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 ■ ■ Over the holidays I had time to reflect. I intend to resign as party leader, as prime minister after the party selects its next leader... Last night I asked the president of the Liberal Party to start that process HYDERABAD  TUESDAY  JANUARY 07, 2025  `9.00  PAGES 16  LATE CITY EDITION TRUDEAU, JUST-OUT OF OFFICE J AYA N T H J A C O B @ New Delhi JUSTIN Trudeau on Monday announced his resignation as both the Prime Minister of Canada and the leader of the Liberal Party, putting an end to days of speculation amid rising discontent with his leadership. He will, however, remain in office until the Liberal Party selects a new leader. Pressure has been mounting on him from within the party and outside to step down. Trudeau has been accused of using allegations against India to divert attention from escalating domestic challenges, including a struggling economy and growing dissent within his party . The resignation of close ally Chrystia Freeland as deputy PM and finance minister in December also dealt a significant blow. Freeland’s departure was reportedly due to policy disagreements, particularly over his approach to possible US tariffs under Donald Trump and his overall economic strategy In September, . his government was weakened after the New Democratic Par- ty led by Jagmeet Singh withdrew support. Under Trudeau, Canada’s relations with India soured over his government’s alleged support to Khalistani separatists and his claims of New Delhi’s involvement in the killing of Hardeep Singh Nijjar, a Khalistani radical in Canada. He has held the prime minister’s office since 2014. Justin Trudeau HMPV cases in Revanth-Asad bonhomie as GHMC polls loom India: Much ado about nothing S BACHAN JEET SINGH @ Hyderabad 5 cases reported so far; needless scare, assure healthcare experts K A V I TA B A J E L I - D AT T @ New Delhi INDIA reported five cases of the globally circulating human metapneumovirus (HMPV), which is seeing an outbreak in China, causing worldwide panic as it comes five years after the Covid-19 pandemic. While two children each tested positive for the virus in Bengaluru and Chennai, one such case was reported in Ahmedabad. In its pushback, the government emphasised that HMPV is self-limiting and manageable. Union health minister J P Nadda said it is not a new virus as it was first identified in 2001 and has been circulating in the entire world ever since. “There 2001 BUG is no reason to worry,” Nadda says no reason he added. to worry; it was first State governments in identified in 2001 Kar nataka, Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra and Virus is self-limiting Delhi issued guidelines and manageable, says for its prevention (See health ministry box). While two infants Karnataka, TN, Delhi, were detected with Maharashtra issue HMPV in Bengaluru, advisories on with no international prevention travel history, one case Cover the mouth and was reported in Gunose while sneezing/ jarat. Later in the day, coughing, wash two children tested poshands, wear masks in itive for HMPV in Chencrowded places nai. “The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has detected two cases of Human Metapneumovirus (HMPV) in Karnataka. Both cases were identified through routine surveillance for multiple respiratory viral pathogens, as part of ICMR’s ongoing efforts to monitor respiratory illnesses across the country ,” the government said in a statement. World Health Organization’s former chief scientist Soumya Swaminathan said on X, “According to @ICMRDELHI, #HMPV accounts for about 3% of respiratory pathogens detected in the laboratory network, testing ILI and SARI cases. Influenza A & B, SARSCoV2 & RSV are other circulating viruses.” MIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi with Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy at the inauguration of the Aramghar flyover on Monday INDICATING a change in the political dynamics ahead of Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) elections, Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy on Monday declared that he would work with the AIMIM for the all-round development of Hyderabad. “We will move forward with the MIM for the development of Hyderabad. We are ready to work with everyone for the development of Hyderabad. We pursue politics only during the elections. Development must KTR seeks time from ED, dodges ACB quizzing BRS MLA KT Rama Rao is stopped by police personnel for entering the ACB office along with his advocates on Monday COURTING TROUBLE The ACB has decided to inform the high court that Rama Rao refused to cooperate with the probe BIDING TIME Arvind Kumar & BLN Reddy too may seek more time to appear for questioning Sullivan powers nuclear deal on his farewell visit J AYA N T H J A C O B @ New Delhi THE US is in the final stage of removing all hurdles that kept the civil nuclear deal between the two countries a non-starter, outgoing US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan said here on Monday . As part of the move, the US will remove Indian entities including the Indira Gandhi Atomic Research Centre and the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre from its restricted list. India and the US had decided to cooperate in civil nuclear energy in July 2005, following a meeting between then prime minister Manmohan Singh and US president George W Bush. The India-US civil nuclear agreement was signed in 2008. However, there was no tangible progress in the civil nuclear energy sector as India pushed a ‘liability law’ while the US kept Indian nuclear entities in its restrictive list. The US opposed India’s nuclear liability law, which held the supplier of N-plants also accountable for any potential nuclear accident, saying it deviated from the