HIGHLIGHTS

Following are the top stories at 9.30 pm.

TOP STORIES DEL49 PM-INDIA-2NDLD SAUDIARABIA India, Saudi Arabia decide to diversify hydrocarbon ties, to expedite West Coast refinery project New Delhi: India and Saudi Arabia on Monday decided to expedite implementation of the USD 50 billion West Coast refinery project, and identified energy, defence, semiconductor and space as areas for intensified cooperation during talks between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman Bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud.

NATION DEL60 EC-LS-BYPOLLS Bypolls to four vacant Lok Sabha seats unlikely: Sources New Delhi: Bypolls to four vacant Lok Sabha seats, including Ghazipur in Uttar Pradesh, are unlikely to be held, sources said on Monday.

DEL50 ELECTIONS-EC-STATES EC to conclude its visits to poll-bound states by early Oct New Delhi: The Election Commission would conclude its visits to five poll-bound states by early October following which it is likely to announce schedule of assembly polls in these states, sources said on Monday.

MDS18 KA-NETHERLANDS-PM G20 New Delhi declaration a compromise, but happy that India was able to broker it, says Dutch PM in Bengaluru Bengaluru: Prime Minister of the Netherlands Mark Rutte on Monday said the G20 New Delhi declaration was clearly a compromise, which is always the case with such a multilateral forum, but he was happy with the fact that there were some key elements in it, and that India was able to broker it.

MDS26 KL-LD-ED-SUDHAKARAN Monson Mavunkal cheating case: ED's seven-hour interrogation of state Congress chief K Sudhakaran ends Kochi: After facing nearly seven hours of interrogation, state Congress chief K Sudhakaran on Monday left the Enforcement Directorate office here, where he had appeared in connection with a cheating case in which the prime accused is self-styled antique dealer Monson Mavunkal.

MDS24 TN-SANATAN-LD ANNAMALAI Annamalai squats on road leading BJP's protest against TN minister Chennai: BJP Tamil Nadu president K Annamalai on Monday staged a dharna in the city demanding the resignation of HR and CE Minister PK Sekar Babu for attending an anti-Sanatan Dharma conference here recently.

MDS22 KL-ASSEMBLY-CORRUPTION-UDF-CM Opposition UDF accuses Kerala CM, state govt of corruption in AI camera, K-FON projects; Vijayan denies allegations Thiruvananthapuram: The Congress-led UDF opposition on Monday accused the ruling LDF government and Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan of corruption with regard to the artificial intelligence camera and K-FON projects as well as the financial transactions of his daughter and her IT firm.

DEL41 MANIPUR-VIOLENCE-TERROR GROUPS Manipur: Dormant terror groups becoming active, stoking tension New Delhi/Imphal: Terrorists belonging to banned groups United National Liberation Front (UNLF) and People's Liberation Army (PLA) were allegedly part of the mob from which gunshots were fired at an army officer that left him severely injured in Manipur, officials said Monday. By Sumir Kaul DEL58 SCIENCE-LD AWARDS CSIR announces Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Prizes-2022 to 12 scientists New Delhi: Ahead of its foundation day, the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) on Monday announced the Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar awards for 2022 to be distributed to 12 young scientists across the country.

CAL32 WB-LD-MAMATA TMC to go to Rajghat to pray on Oct 2 if permission to protest not granted: Mamata Kolkata: Lashing out at the Centre for what she termed as ''vendetta politics'', West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday said her partymen will pray at Rajghat if permission to protest in Delhi on Mahatma Gandhi's birth anniversary is denied.

DEL48 UP-2NDLD RAINS UP rains: 19 people killed in past 24 hours, schools shut in some districts Lucknow: Nineteen people were killed in the past 24 hours as rain lashed Uttar Pradesh, disrupting normal life, particularly in the state’s central region and forcing schools in some places to shut for a day, authorities said Monday evening.

