BHUBANESWAR l thursday l january 22, 2026 l `9.00 l PAGES 12 l JEYPORE EDITION Sunita Williams retires from NASA, capping 27-year career Indian-origin NASA astronaut Sunita Williams, who inspired generations to dream big and push boundaries, has retired from the space agency finished 3 missions during 608 days in space A perspective shaped by space travel During her time with the US space agency, she completed three missions aboard the International Space Station. Williams logged 608 days in space. She ranks sixth on the list of longest single spaceflights by an American, tied with NASA astronaut Butch Wilmore, with both logging 286 days during NASA’s Boeing Starliner and SpaceX Crew-9 missions ■ ■ Williams was born to Gujarati father Deepak Pandya and Slovenian mother Ursuline Bonnie Pandya in the US state of Ohio in 1965 Reflecting on space travel, the 60-year-old, who is currently visiting India, said the idea of humans arguing endlessly over issues seems so “silly” when you look at Earth as “one planet” from outer space Dec 27 When williams officially retired from NASA 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 The ripple effects ‘INt’l order upended’ Don goes back-foot on Greenland pitch Rules out using force, but demands immediate negotiations to take control of the Danish territory AGE N CIES @ Davos US President Donald Trump on Wednesday doubled down on his plan to wrest control of Greenland from NATO ally Denmark, but ruled out using force for the time being. “I don’t have to use force. I don’t want to use force. I won’t use force,” he said at the World Economic Forum at Davos, Switzerland. “I’m seeking immediate negotiations to once again discuss the acquisition of Greenland by the United States, just as we have acquired many other territories throughout our history, as many of the European nations have,” he said. Trump claimed his country is in the best position to control Greenland and derided most of Europe for opposing his “small ask”. In his 70-minute-long speech, he also lashed out at Denmark for being “ungrateful” for the US protection of the Arctic island during World War-2. “All the United States is asking for is a place called Greenland where we already had it as a trustee, but respectfully returned it to Denmark after we defeated the Germans, the Japanese, the Italians and others in World War II. We gave it back. We were a powerful force then, but we are a much more powerful force now,” Trump said, staking claims over the region. Training his guns on EU, Trump said the US is booming but Europe is “not heading in the right direction.” On Tuesday European Com, mission President Ursula von der Leyen had called Trump’s tariffs on eight European countries over Greenland a “mistake” and questioned his trustworthiness. Trump said the US needs Greenland for strategic reasons and not for rare earth minerals. “We were a powerful force when we saved Greenland and gave it to Denmark after World War II, but we are much more powerful now,” he said. Responding to Trump’s speech at Davos, Danish foreign minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen said: “In isolation it’s positive that the president says what he does regarding the military but that does not make , the problem go away It’s clear from ... this speech that the president’s ambition is intact.” UN chief Antonio Guterres warned world leaders against upending international order. “When a handful of individuals can bend global narratives or dictate the terms of public debate, we are facing inequality and the corruption of institutions & our shared values.” ‘don speech not helping’ Trump’s assurance that he would not use force to take Greenland is a positive statement but it won’t resolve the issue, said Danish foreign minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen EU-U.S. trade pact on hold The European Parliament on Wednesday decided to suspend its work on the European Union’s trade deal with the United States in protest at Trump’s demands and threats over Greenland Markets recover Markets mostly steadied on Wednesday after Trump toned down his rhetoric in his threats to acquire Greenland, clarifying he wouldn’t use force Gutkha ban reinforced, no surrogates now Express News Service @ Bhubaneswar The Odisha government on Wednesday completely banned manufacturing and sale of gutkha and similar products containing tobacco and/or nicotine across the state. According to a notification issued by the Health and Family Welfare department, the government has explicitly prohibited the manufacturing, processing, packaging, storage, transportation, distribution and sale of gutkha and any product containing