global norm of holding only the operator liable for mishaps. US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan (left) with External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar in New Delhi, on Monday | PTI Formal paper work soon, says US Sullivan said the formal paperwork to remove the long-standing regulations that have prevented civil nuclear cooperation, will be done soon. “This will be an opportunity to create opportunities for entities that have been on restricted lists in the US,” he added Big Maoist strike in 20 mths, 8 jawans killed E J A Z K A I S E R @ Raipur EIGHT District Reserve Guard (DRG) personnel and a civilian driver were killed in a powerful blast triggered by the outlawed CPI (Maoist) in Bijapur district, about 400 km south of Raipur. The blast was carried out on Monday when a joint team was returning from anti-Maoist operations. This was the first major attack by Maoists since April 26, 2023, when 10 jawans were killed in Dantewada. According to Sundarraj P Bastar range , IGP, the IED blast targeted a vehicle carrying the security personnel, leaving a 15 ft wide and 6 ft deep crater. E N S @ Hyderabad Suresh is accused of killing Mukesh for exposing him THE ACB has summoned BRS working president KT Rama Rao to appear before it on January 9 for questioning in the alleged Formula-E race case, without his legal team accompanying him. Meanwhile, the former minister has written to the Enforcement Directorate — investigating allegations of money laundering and violations under the FEMA concerning the transfer of `55 crore to foreign companies — informing it that the High Court is set to pronounce its orders on his quash petition on Tuesday In his letter, Rama . Rao requested the ED to give him time to attend. Earlier in the day, he reached the ACB office along with his legal team but was stopped by the police who informed him that the advocates could not be allowed inside. An argument ensued and about 40 minutes later, Rama Rao handed over a written note and returned to the Telangana BhaCONTINUED ON P4 van, the BRS headquarters. Security forces cordon off a crater at the blast site on the Bedre-Kutru road in Bijapur district, Chhattisgarh | EXPRESS The explosion was so intense that it tossed the vehicle high into the air, ripping it into pieces. It is believed that the rebels had planted around 40 kg of explosives beneath the road. The DRG personnel were on their way to the base camp from Abujhmad to Dantewada via Bijapur in the illfated vehicle. It is believed that the Maoists were aware about the return of the forces along the route. Brigadier (Retd) BK Ponwar said, “It was not a cowardly attack but a guerrilla attack carried out at the weakest point of the security forces. It’s an unfortunate incident that was avoidable.” He emphasised that the basic rules of warfare should not be flouted, especially in a virtual war zone. jail. Revanth Reddy is not someone who would forget people,” Asad said. “It’s a good thing not to forget the friends one makes in jail. Politicians are often jailed. Experiencing jail will open your eyes to new things. Every leader should go to jail at least once. I was a guest of the Chandrababu Naidu regime for 50 days in 1998. I am optimistic that Chief Minister Revanth Reddy will not forget the promises he made to the people. We are hopeful that he continues to thrive, reach new peaks in his political career’’ the AIMIM supremo said. CONTINUED ON P4 Bastar murder accused held in Hyd FOUL PLAY I R E D D Y S R I N I V A S R E D D Y @ Hyderabad become a people’s movement,” Revanth said after inaugurating the second-longest Zoo Park-Aramghar flyover in the presence of AIMIM supremo Asaduddin Owaisi and others. The state government has decided to name the flyover after former prime minister Manmohan Singh for his selfless services to the country . Speaking on the occasion, Asad talked about jail and promises, leading many to speculate whether he was referring to a certain former minister. “A media friend told me that Revanth Reddy did not forget a person who cooked for him in SURESH Chandrakar, the main accused in the murder of Bastar journalist Mukesh Chandrakar and his distant relative, was arrested by a Special Investigation Team (SIT) of the Chhattisgarh police in Hyderabad late on Sunday . According to the police, Suresh was hiding at his driver’s home in Hyderabad. The accused, a contractor, was brought to Bijapur on Monday morning and his interrogation was underway the police said. , Bastar Range Inspector General of Police Sundarraj confirmed the arrest. PTI quoted him saying that further searchCONTINUED ON P5 es were on. Resignation may fuel calls for early polls Justin Trudeau’s resignation is expected to fuel renewed calls for an early election to put a government in place swiftly to deal with the incoming Donald Trump administration in the US. Trump has proposed a 25% tax on all Canadian goods entering the US. Going by opinion polls, the Liberal Party is likely to suffer a major defeat in the upcoming polls WOMAN POWER TO THE FORE IN TELANGANA State has 2.25 lakh more female voters than males, as per the latest Special Summary Revision (SSR). The state has a total of over 3.35 crore electors, a net increase of 4,90,318 over the previous SSR. Total voters 3,35,27,925 (Net increase: 4,90,318) Males Females Third gender Service voters Young voters(18–19yrs) Senior voters (85+ yrs) Persons with disabilities Overseas voters 1,66,41,489 1,68,67,735 2,829 15,872 5,45,026 2,22,091 5,26,993 3,591 Largest voter base Serilingampally 7,65,982 voters Quthbullapur 7,34,155 voters Medchal 6,72,534 voters Smallest voter base Bhadrachalam 1,54,080 voters Aswaraopeta 1,60,580 voters Bellampalle 1,78,586 voters POLLING INFRA Total polling stations: 35,907 (Increase of 551 stations)