BOM26 MH-ONLINE POST-2ND LD CLASH One person killed, 8 injured in clash in Satara over social media post; 23 held for violence, one for 'objectionable' post Pune: One person was killed and 10 others suffered injuries when members of two communities clashed at a village in Maharashtra's Satara district following an ''objectionable'' post on social media, police said on Monday.

DEL57 G20-CLIMATE-EXPERTS G20 climate deal: Experts laud India's balancing act in the face of fossil fuel debate New Delhi: Climate experts on Monday lauded India for its fine balancing act on the language on coal and other fossil fuels and getting the G20 countries to agree to the tripling of renewable energy capacity by 2030 under its presidency. By Gaurav Saini DEL61 DL-FIRECRACKERS LD BAN Firecrackers banned in Delhi for third consecutive year ahead of winter to curb pollution New Delhi: To combat high pollution levels during winter months, Delhi's Environment Minister Gopal Rai on Monday announced a comprehensive ban on the manufacture, storage, sale and bursting of firecrackers in the capital city.

BUSINESS DEL33 BIZ-INDIA-UK-LD FTA India, UK for early conclusion of free trade pact New Delhi: India and the UK on Monday expressed their commitment to an early conclusion of the free trade agreement (FTA) between the two countries.

DEL47 BIZ-BSE-MCAP BSE-listed firms' mcap touches record high of Rs 324 lakh crore New Delhi: The market capitalisation (mcap) of BSE-listed firms reached an all-time high of Rs 324.26 lakh crore on Monday as the Sensex regained the 67,000-mark, rallying for the seventh day running.

DEL17 BIZ-SOWING-PULSES Pulses sowing down 8.58 pc so far in this kharif season due to monsoon deficit New Delhi: Area sown to pulses remained lower by 8.58 per cent at 119.91 lakh hectares till last week of the ongoing kharif season due to 11 per cent monsoon rain deficit in the country, according to the agriculture ministry data.

LEGAL LGD25 SC-2NDLD ARREST-IMMUNITY 2014 verdict striking down immunity to senior officers in graft cases will have retrospective effect: SC New Delhi: The Supreme Court ruled on Monday a provision of the Delhi Special Police Establishment (DSPE) Act, which made the Centre's approval mandatory before launching a probe in corruption cases against officers of the rank of joint secretary and above in the central government, will stand nullified since the date of its insertion on September 11, 2003.

LGD11 SC-EDITORS-LD MANIPUR SC extends protection to Editors Guild members, seeks view of Manipur on transferring plea to Delhi HC New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Monday extended till September 15 the protection from coercive action it has granted to four members of the Editors Guild of India (EGI) in connection with two FIRs lodged against them, and sought the view of the Manipur government on whether to transfer their plea for quashing the FIRs and other relief to the Delhi High Court for adjudication.

SPORTS SPF26 SPO-CRI-ASIA-IND-LD INNINGS Record-breaking Kohli, comeback-man Rahul make mincemeat of Pakistan bowling Colombo, Sept 11 (PTI) Virat Kohli returned to his record-breaking ways with his 47th ODI ton while KL Rahul dispelled all doubts over his fitness with a scintillating hundred and powered India to a mammoth 356 for 2 against a hapless Pakistan in an Asia Cup Super Four match here on Monday.

FOREIGN DEL56 AVI-CANADA PM-LD AIRCRAFT PM Justin Trudeau, delegation's earliest possible departure from Delhi is Tuesday late afternoon: Canada New Delhi: Canada on Monday said the earliest possible departure of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his delegation from the national capital is Tuesday late afternoon and that the country's armed forces are continuing with their best efforts to bring them back home.

FGN45 CHINA-INDIA-CORRIDOR-REAX China says it welcomes India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor so long it doesn't become a geopolitical tool Beijing: China said on Monday that it welcomes the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor announced on the sidelines of the G20 summit so long it doesn't become a ''geopolitical tool'', even as it downplayed Italy’s plan to pull out of its Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).