Scribe Kappan gets 5-day bail to meet ailing mother
The Supreme Court on Monday granted a 5-day interim bail to Kerala journalist Siddique Kappan to visit his bed-ridden ailing mother in Kerala, directing the Uttar Pradesh Police to take him to his mother’s house and asking the Kerala Police to guard the house but not remain present when he meet mother. Granting him the relief, a Bench headed by Chief Justice of India Sharad Arvind Bobde said: “We are of the view that this would suffice the interest of justice. Appropriate conditions would be imposed to safeguard Kappan.” On the SG’s apprehension Kappan may parade himself in public to gather support for his activities, SC imposed certain conditions on him. He can meet only his relatives, doctors and anybody else in his mother’s health.
1-day deferment of Shillong Times editor’s case
SC on Monday deferred to Tuesday a petition of ‘Shillong Times’ editor Patricia Mukhim against the Meghalaya HC’s dismissal of her plea in November to quash an FIR against her for a Facebook post condemning violence against the non-tribal minorities in the state. The Bench headed by Justice L Nageswara Rao agreed to hear her matter on Tuesday on the plea of the Meghalaya govt’s counsel.
The tabby cat was recruited by then Prime Minister David Cameron to deal with a pack of rats seen scurrying close to the British leader's official residence
LONDON: Larry the cat, a fourlegged inhabitant of London's 10 Downing St., is marking a decade as Britain's mouse-catcher in chief on Monday.
The tabby cat was recruited by then-Prime Minister David Cameron to deal with a pack of rats seen scuttling close to the British leader's official residence, and entered Downing Street on Feb. 15, 2011.
The former stray, adopted from London's Battersea Dogs and Cats Home, was given the title Chief Mouser to the Cabinet Office, an unofficial pest control post. He was the first cat to hold the ratcatching portfolio since the retirement of Humphrey in 1997, and has loyally served three prime ministers.
But it seems like yesterday that Larry was just another cat - as opposed to a media superstar - said Lindsey Quinlan, the head of cattery of Battersea. "Throughout his time at Number 10, Larry has proven himself to not only be a brilliant ambassador for Battersea but also demonstrated to millions of people around the world how incredible rescue cats are,'' she said. "His rags to riches tale is yet more proof of why all animals deserve a second chance - one minute they may be an overlooked stray on the streets, the next they could become one of the nation's beloved political figures, with fans around the world." Larry, who has met a number of world leaders, has been largely unfriendly to men but took a liking to former U.S. President Barack Obama. When former President Donald Trump visited in 2019, Larry took a nap under his car. His grip on the public imagination is clear - and political leaders know better than to ignore that popularity. The tomcat was a sentimental topic of conversation in Cameron's final appearance in Parliament as prime minister when he said he wanted to quash a rumor that - perish the thought - he didn't like Larry. And just to prove it, he whipped out evidence: a picture of Larry lying on his lap.
"He belongs to the house and the staff love him very much - as do I," he said at the time, explaining why he wasn't taking Larry with him after leaving office.
After the December 2019 election, rumors swirled that Larry might be headed for retirement with the news that the new prime minister, Boris Johnson, was a dog man. However, despite the prime minister moving Jack Russell cross Dilyn into Downing Street, Larry remained in office. Reports of his rodent-killing abilities vary. Larry became known for his occasional scraps with neighboring cats -especially Palmerston, chief mouser to the Foreign Office across the street -- and fondness for sleep.