WASHINGTON, Jan 8: There is widespread apprehension that Trump would indulge in subversive activities and may harbour more nefarious designs even as he is getting more and more isolated and his days in the office are coming to a close soon. He has access to the nuclear codes.

When his trusted Vice-President Pence repeatedly refused to go by his diktat to overturn the election at the joint session on the D- Day (indiatraveltimes.com had made the political forecast days before the joint session on "Trump's final assault on D-Day") and issued a statement explaining his Constitutional position just before the session started, Trump called the rally and asked his armed men in thousands to march to the Capitol, the temple of the greatest democracy, and stop the count and "stop the steal". As they rampaged through the chambers and police teargassed inside the Capitol, lawmakers had to run for cover. Five people died following the violence and firing, including a police officer. The world condemned Trump for the worst turbulent episode in the history of democracy.

Ordering a nuclear strike

It is feared he could also trigger foreign events as he sees China as the cause of his troubles. He may, it is said, incite more violence, make dangerous postings as most people are leaving the White House, order self-pardon. Because everyone has come to believe, although late, that he is "mentally unsound", "out of control" and is showing symptoms of "bizarre behaviour."

Speaker of the House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi, concerned about the state of affairs, spoke to Gen Mark A Milley, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, about “preventing an unstable President from initiating military hostilities or accessing the launch codes and ordering a nuclear strike.” But there is resistance to her interference in Pentagon affairs. Some of them say they will follow the Commander-in-Chief (Trump). Military officials can refuse illegal orders but they cannot remove the President from the chain of command.

The Washington Post wrote he poses a "grave threat to national security."

It is rumoured that many in the Cabinet have described Trump as "out of control." Discussions have taken place over his fomenting violence, his unfounded claims and bizarre behaviour.

Options

The Democrats led by Pelosi and the next Senate majority leader Chuck Schumer urged Vice-President Mike Pence to initiate the process of invoking the 25th Amendment to the Constitution to remove Trump from office for inciting protesters to rampage the Capitol as the presidential electoral vote counting was on at the joint session of the Congress on Wednesday. Pence did not take her call.

It has been reported he has refused to evoke the 25th Amendment to remove Trump.

Therefore, later in a letter to members of the House, Pelosi threatened on Friday that the House could move to impeach Trump over his role in inciting a violent mob attack on the Capitol if he did not resign “immediately,” appealing to Republicans to join the push to force him out from office. However, the procedures will take longer than she wants.

Pelosi described the violence as an "armed insurrection" against America by Trump. She condemned the desecration of the Capitol which, she said, is the "temple of American democracy". "My phone is exploding with 'impeach, impeach, impeach,'" she told reporters on Thursday.

If Pence and Cabinet members fail to dislodge him, impeachment proceedings will have to start. "The President’s dangerous and seditious acts necessitate his immediate removal from office,” she and Chuck Schumer said.

On removal of a President, Section 4 of the 25th Amendment to the Constitution says the Cabinet members should meet and make a judgement that he is "unable to discharge the powers and duties of his office" and request the Vice-President to take over. Pence has to take a vote of the Cabinet. There is also long list of alternatives if the first option cannot be implemented.

The Democrats of the Judiciary Committee have also sent a letter to Pence seeking his removal for "undermining democracy" and "not mentally sound and is still unable to process the results."

But Mike Pence has revealed his mind to his aides that he will not evoke the 25th Amendment.

For impeachment, charges must be brought to the House and passed in a vote. Then the Senate by a two-thirds vote can remove him. But majority is not there currently and, moreover, the Senate is not scheduled to meet before the transition date of January 20.

Therefore, both removal and impeachment appear not practical. Some lawmakers are dissenting, “Impeaching the President with just 12 days left in his term will only divide our country more.”

