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Forest staffs in Maharashtra have lathis’ to defend, in Karnataka they roam in Chappals’: SC

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New Delhi: Forest staff in Maharashtra have lathis’ to defend themselves while in Karnataka they are seen roaming in Chappals’ (slippers), the Supreme Court on Friday said while expressing concern as to how they will protect the law and environment against heavily armed poachers.

The top court wondered as to how forest rangers in Assam are well-armed while in other states they are not even adequately dressed and said that it may pass orders to provide arms, bulletproof vests, and helmets to officers above a certain rank to defend themselves from poachers.

A bench of Chief Justice S A Bobde and Justices AS Bopanna and V Ramasubramanian asked Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for Ministry of Environment and Forests, amicus curiae ADN Rao and senior advocate Shyam Divan, appearing for an NGO to file a joint submission about the measures which can be adopted for the protection of forests as well as the lives of forest officers and staff.

We are of the view that the situation is serious and we find it difficult to comprehend how these forest officers and staff would be in a position to protect the environment and the forests which are normally vast tracks of uninhabited land and of which poachers take undue advantage for carrying out their nefarious activities, the bench said.

It said unlike police in the city, forest officials cannot even call for help in distress in the forest when they are attacked by poachers and there should be some mechanisms.

Recalling his recent visit to a forest area, the CJI said, Last month I was in a forest in Maharashtra and have seen that forest officials were not even armed. How will they protect themselves when they are attacked? SG (Solicitor General), we want you to explore all possibilities. These are all sophisticated crimes that need to be checked .

The bench asked Rao as to why is this problem that in some States forest officials are armed while in others they are not even adequately dressed.

Rao submitted that due to non-utilization of funds by some states, forest officials are not provided adequate infrastructure and safety gear to protect the environment and forests.

He said that similar attacks have taken place in Uttar Pradesh in 2001 and 2019 in Telangana on the forest officials. Mehta said that the biggest problems are of wood smugglers.

The bench said that millions of dollars are siphoned off by the smugglers and an Enforcement Directorate should be roped in and suggested it should also have a separate wildlife wing to deal with these crimes.

The NGO Nature Conservation Society’ brought to the notice of the court recent attacks on forest officials by miscreants in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, and Maharashtra.

“When we go to Assam, (we see) they are given arms while in Maharashtra they are given only ‘lathi’,” the bench said and added “We will direct that the officials are given arms, bulletproof vests, and helmets. In Karnataka, forest officials are seen roaming in ‘chappals’ and are being slapped by poachers. We want the Solicitor General to make a statement on the next date of hearing that arms will be given to personnel….”

The top court said It is difficult to imagine how any law can be enforced by the forest officers and staff who are poorly unarmed against poachers who are likely to be heavily armed .

The bench adjourned the hearing by four weeks and said that it would pass a detailed order after taking note of the statements of the lawyers concerned.

The bench was hearing an application seeking protection of forest officials from malicious prosecution lodged against them.

Capitol violence: US administration mulls sedition charge possible for pro-Trump rioters

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WASHINGTON: The top federal prosecutor for the District of Columbia has said that “all options are on the table” for charging members of the violent pro-Trump mob that stormed the US Capitol, including sedition charges.

Michael Sherwin, acting US attorney for DC, said prosecutors plan to file 15 federal cases on Thursday for crimes including unauthorised access and theft of property, and investigators are combing through reams of evidence to bring additional charges.

“All of those charges are on the table. We will bring the most maximum charges we can,” he said.

More than 90 people have been arrested by police in Washington and more arrests are likely.

US attorneys from across the country have vowed to find and bring to justice any residents who participated in the insurrection aimed at thwarting the peaceful transfer of power.

Experts say some could face the rarely used seditious conspiracy charge.

It’s the the same charge former Attorney General William Barr’s Justice Department told prosecutors to consider levying against those who caused violence at protests last summer over the killings of black Americans by police.

Then-Deputy Attorney General Jeffrey Rosen, who stepped into the top Justice Department job when Barr resigned last month, told prosecutors in a memo in September that they should consider the use of seditious conspiracy charges against violent demonstrators, saying “it does not require proof of a plot to overthrow the US government despite what the name might suggest.”

