HIGHLIGHTS

Following are the top stories at 1700 hours:

NATION DEL51 UN-BAN SAEED

UN rejects Hafiz Saeed's plea for removal from list of banned terrorists: Govt sources New Delhi: In a significant development, the United Nations has rejected an appeal of JuD chief Hafiz Saeed, the 2008 Mumbai terror attack mastermind, to remove his name from its list of banned terrorists, government sources said on Thursday.

DEL11 RAFALE-LD RAHUL

Parallel negotiations delayed Rafale delivery; probe everybody including PM Modi: Rahul Gandhi New Delhi: Ratcheting up his attack on the BJP government over the Rafale aircraft issue, Congress President Rahul Gandhi asked on Thursday why a probe cannot be ordered against Prime Minister Narendra Modi for a "Rs 30,000-crore scam" when an investigation has been initiated into the theft of official documents related to the fighter jet deal.

DEL57 UP-2NDLD KASHMIRIS-ATTACK

Kashmiris selling dry fruit attacked by saffron-clad men in UP, four held Lucknow: Two Kashmiris selling dry fruit were thrashed by a group of saffron-clad men in Daliganj locality here, following which four persons have been arrested, police said Thursday.

DEL54 POL-LD RAFALE-RAHUL-BJP

Rahul trying to divert attention by attacking Modi on Rafale issue: BJP New Delhi: Asserting that the Congress has boxed itself into a corner on the issue of national security, the BJP Thursday dubbed its president Rahul Gandhi's attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the Rafale issue an attempt to shift the focus due to people's "revulsion" against it.

DEL35 INDO-UK-NSA

British NSA Sedwill speaks to Ajit Doval, offers all assistance to deal with terrorism New Delhi: National Security Adviser of the United Kingdom Mark Sedwill Thursday spoke to his Indian counterpart Ajit Doval and offered all assistance, including intelligence-sharing, in dealing with any form of terrorism, official sources said.

DEL39 JK-3RDLD BLAST

One dead, 32 injured in grenade attack in Jammu bus stand Jammu: A teenager was killed and 32 others were injured Thursday in a grenade attack by suspected terrorists in the crowded general bus stand area in the heart of the city, officials said.

DEL55 JK-2NDLD ENCOUNTER

JeM terrorist killed in encounter in J&K's Kupwara Srinagar: A Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) terrorist from Pakistan was killed in an encounter with security forces in Kupwara district of Jammu and Kashmir on Thursday, police said.

DEL56 AVI-JET AIRWAYS-AIRCRAFT

Only 70 out of 119 Jet Airways aircraft operational: DGCA official New Delhi: Only 70 out of the total 119 aircraft of Jet Airways are currently operational, a senior DGCA official said Thursday.

DEL19 RAFALE-EDITORS GUILD

Any attempt to use Official Secrets Act against media 'reprehensible': Editors Guild New Delhi: The Editors Guild of India on Thursday “unequivocally” condemned Attorney General's remarks before the Supreme Court pertaining to the documents based on which the media had reported on the Rafale deal, saying any attempt to use the Official Secrets Act against the media is as "reprehensible" as asking journalists to disclose their sources.

BOM4 MH-TIFR-LD SALARY

Fund crunch prompts TIFR to cut staff salaries by 50 pc Mumbai: The government-run Tata Institute of Fundamental Research (TIFR), among India's premier research institutes, will pay only half the net salary for February to its staff due to fund crunch, an official said Thursday.

BUSINESS

DEL53 BIZ-PM-LD-JANAUSHADHI Janaushadhi scheme led to around Rs 1,000 cr savings for common people: PM

New Delhi, Mar 7 (PTI) Prime Minister Narendra Modi said Thursday the Janaushadhi scheme, under which the government provides quality medicines at affordable rates, has led to savings worth around Rs 1,000 crore for common people.

DEL59 BIZ-COINS LD RS 20 First time ever: Govt to come out with Rs 20 coins

New Delhi: The Government will come out with the first ever Rs 20 coin which will be shaped like a 12-edged polygon with design of grains to denote farm dominance in the country.

LEGAL LGD18 SC-CBI-LD BHUSHAN

Prashant Bhushant admits in SC he made 'genuine mistake' in his tweets on fabricated documents New Delhi, Mar 7 (PTI) Advocate Prashant Bhushan Thursday admitted before the Supreme Court that he made a "genuine mistake" by tweeting that the government had perhaps submitted fabricated minutes of a meeting of the high-powered selection committee on appointment of M Nageswara Rao as an interim CBI director.

LGD16 SC-LD LOKPAL

SC asks AG to inform within 10 days date for meeting of Lokpal selection committee New Delhi, Mar 7 (PTI) The Supreme Court Thursday asked Attorney General K K Venugopal to inform it within 10 days about a possible date for meeting of the selection committee for appointment of Lokpal and its members.

LGD9 GREEN-LD VOLKSWAGEN

Emission fiasco: NGT slaps Rs 500 crore fine on Volkswagen New Delhi: The National Green Tribunal Thursday slapped a fine of Rs 500 crore on German auto major Volkswagen for damaging the environment through the use of "cheat device" in its diesel cars in India.