Seeing that he is losing support, Trump released a video saying there will be an orderly transfer of power and condemned the protesters who vandalised the Capitol. Although he did not name Biden nor did he concede defeat in his re-election, Trump promised to ensure a smooth transition to a “new administration.” In fact, at a rally in Washington before the Congress meeting began he had incited the protesters to move on to the Capitol to help overturn Biden's victory. Five people, including a police officer, died in the violence that followed.

The Democrats-led House had impeached Trump earlier in December 2019 for pressurising the President of Ukraine to launch an investigation against Biden, but failed in the Republican- majority Senate.

The Georgian runoffs results that give Democrats majority in the Senate need to be certified by the State which may not happen any time soon enough to successfully impeach Trump while in office. However, removing Trump would require a two-thirds vote by the Senate, which the Democrats will not have even later.

Former Attorney General William Barr, former Defence Secretary James Mattis, former DHS Secretary and White House chief of staff John Kelly have lambasted Trump for the fomenting the mayhem.

Former Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson asked him to "leave the town" immediately while Biden described the rampage as: "One of the darkest days in our nation."

Schizotypal Personality Disorder

Trump's behaviour has been bizarre and he distorts realities or doesn't see them as existing and harbours delusions. He still believes that he has won the elections and declares it so every now and then. How many times a day since November 3 he has been saying the election was "stolen". He does not talk of any evidence or show any rational disposition while harping on voting "fraud'. He doesn't clarify what was the "fraud' like. He says he will be the President.

Two months before the election he had said Democrats were going to rig the election, without any evidence. It is understandable if an Opposition raises the issue of rigging. But here he is the President of the most powerful country, not a banana republic, it is a matter of shame for the Americans. Why cound'nt he act?

Next, he said there won't be a peaceful transfer of power.

Later he curtailed the funds of the postal department lest they do the job of transporting the postal ballots on time.

After the elections he blamed it on the suppliers of the voting machines who have gone to the court against defamation. Dominion Voting Systems Inc filed the case in Federal court in Washington.

He has gone to the court without evidence and filed over a dozen lawsuits, to be thrown out even by the judges appointed by him.

He has been asking Republican lawmakers in the swing States ruled by his own party to overurn the results, claiming he has won.

He called the "stop the steal" rally soon after Pence told him on Wednesday before the Congress session he won't join his efforts to overturn the results. Trump called the rally in Washington and asked the protesters to move to Capitol and stop the count even as Pence released his statement saying he will go by the rule which gives him no power and his is a ceremonial job. The rampaging mob ransacked the Capitol, his own parliament! He called them patriots.

He is fantasising, doesn't see reality as it is. Also tending to go violent. This condition is called Schizotypal Personality Disorder.

It is rumoured that some of his Cabinet members, after the Capitol rampage on Wednesday, discussed Trump as "out of control" and "mentally unsound," showing symptoms of "bizarre behaviour."

Resignations

All the Cabinet Secretaries condemned the rampage of the Capitol on Wednesday (Some of them blamed Trump and two have resigned), according to New York Times. They are: Mike Pompeo, Secretary of State; Jeffrey A. Rosen, acting Attorney General; Christopher C. Miller, acting Defence Secretary; Betsy DeVos, Education Secretary (resigned); Elaine Chao, Transportation Secretary (blamed Trump) (resigned); Chad F. Wolf, acting Homeland Security Secretary; Steven Mnuchin, Treasury Secretary; Wilbur Ross, Commerce Secretary; Dan Brouillette, Energy Secretary (blamed Trump); Alex M. Azar II, Health Secretary; Ben Carson, Housing Secretary; David Bernhardt, Interior Secretary; Eugene Scalia, Labor Secretary; Sonny Perdue, Agriculture Secretary (blamed Trump); secretary of veterans affairs, Robert L. Wilkie.

A large number of officials too have resigned from the White House. They include the Senate sergeant-at-arms and the chief of the Capitol Police. A former chief of staff Mick Mulvaney left his ambassadorial post in protest.

Trump self-pardon plan

On Thursday after the mayhem Trump made a video call for "reconciliation" pledging a smooth and orderly transition of power- but no mention of Biden nor any mention of conceding the defeat - he also said "our journey only just beginning."

