News highlights: Trump says talks with Kim Jong Un in 'May or early June'

Speaking to reporters before a cabinet meeting, Trump said the summit would be sometime in "May or early June." (AFP/PTI)

21:27 Supreme Court for auctioning Unitech's assets, orders issuance of public notice

The Supreme Court today took note of all the unencumbered assets of real estate major Unitech Limited and ordered that a public notice be issued inviting objections for auctioning them to realise the dues of the hassled home buyers.

A bench headed by Chief Justice Dipak Misra also imposed a cost of Rs 75 lakh on Om Shakti Agency (Madras) Pvt Ltd for its submission that it cannot deposit Rs 90 crore with the apex court Registry in lieu of purchasing Unitech Ltd's property near Chennai in Tamil Nadu.

The company had earlier said it was going to purchase the land of Unitech Ltd and deposit the money with the apex court, which in turn would have disbursed it to the home buyers who wanted their money back. (PTI)

21:00 Commandos, RAF to be part of strong security for IPL match in Chennai tomorrow

Amidst threats of protest by Tamil outfits over the Cauvery issue, a strong posse of 2,000 policemen under City Commissioner AK Viswanathan will be deployed for security tomorrow for the IPL tie between Chennai Super Kings (CSK) and Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR).

One team of commandos and four teams of personnel of the Rapid Action Force (RAF), besides a number of senior officials would be part of the security detail that will be put inside and outside the MA Chidambaram stadium, a city police release said.

The fans will be allowed entry only after a thorough check, the release said, adding proper traffic arrangements would also be put in place.

The police move comes in the wake of a Tamil outfit threatening to picket the stadium at Chepauk, which will host its first match featuring Chennai Super Kings since May 2015, on the Cauvery issue. (PTI)

20:41 Supreme Court seeks report from Centre on facilities at Rohingyas camps

The Supreme Court today asked the Centre to file a comprehensive status report in four weeks on the civic amenities at two Rohingya camps in Delhi and Haryana after it was alleged that basic facilities like drinking water and toilets also not available there.

A bench headed by Chief Justice Dipak Misra also raised the issue whether it can entertain a plea seeking civic facilities for Rohingyas only at the slums, where poor Indians were also deprived of these amenities.

"Apart from these two places, there are so many slums in Delhi where basic facilities are not there. We cannot confine ourselves only to these two Rohingyas camps," a bench, also comprising Justices AM Khanwilkar and D Y Chandrachud, said.

The bench was to commence final hearing on the petitions, including one filed by two Rohingyas, Mohammad Salimullah and Mohammad Shaqir, challenging the Centre's decision to deport over 40,000 refugees who came to India after escaping from Myanmar due to widespread discrimination and violence against the community. (PTI)

20:25 Still waiting to see if IndiGo bids for Air India: Government

The government on Monday said it will still want to see if IndiGo bids for Air India, even as the budget carrier had last week announced its decision not to bid for the national carrier.

Civil Aviation Secretary R N Chaubey said the government intended to make the divestment process "faster", but made it clear to a poser that Air India's operations would not be split in the bidding process.

"Let us see whether finally they (IndiGo) bid or don't bid. We will wait for them," Chaubey told reporters on the sidelines of a CII event. (PTI)

19:38 Lufthansa cancels 800 flights Tuesday in German airport strikes

German airline giant Lufthansa said it will cancel "more than 800" of its 1600 flights on Tuesday as public-sector workers walk out on strike for more pay, affecting 90,000 passengers, hobbling major airports like Frankfurt.

Service would be back to normal on Wednesday after the strike, which will see groups like support staff and airport firefighters walk off the job between 05:00 am and 6:00 pm local time (0300 to 1600 GMT), Lufthansa added.

Frankfurt airport -- Germany's largest -- warned on its website of "significant delays and cancellations" affecting many airlines, asking travellers to check with their carrier whether their flight would go ahead before departure. (PTI)

19:18 Ravi Shankar Prasad questions SC collegium decision to elevate Karnataka judge

Should the Supreme Court collegium not withhold its recommendation to appoint a person as a high court judge till he is cleared of the charges of sexual harassment by a "fair" probe and not "merely by a summary enquiry," Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad has asked CJI Dipak Misra.

Escalating the war of words between the Judiciary and the Executive over appointment of judges, Prasad wrote to Justice Misra, saying that a complaint of sexual harassment against a district court judge in Karnataka, recommended for elevation to the high court, had not been handled as per the apex court's guidelines in Vishakha case.