Asserting that those responsible for the violence at the US Capitol will “face the full consequences of their actions”, Acting Attorney General Jeffery Rosen said some participants in the violence will face charges on Thursday.

“The Department of Justice is committed to ensuring that those responsible for this attack on our Government and the rule of law face the full consequences of their actions under the law,” Rosen said.

“Some participants in yesterday’s violence will be charged today,” Rosen said.

Department’s criminal prosecutors have been working throughout the night with special agents and investigators from the US Capitol Police, FBI, ATF, Metropolitan Police Department and the public to gather the evidence, identify perpetrators, and charge federal crimes where warranted, said the Acting Attorney General.

FBI Director Christopher Wray said the violence and destruction of property at the US Capitol building showed a blatant and appalling disregard for our institutions of government and the orderly administration of the democratic process.

“Let me assure the American people the FBI has deployed our full investigative resources and is working closely with our federal, state, and local partners to aggressively pursue those involved in criminal activity during the events of January 6.

“Our agents and analysts have been hard at work through the night gathering evidence, sharing intelligence, and working with federal prosecutors to bring charge,” Wray said.

“What transpired on Wednesday was “tragic and sickening,” said Acting Homeland Security Secretary Chad Wolf.

“While I have consistently condemned political violence on both sides of the aisle, specifically violence directed at law enforcement, we now see some supporters of the President using violence as a means to achieve political ends. This is unacceptable,” he said.

“These violent actions are unconscionable, and I implore the President and all elected officials to strongly condemn the violence that took place yesterday,” Chad said.

US Ambassador to NATO, Kay Bailey Hutchison, in an open letter to NATO allies said that there can be no justification for the appalling invasion of our US Capitol building.

“There can be no minimisation or hiding of the disgraceful acts we watched unfold,” she said.

Resurgent Steve Smith strokes 27th century in third Test against India

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The 31-year-old struggled for runs in the first two Tests, failing to get out of single figures, but was positive from the start at the Sydney Cricket Ground to bring up another ton in his 76th Test.

Australia's Steve Smith celebrates on reaching a century. (Photo | AP)

SYDNEY: Former Australia skipper Steve Smith reached his 27th Test century Friday as he roared back to form against India in the third Test on his home ground

The 31-year-old struggled for runs in the first two Tests, failing to get out of single figures, but was positive from the start at the Sydney Cricket Ground to bring up another ton in his 76th Test.

Smith, who averages more than 60, faced 201 balls and hit 13 boundaries in a near-flawless and patient knock, surviving only an ambitious lbw review on 41.

His efforts helped push Australia to 292 for seven on day two as wickets fell around him with the four-Test series locked at 1-1.

India’s Sachin Tendulkar is Test cricket’s most prolific century-maker with 51.

Mohammed Siraj gets emotional while singing national anthem in Sydney Test

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Siraj got emotional with tears rolling down his eyes while singing the national anthem moments before the start of play on day 1 of the SCG Test.

The official Twitter handle of cricket.com.au shared a small clip of Siraj getting emotional as the national anthem of India was being played before the start of play on day one of the third Test.

SYDNEY: Before the start of play on day one of the third Test between India and Australia, pacer Mohammed Siraj was seen tearing up while singing the national anthem. Siraj getting emotional as the national anthem of India was being played before the start of play on day one of the third Test.

Asked to bowl first, India got off to a perfect start as Siraj dismissed David Warner (5) in the fourth over of the innings. Warner went for a drive, but he only managed to get an outside edge and a simple catch was given to Cheteshwar Pujara at first slip.

This is the first time in four years that Warner has been dismissed for less than 10 runs in a home Test.

With Australia’s score at 21/1 in the eighth over, rain played spoilsport and the play had to be halted and as a result, early lunch was called. Will Pucovski (14*) and Marnus Labuschagne (2*) ensured that the side does not suffer from hiccups in the first session.

For India, Navdeep Saini is playing his first Test while Pucovski is playing his first Test for Australia.

