HIGHLIGHTS AT 1700 HRS

These are the top stories at 1700 hrs:

NATION

DEL7 UP-LD CONG MARCH 80 Cong members arrested ahead of march to support Shahjahanpur student

Shahjahanpur (UP): About 80 Congress workers were arrested on Monday while holding a public meeting ahead of a march they had planned in support of the student who has accused BJP's former Union minister Chinmayanand of rape, police said.

BOM2 MH-SHAH-ART 370 Art 370 abrogation PM's apt tribute to martyred jawans: Shah

Ahmedabad: The abrogation of Article 370 is a true tribute by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to nearly 35,000 jawans who lost their lives fighting terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir, Union Home Minister Amit Shah said on Monday.

LGD14 SC-LD KASHMIR Article 370: SC refers batch of pleas to Constitution bench, hearing from Tue

New Delhi: The Supreme Court Monday referred a batch of petitions challenging the Centre's abrogation of Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir and related issues to its Constitution bench which would commence hearing on them on Tuesday.

LGD23 DL-HC-LD CHIDAMBARAM INX Media case: HC refuses to grant bail to Chidambaram, says may influence witnesses

New Delhi: The Delhi High Court Monday refused to grant bail to former finance minister P Chidambaram in the INX Media corruption case saying that the possibility of his influencing witnesses cannot be ruled out.

DEL9 JK-SITUATION Markets shut, public transport off the roads, mobile services suspended: Kashmir shutdown continues

Srinagar: The stalemate in Kashmir following the abrogation of Article 370 of the Constitution continued on Monday with normal life affected in the Valley for the 57th consecutive day as markets were shut and public transport was off the roads, officials said.

DEL3 DEF-IAF CHIEF Air Chief Marshal Bhadauria takes charge as new IAF chief

New Delhi: Air Chief Marshal Rakesh Kumar Singh Bhadauria on Monday took charge as the 26th chief of the Indian Air Force.

CAL2 BH-RAIN Death toll reaches 25 in Bihar; IMD predicts more rain on Monday

Patna: After being pounded by heavy rain over the weekend, most parts of the Bihar capital remained submerged even as the state-wide death toll mounted to 25.

BOM8 GJ-BILKIS-HUSBAND Guj govt never helped despite SC order: Bilkis Bano's husband

Ahmedabad: Hours after the Supreme Court ordered the Gujarat government to give 2002 riots gang-rape survivor Bilkis Bano a compensation of Rs 50 lakh within two weeks, her husband criticised the Rupani-led dispensation for "not providing any assistance" to them all these years.

BOM5 MH-MUNDADA-LD BJP NCP's Maha poll candidate, VBA leader & Cong MLA join BJP

Mumbai: In a setback for the Opposition ahead of the Maharashtra Assembly polls, NCP leader Namita Mundada, who was given party ticket to contest from Kaij, Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi (VBA) leader Gopichand Padalkar and Congress MLA Kashiram Pawara joined the BJP on Monday.

LEGAL

LGD15 DL-HC-LD SHIVAKUMAR Delhi HC seeks ED's response on Cong leader Shivakumar's bail plea

New Delhi: The Delhi High Court sought the ED's response on Monday on the bail plea of Karnataka Congress leader D K Shivakumar in a money-laundering case.

LGD17 DL-HC-LD DISQUALIFICATION HC seeks response of Delhi Assembly Speaker, EC on ex-AAP MLAs plea against disqualification

New Delhi: The Delhi High Court Monday sought response from the Delhi Assembly Speaker's office and the Election Commission on the pleas of ex-AAP MLAs, Anil Bajpai and Devender Sehrawat, who have challenged their disqualification.

FOREIGN

FGN23 PAK-KARTAPUR-MANMOHAN Pak to invite Manmohan Singh to Kartarpur Corridor opening ceremony

Islamabad: Pakistan has decided to invite former prime minister Manmohan Singh to attend the inaugural ceremony of the Kartarpur Corridor in November, Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi said on Monday.

FGN15 PAK-SAEED-TERROR-CASE Pak court allows Hafiz Saeed's terror financing case to be shifted from Gujranwala to Lahore

Lahore: The Lahore High Court on Monday allowed a plea by Mumbai attack mastermind and JuD chief Hafiz Saeed to shift a terrorism financing case against him from a Gujranwala anti-terrorism court to one here in Pakistan's Punjab province, citing security reasons, according to a media report.

FGN12 CHINA-FACTORY-LD FIRE 19 people killed in China factory fire

Beijing: At least 19 people have been killed when a fire broke out at a factory in east China, authorities said on Monday, the latest industrial accident to hit the country where lax regulations often lead to tragedy. By K J M Varma

FGN22 CHINA-GANDHI Mahatma Gandhi left precious spiritual legacy for world: China

Beijing: Mahatma Gandhi not only inspired the people of India, but also left a precious spiritual legacy to the world, China has said, invoking his famous words that "China and India are fellow travellers sharing weal and woe in a common journey." By K J M Varma.