Kolkata, Feb 5 (PTI) The Supreme Court's direction that no coercive steps, including arrest of Kolkata Police chief Rajeev Kumar, will take place during the course of investigation is "our moral victory", West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said Tuesday.

The Supreme Court Tuesday directed Kumar to make himself available before the CBI and "faithfully" cooperate with the agency in investigation of cases arising out of the Saradha chit fund scam probe.

New Delhi, Feb 5 (PTI) Dumping of sewage in water bodies is an offence, the National Green Tribunal said Tuesday while slapping a penalty of Rs 25 lakh on the Uttar Pradesh government for its failure to stop discharge of dirty water into Upper Ganga canal.

A bench headed by NGT Chairperson Justice Adarsh Kumar Goel said adequate steps have not been taken for proper waste management and its treatment.

MOSCOW, February 6. /TASS/. Participants in the intra-Afghan conference in Moscow have called for complete withdrawal of foreign forces from Afghanistan, Tolo News TV channel reported citing the statement issued at the end of the conference.

New Delhi, Feb, 2019: The Tehreek-ul-Mujahideen, which has been fighting for "liberation of Kashmir", has been banned by the government of India, the Home Ministry said Wednesday.

In a notification, the ministry said the central government believes that the Tehreek-ul-Mujahideen (TuM) is involved in various anti-India activities, and its members are getting financial as well as logistic support from their handlers based outside India.

MOSCOW, February 5. /TASS/. The Iranian leadership has sufficient forces to prevent the destabilization of the country after the resumption of US sanctions, Russian Ambassador to Iran Levan Dzhagaryan said in an interview with TASS.

5 Feb 2019; DW: A former Dutch far-right MP and right-hand man to anti-Islam politician Geert Wilders revealed he has converted to Islam. He was known for saying that Islam is "a lie" and the Quran is "poison."

For years, as a lawmaker for Wilders' Freedom Party (PVV), Joram van Klaveren fought a relentless campaign in the Lower House against Islam in the Netherlands.

WASHINGTON; 06 Feb 2019; AA: The Turkey-U.S. Joint Working Group held its final meeting in Washington, D.C. Tuesday, chaired by Turkey's Deputy Foreign Minister Sedat Onal and U.S. Undersecretary of State for Political Affairs David Hale. 

A diplomatic source who spoke on condition of anonymity confirmed the meeting was held at the State Department. It tackled bilateral relations between Ankara and Washington and regional affairs.

MOSCOW, February 5. /TASS/. Diplomats from the US embassy in Moscow have visited Paul Whelan, an American charged with espionage in Russia, embassy spokesperson Andrea Kalan told TASS on Tuesday.

"I can confirm that US Embassy representatives visited Paul Whelan at the Lefortovo detention facility today," she said.

New Delhi, Feb 5 (PTI) The Supreme Court Tuesday came down heavily on the Centre over the Assam National Register of Citizens (NRC) process and said it is hell bent on not allowing the work to continue.

The top court rapped Ministry of Home Affairs for its plea seeking to stall the NRC work for two weeks keeping in mind the role of Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) in the election duty.

DUSHANBE, February 5. /TASS/. Russia will assist Tajikistan in modernizing its armed forces and fortifying its state border in light of threats emanating from Afghanistan’s territory, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said on Tuesday following talks with his Tajik counterpart Sirodjiddin Muhriddin.

"We have already began work to provide assistance to our Tajik friends in re-equipping their armed forces, fortifying the state border, including in light of the persisting threats, which continue to emanate from Afghanistan’s territory," he said.

Lucknow, Feb 5 (PTI) The Uttar Pradesh government has constituted an Special Investigation Team to probe the circumstances that led to riots in Kanpur in 1984 following the assassination of then prime minister Indira Gandhi, an official release said Tuesday night.

The four-member SIT, to be headed by retired UP Director General of Police Atul, has been asked to submit its report within six months, the release said.

5 Feb 2019; DW: A series of fake bomb threats forced tens of thousands of people on Tuesday to evacuate buildings in Russia's capital of Moscow.

School children, office workers and shoppers were among those who had to briefly empty 100 buildings in and around the city, reports said. In total, some 20,000 people were affected, while authorities swept the areas and ruled out any danger.