Meanwhile, Trump tweeted on Friday he will not be going to the inauguration on January 20. And his family has discussed leaving the White House for good on January 19 for his Florida club house.

His lawyer Rudy Giuliani and other enablers may as well help him to issue Presidential orders to self-pardon himself in all cases before leaving. CNN wrote: This man must be stopped before more people get hurt.

There is no precedent of self-pardon. However, the Constitution does not preclude a self-pardon. Nixon could not pardon himself "under the fundamental rule that no one may be a judge in his own case" as stated by the Justice Department.

Five people were arrested from a banquet hall in Sector 51 Noida on Thursday where they were called to hold a rave party in a trap laid by the animal rights group, PFA. They named Yadav but he was not present.

Betting through Dubai-based Mahadev Book in India is conducted through a countrywide network. Probes reveal that the online gambling is worth several millions and top politicians, officials and celebs have been beneficiaries.

TAILPIECE: Polling dates for some States are round the corner. Top politicians have begun their acrimonious debate who looted more, even as Mahadev is washing their dirty laundry in the open ghat. Come what may, one needs to seize power to amass "thy wretched pelf!" One simple question is, why else one should spend lakhs or crores to get elected! A question every Indian should ask to oneself at least once a day!

His inaction amounts to defeating the rights of the people of the State to welfare measures sought to be implemented through the Bills, the Kerala Government's petition submitted, while the State of Tamil Nadu remarked that its "Governor is acting as a political rival."

Tailpiece: Coming up back to back, the petitions in their totality seem to question the provision of Raj Bhavan, and not motives of a Governor as a person.

Hundreds of cars piled up behind the wreckage of crashes occurring one after other in backing up - continuous crashes to the rhythm of metallic clanks and bangs back to back. According to reports, some ops required 'Jaws of Life' to pull apart the mangled cars to save lives inside.

The pilots struggled with Emerson to thwart a shut-off as he reached for the T-handles (see pix). Later he admitted to police he had taken psychedelic mushrooms and had a "nervous breakdown."

Doctors reasoned how the incidence of heart attacks is spiking over time and advise the simple way to play safely is to take a break and rehydrate yourself.

But how come ten people, including children, die of cardiac arrest at Garba in 24 hours, and that at different places of Gujarat? Garba had been going on for six days, and every year it is celebrated.

The killing of a teacher in France by an Islamic radical last Friday is linked to the Israel-Hamas war in West Asia, say authorities.

Shocking news from the UK: Leading grocers have started bribing policemen with free food and drinks to persuade them to take action against shoplifters.

Shoplifting has risen by about 27 per cent in 10 major cities across the UK this year. The cost of retail crime last year was $2.15 billion. Besides, “We are seeing organised gangs threatening staff with weapons and emptying stores," Helen Dickinson, chief executive of the British Retail Consortium, said. Data shows that the police failed to respond to 73 per cent of serious retail crimes that included assault and abuse of workers, apart from shoplifting.

Isar Mohammad allegedly picked up a banana offered to Ganesh idol on Chaturthi at a makeshift temple in Delhi and consumed it.

Harris said hip-hop is “the ultimate American art form” that “shapes every aspect of American popular culture.” “Hip-hop culture is American culture,” she said in a talk at her official residence at the US Naval Observatory in Washington, D.C.

The social media had mixed reaction. There was much appreciation that she dances better than any VP in American history. But some called her "moves" as “cringe” while others did not like her pink pants - "pink pants don’t look good.” In fact, her ensembles have always been incongruous.

"Let’s see how the (Governor's) Vice-Chancellors are given salary." Mamata's extreme statements will put the Marxist Government in Kerala, which is also facing similar issues, to shame. Has she begun the countdown for a war on the streets?

It's true Mamata has come to see a conspiracy to demolish the established systems across the country, but lacks the ability to foresee what exactly is being pushed.

