HIGHLIGHTS

Following are the top stories at 1740 hours:

TOP STORIES \R

DEL35 JK-PULWAMA-LD TERRORIST Pulwama attack mastermind killed in encounter in J-K

Srinagar: The mastermind of the February 14 Pulwama terror attack, which claimed the lives of 40 CRPF personnel, has been killed in an encounter in south Kashmir's Tral area, officials said Monday. \R

DEL14 ED-NIRAV-CHARGESHEET PNB scam: ED files fresh charge sheet against Nirav Modi

New Delhi: The Enforcement Directorate has filed a fresh charge sheet against PNB scam accused Nirav Modi under the anti-money laundering law, officials said Monday.

DEL15 JK-NIA-MIRWAIZ Can't travel to Delhi for questioning due to safety concerns: Mirwaiz Umar Farooq to NIA

Srinagar: Moderate Hurriyat Conference chairman Mirwaiz Umar Farooq has asked the National Investigation Agency (NIA) to question him here instead of Delhi as he fears for his security in view of "conditions of hostility".

DEL 7 PADMA-AWARDS President confers Padma awards on 47 'inspiring' personalities

New Delhi: Forty-seven prominent personalities, including Malayalam actor Mohanlal, former foreign secretary S Jaishankar, Akali Dal leader Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa and renowned journalist Kuldip Nayar (posthumous), were conferred the Padma awards by President Ram Nath Kovind here on Monday.

DEL 8 MHA-ENEMY-PROPERTIES Centre allows state govts to put enemy properties to 'public use'

New Delhi: The Centre has allowed state governments to put to "public use" some enemy properties that were left behind by people who migrated to Pakistan since the Partition and to China after the 1962 Sino-Indian war, officials said Monday. \R

DEL22 BIZ-RBI-DEMO RBI board warned of noteban's short-term impact on economy; no material effect on black money

New Delhi: The RBI board, which included the present Governor Shaktikanta Das as a director, had warned of short-term negative impact of demonetisation on the country's economic growth and observed that the unprecedented move will not have any material impact on tackling the black money menace.

NATION: \R

DES4 JK-ARREST Youth held with grenades outside Army camp in J&K's Poonch

Jammu: A youth was arrested with two grenades from outside an Army camp in Jammu and Kashmir's Poonch district on Monday, official sources said. \R

DES7 HP-PARAGLIDER US paraglider gets stuck in high reaches of HP's Kangra

Shimla: A United States paraglider has got stuck in higher reaches of Baijnath sub division of Himachal Pradesh's Kangra district, an official said.\R

DES10 AAP-CONG-TALKS AAP not in talks with Cong for alliance in Delhi: Gopal Rai

New Delhi: AAP leader Gopal Rai Monday said his party is not in talks with the Congress for an alliance in Delhi and it will contest all seven seats in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections on its own. BOM 1 MH-SENA-AIRSTRIKE

Patriotism not any party's monopoly: Shiv Sena Mumbai: The Shiv Sena on Monday said patriotism is not the monopoly of a single party and falsely calling people "anti-national" just because they are political opponents is nothing but suppression of freedom of expression.\R

MDS5 KL-SEC-SABARIMALA

Kerala poll body warns parties against use of Sabarimala issue in campaigning Thiruvananthapuram: The State Election Commission (SEC) Monday warned political parties in Kerala not to use the Sabarimala temple matter as a campaign issue.

LEGAL:

LGD 9 SC-LD RESERVATION

SC not in favour of passing order at this stage to refer 10 pc quota issue to Constitution bench New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Monday said it is not in favour of passing an order at this stage to refer the issue of 10 per cent quota for economically weaker sections across all classes to a Constitution bench.

LGD 7 DL-COURT-JNU

Authorities yet to give sanctions to prosecute Kanhaiya, others in sedition case: Police to court New Delhi: The Delhi Police Monday told a court here that authorities were yet to give requisite sanctions to prosecute former JNU Students Union president Kanhaiya Kumar and others in a 2016 sedition case.

\R LGD18 HR-COURT-SAMJHAUTA

Samjhauta blast case: NIA court posts matter for Mar 14 Panchkula: A special NIA court Monday put off the pronouncement of verdict in the 2007 Samjhauta Express blast case and posted the matter for March 14 after a Pakistani woman filed a petition claiming she had some evidence relevant to the case.

FOREIGN:

FGN 13 UN-ETHIOPIA-LD CRASH

UN chief "deeply saddened" at loss of lives in Ethiopian Airlines plane crash United Nations: UN chief Antonio Guterres has condoled the death of over 150 passengers, including 19 staff members of the world body, on board a Nairobi-bound Ethiopian Airlines plane which crashed minutes after take-off from Addis Ababa.

SPORTS:

SPD 4 SPO-HAYDEN-INTERVIEW

Warne like drift makes Kuldeep more difficult than Chahal: Hayden New Delhi: A "Shane Warne like drift" makes Kuldeep Yadav a more difficult bowler to face compared to Yuzvendra Chahal, feels former Australia opener Matthew Hayden, who says wrist spinners like the two Indians are becoming more relevant because of finger spinners' lack of "courage".