HIGHLIGHTS

Following are the top stories at 12.30 pm:

NATION

DEL10 NCMC-BH-FLOODS Bihar floods: NDRF teams, IAF choppers deployed for rescue, relief works

New Delhi: The Centre has dispatched 20 teams of the NDRF and pressed into service Indian Air Force helicopters to help flood-hit people in Bihar, officials said on Monday.

DEL6 RAHUL-PM Rahul criticises PM for his 'Abki Baar Trump Sarkar' remark at Houston

New Delhi: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi hit out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday for his "Abki Baar Trump Sarkar" remark at the "Howdy, Modi!" event, saying it reflected his "incompetence", which had caused serious problems with the Democrats for India.

DES3 RAHUL-VIJAYAN Rahul calls on Kerala CM Vijayan

New Delhi: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi met Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan here on Tuesday, during which he raised the issue of the floods in the southern state and sought an early resolution to the problems people were facing.

DEL8 CBI-SEARCHES Illegal sand mining leases: CBI searches at 11 locations in UP, Uttarakhand

New Delhi: The CBI is carrying out searches at 11 locations in Uttarakhand and Uttar Pradesh in connection with illegal sand mining leases given in Saharanpur, officials said on Tuesday.

DEL4 JK-SHELLING Pak lobs mortars at forward posts in Poonch

Jammu: The Pakistan Army on Tuesday targeted forward posts and villages in Jammu and Kashmir's Poonch district with mortar shells and small arms firing, an official said.

DEL2 PM-KOVIND PM Modi wishes President Kovind on his birthday

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi wished President Ram Nath Kovind on his 74th birthday on Tuesday, saying the country had gained from his insights and understanding of policy matters.

BOM2 MP-BYPOLL-FIR FIR against BJP leader for 'Indo-Pak fight' remark over bypoll

Jhabua/Bhopal: An FIR has been filed against senior BJP leader Gopal Bhargava on orders of the Election Commission for allegedly violating the model code of conduct with his remarks on the October 21 bypoll in Madhya Pradesh's Jhabua Assembly seat, officials said on Tuesday.

LEGAL

LGD12 SC-370 Article 370: SC fixes Nov 14 for hearing on constitutional validity of Centre's decision

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Tuesday fixed November 14 to commence hearing on a batch of petitions challenging constitutional validity of the Centre's decision to abrogate Article 370 that gave special status to Jammu and Kashmir.

LGD7 SC-FADNAVIS Maha CM Fadnavis to face trial for suppressing pendency of criminal cases in poll affidavit: SC

New Delhi: In a jolt to Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, the Supreme Court on Tuesday set aside the Bombay High Court order and directed the BJP leader to face trial for allegedly failing to furnish details of two pending criminal cases.

LGC1 WB-HC-RAJEEV KUMAR Calcutta HC grants anticipatory bail to Rajeev Kumar

Kolkata: The Calcutta High Court on Tuesday granted anticipatory bail to former Kolkata Police Commissioner Rajeev Kumar in the multi-crore Saradha chit fund scam case, saying this is not an appropriate case for custodial interrogation.

BUSINESS

DCM7 BIZ-AUTOSALES-MARUTI Maruti reports 24% dip in sales at 1,22,640 units in September

New Delhi: The country's largest carmaker Maruti Suzuki India (MSI) on Tuesday reported a 24.4 per cent decline in sales at 1,22,640 units in September.

DCM4 BIZ-AUTOSALES-BAJAJ AUTO Bajaj Auto total sales down 20% in September

New Delhi: Bajaj Auto on Tuesday reported a 20 per cent fall in total sales at 4,02,035 units in September.

FOREIGN

FGN13 US-INDIA-PAK-LD HYPHENATION Jaishankar questions bids to hyphenate India with Pakistan

Washington: The attempts to hyphenate India with Pakistan post Article 370 abrogation are being made by people "over-obsessed" about it, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said here, questioning how can one country be compared with the other which is one-eighth of its economic size. By Lalit K Jha

FGN10 US-JAISHANKAR-KASHMIR India's stand clear on Kashmir, won't accept third party mediation: Jaishankar

Washington: Categorically rejecting any scope for third party mediation between India and Pakistan on Kashmir, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar has said India's stand has been clear for decades and the two countries can discuss the issue bilaterally. By Lalit K Jha

SPORTS

SPD4 SPO-IND-SAHA Saha to replace Pant for series opener against South Africa

Visakhapatnam: India captain Virat Kohli on Tuesday announced that Wriddhiman Saha will replace Rishabh Pant for the series opener against South Africa, saying the Bengal cricketer remains the "best wicketkeeper in the world".