUR ■ KALABURAGI Political reset in B’desh as Tarique back in Dhaka Ex-PM Khaleda Zia’s son calls for building an inclusive Bangladesh EXPRESS NEWS SERVICE @ New Delhi Merry Christmas Prime Minister Narendra Modi during Christmas service at the Cathedral Church of the Redemption in New Delhi on Thursday. “May Christmas bring renewed hope, warmth and a shared commitment to kindness,” Modi later posted on X | PTI Top Maoist Uikey, with `1 crore bounty, eliminated express news service @ Bhubaneswar IN a decisive blow to Maoist insurgency, security forces eliminated four persons, including top CPI (Maoist) central committee member Ganesh Uikey, during an encounter in Kandhamal district’s Chakapada on Thursd a y. T h e 6 9 - y e a r - o l d commander, carrying a bounty of `1.1 crore, headed Maoist operations across Odisha. The operation in Rambha forest range near the Kandhamal-Ganjam border involved 20 Special Operations Group (SOG) units, two CRPF battalions, and BSF personnel. “Multiple exchanges of fire occurred early morning. Four Maoists were neutralised, inc l u d i n g t wo women, all in uniform,” said Ganesh Uikey ADG (AntiNaxal Operations) Sanjeeb Panda. Uikey originally from Telan, gana’s Nalgonda district, was among India’s most wanted insurgents, operating under aliases including Rupa, Rajesh Tiwari, and Chamru. He carried combined rewards of `2 crore across four states and orchestrated deadly attacks across eastern and central regions of the country . The other slain cadres carried rewards of `1.65 lakh each. Security forces recovered two INSAS rifles and one .303 rifle from the site. Union Home Minister Amit Shah termed it “a significant milestone towards Naxal-free Bharat.” Amaravati to get Vajpayee memorial park: CM Naidu Express News Service @ Vijayawada Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu said Atal Bihari Vajpayee played a key role in introducing good governance in the country, laying a strong foundation for infrastructure development, including national highways and the telecom sector, propelling the country forw a r d i n t h e k n ow l e d g e economy . Naidu, along with Union Minister of Agriculture Shivraj Singh Chouhan, unveiled Vajpayee’s statue on his 101st birth anniversary at Venkatapalem in Amaravati’s capital region on Thursday . Naidu drew inspiration from Vajpayee and NT Rama Rao, who worked tirelessly for people’s welfare and national development. He announced plans to develop a Vajpayee memorial park in Amaravati, showcasing the former Prime Minister’s efficient rule. Naidu praised Vajpayee as a great humanist and poet, highlighting Amid unrest and chaos in Bangladesh following the murder of prominent youth leader Sharif Osman Hadi, former prime minister Khaleda Zia’s son Tarique Rahman returned to Dhaka on Thursday after 17 years in self-exile. The dramatic return of Rahman, the acting chairman of Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), is expected to change the dynamics of the February 12 elections with a possible contest between the BNP and its former ally Jamaat-e-Islami. With the Muhammad Yunusled interim government barring ousted PM Sheikh Hasina’s Awami League from contesting elections, BNP is said to be the front-runner. Hasina had banned the Jamaat but Yunus lifted it due to pressure from radicals. The Jamaat reportedly enjoys the support of student outfits that led the protests to remove Hasina from power. Shortly after landing at the Hazrat Shahjalal International airport, Rahman stood barefoot on Bangladeshi soil in a symbolic gesture to mark his return to the country’s politics. Articulating his plans to build an “inclusive Bangladesh”, he said: “We want to Key milestone Foundation for new HC complex BNP’s acting chairman Tarique Rahman waves to his supporters in Dhaka | pti This country belongs to Muslims, Hindus, Buddhists and Christians — Tarique Rahman Another Hindu man lynched in B’desh Days after factory worker Dipu Chandra Das was lynched by a mob, another Hindu man identified as Amrit Mondal was beaten to death. Local reports quoting police claimed he was an extortionist build a safe Bangladesh... no matter who a woman, man, or child is, they should be able to leave their homes safely and return safely .” Rahman, 60, had been living in London since 2008. He was leading the BNP since 2018 following Zia’s ill health. Urging people to maintain peace and stability, he said: “We have people from the hills and the plains in this country Muslims, Hindus, Buddhists and Christians.” Invoking Martin Luther King’s famous speech “I have a dream”, he said, “I have a plan,” adding he will take everyone on board to rebuild the nation. Notably, during his address, Rahman didn’t make any direct reference to India though he mentioned the birth of Bangladesh in 1971. India liberated Bangladesh (then East Pakistan) from Pakistan’s brutal rule in 1971. P9 EXPRESS NEWS SERVICE @ New Delhi CM Chandrababu Naidu and Union Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan during the unveiling ceremony of Atal Bihari Vajpayee statue on Thursday | Express his proposal for the ChennaiTada golden quadrilateral corridor and his role in developing Hyderabad airport through P4 the open sky policy  . China on T hursday denounced a Pentagon report that accused Beijing of leveraging reduced tensions along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) with India to stabilise bilateral relations and prevent a deeper strategic alignment between New Delhi and Washington. “The Pentagon’s report distorts China’s defence policy, sows discord, and aims at finding a pretext for the US to maintain its military supremacy,” foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian caustically told the media in Beijing, when asked about the US Department of Defense’s annual report to Congress on China. Lin said Beijing views and