India playing XI: Rohit Sharma, Shubman Gill, Cheteshwar Pujara, Ajinkya Rahane (c), Hanuma Vihari, Rishabh Pant, Ravindra Jadeja, Ravichandran Ashwin, Mohammad Siraj, Jasprit Bumrah, Navdeep Saini.

Australia playing XI: David Warner, Will Pucovski, Marnus Labuschagne, Steve Smith, Matthew Wade, Tim Paine (c), Cameron Green, Mitchell Starc, Pat Cummins, Nathan Lyon, Josh Hazlewood.

Siraj had made his debut in the Boxing Day Test against Australia and the pacer managed to impress one and all, as he went on to take five wickets in the Test match.

Brazil passes 200,000 COVID-19 deaths, second most in world

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The health ministry said the country had 1,524 deaths in the previous 24 hours, rising to a total of 200,498 for the pandemic.

SAO PAULO: Brazil passed 200,000 deaths from the coronavirus pandemic Thursday.

That is the second highest total in the world.

The health ministry said the country had 1,524 deaths in the previous 24 hours, rising to a total of 200,498 for the pandemic.

The milestone was reached as Brazilians are once again crowding their beaches.

Many Brazilians have been straining against quarantine for months, going to bars or small gatherings with friends, but massive blowouts had been few and far between since the pandemic began.

Then big festivities kicked off after the Southern Hemisphere’s summer started Dec 21.

While many countries imposed new restrictions to limit the spread of the virus in mid-December, Brazil’s government gave its blessing for holiday fun in the sun.

Egg price witnesses sharp fall in Namakkal

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The NECC has pegged the suggestive price at Rs 4.85 for Namakkal on Thursday, down from Rs 5.1 a day ago. The decision was taken unanimously at an NECC meeting held in Namakkal on Thursday.

eggs, protein

NAMAKKAL: Following the bird flu outbreak in several States, including neighbouring Kerala, the price of egg has witnessed a sharp single-day fall of 25 paise here on Thursday, according to the daily suggestive farmgate price released by the National Egg Coordination Committee (NECC).

The NECC has pegged the suggestive price at Rs 4.85 for Namakkal on Thursday, down from Rs 5.1 a day ago. The decision was taken unanimously at an NECC meeting held in Namakkal on Thursday.

“On account of the Avian Influenza outbreak (types H5 and H5NB) in a couple of districts in Kerala, the egg price has dropped drastically in Namakkal. Around 40 to 50 lakh eggs  are transported from Namakkal zone to Kerala per day. Now, around 15 to 20 per cent of the eggs have stagnated,” said NECC chairman P Selvaraj. After Christmas, the price of eggs typically starts to fall in the northern part of India, which has also played a role, he added.

Selvaraj explained that the situation was not uncommon as flu outbreaks happen every year, as there is no vaccination available to combat the flu. “The only solution is to take precautionary measures in poultry farms,” he added.

While Health Secretary J Radhakrishnan had earlier said that it is possible for bird flu to affect the human body, Selvaraj pointed out that no human had lost their life because of bird flu in the past 15 years. He added that consuming eggs was safe and there was no need to panic.

Namakkal Egg producers Association President K Mohan and Tamil Nadu Egg poultry Farmers Marketing Society’s president Vangli Subramaniam said that the process of disinfecting poultry farms was underway, as per instructions from the district administration. They maintained that the risk of bird flu was low in Namakkal.

The fall in prices has hit poultry farmers, who continue to reel under the stress caused by Covid-19 pandemic and the subsequent lockdowns.  At the time, the price had dropped to less than Rs 2 per egg, as rumours spread that the virus could spread through poultry products. This led to a pile-up of crores of eggs at cold storage units in Tiruchy, Salem and Mettupalayam.

Going forward, Selvaraj predicted that the egg price may fall over the next two weeks, as the demand for eggs in Kerala has fallen suddenly. Meanwhile, the cull bird rate has been maintained at Rs 50 for a week.

