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 ■ ■ HYDERABAD l tuesday l april 22, 2025 l `9.00 l PAGES 16 l LATE CITY EDITION LGBTQ+ part of his outreach Allowed women vote at Vatican 3-day state mourning Francis made it easier for married Catholics to get an annulment, allowed priests to absolve women who had had abortions and let priests bless samesex couples He let women vote alongside bishops in some Vatican meetings. It was a revolutionary change. However, he had a ‘closed door’ policy on women’s ordination The Indian govt declared a three-day State mourning till Wednesday. An additional day of mourning will be observed on the day of the Pope’s funeral adieu, progressive pope P NICOLE WIN F IEL D @ Vatican City Gold hits 1 lakh per 10gm in B’luru, 99K in Delhi Gold of 99.5 purity in Bengaluru cost `1,02,000 per 10 grams Gold of 99.9% purity in New Delhi: `99,800 per 10 grams So far this year, the yellow metal’s prices have risen `20,850, or 26.41% per 10 grams There has been increased buying among ETF investors, while upcoming festive demand is fueling additional support Globally, gold futures breached the Pranav Mer, V-P, psychological USD 3,400-mark for the first time JM Financial ever, rising USD 80 per ounce, or 2.4 per cent. Services 1,37,426 people living with HIV and receiving A.R.T. in Telangana, says National Sample Survey. Among them are 2,232 boys and 2,046 girls,, the report, recently released by Government of India, says | P4 ope Francis, history’s first Latin American pontiff who charmed the world with his humble style and concern for the poor but alienated conservatives with critiques of capitalism and climate change, passed away on Monday He was 88. . “At 7.35 this morning, the Bishop of Rome, Francis, returned to the home of the Father. His entire life was dedicated to the service of the Lord and of his Church,” said Cardinal Kevin Farrell, the Vatican camerlengo, who takes charge after a pontiff ’s death. Francis had a cerebral stroke that led to coma and irreversible heart failure, the Vatican said. In his condolence message, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said, “Deeply pained by the passing of His Holiness Pope Francis. In this hour of grief and rem e m b r a n c e, my h e a r t f e l t condolences to the global Catholic community .” Francis, who suffered from chronic lung disease, was hospitalised on February 14 for a respiratory crisis that developed into double pneumonia. He spent 38 days there, the longest hospitalisation of his 12-year papacy . He made his last public appearance on Easter Sunday — a day before his death — to bless thousands of people in St Peter’s Square, drawing wild cheers and applause. From his first greeting that night — a remarkably normal “Buonasera” (“Good evening”) — to his embrace of refugees and the downtrodden, Francis signaled a very different tone for the papacy stressing hu, mility over hubris for a Catholic Church beset by scandal and accusations of indifference. The Argentine-born Jorge Mario Bergoglio brought a breath of fresh air into a 2,000-year-old institution that had seen its influence wane during the tenure of Pope Benedict XVI, whose surprise resignation led to Francis’ election. But Francis soon invited troubles of his own, and conservatives grew increasingly upset with his progressive bent, outreach to LGBTQ+ Catholics and crackdown on traditionalists. His greatest test came in 2018 when he botched a notorious case of clergy sexual abuse in Chile, and the scandal that festered under his predecessors erupted anew. Four Indians with voting right to elect successor Kochi: Four Indian cardinals, including two Keralites, are part of the 120-strong College of Cardinals who will attend a secret conclave to choose the next pope. The Indian cardinals eligible to vote in the conclave are Cardinal Filipe Neri Ferrão, 72, the Archbishop of Goa and Daman and Patriarch of the East Indies; Thiruvananthapuram-based Cardinal Baselios Cleemis, 64, the Major Archbishop-Catholicos of the Syro-Malankara Catholic Church; Cardinal Anthony Poola, 63, Archbishop of Hyderabad and the first Dalit cardinal in history; and Changanassery native Cardinal George Jacob Koovakad, 51, who had been coordinating Pope Francis’ foreign trips since 2021 | P5 —ENS 1 J aya n t h J a c o b @ New Delhi Prime Minister Narendra Modi during a meeting with US Vice President J D Vance, Second Lady Usha Vance and their children, in New Delhi on Monday | PTI Reflecting on his January visit to Washington, Prime Minister Modi recalled his “fruitful discussions” with President Donald Trump, which laid the foundation for a close and growing partnership between the two nations. Modi IAF officer alleges assault in Bengaluru; biker held has been booked for causing hurt by using dangerous weapons or means (118 BNS). IN a shocking case of road rage, The incident came to light afan Indian Air Force wing com- ter Wg Cdr Bose shared two mander was allegedly attacked videos on social media. “After by a biker at Byappanahalli in seeing the DRDO stickers on the city on Monday morning. the car, the biker continued to The incident took place abuse me and my wife. I could around 6.30 am while Wing not