HIGHLIGHTS

Following are the top stories at 5 pm:

CAL23 WB-LD PM CAA brought to world's notice Pak's torture of minorities:

Modi Kolkata: Mounting a strong defence of the new citizenship law, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday said the dispute that has arisen over it has made the world take notice of the persecution of minorities in Pakistan,

which now has to answer for its "acts of oppression".

CAL24 WB-MODI-LD KOPT PM renames KoPT after Syama Prasad Mookerjee, draws criticism

from opposition Kolkata: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday rechristened Kolkata Port Trust after Jan Sangh founder Syama Prasad Mookerjee, drawing criticism from the opposition camp, which said he was more of a "name-changer" than a "game-changer".

DEL17 JK-POLICE OFFICER-ARREST

J-K Police DySP caught with 2 militants arrested Srinagar: A deputy superintendent of Jammu and Kashmir Police and two militants, who were detained from a car in south Kashmir, have been arrested, officials said on Sunday.

DEL14 CONG-LD JNU-FACT FINDING

JNU VC mastermind behind Jan 5 attack, criminal proceedings must be started: Cong fact-finding panel New Delhi: A fact-finding committee of the Congress on the JNU violence on Sunday alleged that Vice Chancellor M Jagadesh Kumar was the "mastermind" behind it and sought his immediate dismissal and criminal investigation against him.

DEL4 GOVT-OMAN-MOURNING

Govt declares state mourning on Monday in view of demise of Oman Sultan New Delhi: The government has declared one-day state mourning on Monday in view of the demise of the Sultan of Oman, the home ministry announced on Sunday.

DEL13 ACADEMICIANS-STATEMENT-PM

208 academicians blame 'Left-wing coterie' for deteriorating academic environment in country New Delhi: More than 200 academicians, including vice chancellors of universities, wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday, blaming a "small coterie of Left-wing activists" for a deteriorating academic environment in the country.

MDS10 KL-LDALL FLATS DEMOLITION

Demolition drive against four Kochi illegal flats completed Kochi: Sending a strong message to violators of environmental norms, the Supreme Court ordered demolition drive against four illegal waterfront apartment complexes here was completed on Sunday with the last two high rises pulled down using controlled implosion method.

DEL11 NSG-VIP-WITHDRAW

Govt decides to withdraw NSG from VIP security duties New Delhi: After effecting a major VIP security cut and withdrawal of SPG cover from the Gandhis, the Union government has now decided to completely remove NSG commandos from this task, official sources said. By Neelabh Srivastava

CAL22 DEF-MARITIME-ECONOMY-KUMAR

India aiming at USD 250 billion maritime economy by 2024: Def Secy

Kolkata: India is looking at a USD 250 billion maritime economy by 2024, which the Indian Coast Guard (ICG) has the responsibility to safeguard, Defence Secretary Ajay Kumar said here on Sunday.

DEL10 RAIL-SABARIMALA-GOYAL Lack of cooperation from Kerala delayed rail link to Sabarimala, increased cost by 512 pc: Goyal

New Delhi: Railway Minister Piyush Goyal has slammed the Kerala government over its "lack of cooperation" on a line that will bring the shrine city of Sabarimala on the rail network and said the delay has increased the project cost by 512 per cent.

DEL16 JK-LD ENCOUNTER 3 militants killed in encounter with security forces in Pulwama

Srinagar: Three militants were killed in an encounter security forces in Tral in Jammu and Kashmir's Pulwama district on Sunday, police said.

DEL8 EC AAP OFFICE OF PROFIT Office of Profit case against 20 AAP MLAs set to be become infructuous

New Delhi: The office of profit case being heard by the Election Commission against 20 AAP MLAs is set to become infructuous following the announcement of Delhi Assembly polls.

BOM1 MH-CHHAPAAK-SENA Wrong to boycott Deepika or her film: Sanjay Raut

Mumbai: Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut on Sunday came out in support of actor Deepika Padukone, who is facing flak from the BJP and some other quarters over her visit to the JNU campus in Delhi to express solidarity with students who were recently attacked by armed assailants.

BOM4 MH-FACTORY EXPLOSION-LD TOLL

Factory blast: Missing girl's body found, toll rises to eight Palghar: The death toll in the explosion at a chemical factory in Maharashtra's Palghar district rose to eight on Sunday after the body of a missing girl was recovered from the debris at the site, officials said.

LEGAL

LGD1 SC-POCSO COURTS

Need to have exclusive special public prosecutors for POCSO cases: SC New Delhi: Public prosecutors must be trained to deal with child victims and witnesses in sexual harassment cases, the Supreme Court has said and laid emphasis on the need to develop a programme to train them.

FOREIGN

FGN23 LANKA-PM-VISIT

Sri Lankan PM Mahinda Rajapaksa to visit India next month: report Colombo: Sri Lankan Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa will visit India early next month and hold talks with his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi, a media report said on Monday.

FGN24 NEPAL-NGO-POLICY

Nepal's new policy to bar NGOs from running programmes opposed to India, China Kathmandu: Nepal is drafting a new policy "to discourage" international NGOs from undertaking programmes with potential to hamper its relations with India and China, officials said on Sunday.