HIGHLIGHTS

Top stories at 1700 hours:

TOP NEWS:

DEL56 BIZ-FM-BANK MERGERS New Delhi: In a major development, the government on Friday announced merger of Oriental Bank of Commerce and United Bank with Punjab National Bank.

FGN6 PAK-KARTARPUR-2NDLD MEETING

Islamabad/Gurdaspur: Officials from India and Pakistan on Friday discussed the technical modalities of the Kartarpur corridor for the Sikh pilgrims, the first meeting after New Delhi revoked Jammu and Kashmir's special status leading to fresh tensions between the two countries.

DES11 GOYAL-SECURITY GUARDS New Delhi: Railway Minister Piyush Goyal on Friday said sending private security guards for training in RSS shakhas will improve their mental and physical capabilities.

NATION:

DEL20 PM-LD CONCLAVE New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday said he welcomed "constructive criticism" and there should be enough space in public life for "differing streams" to listen to each other's point of view.

DEL16 NRC-LD SONOWAL

NRC: Sonowal asks people not to panic; govt to provide legal aid to poor Guwahati: Ahead of the publication of final NRC, Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal on Friday asked people not to panic and said the state government will take all possible steps to help genuine Indians prove their citizenship and provide legal assistance to the poor.

DEL23 UP-2ND LD GIRL-FOUND

Lucknow: The missing student whose father alleged she was sexually harassed by BJP leader Swami Chinmayanand was found in Rajasthan with a friend on Friday morning, police said.

DEL50 CONG-ECONOMY New Delhi: The Congress on Friday demanded that a financial emergency be declared in the country and a white paper be released on the "shrinking economy and rising frauds".

DEL29 JK-LD SITUATION

Srinagar: Fresh restrictions were imposed in the city and other parts of the Kashmir Valley as a preventive measure in view of Friday congregational prayers which passed off peacefully, officials said.

MDS5 KA-LD SHIVAKUMAR Bengaluru: Senior Congress leader D K Shivakumar on Friday said the ED has issued fresh summons asking him to appear before it in a money laundering case and termed the action a 'conspiracy' to defame him and his party.

DES1 HRD-UGC-FAKE-DEGREES

New Delhi: The HRD Ministry has directed the University Grants Commission to constitute a high-level committee to inquire into allegations of sale of fake degrees by certain universities.

LEGAL: LGD20 DL-COURT-2NDLD CHIDAMBARAM

INX Media case: Chidambaram to be subjected to 3 more days of custodial interrogation by CBI New Delhi: Former finance minister P Chidambaram will be subjected to three more days of custodial interrogation by the CBI in a corruption case arising from the INX Media scam as a Delhi court remanded him in the agency's custody till September 2. By Udayan Kishor and Pawan Kumar Singh

LGD13 SC-2ND LD CHINMAYANAND

New Delhi: The Supreme Court Friday asked the Uttar Pradesh government to produce before it during the day the woman law student who had gone missing after levelling harassment allegations against former Union minister and BJP leader Swami Chinmayanand, and was found in Rajasthan.

LGD21 DL-COURT-LD PURI New Delhi: A Delhi court Friday extended by four days the custodial interrogation of Ratul Puri, nephew of Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Kamal Nath, by the Enforcement Directorate in the money laundering case related to a bank loan fraud.

FOREIGN:

FGN15 JAISHANKAR-EU Brussels: External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Friday called on President of the European Parliament David Maria Sassoli and discussed the India-EU strategic partnership on regional, global and multilateral issues.

FGN12 PAK-KASHMIR-LD HOUR

Islamabad: Pakistan observed the "Kashmir Hour" on Friday to express "solidarity" with the Kashmiri people as many rallies were held across the country, weeks after India revoked the special status of Jammu and Kashmir.

FGN8 HK-PROTEST-2NDLD WONG Hong Kong: Prominent democracy activists were arrested Friday in a dragnet across Hong Kong - a move described by rights groups as a well-worn tactic deployed by China to suffocate dissent ahead of key political events. (AFP)

SPORTS:

SPF12 SPO-SHOOT-LD IND Rio de Janeiro: Asian Games medallist Abhishek Verma won the gold while teen sensation Saurabh Chaudhary claimed the bronze as Indian shooters dominated the podium in the men's 10m air pistol event of the ongoing ISSF World Cup here.

SPF13 SPO-RAHANE

Kingston (Jamaica): India vice-captain Ajinkya Rahane says scoring his 10th Test century after a drought of two years was special and he became "a bit emotional" after reaching the feat in Antigua.