'Ayyappa Jyothi' volunteers line up Kerala roads
An amalgam of Hindu right-wing groups turned out in strength on Wednesday evening and lit lamps along public roads in Kerala to decry what they described as repeated attempts by the CPI(M)-led State government to escort women between the age of 10 and 50 to Sabarimala under the “pretext of upholding the Supreme Court order on September 28”.
The Sabarimala Karma Samithi (SKS), a recent construct of the Hindu Aikya Vedi, spearheaded the Ayyappa Jyothi campaign, which was widely viewed as a strong political counter to the “wall of women to protect enlightenment values” planned by the Left Democratic Front (LDF) on New Year’s Day.
Two ex-Presidents appear in the same courtroom
Relatives of Muslim Brotherhood members gesture during a court case accusing ousted Islamist President Mohamed Morsy of breaking out of prison in 2011, in Cairo, Egypt on December 26, 2018.
Two former Egyptian Presidents have appeared in the same Cairo courtroom, with Hosni Mubarak testifying in a retrial of Mohamed Morsy.
The 90-year-old Mubarak, whose nearly three-decade rule was ended by a popular uprising in 2011, could be seen walking into the courtroom with a cane on Wednesday.
Morsi, an Islamist who became Egypt's first freely elected President the following year, was removed from power by the military in 2013 amid mass protests against his divisive rule. The jailed former leader now faces an array of charges in multiple court cases.
Wednesday's trial concerns a jailbreak staged by Morsy and other leaders of the Muslim Brotherhood group during the 2011 uprising. Mubarak refused to answer most questions, saying he needs permission from President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi and the military.
Kanhaiya Kumar accuses PM Modi & Banerjee of playing with religious sentiments
CPI leader Gurudas Dasgupta and student leader Kanhaiya Kumar during a rally to mark the 94th foundation day programme of the Communist Party of India (CPI), in Kolkata on December 26, 2018.
All India Students’ Federation (AISF) leader Kanhaiya Kumar on Wednesday accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee of playing with religious sentiments.
“What Modi is doing in the country from Delhi, Didi [Banerjee] is doing the same sitting in Kolkata,” Mr. Kumar alleged at a public meeting here to mark the 94th foundation day of the Communist Party of India (CPI).
“We will fight against anybody who wants to destroy the democratic fabric of the country, whether Modi or Didi,” he said.
“There is a conspiracy and people should see through it. Why is Didi trying to be the protector of Muslims and Modi of the Hindus?” he questioned.
Magnitude 4.8 earthquake in Sicily causes damage
Shops are seen damaged by an earthquake, measuring magnitude 4.8, at the area north of Catania on the slopes of Mount Etna in Sicily, Italy on Wednesday, December 26, 2018.
An earthquake with a magnitude of 4.8 hit an area north of Catania on the slopes of Mount Etna in Sicily early on Wednesday, damaging buildings and injuring about 30 people, officials said.
It occurred two days after Etna, Europe's highest and most active volcano, erupted, sending a huge column of ash into the sky and causing the temporary closure of Catania airport on Sicily's eastern coast.
The earthquake hit at 3:19 a.m. (0219 GMT), prompting many people to run out of their homes and sleep in cars. It was felt strongly because its epicentre was a relatively shallow one kilometre deep, officials said.
Public sector bank employees go on strike
Bank employees protesting at Bank Street during the All India Bank Strike, in Hyderabad on Wednesday.
Operations at branches of public sector banks across the country were impacted Wednesday due to a strike by unions against the proposed merger of Vijaya Bank and Dena Bank with Bank of Baroda (BoB).
The strike has been called by the United Forum of Bank Unions (UFBU) - an umbrella organisation of all 9 unions including the All India Bank Officers Confederation (AIBOC), the All India Bank Employees’ Association (AIBEA), National Confederation of Bank Employees (NCBE) and the National Organisation of Bank Workers (NOBW).
According to AIBEA General Secretary C H Vekatachalam, the strike is effective across the country and employees are fighting for a right cause. - PTI
Srinagar records a freezing -6.7 degrees
A Kashmiri man breaks icicles formed due to a water supply line that burst on a cold winter morning at Pahalgam in Anantnag district of south Kashmir on Wednesday, December 26, 2018.
As a cold wave intensified across Jammu and Kashmir on Wednesday, Jammu city recorded the season’s coldest night at 3.5 degrees Celsius, the Met said.
In the Ladakh region and valley, the mercury dropped several degrees below the freezing point, with Leh recording minus 17.1 and Kargil minus 14.4.; while Srinagar posting a minus 6.7, Pahalgam minus 7.9 and Gulmarg minus 9.4.
Generally cloudy weather was expected in the Kashmir Valley during the next 24 hours till Thursday.
Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine base camp Katra recorded 4.2, Batote minus 1.3, Bannihal minus 3 and Bhaderwah minus 2.1 as the minimum temperatures, the Met said. - IANS
Lakmal takes five at Christchurch
Sri Lanka's Suranga Lakmal, second right, is congratulated by teammates after taking the wicket of New Zealand's Tom Latham during day one of the second cricket test between New Zealand and Sri Lanka at Hagley Oval in Christchurch, New Zealand, Wednesday, Dec. 26, 2018.
Sri Lanka had new New Zealand in deep trouble on the opening day of the second Test at Hagley Oval, Christchurch, as Suranga Lakmal took 5 for 54 to bowl out New Zealand for 178. Lakmal had the hosts reeling at 57 for 5 before Tim Southee hit a quick half-century to lift them to a better total.
Chinese rights lawyer Wang Quanzhang on trial
A supporter of prominent rights lawyer Wang Quanzhang is detained outside the courthouse where Wang's trial is held, in Tianjin, China December 26, 2018.
Chinese police locked down a courthouse on Wednesday at the start of the trial of a prominent rights lawyer who is accused of inciting subversion of state power and whose case has attracted widespread concern in Western capitals.
Wang Quanzhang, who took on sensitive cases of complaints of police torture and defended practitioners of the banned Falun Gong spiritual movement, went missing in August 2015 during a sweeping crackdown on rights activists.
Most cases from that summer, known as the 709 cases for the first day of detentions on July 9, 2015, have concluded. Wang, however, was incommunicado for more than 1,000 days.
Koreas hold groundbreaking ceremony for railway project
South Korean Unification Minister Cho Myoung-gyon, bottom left, and officials arrive to board a train to leave for the North Korea at the Seoul Railway Station in Seoul, South Korea, Wednesday, Dec. 26, 2018.
South Korean officials have traveled to North Korea by train to attend a groundbreaking ceremony for an aspirational project to modernize North Korean railways and roads and connect them with the South.
Wednesday’s ceremony at the North Korean border town of Kaesong comes weeks after the Koreas conducted a joint survey on the northern railway sections they hope to someday link with the South.
Melbourne Test: Mayank Agarwal debuts for India
Cheteshwar Pujara of India walks out to bat during day one of the Third Test match in the series between Australia and India at Melbourne Cricket Ground on December 26, 2018 in Melbourne, Australia
India won the toss and opted to bat in the ongoing Test series' Boxing Day match against Australia on Wednesday. Karnataka opener Mayank Agarwal made his debut as India went in with a new opening pair, with Hanuma Vihari joining him at the top.
(With inputs from Agencies)
