HIGHLIGHTS- Top stories

Following are the top stories at 5 pm:

NATION

DEL22 HR-POLL-2NDLD MODI Modi steps up offensive against Congress, says its policies 'destroyed country'

Ellenabad (Hr): On the last day of campaigning for the Haryana assembly polls here, Prime Minister Narendra Modi sharpened his attack on the opposition Congress over issues of Article 370 and the Kartarpur corridor, accusing it of "destroying the country" with wrong policies and strategy.

DEL17 CONG-SIBAL-MODI Tell people Pakistan's integral part split from it because of Cong: Kapil Sibal

New Delhi: The Congress on Saturday accused the BJP of raising the issue of revocation of Article 370 provisions in assembly polls campaign for electoral gains and said Prime Minister Narendra Modi must tell the people that it was because of the Congress that Pakistan's integral part split from it.

CAL5 WB-BSF-BANGLA MINISTER BSF jawan's killing: Will talk to Shah if needed, fisherman to be released, says Bangla minister

Kolkata: Exuding confidence that the recent killing of a BSF jawan by a Bangladeshi border guard won't have an impact on bilateral ties, the neighbouring country's Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan said on Saturday he would talk to his Indian counterpart Amit Shah, if needed, to "defuse the situation". By Pradipta Tapadar

CAL4 WB-BSF-FIR

FIR against Border Guard Bangladesh over BSF jawan's killing Kolkata: An FIR has been lodged against Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) by its Indian counterpart Border Security Force (BSF) over the killing one of its jawans

earlier this week, a senior police officer said.

DEL20 AYODHYA-LITIGANTS If Ayodhya verdict is in Muslims' favour, then construction of mosque should be delayed: Litigants

Ayodhya: Some Muslim litigants in the Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid dispute have said that if the Supreme Court's verdict is in their favour then the construction of mosque should be delayed on the disputed land in Ayodhya to maintain harmony.

BOM7 MH-LD SHAH Shah dares Rahul to declare Cong will restore Art 370 in J&K

Navapur (Maha): Union Home Minister and BJP chief Amit Shah on Saturday dared Congress leader Rahul Gandhi to declare that his party will restore provisions of Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir if voted to power.

DEL16 UP-MURDER-LD CUSTODY Five detained in connection with murder of UP political outfit chief

Lucknow: Five people, including three in Surat, have been detained in connection with the murder of Kamlesh Tiwari, the president of a little-known Hindu Samaj Party, police said here on Saturday.

DEL1 ED-MIRCHI-RAIDS Iqbal Mirchi PMLA case: ED conducts raids on DHFL premises

Mumbai: The ED on Saturday conducted searches at about a dozen premises of DHFL and other linked firms in connection with its money laundering probe against Iqbal Mirchi, the aide of global terrorist Dawood Ibrahim, officials said. They said the raids are being conducted in and around Mumbai under provision of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).

BOM13 MH-FADNAVIS-PMC

Maha govt will explore option of PMC bank merger: CM Mumbai: The Maharashtra government will explore possibility of merging crisis-hit Punjab and Maharashtra Co-operative Bank (PMC) with other bank, Chief

Minister Devendra Fadnavis has said.

DES3 JK-FIRING Pak violates ceasefire along IB in JK's Kathua

Jammu: Pakistani Rangers violated ceasefire by targeting forward posts and villages with small arms firing along the International Border (IB) in Kathua district of Jammu and Kashmir, officials said on Saturday.

DEL9 PRIYANKA-GOVT Your job is to improve economy, not to run a 'comedy circus': Priyanka slams govt

New Delhi: Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Saturday hit out at Union Minister Piyush Goyal for his remarks on Nobel laureate Abhijit Banerjee, saying the government's job is to improve the "collapsing" economy and not to run a "comedy circus".

FOREIGN

FGN6 UN-INDIA-KASHMIR India slams Pak for raising Kashmir issue at UN

United Nations: India has slammed Pakistan for raising the issue of Jammu and Kashmir at a forum of the UN, saying the country employs "empty rhetoric" to serve its "distorted agenda" and continues to engage in spreading unsubstantiated allegations. By Yoshita Singh

FGN4 IMF-INDIA-TAX CUT IMF says corporate income tax cut will help revive investment in India

Washington: The International Monetary Fund on Friday supported India's recent decision to reduce corporate income tax, saying it has a positive impact on investment. By Lalit K Jha

FGN16 KOVIND-PHILIPPINES-LD INFANTS Kovind interacts with parents of infants in the Philippines who underwent liver transplant in India

Manila: President Ram Nath Kovind on Saturday interacted with the parents of the infants in the Philippines who successfully underwent liver transplant in India, expressing happiness about the country's engagement with the key Southeast Asian country that has brought people's causes within its expanding ambit.

FGN3 US-INDIA-DEFENCE India-US bilateral defence trade to reach USD 18 bn this year: Pentagon

Washington: Ahead of the ninth India-US Defence Technologies and Trade Initiative or DTTI group meeting in New Delhi next week, the Pentagon on Saturday said the bilateral defence trade between the two countries is expected to reach USD 18 billion by year end. By Lalit K Jha.