Senior lawyer Prashant Bhushan was attacked by three goons of the Sri Ram Sene organisation, who barged into his chambers outside the Supreme Court, because they were agitated over his comments on Kashmir.

Bhushan said the organisation has a history of violence against those who disagree with their viewpoints. He compared their ideology to the intolerance of Hitler's Germany.

He asked supporters not to resort to violence against the members of the Sri Ram Sene, but called for a social boycott and ban on the organisation.

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According to global market research company Ipsos, Indian parents want their children to have better brains as against the global parental preference for a healthy heart.

In their research Ipsos surveyed parents from 24 countries and found that 24 percent of Indians want better brain development for their kids and 20 percent chose better immunity.

Globally 23 percent of parents desired a healthy heart, followed by reduced risk of disease in later life. Better brain development and better immunity accounted for 18 percent of the votes.

Parents from China, Japan, Saudi Arabia and South Korea ranked better immunity as being important whereas parents in Spain, Belgium, Russia and Britain chose a healthy heart as most important.

In France, Italy, Sweden and Germany reduced risk of disease was most important.

According to Ipsos, parents are influenced by their value systems, the availability of different foods and medicines in their countries and the messages they receive from their local media and governments.

The survey was conducted between Feb and June 2011. The sample size was 18,680 adults in 24 countries.

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Disgruntled employees of India's biggest carmaker, Maruti Suzuki, have seized control of the Manesar plant, that has seen weeks of labour unrest.

Production has shut down for a third consecutive day in the stand-off that has cost the company over $150 million.

The company issued a statement saying the plant is effectively captive in the hands of the striking workers who are bent on violence in what is described as a grave situation.

The initial strike began in August when workers refused to sign a discipline agreement ordered by the company after accusations of workers deliberately sabotaging car production.

For its part the Maruti Suzuki Employees Union says they are demanding that casual workers earlier fired, be taken back.

Supporting strikes by workers at other Suzuki owned plants in India that supply parts to Maruti's second car factory have resulted in losses of production to the tune of some $22 million.

As a consequence shares of the carmaker closed down 3.8 percent recently, as against a 2.2 per cent rise in the Sensex.

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After taking the advice of a self-styled godman, Usha Sharma 30, of a village near Lucknow, and members of her family, abducted Beenu 7, the daughter of a neighbour, and strangled her to death while performing rituals before the idols of goddesses at her home. They then dumped the child's body outside the village.

According to police, Usha and her husband were having marital problems and she had moved back into her parent's house. She met with a godman, who told her that sacrificing a minor girl would improve her strained marriage.

The child Beenu's body was recovered and police say when they noticed flowers, vermillion and other puja items near the body, they suspected human sacrifice.

Usha was arrested and confessed to her crime. Her brother, sister-in-law and mother have also been arrested.

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Anand and Deepa Ranthidevan committed suicide together by hanging themselves in Goa. Anand 39, and Deepa 36, from South India were discovered after neighbours complained of an unpleasant odour from the flat.

A suicide note in English signed by the couple, stated that they ended their lives of their own free will and no one should be held responsible or accountable for it. They hung themselves with a rope from the ceiling fan hook.

The suicide note addressed to 'whom it may concern' said "We have lived a very eventful and happy life together, travelled the world, lived in different countries, made more money than we ever thought possible and enjoyed spending as much of it as we could on things that brought us joy and satisaction.' They went on to say they believe in the philosophy that their lives belong only to them and they thus have the right to choose to die.

The note clarified that they have left no liabilities or debts and their last will and testament was also signed. The couple worked in the IT industry.

They left enough cash to be cremated, which they wished to be. Their elderly relatives were informed but said they are too old to travel and asked police to perform the last rites.

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