bear it. When I stepped out Commander Shiladitof my car, he took his ya Bose and his wife bike keys and hit me Squadron Leader Madon my forehead. When humitha Dutta were I tried to stop, he hit on their way to the bus my head with the stop near Gopalan stone,” Wg Cdr Bose Mall on Old Madras said. Road in their car. However, CCTV footWg Cdr Bose was age shows him chargWg Cdr Bose supposed to fly to ing at Vikas, assaultKolkata to admit his ing and kicking him, father to a hospital. He assault- which he claimed that he did in ed the biker in “self defence”. “self defence”. Police have arrested the biker Wg Cdr Bose admitted to havbased on a complaint by Sqn ing hit the biker and pushing Ldr Dutta. him. “The biker also bit my finThe couple lives in DRDO ger,” he said and claimed that Colony in CV Raman Nagar. he lost his phone and keys. PoThe biker was identified as Vi- lice said the biker has not filed kas, 20, from Babusaab Palya. any complaints and they are He works in a call centre. He questioning him. express news service emphasised that the shared visions of “Make America Great Again” and “Viksit Bharat 2047” would continue to drive bilateral cooperation forward. An official readout of the meeting said: “The leaders welcomed the significant progress 2 3 4 Cardinal Anthony Poola Cardinal Baselios Cleemis Cardinal Filipe Neri Ferrao Cardinal George Jacob Koovakad Francis’ death sets off a weekslong process of allowing the faithful to pay their final respects, first for Vatican officials in the Santa Marta chapel and then in St. Peter’s for the general public, followed by a funeral and a conclave to elect a new pope. Francis was elected on a mandate to reform the Vatican bu- Modi, Vance hail progress in trade talks PRIME Minister Narendra Modi and US Vice President J D Vance on Monday hailed the significant progress in the ongoing talks for a fair and forward-looking bilateral trade agreement. They also acknowledged the growing cooperation between the two nations in key sectors such as energy defence, , advanced technologies, and other strategic areas, during a meeting marked by personal warmth and a shared commitment to strengthening the India-US partnership. The meeting took place on the first day of Vice President Vance’s four-day visit to India, with Second Lady Usha Vance, their three children, senior members of the US administration, and top Indian officials in attendance. External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and National Security Advisor Ajit Doval were also present. D ec e m b e r 17, 1 93 6 -A p r i l 2 1 , 2 0 2 5 The pope will always be remembered as a beacon of compassion, humility and spiritual courage - Narendra Modi, prime minister in the negotiations for a mutually beneficial India-US Bilateral Trade Agreement focused on the welfare of the people of the two countries. They also acknowledged the continued efforts to enhance cooperation in energy defence, strategic tech, nologies, and other areas.” Prime Minister Modi also conveyed his warm greetings to President Donald Trump and expressed his eagerness to host him in India sometime later this year. During their meeting, both leaders exchanged views on regional and global issues of mutual interest. They agreed that dialogue and diplomacy should remain central to resolving international challenges. “The two leaders also exchanged views on various regional and global issues of mutual interest, and called for dialogue and diplomacy as the way forward,” the readout of the meeting said. reaucracy and finances but went further in shaking up the church without changing its core doctrine. “Who am I to judge?” he replied when asked about a purportedly gay priest. The comment sent a message of welcome to the LGBTQ+ community and those who felt shunned by a church that had stressed sexual TG your safest bet: Revanth to investors Indian market as well as a strategic base for global exports,” the chief minister told investors at the Osaka World Expo on Monday . He also unveiled the Telangana Zone in Bharat Pavilion at the expo. Interacting with several business leaders, the chief minister spoke about circular economy, urban infrastructure and environmental rejuvenation, River Musi projects, Regional Ring Road and Radial Roads, expansion of Metro Rail, Future City developments, and sectors including software, futuristic technologies such as AI, pharmaceuticals, bulk drugs, tourism, textiles, agriculture and green power, among others.  