HIGHLIGHTS

Following are the top stories at 1720 HOURS.

LGD19 SC-RAFALE LD RAHUL Rahul Gandhi expresses regret over his remarks on Rafale verdict in SC

New Delhi: Congress president Rahul Gandhi expressed regret in the Supreme Court on Monday over his remarks in connection with the Rafale judgment which the apex court had said was "incorrectly attributed" to it.

FGN41 LANKA-4THLD BLASTS 7 Lankan suicide bombers involved in Easter blasts; 24 arrested as toll rises to 290

Colombo: Seven suicide bombers believed to be members of an Islamist extremist group carried out a series of devastating blasts that tore through churches and luxury hotels in Sri Lanka on Easter Sunday, killing 290 people and wounding 500 others in the country's worst terror attack, authorities said on Monday.

MDS3 KA-LD-LANKA JDS Four JD(S) workers from Karnataka killed in Lanka blasts

Bengaluru: Four JD(S) workers from Karnataka, who were on a visit to Sri Lanka, have been killed in the multiple blasts in the island nation, according to Karnataka Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy.

NATION ELN40 MH-LD MODI

We took bold steps to counter terror, Cong response timid: PM Pimpalgaon/Nandurbar: Targeting the UPA regime on national security issues, Prime Minister Narendra Modi Monday said his government took bold steps to counter terrorism, compared to the timid approach adopted by the Congress-led regime.

DEL8 RAHUL-MODI

It will be decided in people's court that 'lotus brand chowkidar' is indeed thief: Rahul New Delhi: On a day Rahul Gandhi expressed regret in the Supreme Court over his remarks in connection with the top court's Rafale judgment, the Congress president attacked Prime Minister Narendra Modi, saying on May 23, it will be decided in the people's court that the "lotus brand chowkidar" is indeed the thief.

ELN21 CONG-DELHI-LD CANDIDATES

Cong fields ex-CM Sheila Dikshit from North-East Delhi, Ajay Maken from New Delhi New Delhi: Ending months of speculation over a possible tie-up with AAP, the Congress on Monday fielded three-time Delhi chief minister Sheila Dikshit from North-East Delhi and former Union minister Ajay Maken from New Delhi, as it announced names of candidates for six Lok Sabha seats in the national capital.

ELN28 RJ-RAJNATH-CONGRESS FREE

The day India will be free from Congress, it will become poverty-free: Rajnath Bikaner: Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh said Sunday that the day India will be free from Congress, it will become poverty-free.

ELN47 WB-SHAH-LD RALLY

BJP to scrap Art 370 in J&K; introduce NRC in the country: Shah Uluberia/ Krishnanagar: BJP president Amit Shah on Monday said his party will scrap Article 370 of the Constitution which grants special status to Jammu and Kashmir and introduce National Register for Citizens across the country after returning to power.

LEGAL

LGD20 SC-LD TIKTOK SC directs Madras HC to decide plea of TikTok app on Apr 24

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Monday directed the Madras High Court to decide on April 24 a plea of TikTok app seeking vacating of its ban order.

LGD31 SC-CJI-SCAORA Sexual harassment allegations against CJI be dealt with as per procedure: SCAORA

New Delhi: The Supreme Court Advocate on Record Association (SCAORA) on Monday expressed "deep reservation" against "procedural impropriety" shown by Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi in dealing with sexual harassment allegations against him and said the charges should be dealt with as per established procedure.

LGD24 SC-CJI-ASSOCIATION Allegations of sexual harassment: Supreme Court employees welfare association supports CJI

New Delhi: The Supreme Court Employees Welfare Association Monday came out in support of Chief Justice of India (CJI) Ranjan Gogoi, against whom allegations of sexual harassment have been levelled.

FOREIGN FGN12 LANKA-BLASTS-LD ARRESTS

24 people arrested in connection with multiple blasts in Sri Lanka Colombo: Sri Lankan authorities on Monday arrested 11 more people, all reportedly members of a Muslim radical group, taking the total number of arrests to 24 as police stepped up the investigation into the multiple blasts that rocked the island nation on Easter Sunday that killed over 290 people.

FGN39 LANKA-BLASTS-LD EMERGENCY

Sri Lanka declares emergency from midnight Colombo: Sri Lanka will enforce a state of emergency from midnight Monday in the wake of the deadly Easter blasts that killed 290 people and wounded more than 500 others, enhancing the counter terrorism powers of of the security forces.

FGN27 US-SANCTIONS-LD INDIA

US to ask India and four others to end completely Iranian oil imports: report Washington: The US on Monday is set to ask five nations, including India and China, to completely end their imports of Iranian oil or be subject to US sanctions, a media report said, a decision that comes about a year after America quit the Iran nuclear deal and imposed toughest ever sanctions on the Persian Gulf nation.

FGN28 CHINA-INDIA-LD GOKHALE

India, China should be sensitive to each other’s concerns, Gokhale tells Chinese foreign minister Beijing: Foreign Secretary Vijay Gokhale on Monday held talks with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi here and reviewed the progress of bilateral ties post Wuhan summit, emphasising that both countries should be sensitive to each other's concerns. K J M Varma.