tobacco or nicotine as an ingredient. Although the state had banned the sale of tobacco products in 2013, the modified order aims to remove ambiguities that existed in earlier notifications and ensure unifor m enforcement across Odisha. Health secretary Aswathy S in the notification said, the Supreme Court had directed the secretaries of Health departments of all states to ensure total compliance of the ban imposed on manufacturing and sale of gutkha and pan masala. Both packaged and unpackaged tobacco and nicotine products have been banned. The prohibition is applicable to products sold separately but distributed in such a manner that facilitates mixing by consumers, a practice often used to bypass earlier restrictions. The prohibition is also applicable to all food products chewable or otherwise whether flavoured, scented, mixed or combined with additives. It covers products sold under any name or form, including gutkha, pan masala and other chewable or flavoured food items. iaf aircraft crashes The wreckage of a crashed IAF microlite training aircraft being removed from a pond in Uttar Pradesh’s Prayagraj on Wednesday. Two persons onboard, including the pilot, were rescued safely | PTI Majhi warns of stern action against cattle smuggling, announces land for Gaushalas Express News Service @ Bhubaneswar Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi on Wednesday issued a strong warning against cow smuggling in the state, stating that those involved in illegal trafficking of cattle would face stringent action without exception. He also said land would be provided for setting up Gausahalas in the state. Inaugurating a three-day Matsya-Prani Samavesh, Odisha-2026 at Janata Maidan here, the chief minister said, “Cow smuggling must stop. Anyone found indulging in such activities will be dealt with firmly under the law.” He underlined the government’s commitment to protecting cattle while simultaneously accelerating the development of fisheries and animal resources to enhance far mers’ income. Majhi said to boost milk production and strengthen the dairy sector, the state government has launched the Mukhyamantri Kamadhenu Yojana in its very first budget, calling it a historic initiative. With an outlay of `1,400 crore, the scheme provides up to 70 per cent financial assistance to farmers for rearing high milkyielding crossbred cows and buffaloes. Over the past oneand-a-half years, milk production in the state has increased by 1.35 lakh litres, he said. Under the scheme, `262 SC on SIR of poll rolls: No power can be untrammelled Union govt weighs dual budget allocation on G Ram G scheme SUCHITRA K ALYA N MOHA N TY @ New Delhi As the VB-G RAM G Act, 2025, which replaces the two-decade-old Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA), is yet to be formally notified and brought into force, the Centre is considering a dual budgetary allocation in the upcoming Union Budget to ensure uninterrupted support to the scheme. Officials said since the rules under the new legislation are still being framed, the government may provide funding simultaneously for both MGNREGA and the VB-G RAM G scheme during a transitional phase. The new law will be operationalised only after the rules are notified. The move comes as the government plans to gradually phase out MGNREGA over the next six months while rolling out the new legislation. With the VB-G RAM G bill yet to come into force, the Centre is keen to avoid any disruption in wage employment for rural households, officials added. According to sources, during a recent meeting of a parliamentary panel, the government informed members that it is considering additional budgetary support and dual allocation to ensure a The Supreme Court on Wednesday asked the Election Commission of India (ECI) whether its powers to conduct a Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls can be considered untrammelled and beyond judicial review. A bench of Chief Justice of India Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi said revision of poll rolls could lead to civil consequences. “Revision of voter list can lead to some civil consequences for a person who is on the list, so if something which will affect civil rights of people, then why should not the process followed be in accordance with sub-section 2 (of the Representation of the People (RP) Act which provides for roll revision in a prescribed manner)?” the CJI asked. Senior advocate Rakesh Dwivedi, representing the ECI, cited clause (3) of Section 21 of the RP Act, which reads: “Notwithstanding anything contained in sub-section (2), the Election Commission may at any time, for reasons to be recorded, direct