HIGHLIGHTS

Following are the top stories at 1710 hours.

CAL8 WB-LD MAMATA Govt keen on playing politics over dead bodies of jawans in LS polls: Mamata

Kolkata: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee Monday targeted the Modi government, alleging that though the Centre had intelligence inputs about the Pulwama attack, it did not take any step as it was more keen on "playing politics over the dead bodies of jawans".

DEL14 RAHUL-SHAHEED STATUS PM's ego not allowing him to meet demand for 'shaheed' status for slain paramilitary jawans: Rahul

New Delhi: Congress President Rahul Gandhi Monday trained his guns on Narendra Modi, alleging that the prime minister's ego is not allowing him to meet his demand for granting "shaheed" (martyr) status to personnel of CRPF and other paramilitary forces killed in action.

CAL10 AS-HOOCH-TOLL Assam hooch tragedy: Toll mounts to 157; 22 arrested; Cong demands CBI inquiry

Guwahati: As many as 157 people, mostly tea garden workers, have so far died in Assam hooch tragedy and more than 300 others are still undergoing treatment in hospitals in the affected districts of Golaghat and Jorhat while 22 people have been arrested in connection with the incident, officials said on Monday.

DEL4 JK-ENCOUNTER-IDENTITY Two Pak nationals among three militants killed in Kulgam encounter: JK Police

Srinagar: Two Pakistani nationals, who were top commanders of the Jaish-e-Mohammad and wanted for a "series of terror crimes", were among the three militants killed in an encounter in Jammu and Kashmir's Kulgam district, police said Monday.

DEL18 UP-SP-BSP-ALLIANCE BSP, SP announce alliance in MP, Uttarakhand for 2019 Lok Sabha polls

Lucknow: The Bahujan Samaj Party and the Samajwadi Party Monday announced they will fight the upcoming Lok Sabha elections together in Madhya Pradesh and Uttarakhand.

DEL21 FACEBOOK-PAR PANEL Facebook senior officials to appear before parliamentary panel on March 6

New Delhi: Senior officials of Facebook will appear on March 6 before a parliamentary panel to outline the specific measures undertaken to ensure safety of users on its platform after being summoned by the committee, sources said.

DEL6 AVI-AIRPORTS-BIDS Adani group wins bids to operate five airports

New Delhi: The Adani group has won the bid to operate five out of six airports that were put for privatisation by the central government, a senior official of the Airports Authority of India (AAI) said Monday.

DEL10 BIZ-TWITTER-PAR PANEL Par panel asks Twitter to engage more with EC; summons Facebook, WhatsApp officials on Mar 6

New Delhi: A parliamentary panel Monday asked micro-blogging site Twitter to address issues in real-time and engage more with the Election Commission of India (ECI) ahead of general elections and also summoned senior officials of other social media platforms Facebook, WhatsApp and Instagram on March 6.

Legal

LGD22 SC-ARMY-LD HUMAN RIGHTS SC agrees to hear plea seeking protection of human rights of security forces

New Delhi: The Supreme Court Monday agreed to examine a plea seeking protection of human rights of security force personnel, who come under attack by mobs while performing their duties.

LGD31 DL-COURT-2ND LD VADRA Delhi court refuses to stay interrogation of Robert Vadra, asks him to join probe tomorrow

New Delhi: A Delhi court Monday refused to stay interrogation of Robert Vadra, accused in a money laundering case, and directed him to join investigation before the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Tuesday.

LGD6 DL-COURT-AKBAR #MeToo: Court grants bail to scribe Ramani in defamation case by M J Akbar

New Delhi: A Delhi court on Monday granted bail to journalist Priya Ramani, who was summoned as an accused in a defamation case filed by former Union minister M J Akbar after she levelled allegations of sexual misconduct against him.

Foreign

FGN6 PULWAMA-EU-INDOPAK EU asks Pakistan to take 'clear and sustained' actions against terrorists

Islamabad: The EU has asked Pakistan to take "clear and sustained" actions targeting not only all UN-listed transnational terrorist groups but also individuals claiming responsibility for attacks in the wake of the Pulwama terror strike. By Sajjad Hussain

FGN10 PAK-MUSHARRAF-INDIA If Pak attacks India with one N-bomb, they could 'finish us by attacking with 20 bombs': Musharraf

Dubai: Pakistan's former military dictator Gen (retd.) Pervez Musharraf has termed talk of any nuclear war with India as rubbish, saying if Pakistan would attack India with one atomic bomb, then New Delhi could "finish us by attacking with 20 bombs".

FGN5 US-CHINA-2NDLD TRADE Trump to delay China tariff hike due to 'substantial progress'

Washington: US President Donald Trump has announced that he would be delaying an increase in tariffs against China after the recent talks between the two nations made "substantial progress", and plans to meet his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping to reach a final deal to end a trade war. By Lalit K Jha

FGN7 PAK-SHARIF No relief for Sharif as Pak court rejects bail plea in corruption case

Islamabad: A court in Pakistan rejected the bail application of deposed prime minister Nawaz Sharif on Monday, refusing to grant him relief on medical grounds in a corruption case. By Sajjad Hussain.