Indian Sub-continent

New Delhi, Jul 19 (PTI) A criminal complaint was on Friday filed in a court here against Trinamool Congress MP Mahua Moitra by Zee Media Corporation Ltd, accusing her of defaming the news channel.

The complaint comes days after Moitra filed a defamation complaint against the news channel and its Editor-in-Chief Sudhir Chaudhary for alleging that her June 25 speech in Parliament on the 'seven signs of fascism' was plagiarized.

New Delhi, Jul 19 (PTI) Karnataka Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy moved the Supreme Court Friday saying that Governor Vajubhai Vala cannot dictate to the Assembly the manner in which the debate on the confidence motion has to be taken up.

The Chief Minister questioned the deadlines set by the Governor one after another to complete the trust vote, and also sought clarification on the apex court's July 17 order which said that the 15 rebel MLAs cannot be compelled to attend the proceedings of the House.

New Delhi, Jul 19; GANASHAKTI: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi Friday alleged that Priyanka Gandhi Vadra was "illegally arrested" when she was going to meet victims of the Sonbhadra clash and hit out at the BJP government in Uttar Pradesh, saying this "arbitrary application of power" reveals its increasing insecurity.

Congress general secretary in-charge Uttar Pradesh East Priyanka Gandhi was Friday stopped from proceeding towards Sonbhadra district to meet those injured in the clash that claimed 10 lives, and taken to a guesthouse by authorities after she staged a sit-in.

Ranchi, Jul 18: Three Naxalites have been killed and arms and ammunition seized in an encounter with security forces in Jhrakhand's Lohardaga district Thursday, officials said.

They said the encounter broke out around 2:45 pm when a joint team of 158th and 214th battalions of CRPF and state police was out for operations in Bahegara village of Bagru area in the district.

Bodies of three Maoists, 2 AK-47 rifles and some ammunition have been recovered by the security forces.

The Lohardaga district headquarters is about 74 km from the state capital here.

Chapra, Jul 19; GANASHAKTI: Three people were lynched at a village in Bihar's Saran district Friday morning by a mob that caught hold of them while they were allegedly stealing cattle, police said.

The incident took place in the wee hours at Paigambarpur village under Baniapur police station.

The deceased have been identified as Raju Nat, Bides Nat and Naushad Qureshi, Superintendent of Police Har Kishore Rai said.

New Delhi, July 19; IANS/GANASHAKTI: The Supreme Court on Friday questioned the Centre and the Assam government's request seeking extension on the publication of the final NRC citing 20 per cent re-verification of the draft NRC data to rule out discrepancies. The NRC is scheduled for publication on July 31.

Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the Centre and Assam, said: "We cannot afford to become the refugee capital in the world." He demanded extension for re-verification.

Sonebhadra, July 19; IANS/GANASHAKTI: The bloody clashes that left 10 persons dead in Murtiya village in Sonebhadra now seem like a scene straight out of a Bollywood potboiler.

According to reports, the village head and the main accused in the massacre, Yagya Dutt, had brought about 200 men on 32 tractor trolleys to take possession of the disputed land.

After the tribals who were tilling the land, opposed his attempt to take possession of the land, Yagya Dutt's men fired at them for over half-an-hour.

Bengaluru, July 19; IANS/GANASHAKTI: Karnataka Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy on Friday missed the 1.30 p.m. deadline given by Governor Vajubhai Vala to prove majority in the state legislative Assembly here.

"The Chief Minister has failed to prove majority by 1.30 p.m. on Friday as asked by the Governor," Opposition BJP leader B.S. Yeddurappa told Speaker K.R. Ramesh Kumar in the House and pressed for conducting floor test on the confidence motion that Kumaraswamy moved on Thursday.

ISLAMABAD, Jul 19 (APP): Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Information and Broadcasting Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan Friday said that there was no possibility of any deal with the opposition facing corruption charges till they return the national wealth.

Talking to private news channel, Dr Firdous said no compromise would be made on action against corruption and the across the board accountability process would be intensified further.

Islamabad, Jul 19 (PTI) Pakistan will grant consular access to Indian national Kulbushan Jadhav according to the Pakistani laws, for which the modalities are being worked out, the Foreign Ministry has said.

The ministry also said that Jadhav had been informed of his rights under the Vienna Convention on consular relations.

"Pursuant to the decision of the ICJ, Commander Kulbushan Jadhav has been informed of his rights under Article 36, Paragraph 1(b) of the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations," the Foreign Ministry said in a statement on Thursday.