HIGHLIGHTS AT 2030

Following are the top PTI stories at 2030 hours:

NATION:

DEL44 POL-LDALL TDP

TDP exits NDA; moves no-trust motion in Parliament

Amaravati/New Delhi: Ending its four-year-old alliance with the BJP, the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) today pulled out of the NDA over the Centre's refusal to grant Special Category Status to Andhra Pradesh and simultaneously moved a no-trust motion in Parliament.

DEL43 BIZ-JAITLEY-ANDHRA

FM says Centre endlessly waiting for Andhra to revert on special package

New Delhi: A day after TDP quit NDA over lack of financial support, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley today said the Centre was committed to giving Andhra Pradesh a special package equivalent to a special category state and has been endlessly waiting for the state government to revert on mechanism of receiving it.

 

DEL 14 PB-MANN-LD RESIGN

Bhagwant Mann resigns as AAP's Punjab unit chief

Chandigarh: Sangrur MP Bhagwant Mann resigned as AAP's Punjab chief today, a day after party convener Arvind Kejriwal apologised to a SAD leader for accusing him of being involved in the drug trade.

DEL 15 PM-LD SCIENCE

PM to scientists: extend research from labs to land

Imphal: Prime Minister Narendra Modi today exhorted scientists to extend their research from "labs to the land" for the greater benefit of the people and said time was ripe to redefine 'R&D' as research for development of the nation.

DEL36 RAHUL-RAFALE

Loss of Rs 36,000 cr in Rafale deal even as Army begs for money: Rahul

New Delhi: Congress president Rahul Gandhi today again trained his guns on the government over the Rafale fighter jets deal, alleging that it had caused a loss of Rs 36,000 crore to the state exchequer even as the Army "begs" for more money.

DEL41 NAXAL-CRPF-DG

Sukma incident was avoidable; MPVs to stay in anti-Naxal ops: CRPF DG

New Delhi:The CRPF chief today said the recent Naxal attack in Chhattisgarh, in which 9 troops on-board a mine protected vehicle (MPV) were killed, was very much "avoidable" and ruled out abandoning the armoured vehicles in anti-Maoist operations.

BUSINESS:

DEL 16 BIZ-LSQ-ELECTORAL BONDS

Rs 222 cr electoral bonds sold in maiden issue

New Delhi: India sold Rs 222 crore of bonds in the maiden issue of Electoral Bonds, which donors can buy from scheduled banks to pay political parties without revealing their identities, Parliament was informed today.

LEGAL:

LGD20 SC-2NDLD LOYA

SC reserves verdict on pleas seeking independent probe in Loya's death

New Delhi: The Maharashtra government today told the Supreme Court that the batch of petitions seeking an independent probe into the alleged mysterious death of special CBI judge B H Loya were motivated and aimed at targeting "one individual" in the guise of upholding the rule of law.

LGD21 HC-2NDLD KARTI

HC reserves order on Karti's bail plea

New Delhi: The CBI today opposed in the Delhi High Court the bail plea of Karti Chidambaram in the INX Media corruption case, contending that he has already destroyed evidence being an "influential" person.

LGD19 SC-LD RAM SETHU

'Ram Sethu' will not be damaged in national interest: Centre to SC

New Delhi: The mythological 'Ram Sethu', a chain of limestone shoals between India and Sri Lanka, will not be damaged while pursuing the Sethusamudram Ship Channel project, the Centre today told the Supreme Court.

LGD 11 PB-COURT-DALER MEHNDI

Daler Mehndi convicted in human trafficking cases

Patiala: A court here today sentenced Punjabi pop singer Daler Mehndi to two year imprisonment in connection with his role in human trafficking cases.

FOREIGN:

FGN26 UK-LD MALLYA

Mallya appears in extradition trial in UK court

London: Embattled liquor tycoon Vijay Mallya today appeared before a UK court here in his extradition case for one of its final hearings. By Aditi Khanna

FGN20 PAK-MUSHARRAF

Pak court orders suspension of passport of 'absconder' Musharraf

Islamabad: In a blow to Pakistan's former dictator General (retd) Pervez Musharraf, the special court hearing the high treason case against him has also authorised the government to suspend his passport as well as his national identity card, according to a media report today.

FGN 13 PAK-SAEED-COURT

Court orders Pak govt to explain JuD, charity ban

Lahore: The Lahore High Court gave a deadline of 15 days to the Pakistan government to explain why Mumbai attack mastermind Hafiz Saeed's outfit JuD and its charity wing had been banned and their accounts frozen. By M Zulqernain

FGN 11 US-INDIA

India biggest strategic opportunity for US: Pentagon

Washington: India is the "biggest strategic opportunity" for the US with New Delhi showing more openness to strengthen bilateral security ties, says a top Pentagon commander, underlining a mutual desire for global stability and support for the rules-based international order. By Lalit K Jha.