From The Newsroom: CBI files charge sheet in Hathras case; PM Modi slams Opposition for misleading farmers

In your evening news brief, From The Newsroom, Prime Minister Modi slams Opposition over farm laws; Karnataka government instructs removal of contents from the class 6 social science textbooks after Brahmin Development Board complained it was "insulting" to the Brahmin community; CBI files its chargesheet in Hathras case; China’s citizen journalist to face trial later this month and British and EU negotiators divided on fishing rights.

Here are the top news of December 18, 2020:

Sharply criticising the Opposition for trying to sway 'innocent farmers' and using the issue for political gains, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday said the farm laws were always part of opposition parties' manifesto and the government merely turned those promises into a reality.

Speaking to farmers in Madhya Pradesh, Modi said: "I request all political parties with folded hands, please keep all the credit, I don't want any credit for these reforms, I just want to improve farmers' lives."

Karnataka Government has instructed the removal of contents from the class 6 social science textbooks after the Brahmin Development Board complained it was "insulting" to the Brahmin community.

The Primary and Secondary Education Minister S Suresh Kumar in a note to top officials of his department has also directed that a committee be constituted including teachers and experts to examine such contents in the social science and language textbooks from class 1 to 10, and submit a report in 15 days to take necessary action.

The CBI on Friday filed its charge sheet against four accused in the alleged gangrape and murder case of a 19-year-old Dalit woman in Hathras, officials said.

The agency invoked charges of gangrape and murder against 4 men and the local court in Hathras has taken cognizance, a lawyer for the accused told reporters outside the court.

A citizen journalist detained in China after reporting from the Covid-19 ground zero of Wuhan will face trial later this month, her lawyer said Friday, as fears grow for her health.

Zhang Zhan, a former lawyer, travelled to Wuhan in February and live-streamed her experiences on social media. She also wrote essays critical of the government's response

Zhang was detained in May. Zhang began a hunger strike in June, her lawyers said and has been force-fed via a nasal tube.

British and EU negotiators plunged into the "final hours" of their scramble for a post-Brexit trade deal Friday, deeply divided on the highly-charged issue of fishing rights.

The UK will leave the EU single market in less than two weeks and time has all but run out for any agreement to be approved in time to head off a severe economic shock.

The European Parliament has demanded that it see the text of any accord by Sunday at the latest, and the UK government says it will not allow talks to go beyond December 31.

Brussels' chief Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier told the MEPs before heading to talks with his UK counterpart David Frost that Friday marked a "moment of truth".