In the Tirupur zone, the price of chicken at broiler farms has dropped to Rs 77 per kg from around Rs 85 a kg a week ago, according to an office-bearer from Palladam Broiler Farm Owners Association. The retail price is pegged at around Rs 145 per kg. However, he said that the drop in price cannot be attributed to the Avian flu in Kerala. “There will be panic in the broiler farm industry only when the price drops below Rs 70 per kg. Currently, we don’t believe that there would be such a large drop in prices. However, the future is uncertain, and broiler farm owners are in a wait-and-watch mode,” he added.

Dry run of Covid-19 vaccination on Friday in Karnataka

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To be held at 263 health facilities across the state; it will test actual system of vaccine delivery from end-to-end

BENGALURU: Karnataka is set to launch the second dry run of the Covid-19 immunisation programme, which is much larger in scale than the first one on January 2. According the Central guidelines, a trial would have to be done in at least three locations in each district on Friday, Health Minister Dr Sudhakar said on Thursday.

“So the dry run in Karnataka will be held at 263 different health facilities across the state tomorrow,” he said.

The exercise will be carried out at 30 urban primary health care centres and 28 private health centres. The drill would test the actual system of vaccine delivery from end-to-end. A similar exercise on a smaller scale was held on January 2 in five districts: Bengaluru (including BBMP), Belagavi, Kalaburagi, Mysuru and Shivamogga.

Union Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan chaired a video conference of health ministers of all the states.
‘Infrastructure ready’ Sudhakar said that around 6.3 lakh health workers from both the government and private sector have signed up for the vaccine and the window for registration is still open. They will be among one crore people across India who will be inoculated against Covid on priority basis. 
He said the state has the infrastructure for the vaccination drive.

“The Centre has provided 24 lakh syringes of 0.5 ml each. We have 10 walk-in coolers, 4 walk-in freezers, 3,201 ice line refrigerators, 3,039 deep freezers, 3,312 cold boxes, 46,591 vaccine carriers and 2,25,749 ice packs. The Centre has also provided 64 large ice line refrigerators with a capacity of 225 litres each. Two more walk-in coolers and one walk-in freezer will be received from the Centre,” Sudhakar said, told media after the video conference with the Union Health Minister.

“Vaccination should be a people’s movement. There is no harm from it and people should act responsibly. The polio vaccination drive will be held and 65 lakh children will be vaccinated on January 17,” he said.

UK returnees
As many as 117 people who returned from the UK and are in Karnataka are yet to be traced. Of these, 112 are in Bengaluru and the rest in other districts, Sudhakar said. Personnel from the home, health, and urban development departments, and Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike are working to trace the UK returnees, and there is no attempt to mask the numbers, he said.

“Many of them hold foreign passports, and over 1,000 people who have come are from other states. Those states have been alerted to take necessary action,” he said. At least 2,523 UK returnees have so far undergone Covid-19 tests, and 65 have tested COVID-19 positive on an RT-PCR test, he added.

Meanwhile, two people who were infected with the UK strain have recovered. A 35-year-old woman and her six-year-old daughter from Bommanahalli in Bengaluru were discharged from Victoria Hospital on Wednesday. At present, only 14 of 26 UK returnees remain in Victoria Hospital.
Eleven people have tested positive for the UK strain. Seven of these people are in Bengaluru and four in Shivamogga.

Kept my promise of visiting Amethi regularly unlike previous MPs: Smriti Irani

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Smriti Irani wrested Amethi from Gandhi, a seat he held for three consecutive terms, in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls

Amethi MP Smriti Irani

SULTANPUR: Taking a dig at Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, Union minister and Amethi MP Smriti Irani on Thursday said she had kept her promise of visiting her Lok Sabha constituency regularly, whereas there was a time when its representative visited only once in five years.

Irani wrested Amethi from Gandhi, a seat he held for three consecutive terms, in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls.

“The Lok Sabha constituency of Amethi has seen a time when its MP used to visit once in five years to seek votes. One-and-a-half year ago, I had made a promise that I will come in your midst again and again,” Irani said in Rae Bareli.

“MPs and MLAs are regularly coming in your midst. In the time of coronavirus, they have been present through e-Choupal and resolved people’s problems,” said Irani, who was on a day-long visit to her constituency.

