Indian Sub-continent

New Delhi, Aug 1 (PTI) President Ram Nath Kovind has given assent to the triple talaq bill passed by Parliament, making it a law, a government notification said.

The bill, which prescribes up to three years imprisonment for Muslim men giving instant triple talaq to their wives, was passed by Parliament on Tuesday.

Parliament approved the bill that makes instant triple talaq a criminal offence, after the contentious legislation was passed by Rajya Sabha.

ISLAMABAD, Jul 31 (APP): Director General South Asia and SAARC Dr Mohammad Faisal on Wednesday summoned Indian Deputy High Commissioner Gaurav Ahluwalia and condemned the ceasefire violations by the Indian occupation forces including unprovoked firing along the Line of Control (LoC).

The DG SA & SAARC urged the Indian side to respect the 2003 Ceasefire arrangement, investigate incidents of ceasefire violations and instruct the Indian forces to respect the ceasefire in letter and spirit to maintain peace on the LoC and the Working Boundary.

31 July 2019; DW: Afghan officials have accused the Taliban of planting a roadside bomb in the western province of Farah. Civilians often take the brunt of fighting between insurgents and pro-government forces.

A "Taliban roadside bomb" on Wednesday killed at least 34 people, mostly women and children, Afghan authorities said.

Insurgents, such as the Taliban militant group, regularly target pro-government forces but civilians often take the brunt of attacks.

Tehran, July 31, IRNA - Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif on Wednesday welcomed shift in regional stance of the United Arab Emirates and hoped to see members of B-Team to decrease.

Speaking to reporters, Mohammad Javad Zarif said that Iran has always made clear that it is interested in cooperation with neighbors.

Like Saudi Arabia and Bahrain, UAE is also Iran's neighbor, he said.

COLOMBO, Sri Lanka (AP) — Sri Lanka announced Wednesday it will give a one-month free visa on arrival to visitors from nearly 50 countries in its latest effort to revive the island nation’s lucrative tourism industry that was badly hit by the Easter bomb attacks that killed 263 people.

Tourism Minister John Amaratunga said tourists or those visiting for business purposes could get their free visa on arrival or applying online. The measure will be effective for six months, starting from Thursday.

Mumbai, Jul 31 (PTI) On the eve of the launch of his mass outreach programme aimed at building a momentum ahead of the assembly elections, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Wednesday reiterated the BJP and the Shiv Sena would contest together unlike 2014.

Speaking at a function after inducting four MLAs of the Congress and the NCP into the BJP, the chief minister said the BJP, the Sena and allies parties would like to "break the record of winning maximum number of seats in the state polls".

Jaipur, Jul 31 (PTI) The investigating officer of a rape case was suspended on Wednesday, two days after the death of victim who set herself on fire in front of a police station demanding the arrest of the accused.

Sanjay Godara, who was the station house officer of Vaishali Nagar police station of Jaipur, was initially removed from posting and put under awaiting posting orders (APO), DCP Vikas Sharma said on Wednesday.

Now, Godara has been placed under suspension on Tuesday night, Sharma said.

Unnao (UP), Jul 31 (PTI) The Unnao rape victim's aunt, who was killed in a truck-car collision in Rae Bareli on Sunday, was cremated on the banks of the Ganges here on Wednesday amid tight security.

The rape victim's uncle Mahesh Singh, who was granted short-term bail to attend the last rites of his wife, was brought to the Ganga ghat from the Rae Bareli district jail to attend the ritual.

Only family members and close relatives were allowed near the cremation ghat.

Lucknow, Jul 30 (PTI) The Allahabad High Court Tuesday granted one-day parole to Unnao rape survivor's uncle Mahesh Singh to attend the last rites of his wife who was killed in a road accident on Sunday.

The Lucknow bench of the high court directed the jail superintendent and district authorities to ensure that Singh is taken for the cremation at Gangaghat in tight security.

The court directed senior registrar of the high court to communicate the copy of the order to jail and district authorities immediately for compliance.

New Delhi, Jul 31 (PTI) The Supreme Court on Wednesday sought a report from its secretary general as to why a letter written by the Unnao rape victim to Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi, apprehending threat to her life, was not placed before him.

"Unfortunately, the letter is yet to see the light of the day and yet the newspapers flashed it as if I have read the letter," Justice Gogoi said.

The observations came when senior lawyer V Giri, who is assisting the court as an amicus curiae in child rape cases, sought urgent listing of the Unnao rape case.