continued on P4 Express News Service @ Hyderabad Pointing out that Telangana offers policy stability ease , of doing business and worldclass infrastructure, Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy invited Japanese investors, industrialists and companies to invest in the state. “We offer policy stability a , high ease of doing business and world-class infrastructure in a thriving and growing business-friendly ecosystem. Many Japanese firms are achieving success in my state. We want to welcome more of you. Come to Hyderabad, design your products, manufacture them in Telangana and use our location as a launchpad for the express read SC collegium recommends transfer of 2 TG HC judges Hyderabad: The Supreme Court collegium, in its meetings held on April 15 and April 19, 2025, has recommended the transfer of Telangana High Court judges — Justice Perugu Sree Sudha and Justice K Surender — to the Karnataka High Court and Madras High Court respectively. @ Bengaluru Tahsildar rebuked for razing slums despite HC stay New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Monday issued a sharp rebuke to a tahsildar for defying a 2013 Andhra Pradesh High Court order prohibiting the demolition of slums in Hyderabad. The officer, currently in jail, appealed for leniency, but the court rejected his plea | P5 Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy at the Osaka World Expo in Japan propriety over unconditional love. “Being homosexual is not a crime,” he said in 2023. Francis changed the church’s position on the death penalty, calling it inadmissible in all circumstances. He also declared the possession of nuclear weapons, not just their use, was immoral. In other firsts, he approved an agreement with China over bishop nominations that had vexed the Vatican for decades, met the Russian patriarch and charted new relations with the Muslim world by visiting the Arabian Peninsula and Iraq. He reaffirmed the all-male, celibate priesthood and upheld the church’s opposition to abortion, equating it to “hiring a hit man to solve a problem”. But he added women to important decision-making roles and allowed them to serve as lectors and acolytes in parishes. He let women vote alongside bishops in periodic Vatican meetings, following long-standing complaints that women do much of the church’s work but are barred from power. Still, a note of criticism came from the Women’s Ordination Conference, which had been frustrated by Francis’ unwillingness to push for the ordination of women.  AP Equality for all Implement Rohith Vemula Act: Rahul to CM Express News Service @ Hyderabad Top Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has asked Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy to enact ‘Rohith Vemula Act’, to end caste-based discrimination in the education system. Vemula, a research scholar of the University of Hyderabad, ended his life in January 2016, allegedly due to institutional discrimination as the varsity issued orders prohibiting him and four others from accessing public spaces on the campus. In his letter to the chief minister, Rahul mentioned the harrowing stories of Dalit students and leaders and drew a parallel between the historical injustices faced by Dr BR Ambedkar and the deaths of modern-day students like Vemula, Payal Tadvi and Darshan Solanki. The letter quoted Ambedkar’s painful recollections of systemic exclusion, including denial food and water during a journey and being forced to sit apart from other students in school due to his caste. Rahul wrote that these incidents reflect a continuing legacy of caste-based oppression that still pervades Indian society, particularly within the education system.  continued on P2 What’s in a name? N a v e e n K u m a r Ta l l a m @ Karimnagar In Karimnagar’s 8th division, where time moves forward but paperwork does not, a colony of about 2,000 residents has spent the last four decades politely — and repeatedly — asking the authorities for something truly outlandish: an official name for the place they live in. Yes, 40 years of administrative ping-pong, and still no consensus on what to call a neighbourhood that’s very much there — people, houses, school, polling booths, chaos and all. Currently the area is a proud , An identity crisis four decades in the making bearer of multiple identities, none of which are actually official. Depending on who you ask, the colony is Kesava Nagar, Fishermen’s Colony or Chepala Colony, Tamil Colony Kakatiya , Colony, Alugunur-2, or — just to spice things up — Kummari Badi Wada. It’s an address lucky dip every time a resident fills a government form. For those keeping track: the local school is named Kakatiya Colony The Anganwadi in the . same compound? That answers to Alugunur-2. Come election time, the polling booths (No. 133 and 134, for those interested) proudly display “Kummari Badi Wada” — which, coincidentally , is also the name printed on several voter ID cards. Why settle for one identity when you can have many? The origins of this name soup go back to the 1980s, when thenMLA V Jagapathi Rao distrib- uted house site pattas to local fishermen living near the Lower Manair Dam and called the place Kesava Nagar. Predictably, not everyone was thrilled. Other communities objected — apparently not fond of being grouped under a fishy label — and the plaque bearing the name was promptly removed. As the years rolled on, a group of Tamil families received housing pattas too, and soon the area became informally known as Tamil Colony . Kalyan, a resident, summed it up with the weary precision of someone who has filled too many forms: buying land here is an exercise in confusion. Applying for Aadhaar, PAN, or passports? Also confusing. Receiving a letter without it vanishing into the bureaucratic Bermuda Triangle? A miracle. Meanwhile, the colony continues to serve as the gateway to Karimnagar — a gateway to administrative clarity only spoken of in legends.