Brandishing a sword, Mahant Paramhans told reporters on Tuesday he himself will behead MK Stalin's son for his remarks against Sanatan Dharma in case nobody came forward to accept his offer he made in his video. Udhayanidhi reacted to the saint's Monday video, "I will speak more. I am the grandson of the artist who put his head on the rail track for Tamil Nadu."

Somanath elaborated, "I am an explorer. I explore the Moon. I explore the inner space. So it's a part of the journey of my life to explore both science and spirituality. So I visit many temples and I read many scriptures. So try to find the meaning of our existence and our journey in this cosmos. So it's a part of the culture that we are all built to explore, find out the inner self as well as outer self. So for the outer, I do science, for the inner I come to temples." (See videos)

Rao the mathematical legend had fathered the path-breaking Rao-Blackwell theorem, one of the most important theorems in mathematical statistics, at the age of 25. That brought him global fame. He is also famous for his Cramér-Rao Bound inequality theorem relating to quality of estimators in statistics which has had a profound bearing on applications of modern economics and several other diverse fields. Simply put, with the pioneering statistician computation became a tool to analyse even socio-economic challenges of modern times.

The alleged incident has received such a flash publicity that a standardised city's hugely middle class population will have second thoughts about eating outside for some time. Now everything on the table looks suspicious!

“All subjects directly connected to the people should be shifted to the State List. Particularly the subject of education. Only if this is done can cruel exams like NEET be abolished,” Stalin said. Education was moved from the State List to the Concurrent List with the 42nd Constitution Amendment made by the Central Government in 1976.

Decentralisation has been at the core of Tamil politics since the times of CN Annadurai. Stalin indicated there will be political changes in the offing.

TAILPIECE: While the Centre and the States are at loggerheads, it takes a different cognitive acumen to know that entrance tests are not the way for students' admission to courses.

As recently as Tuesday Craig Robertson had posted on Facebook: "Perhaps Utah will become famous this week as the place a sniper took out Biden the Marxist." Biden was scheduled to make his first visit to Utah as President Wednesday afternoon.

Maruti is recalling 87,599 S-Presso and Eeco vehicles to inspect and possibly replace parts in the steering system. All reputed companies around the world do recall their products when a defect comes to light.

Meanwhile, a question arises why just in about a year so many accidents have taken place involving Mercedes sent to India while the car has won safety awards abroad? In most cases, the vehicle collided with divider, while manoeuvring a turn. Was there a split second delay in the steering system coming to a grip when at high speed? Did anybody in India bother to study a pattern in several of these accidents that took place one after other?

Former Tata Sons chairman Cyrus Mistry died when his Mercedes-Benz-SUV hit a divider in Gujarat. Cricketer Rishabh Pant's Mercedes-Benz-SUV rammed a divider in Uttarakhand and smashed. It went up in flames but he escaped with injuries. Brother of PM Narendra Modi, Prahlad Modi's Mercedes-Benz-SUV met with a similar accident in Mysuru. And many more.

• Experts blame violation of the Visual Flying Rules (VFR) for most of the chopper crashes in the mountains as the leading cause. VFR means fly only visually - because of the lack of navigation aids in remote areas or unreliability of GPS-like aids in hilly terrains or a remote manipulation of instruments in cases of sabotage - as the topography plays havoc especially in the monsoon (mid-June to September).
• Even when VFR is followed, most crashes occur due to CFIT (Controlled Flight into Terrain) - that is, everything else is OK but the aircraft collides with hills or trees hidden by the clouds. This also occurs mostly in the monsoon.
• On Tueday with Manang, the chopper was brand new, pilot was highly experienced. But it hit an 'invisible' tree and then crashed against a hillside. This CFIT occurred when the pilot tried to dodge patches of clouds even as he was following the VFR.
• Simply put, everyone knows flying in the hills during the monsoon is risky, but the companies want to make more money in any which case. This type of tragedy is very frequently invited in the Indian hill State of Uttarakhand as well, where pilots are even made to fly without the mandatory rest.