HIGHLIGHTS

Following are the top stories at 2100 hours: NATION DEL82 CORONAVIRUS-2NDLDALL INDIA Two new cases of coronavirus reported in India; Govt steps up screening New Delhi: India on Monday reported two new cases of the novel coronavirus, including one from the national capital, the Union Health Ministry said as the government stepped up its efforts to detect and check the infection, which has killed more than 3000 people globally. DEL81 LDALL NIRBHAYA Nirbhaya case: For 3rd time, Court defers hanging of 4 death row convicts New Delhi: The hanging of the four convicts in the 2012 Nirbhaya gang-rape and murder case scheduled for Tuesday was deferred for the third time in six weeks by a court in yet another twist in the case marked by apparent delaying tactics by the condemned prisoners. DEL88 PARL-LDALL ADJOURN BJP, Cong members scuffle in Lok Sabha as Oppn protests over Delhi violence rock Parliament New Delhi: BJP and Congress members pushed and shoved each other in Lok Sabha as Parliament was on Monday rocked by protests against the Modi government over the communal violence in Delhi, with the opposition demanding resignation of Home Minister Amit Shah.

DEL61 DL-LDALL VIOLENCE Students appear for board exams amid tight security, police crack down on rumour-mongers New Delhi: Most of the students appeared for board exams in riot-affected northeast Delhi amid tight security on Monday, as authorities maintained that the situation remained calm in the area. CAL13 WB LD MAMATA-VIOLENCE- GENOCIDE Delhi violence state-sponsored planned genocide: Mamata Kolkata: The communal conflagration in Delhi was "state-sponsored planned genocide", West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee alleged on Monday and claimed an attempt was being made by the BJP to replicate the "Gujarat model of riots" across the country.

DEL86 ITX-CG RAIDS-LD CBDT Illegal cash from liquor and mining business paid to Chhattisgarh public servants: CBDT New Delhi: Income Tax raids conducted in Chhattisgarh have revealed that "unaccounted cash" sourced from liquor and mining businesses was being paid to public servants every month, the CBDT said on Monday. LGD46 DL-COURT-4THLD NIRBHAYA Nirbhaya case: Delhi court defers hanging of 4 death row convicts till further order New Delhi: A Delhi court Monday deferred till further order the hanging of four death row convicts in the 2012 Nirbhaya gang rape and murder case pending disposal of a convict's mercy plea, saying it was "an important constitutional legal principle".

LEGAL LGD42 SC-2ND LD VIOLENCE Delhi violence: SC agrees to hear on Mar 4 plea seeking lodging of FIRs New Delhi: The Supreme Court Monday agreed to hear on March 4 a plea seeking lodging of FIRs against BJP leaders -- Anurag Thakur, Parvesh Verma, Kapil Mishra and Abhay Verma -- for their purported hate speeches which allegedly led to recent violence in Delhi in which over 40 people lost their lives and scores injured. LGD47 SC-2ND LD ABDULLAH Omar Abdullah's detention under PSA: It's case of personal liberty, says SC New Delhi: Terming it a case of personal liberty, the Supreme Court Monday said it will hear on March 5 a plea filed by Sara Abdullah Pilot challenging the detention of her brother Omar Abdullah under the Jammu and Kashmir Public Safety Act (PSA).

BUSINESS DEL83 BIZ-LD ONION-EXPORT Govt allows onion exports from Mar 15, MEP removed New Delhi: Export of all varieties of onion will be free from March 15, the government announced on Monday, lifting around six-month-old curbs on shipments of the bulb following a correction in prices and improvement in local supplies. DEL85 BIZ-LD RUPEE Rupee takes 52 paise plunge as fresh coronavirus cases spook investors Mumbai: The rupee reversed its initial gains to settle sharply down by 52 paise at 72.76 against the US dollar on Monday mirroring a crash in local equities and forex outflows as detection of two fresh cases of novel coronavirus in India unnerved investors. FOREIGN FGN63 BANGLA-SHRINGLA-MILITARY India willing to share all military hardware made in the country with Bangladesh: FS Shringla Dhaka: India is ready to share with Bangladesh any military hardware being manufactured in the country for India's defence forces, Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla said on Monday as he underlined the potential for robust defence cooperation between the two neighbours.

FGN54 ISRAEL-2NDLD VOTE Israelis vote in unprecedented third general elections in less than a year Jerusalem: Israelis voted on Monday in an unprecedented third parliamentary elections in less than a year to break the deadlock on government formation, with the country's longest serving Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu fighting for his political survival amid indictments on graft charges. By Harinder Mishra FGN49 CHINA-LD MEDIA China says foreign journalists need to follow local laws Beijing: China on Monday said foreign journalists reporting from the country need to follow professional ethics and Chinese laws, as it dismissed a media group’s report that Beijing is using visa as a weapon to intimidate foreign media "like never before". By K J M Varma SPORTS SPD20 SPO-BANERJEE-LD HEALTH PK Banerjee critical, put on ventilator Kolkata: Legendary Indian footballer PK Banerjee, who has been battling a chest infection for the last one month, was put on ventilator and his condition is said to be critical.

PTI SRY.