a special revision of the electoral roll for any constituency or part of a constituency in such manner as it may think fit.” The CJI, however, asked if Section 21(2) enables the ECI to go beyond the rules, can the poll body then exempt itself from its own notified procedures when it undertakes an SIR under Section 21(3). “So, why should we not expect you (ECI) to have a transparent procedure,” he questioned. Justice Bagchi observed, “No power or jurisdiction can be untrammelled, no matter how high one is. The manner of conduct of the revision of electoral rolls must conform with the principles of natural justice. It should be just and fair.” Dwivedi agreed that the ECI must satisfy the court that the process was just, fair and transparent. Horrific crash kills 18-yr-old in capital city, SUV driver absconds E x p r e s s N e w s S e r v i c e @ Bhubaneswar A horrific crash between a Mahindra Thar and a cruiser bike left an 18-year-old dead in the city late on Tuesday . Two other bike riders, injured in the mishap, were admitted to the All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Bhubaneswar. The incident took place at about 11.40 pm near Capital Hospital Square. Driver of the SUV fled the scene. Such was the impact of the collision that the Mahindra Thar dragged the Royal Enfield Bullet to a distance. Preliminary investigation revealed the accident took place while the three persons on the Bullet took a right turn at Capital Hospital Square towards Forest Park, The Thar, coming from AG Square, collided against the cruiser bike. While 18-year-old Raja Pediny died at the spot, his friends Abhi- CM Mohan Charan Majhi honouring two successful women farmers | express crore has been disbursed to 4.73 lakh beneficiaries, while OMFED is providing an additional `2 per litre incentive to milk producers. Majhi also highlighted the artificial insemination programme using sex-sorted semen, benefiting 2.30 lakh cattle rearers, aimed at increasing the number of female calves. Emphasising diversified agriculture, Majhi said nearly 92 per cent of farmers in the state are small and marginal, making allied activities like fisheries, dairy poultry goatery and , , piggery essential for income Continued on P5 security  . The crashed SUV after the accident manyu Champati and Ganesh Sahoo were seriously injured. Pediny was a resident of Old Town area. The Mahindra Thar was registered in the name of Pradyumna Biswal, a contractor. He fled the scene after the mishap while Subham Kumar Das, who was in the vehicle, was detained. Das claimed before police that Biswal was driving the SUV How. ever, a senior officer of Capital Police station said investigation would ascertain who was behind the wheels when the accident took place. The SUV flaunted the owner’s surname on its windscreens and Batman graphics on the rear window. Police seized both the vehicles and are examining the CCTV footage to ascertain more details about the fatal crash. The CCTV footage apparently is not very clear. “Capital police registered a case and launched a probe into the matter. One person has been detained and further action will be taken accordingly,” said Bhubaneswar DCP Jagmohan Meena. In another accident, a private university student rammed his car into a SUV near Kujimahal village under Chandaka Police limits. The youth was traveling with his four of his friends and breath analyser test revealed he was driving under the influence of alcohol, said a police officer. P r e e t h a N a i r @ New Delhi Framing the rules “After it is notified, states have to frame rules. It will take time. Even the BJPruled states are not going to come on board as the Act puts a huge financial burden,” said a oppn leader. smooth transition to the VB-G RAM G. Signalling a sharp jump in budgetary support, the government had earlier announced that `1,51,282 crore would be allocated for VB-G RAM G. Sources said that the Centre may further increase the outlay in its budget announcement. MGNREGA was allotted an unchanged `86,000 crore in both FY25 and FY26. Under the new Act, the estimated Central share of funding is `95,692.31 crore, with the states bearing the rest. The new Act mandates a 60:40 cost-sharing ratio between the Centre and the states. Opposition members have, however, raised concerns, saying that states remain in the dark over the proposed norms for allocation of funds under the new Act. T20 Wc tussle ICC denies Bangladesh’s request to shift their matches out of india As reported by this daily, if Bangladesh choose not to come to India for upcoming Men’s T20 World Cup on Thursday, ICC are likely to replace them with Scotland in Group C | P11