Justice J Chelameswar recently wrote to the SC judges alleging that the government has stalled P K Bhat's elevation even after a discreet probe by the Karnataka High Court absolved him of the charges of sexual harassment, levelled against him by a junior woman judicial officer. (PTI)

18:42 SEBI strengthens algo trading rules; co-location facilities

In order to facilitate small and medium sized trading members, SEBI today asked stock exchanges to introduce ‘managed co-location services', wherein space will be provided to vendors along with technical knowhow and other expertise.

Besides, the regulator has taken a number of measures to strengthen algo trading framework, including providing some services for free, the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) said in a circular. (PTI)

18:40 NSE to move 15 firms to restricted trading category

Leading exchange NSE will move 15 firms to the restricted trading category on Thursday as part of surveillance review.

Trading in the 15 securities will be available in trade for trade segment at a price band of 5 percent or lower with effect from April 12, the NSE said in a circular today.

Under the trade for trade segment, no speculative trading is allowed and delivery of shares and payment of consideration amount are mandatory.

Among the stocks to be moved to the restricted trading category are Aditya Birla Money, Burnpur Cement, Cantabil Retail India, Dharani Sugars & Chemicals, D-Link (India), DQ Entertainment (International), MIC Electronics, Petron Engineering Construction and Super Spinning Mills. (PTI)

18:34 Apple Watch's heart rate sensor is based on stolen tech, a lawsuit claims

A lawsuit filed on Friday with the Eastern Texas District Court alleged that Apple Watch's heart rate sensor is built on stolen technology which was first developed by a health startup Omni MedSci.

The Michigan-based startup has said that Apple infringed upon four of its patents, all of which refer to the use of a light source on a wearable device to take blood measurements.

18:19 UIDAI brings digitally-signed QR code with photo for eAadhaar

The UIDAI has brought in secure digitally-signed QR Code on e-Aadhaar that will now contain photograph of the Aadhaar holder too, in addition to demographic details, to facilitate better offline verification of an individual.

"The UIDAI (Unique Identification Authority of India) has recently replaced existing QR code on e-Aadhaar having resident's demographic details now with a secured digitally-signed QR Code which contains demographics along with photograph of the Aadhaar holder," a UIDAI source said.

A QR code is a form of barcode label which contains machine-readable information, while e-Aadhaar is the electronic version of Aadhaar that can be downloaded from UIDAI website. (PTI)

18:15 No shift in IPL match from Chennai, says Rajeev Shukla 

Indian Premier League chairman Rajeev Shukla on Monday confirmed that the IPL match between Chennai Super Kings and Kolkata Knight Riders would be held as per the schedule on April 10 despite the ongoing protest against the Centre's negligence for the formation of Cauvery Management Board (CMB).

With Tamil Nadu's Cauvery river water sharing row with Karnataka hotting up, there were speculations that a few IPL matches of the present season might be shifted to Kerala.

However, Shukla now said that they had spoken to the concerned authorities, who have given the assurance to provide adequate security during the matches in Chennai. (ANI)

18:09 China says trade talks with US impossible under current conditions

China today said trade talks with the United States are "impossible" under current conditions after President Donald Trump tweeted that he saw an end to the dispute.

"Up to now, Chinese and US officials have not held any negotiations on the trade dispute," foreign ministry spokesman Geng Shuang told reporters during a regular press briefing.

"Under the current conditions, it is impossible for the two sides to have any negotiations on this issue," Geng added.

Asian markets rose earlier in the day as fears about a potentially catastrophic China-US trade war were tempered by hopes the two sides will be able to hammer out an agreement.

On Friday, Trump had warned of tariffs on an additional USD 100 billion worth of Chinese imports, to which Beijing responded by saying it would stand firm. (PTI)

18:07 Lufthansa cancels 800 flights tomorrow in German airport strikes 

German airline giant Lufthansa said it will cancel "more than 800" flights tomorrow as public-sector workers walk out on strike for more pay, hobbling major airports like Frankfurt. (PTI)

17:59 Finance Ministry receives 37 applications for RBI DG post

The finance ministry has received about 37 fresh applications for the post of RBI Deputy Governor, a position that fell vacant after S S Mundra's completed his three-year term on July 31, 2017.

About 37 fresh applications were received and shortlisting of applications is being done, sources said.