handles its relations with New Delhi from a strategic height and a long-term perspective. “ We s t a n d re a dy t o strengthen communication, enhance mutual trust, promote cooperation, and properly handle differences with India, and advance a sound and stable bilateral relationship,” Lin said. As for the LAC, Lin said, “the boundary question is a matter between China and India, and the current border situation between the two countries is g e n e r a l ly s t abl e w i t h smooth communication channels.” The US releases such reports year after year, grossly interfering in China’s internal affairs, Chinese Defence Ministry spokesman Zhang Xiaogang told a separate media briefing. He described it as a maliciously misinterpreted report that is full of erroneous understanding. Union Government backs PPP model for State’s medical sector Express News Service @ Vijayawada The Centre has endorsed the State government’s adoption of the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model in the medical and health sector, highlighting plentiful opportunities in the sector. In a letter to Medical and Health Minister Satya Kumar Yadava, Union Health Mini- ster JP Nadda emphasized the need to formulate plans to implement PPP in the healthcare sector for the next three years, citing its success in expanding infrastructure in various sectors such as roads, airports, ports, energy, and urban infrastructure since 2000. Nadda shared a five-page policy paper outlining the implementation of PPP in the health- NTR district collector G Lakshmisha launches Andhra Taxi on Thursday | Express eco-tourism potential. The Andhra Taxi app was developed under the supervision of the district administration as 20,934 Tonnes VSP sets new production record Visakhapatnam : RINL’s Visakhapatnam Steel Plant achieves highest-ever combined daily production of 20,934 tonnes of liquid steel from two Steel Melting Shops on Dec 24, surpassing 2021 record. SMS-2 also sets singleday high 11,169 tonnes with 73 heats, exceeding its earlier record set on August 12th | P4 part of a comprehensive effort to modernize tourism services and enhance the overall travel experience in the district. The platform enables users to book taxis and autos through multiple access points, including a mobile application, QR code and WhatsApp, ensuring convenience and accessibility for both local commuters and outstation visitors. Beyond ride booking, the app functions as a single digital interface for tourism-related services, offering detailed in- formation on major tourist destinations, curated itineraries, and travel assistance. To improve visitor engagement and service quality local , youth have been trained as certified tourist guides, creating employment opportunities while promoting informed, responsible, and sustainable tourism. Notably, while similar government-supported mobility initiatives exist elsewhere in the country, the Andhra Taxi model has a distinct focus.  P4 Military base in Pak? Defence ministry spokesman Zhang Xiaogang, too, denounced the Pentagon report, which also flagged enhanced ties between China and Pakistan, adding Beijing “likely also considered” setting up a base in Pakistan Unnao rape Plea in SC against Sengar care sector, stating that assistance of 60 percent of the total project expenditure would be provided under the Viability Gap Funding (VGF) scheme for setting up medical colleges and creating other infrastructure. For pilot projects, 80 percent of the project cost and 50 percent of the operational expenditure for the first five years would be provided as VGF.  P4 NTR District launches ‘Andhra Taxi’ Y B r a h m a j i @ Vijayawada Vijayawada: Andhra Pradesh government lays foundation for new High Court complex in Amaravati, a B+G+7-storey building with 52 court halls, designed by Norman Foster and Partners. Completion expected by end-2027, featuring modern infrastructure and digital systems | P2 Pentagon report on India axis malicious: China Safe and affordable In a significant step towards strengthening the tourism ecosystem and improving visitor mobility, the NTR district has launched “Andhra Taxi,” a dedicated, government-backed mobile application aimed at providing safe, affordable, and technology-driven taxi and auto services for tourists. The initiative is designed to offer seamless last-mile connectivity while showcasing the district’s spiritual, historical, and e x p r e ss r e a d express news service @ New Delhi Bus tragedy A luxury bus on fire following a collision with a speeding truck, in Karnataka’s Chitradurga in the wee hours of Thursday | PTI | P5 At least six killed At least six persons, including a child, were killed in the accident, Superintendent of Police Ranjith Kumar Bandaru said Two reported missing Four women and a girl child travelling in the bus, as also the truck driver were killed. Two persons were reported missing Kashmiri Shawl vendor assaulted in Uttarakhand A Kashmiri shawl vendor was allegedly assaulted, robbed, and threatened by a group of Bajrang Dal activists in Uttarakhand, the J&K Students Association said | P8 A Supreme Court petition has challenged the Delhi High Court’s decision to suspend expelled BJP leader Kuldeep Singh Sengar’s life sentence in the 2017 Unnao rape case. Advocates Anjale Patel and Pooja Shilpkar argued that the HC erred by ignoring the trial court’s observation that Sengar should remain imprisoned for life. They contended that the bail disregards his “serious criminal ante- Kuldeep Sengar cedents” and involvement in heinous crimes, including orchestrating the victim’s father’s murder while in custody . On December 23, the high court had suspended Sengar’s sentence, imposed in December 2019, noting that he had served over seven years. However, Sengar will remain in jail as he is serving 10 years for the custodial death case in the same matter.