News Dabba for 06 January 2025: Five stories for a balanced news diet

Indie Journal brings you the daily updates that the internet is talking about through various news websites. Here's a glance through some of the National and International news updates from HMPV cases in India, security personnel being killed in attack by Maoists, to reports of Canadian PM Trudeau quiting office.

NDTV on HMPV cases in India: 2 babies diagnosed in Bengaluru, 1 in Ahmedabad

A report from NDTV says three cases of Human Metapneumovirus (HMPV) were reported in India on Monday. The cases include a 3-month-old baby who has been discharged and an 8-month-old who is recovering at a hospital in Bengaluru - and a 2-month-old in Ahmedabad. This marks the first reported cases of HMPV in India, the report says. HMPV is a respiratory virus that often causes mild symptoms resembling a cold but can lead to other complications, particularly in infants, the elderly and those with weakened immune systems. According to the report, the Central government on Sunday announced that it is monitoring HMPV and other respiratory viruses, especially following recent reports of increased respiratory illnesses in China. Cases typically rise during the winter and early spring. The HMPV virus can occasionally trigger pneumonia or exacerbate chronic respiratory conditions.  According to the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, current surveillance data from India does not indicate any unusual surge in respiratory infections, report futher states. Read the full report here.

Indian express says 9 killed after police vehicle blown up by Naxals in Bijapur

Indian Express reports that at least eight security personnel and a driver were killed on Monday after a police vehicle came under attack by Maoists. The attack took place in the jungle area of Kutru in Chhattisgarh’s Bijapur district, one of the worst Left Wing Extremism-affected districts in the region, says the report. Citing sources, the report further mentions that the forces were returning today from conducting their first anti-Naxal operation this year in Abujhmad on Saturday. The operation had started on Friday, January 3. The Kutru area is near Abujhmad, where an encounter took place last week in which five Maoists were gunned down and a District Reserve Guard (DRG) jawan was killed by the Maoists, the report highlights. Abujhmad is a vast region unsurveyed since India’s Independence, it is said to be the last haven for top Naxal leaders in the country. As per the report 217 Maoists were gunned down last year, including more than 100 in and around Abujhmad, as part of the Maad Bachao Abhiyan undertaken by the forces. Read the full report here.

BJP's ‘Advertisement Baba’ jibe at Arvind Kejriwal: Hindustan times

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) lashed out at Arvind Kejriwal on Monday calling the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) convenor an “Advertisement Baba”, reports Hindustan Times. BJP MP Sambit Patra, while addressing a press conference, said, "Arvind Kejriwal should be called 'Advertisement Baba' from today onwards... The government of Delhi spent a total of Rs 54 crore for the scheme 'Business Blasters'. However, the advertisement of the scheme cost Rs 80 crore." As per the report, the BJP MP targeted Kejriwal over renovation at the CM's residence too. A report by Comptroller and Auditor General Girish Chandra Murmu, revealed that the total cost of renovating the Delhi Chief Minister's residence was Rs 33.66 crore. The residence is often referred as Sheesh Mahal, the report mentions. The 'Sheesh Mahal' controversy centres around allegations that Arvind Kejriwal spent crores of rupees renovating his official residence during the Covid-19 pandemic, a period when many public development projects were stalled. Read The full report here.

BBC cites media reports on possibility of Canadian PM Justin Trudeau quiting within days

A report by BBC says Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau could announce his resignation within days. Trudeau is considering stepping down as leader of the governing Liberal Party, which would also bring to an end his nine years as prime minister. Trudeau's finance minister quit last month citing policy disagreements such as how to deal with Donald Trump's threat to levy US tariffs on Canadian goods. According to the report, Trudeau's popularity has also plummeted among voters, with polls suggesting his party are on course for a general election defeat this year. The Canadian general elections must take place before October, but a change in leadership of the Liberal Party could increase calls for a snap vote in the coming months. Trudeau unexpectedly swept his party to power in 2015. The fresh-faced young leader, aged 43 back then, promised a new kind of politics centred on an open immigration policy, increased taxes on the wealthy and battling climate change. But his first term was dogged by scandals, says the report. Read the full report here.

Magnitude 6.3 earthquake hits El Salvador, also noticed in Guatemala, TeleSUR reports

TeleSUR reports that a 6.3 magnitude earthquake with epicenter in the Salvadoran Pacific shook El Salvador and Guatemala on Sunday. The report also states that the authorities have not reported any casualties or material damage yet. The tremor was recorded at 11:18 local time (17:18 GMT) off the coast of the central department of La Paz, 29 kilometers southwest of Costa del Sol. The earthquake had a focal depth of 33 kilometers. There are no tsunami threat alert activated for El Salvador either. According to the report at least six aftershocks have been recorded in the same area as the quake, ranging in magnitude from 3.8 to 4.8. The National Coordinator for Disaster Reduction in Guatemala noted that they registered an earthquake with an epicenter off the Salvadoran coast measuring 6.2 and urged people to remain calm and be prepared with a “72-hour backpack.” Read the full report here.