Post that the Financial Sector Regulatory Appointments Search Committee (FSRASC) headed by the Cabinet Secretary will conduct interview, sources said.

Applications from managing director of various public sector banks, top official of private sector banks and some bureaucrats have been received, sources said. (PTI)

17:49 ICICI Bank investigation poses risks to reputation and financial profile of the bank, says Fitch 

An investigation into allegations that ICICI Bank (BBB-/Stable/bbb-) extended a loan with a potential conflict of interest raises questions over the bank's governance and creates reputational risks, according to Fitch Ratings.

The country’s largest private lender is facing tough questions from the media and its investors relating to Rs 3,250-crore loan given to Videocon Group, whose promoter Venugopal Dhoot had founded a firm in partnership with Chanda Kochhar’s husband Deepak Kochhar.

Fitch will closely monitor developments, and would take appropriate rating action if risks to the banks' reputation and financial profile were to rise considerably. Other regulatory sanctions are also possible, depending on the outcome of the investigation, the rating agency said.

"The presence of the bank's CEO on this credit committee - and the bank's reluctance to support an independent probe - have, in our opinion, created doubts over the strength of its corporate governance practices," Fitch ratings said in a report on Monday.

17:43 Banners and mobile phones banned for CSK vs KKR match

Banners, mobile phones among other things banned at Chepauk stadium for the Chennai Super Kings vs Kolkata Knight Riders match tomorrow, reports CNN-News18.

17:38 Indrani Mukerjea overdosed on anti-depressant drug Benzodiazepine, finds test

Doctors treating Indrani Mukerjea have found out that she overdosed on anti-depressant while in jail.

According to the reports by Hinduja Hospital of tests conducted on Mukerjea, she overdosed on Benzodiazepine, an anti-depressant.

Mukerjea, prime accused in the Sheena Bora murder case, was brought to the JJ Hospital around 11.15 pm on Friday from the Byculla Jail in south Mumbai in a "semi-conscious" state and was admitted to the Critical Care Unit. (PTI)

17:14 Gold for India in mixed-team badminton, first time in CWG history 

India beat Malaysia 3-1 to win the Gold medal in mixed team badminton at the Commonwealth Games. (ANI)

The Indian team comprised of Saina Nehwal, Ashwini Ponnappa, N. Sikki Reddy, Srikanth Kidambi, Satwik Rankireddy, Chirag Chandrashekhar Shetty.

17:11 Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak closes his Facebook account 

Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak is shutting down his Facebook account as the social media giant struggles to cope with the worst privacy crisis in its history.

In an email to USA Today, Wozniak says Facebook makes a lot of advertising money from personal details provided by users. He says the "profits are all based on the users info, but the users get none of the profits back."

Wozniak says he'd rather pay for Facebook. He says "Apple makes money off of good products, not off of you." (PTI)

16:57 Unitech case: SC orders initiation of process to auction Unitech assets

The Supreme Court has ordered initiation of the process to auction Unitech assets.The next date of hearing is on May 6.

16:43 PM Modi anti-Dalit, BJP's ideology oppressive: Rahul Gandhi Congress president Rahul Gandhi today accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of being "casteist" and "anti-Dalit", and said his party will always stand against the BJP's "oppressive" ideology.

16:25 Shares of Lemon Tree Hotels zoom 28% in debut trade

Shares of hospitality chain Lemon Tree Hotels surged nearly 28 percent in debut trade today against the issue price of Rs 56.The stock listed at Rs 61.60, a sharp gain of 10 percent over the issue price on BSE. Intra-day, it soared 31.96 percent to Rs 73.90. The stock finally ended at Rs 71.60, up 27.85 percent.The company's market valuation stood at Rs 5,630.71 crore.

16:18 India-China boundary issue should not be 'hyped up': China
The India-China boundary issue should not be "hyped up" and the two sides must abide by the agreements to maintain the peace and tranquillity along the border areas,  the Chinese Foreign Ministry asserted today.The ministry skirted a direct response to a report that China has lodged a strong protest with New Delhi, alleging "transgression" by the Indian troops in the strategically sensitive Asaphila area along Arunachal Pradesh. The Indian side has dismissed Beijing's complaint.

16:11 Supreme Court refuses to stay proceedings pending against former Tehelka magazine editor-in-chief Tarun Tejpal in a rape case. Court said the matter would be taken up for further hearing after two weeks, tweets ANI.

