Teachers to be appointed nodal officers in stray dog-related matter; associations raise concerns
New Delhi (PTI): Teachers in Delhi will be appointed as nodal officers in matters related to stray dogs around their educational institutions following directions issued by the Directorate of Education (DoE).
Teachers' associations, however, opposed the move, arguing that assigning such duties during the academic session could adversely affect teaching work, especially as pre-board examinations are currently underway in several schools.
According to a circular issued on December 5 by the DoE Caretaking Branch, district education officers have been directed to designate teachers as nodal officers for stray dog-related matters and submit their details to the directorate, which will forward the consolidated information to the chief secretary.
In North West A district, the deputy director of education has issued an order naming 118 teachers from different schools in the zone for the task. The order also mentions three teachers as nodal officers representing three zones.
As per the circular, compiled district-level reports are to be submitted, and replies from individual schools will not be accepted.
The details to be shared include the name, designation, contact number, and email ID of the nominated nodal officers from schools, stadiums and sports complexes under the district.
The nodal officers will act as point persons for stray dog-related issues and their details must be displayed prominently outside school buildings and other educational premises for public awareness, it stated.
The DoE said the move is linked to public safety and is being implemented in accordance with the Supreme Court's November 7 order and directions issued during a meeting held on November 20. The task has been marked as a top priority, the circular added.
Teachers' bodies, however, questioned why departments responsible for animal welfare are not handling the issue, cautioning that repeated non-academic assignments undermine the dignity of the teaching profession.
President of a government teachers' association, Sant Ram, said teachers have always extended their services whenever required, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic, but deploying them for non-teaching duties during working days was unfair to students.
"If teachers are allowed to focus only on education during school days, it will be in the best interest of society and the country. Such duties can be assigned during vacations but diverting teachers during the academic session is an injustice to children," he said.
Similar directives involving the deployment of teachers for animal-related matters have been issued earlier in several states and Union territories, including Uttar Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Karnataka and Chhattisgarh.
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The Latest: Kuwait blames Iran for drone strikes as Trump casts doubt on ceasefire
Dubai (AP): US President Donald Trump appeared to cast doubt on the effectiveness of the two-week ceasefire over Iran's continued chokehold over the Strait of Hormuz, while Kuwait accused Iran and its proxies of launching drone attacks targeting it on Thursday despite the ceasefire.
Iran's paramilitary Revolutionary Guard denied launching attacks on Persian Gulf states after Kuwait's announcement.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu offered a potential boost to ceasefire efforts in the region when he said he had approved direct talks with Lebanon. The Lebanese government has not responded as of Friday morning.
The announcement came after Israel's pounding of Beirut Wednesday killed more than 300 people. The negotiations are expected next week in Washington, according to a person familiar with the matter.
Questions remained over what will happen to Iran's stockpile of enriched uranium at the heart of tensions, how and when normal traffic will resume through the Strait of Hormuz, and what happens to Iran's ability to launch future missile attacks and support armed proxies in the region.
Talks between the United States and Iran on a resolution to the conflict are expected to start Saturday in Islamabad, with the White House saying Vice President JD Vance would lead the US delegation.
Here is the latest:
Air defence fire and explosions heard in Iran
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Multiple times overnight into Friday morning, people around Iran's capital, Tehran, and other parts of the country said they heard what sounded like air defence fire and explosions.
However, Iran's government did not acknowledge any attack during that period.
After past exchanges of fire with Israel, similar incidents happened as troops remained on edge.
Japan releases more oil reserves
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Japan said it will release an additional 20 days' worth of oil reserves in May, in a second round to address supply uncertainty over the war in the Middle East.
Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said the planned release of the government reserves will start in early May, after an earlier release last month.
Japan started releasing about 50 days' worth of oil reserves in March, including from those held by the state, the private sector and oil-producing Gulf nations.
As of April 6, Japan had 230 days' worth oil reserves, including 143 days' worth in government stockpiles, according to the Natural Resources and Energy Agency.
Takaichi said her government is working to secure oil imports via routes that do not include the Strait of Hormuz, while Japan seeks to diversify suppliers.
Pakistan to issue visas on arrival ahead of talks
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Pakistan said Friday it would issue visas on arrival for those travelling to Islamabad for the Iran-US talks, signalling the interest in the world's media in the event.
