Current Headlines: Health, Crime, Sports and Wildfires

This is the Catchup on 3 Things by The Indian Express and I'm Ichha Sharma.
Today is the 10th of January and here are this week’s headlines.

After news of respiratory infections caused by human metapneumovirus (HMPV) in China, at least seven cases of the virus were detected during routine surveillance by ICMR’s (Indian Council of Medical Research) network of laboratories. Clarifying the status of the virus, the Union Health Ministry issued a statement that read “HMPV is already in circulation globally, including in India, and cases of respiratory illnesses associated with HMPV have been reported in various countries.” It added that there was no history of international travel in the two cases that were picked up during surveillance, meaning that these infections have no connection to the reported surge in respiratory infections in China.

The Chhattisgarh police Sunday arrested the alleged main accused Suresh Chandrakar in connection with the murder of journalist Mukesh Chandrakar in the state’s Bijapur district from Telangana. Last Saturday, the police arrested three people, including Suresh’s brothers Ritesh Chandrakar and Dinesh Chandrakar, and construction supervisor Mahendra Ramteke, in connection with the murder case, and the district administration also razed alleged “illegal property” belonging to the key accused. A freelancer, Mukesh worked with media houses such as NDTV and News 18, and hosted a YouTube channel, Bastar Junction, with 1.59 lakh subscribers.

Nikhil Gupta, an Indian national indicted by the U.S. Department of Justice for his alleged involvement in a murder-for-hire scheme targeting Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, a Sikh separatist and American citizen, has stated that since his extradition from the Czech Republic to the US seven months ago, he has not been contacted by anyone from the Indian government. Gupta expressed to The Indian Express that despite his family's multiple requests for assistance, there has been no communication from Indian officials regarding his situation. Gupta, currently being held in the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn, New York, was responding to a set of questions from The Indian Express. His replies were shared through an intermediary who has been in regular contact with him.

Although Ahmedabad is the primary focus of India’s bid to host the 2036 Olympics, discussions are underway to expand the event's reach across the country. The government is considering hosting various sports in different cities to foster a nationwide movement. Proposed venues include hockey in Bhubaneswar, rowing in Bhopal, canoeing and kayaking in Pune, and cricket in Mumbai. India has been actively engaging with the International Olympic Committee's Future Hosts Commission since submitting a Letter of Intent last October. This proposal aims to showcase India's diverse sporting capabilities and will be presented to the IOC soon. An official noted that while the final structure of the plan is still being developed, there is a strong desire to involve multiple regions in this significant event, making it a collective national effort.

On the global front, a new wildfire has reportedly erupted in the Hollywood Hills scrubland, Los Angeles Fire Chief Kristin Crowley announced, as five other blazes continued to devastate the county. The powerful Santa Ana winds, typically associated with high wildfire risks, fanned the flames and hindered firefighting operations. Raging wildfires have surrounded Los Angeles, killing at least five people, destroying hundreds of homes as more than 100,000 people were ordered to evacuate. Pacific Palisades, home to celebrities like Jamie Lee Curtis and Mark Hamill, saw widespread destruction, forcing evacuations. Homes and properties worth millions were consumed by the flames, with more than 1,000 structures destroyed

This was the Catch Up on 3 Things by the Indian Express