Indian Sub-continent

Siliguri , December 27; GANASHAKTI:   Over Thirty thousand farmers and agricultural labourers   from 6 North Bengal districts today afternoon  met in a long march cum encroachment programme at Siliguri in North Bengal, with determination and dedication to tear open  the anti farmer policies of the Modi led Union Government and the West Bengal State Government.  Crossing the initial estimate of 10,000 particpants the long march evinced huge interest in North Bengal  and over 30000 peasants joined the March at the call of All India Kisan Sabha- All India Agricultural Workers Union Combine .

Nagpur, Dec 27 (PTI) The Bombay High Court has taken suo motu (on its own) notice of an incident where a sessions court judge was allegedly assaulted by an assistant public prosecutor on the court premises.

Vacation judge Justice R K Deshpande of the high court's Nagpur bench said Wednesday that such incidents are a "threat to independence of the judiciary".

Assistant public prosecutor Dinesh Parate allegedly slapped senior civil judge K R Deshpande outside a lift on the seventh floor of the Nagpur District and Sessions court around noon Wednesday.

Bhopal, Dec 27 (PTI) An eight-year-old girl, student of a private school in Bhopal city, was allegedly raped by her classmate, police said Thursday.

According to the complaint filed by her parents, another unidentified boy was also involved in the crime.

While the police were yet to receive the girl's medical report, a special investigation team (SIT) has been formed to probe the shocking incident.

The alleged incident took place near the girl's house Tuesday. The case was registered Wednesday after the girl's parents approached police.

New Delhi, Dec 27 (PTI) The government has banned Khalistan Liberation Force (KLF) for its involvement in several killings, bombings and other terror activities during its violent campaign for "secession of Punjab".

The decision to ban the outfit under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) comes in the backdrop of agencies unearthing several KLF modules in recent months which has led to apprehensions that it is attempting to revive militancy in the state.

New Delhi, Dec 27 (PTI) A group of 40 women rights activists has opposed the Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) Bill, 2018, in its present form, raising concerns over 10 points in the Bill which was passed by the Lok Sabha Thursday.

In a statement, they urged the government to withdraw the Bill from consideration in the Rajya Sabha, and review the fundamental flaws pending broad-based community consultations.

Following are the 10 concerns raised by the activists.

New Delhi, Dec 27(PTI) Train 18, India's fastest train, will begin operations in January 2019 at a curtailed speed of 130 kmph, sources said Thursday.

Train 18, which is set to replace the Shatabdi series, has the potential to run between 160 kmph to 200 kmph. At trials, it breached the 180-kmph mark.

Noida (UP), Dec 27 (PTI) A 30-year-old woman received severe burn injuries after she was allegedly set on fire by her in-laws over dowry in Greater Noida, police said Thursday.

The incident took place on Wednesday at Kalupura village under Rabupura police station limits, a police official said.

"A complaint was made by the woman's brother, who has alleged that her in-laws tried to kill her for dowry," the official said.

Mumbai, Dec 27 (PTI) Senior BJP leader Subramanian Swamy said Thursday he was hopeful of the contentious triple talaq bill getting passed in the Rajya Sabha though the NDA government did not have a majority in the Upper House.

His comments come after the bill criminalising instant divorce by Muslim men was passed by the Lok Sabha after a heated debate on Thursday, with the government projecting it as a matter of "insaaniyat aur insaaf" for Muslim women, and rejecting the contention that it was aimed at targeting a particular community.

KANPUR: Since the flooring of Astroturf on Green Park ground for playing hockey, it has turned into a bone of contention. Previously it was opposed for its non-compliance of the standard set for the size of the hockey field. Now the Football Federation has taken up the cudgel.

KANPUR: Two cases of swindling have been reported. One man was swindled in Maharajpur of Sarsaul Block while a Munshi’s bag was divested of money in Cooper Ganj here.