Later, in Sultanpur, the Union minister for textiles said the central and state governments are committed to ensuring that the poor and farmers benefit from different schemes.

She also asked all those eligible to avail the benefits of government schemes.

Top Democratic leader Schemer calls on Pence, Cabinet to remove Trump from office

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The 25th Amendment allows for the president to be removed from office by the vice president and a majority of the Cabinet.

Donald Trump

WASHINGTON: Top Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer on Thursday joined dozens of his party colleagues in asking Vice President Mike Pence to invoke 25th Amendment to the American Constitution to remove President Donald Trump from office following the violent assault on the US Capitol by the president’s supporters.

The 25th Amendment allows for the president to be removed from office by the vice president and a majority of the Cabinet.

“What happened at the US Capitol yesterday was an insurrection against the United States, incited by the president.

This president should not hold office one day longer,” Senate Democratic leader Schumer said.

“The quickest and most effective way – it can be done today – to remove this president from office would be for the vice president to immediately invoke the 25th amendment,” he demanded.

“If the vice president and the cabinet refuse to stand up, Congress should reconvene to impeach the president,” Schumer said in a statement amidst increasing chorus to remove Trump from office.

His successor Joe Biden will be sworn in as the 46th President of the United States on January 20.

Dozens of Democratic lawmakers have demanded that Pence and his Cabinet colleagues invoke this special provision of the US constitution wherein they can remove the sitting president by saying that he is not fit to serve the office of presidency.

Adam Kinzinger on Thursday became the first Republican lawmaker to call for invoking the 25th Amendment to remove Trump from office.

“The president caused this. The president is unfit and the president is unwell. And the president now must relinquish control of the executive branch voluntarily or involuntarily,” Kinzinger said in a video posted on twitter.

Congressman Sean Casten in a statement said that “attempted coup incited by our 45th president, Donald Trump, will go down as one of the darkest moments” in American history.

“Donald Trump presents a grave threat to the continuity of our government, and our democracy.

He must be removed from office immediately, and I am calling on the House to impeach, and for Vice President Pence, in parallel to initiate removal via the 25th Amendment,” Casten said.

The “insurrectionists” who stormed the Capitol today should be held fully accountable for their actions under the law, said Senator Patty Murray.

“The most immediate way to ensure the President is prevented from causing further harm in coming days is to invoke the 25th Amendment and remove him from office.

As history watches, I urge Vice President Pence and the President’s Cabinet to put country before party and act,” he said.

There has been no reaction from Pence on this.

Pence while presiding over the Joint Sessions of the Congress to count and certify electoral college votes condemned the violence, saying violence never wins, freedom does.

“We condemn the violence that took place here in the strongest possible terms. We grieve the loss of life in these hallowed halls, as well as the injuries suffered by those who defended our Capitol today,” he said.

Describing Wednesday’s events as “one of the darkest days in American history,” Congresswoman Suzan DelBene alleged that Trump encouraged a violent mob to attack members of Congress to block the certification of Biden and Kamala Harris.

“He failed to repudiate the violence he started and refused to activate security forces to protect the US Capitol.

Consequently, he violated his oath to preserve, protect, and defend the Constitution of the United States,” she said.

“I couldn’t have imagined the violence and lawlessness I saw around the United States Capitol. For the good of the country, the 25th Amendment should be invoked to remove President Trump from office immediately,” she said.

Congresswoman Doris Matsui called on Pence to invoke the 25th Amendment and convene the Cabinet to remove the president from office.

“President Trump continues to put himself above the American people, and his reckless actions to undermine our democracy must be met with equal consequence,” she said.

Two Army personnel injured in mine blast along LoC in Jammu and Kashmir’s Poonch

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Two Army personnel were injured in a landmine blast along the Line of Control in Jammu and Kashmir’s Poonch.

JAMMU: Two Army personnel were injured in a landmine blast along the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir’s Poonch district on Thursday, officials said.

The Army personnel were patrolling the forward area in Mankote sector when they accidentally stepped on an anti-personnel mine triggering explosion, they said.

The personnel suffered injuries and were hospitalised, they said.

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