16:03 Commonwealth Games 2018: India defeat Nigeria 3-0 to win gold in Men's Team Table Tennis event, tweets ANI.

15:53 Rohingya refugees case: Supreme Court today asked Centre to reply with comprehensive data in four weeks Supreme Court today asked Centre to reply with comprehensive data in four weeks on how many Rohingya refugees are staying in Haryana's Mewat and Faridabad camps and what kind of basic necessities they are being provided. The lawyer Prashant Bhushan submitted to the SC that 'Rohingya are being allegedly subjected to discrimination.' ASG Tushar Mehta, appearing for Centre stated,'This is wrong. No such kind of discrimination is being done to them. Everyone is getting equal benefits.'

15:49 Equity mutual funds log Rs 1.7 lakh crore inflow in FY18
Investors pumped in over Rs 1.7 lakh crore in equity-oriented mutual fund (MF) schemes in 2017-18, making it the fourth successive year of net inflows, according to data from the Association of Mutual Funds in India (Amfi).Strong inflows have pushed the asset base of equity MFs by 38 per cent to Rs 7.5 lakh crore during the period under review, the data showed.

15:28 China blames U.S for trade frictions, says negotiations currently impossible
China’s Foreign Ministry said on Monday that the United States was to blame for trade friction and that it was impossible for negotiations to take place under current conditions.Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang made the comments at a regular new briefing, adding that the United States’ measures had raised the concern of the international community.

15:23 RPP Infra bags Rs 138 crore road project in Maharashtra RPP Infra Projects today said it has bagged Rs 1,38.2-crore road project from Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation.
The project involves "rehabilitation and upgradation of newly-declared Badnera road Nagzari Kharda and Murtizapur to Kherda NH161E Section from Dastapur to Karanja Ch 29.074 to 60.374 to two lane with paved shoulders in Maharashtra on engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) mode for Rs 1,382 million," the company said in a filing to BSE.

15:10 SC asks Centre, Delhi govt not to make sealing a 'political' issue
The Supreme Court today asked the Centre, Delhi government and other authorities concerned not to make unauthorised construction and sealing of illegal structures in the national capital "political" issues.A bench comprising Justices Madan B Lokur and Deepak Gupta said this after Additional Solicitor General A N S Nadkarni, appearing for the Centre, informed the court that they had held meetings with all the agencies concerned and they had proposed to constitute a special task force for monitoring all the issues arising out of unauthorised constructions.

15:02 Chinese government advisers expect limited economic hit from US trade rift

Chinese state researchers and media have talked down the likely impact of U.S. trade measures on the world's second largest economy and described the Trump administration's posturing on trade as the product of an "anxiety disorder".

The comments from various government advisers came as U.S. President Donald Trump predicted on Sunday that China would make concessions in the face of rising trade tensions, though China has vowed to not back down in any trade war.

The various statements referred to the trade spat between the world's two largest economies as Washington's reaction to China's fast economic growth.

14:57 China bans exports of dual use items to North Korea

China has banned exports to North Korea of 32 "dual-use" items that can be applied in the development of weapons of mass destruction, the commerce ministry said.

The list of items, which include radiation monitoring equipment and software that can be used to model fluid dynamics or neutrons, is in line with a UN Security Council resolution adopted in September to curb North Korea's ballistic missile and nuclear programmes.

14:52 Mark Zuckerberg to face angry lawmakers as Facebook firestorm rages

Mark Zuckerberg will appear before US lawmakers this week as a firestorm rocks Facebook over its data privacy scandal, with pressure mounting for new regulations on social media platforms.

The 33-year-old chief executive is expected to face a grilling before a Senate panel Tuesday, and follow up with an appearance in the House of Representatives the following day.

It comes amid a raft of inquiries on both sides of the Atlantic following disclosures that data on 87 million users was hijacked and improperly shared with Cambridge Analytica, a British political consultancy working for Donald Trumps presidential campaign.

Yesterday, Facebook said it had suspended another data analysis firm, US-based Cubeyou, after CNBC reported it used Facebook user information -- harvested from psychological testing apps, as in the case of Cambridge Analytica -- for commercial purposes.

"These are serious claims and we have suspended CubeYou from Facebook while we investigate them," a Facebook spokesperson told AFP in an email. "If they refuse or fail our audit, their apps will be banned from Facebook."

14:42 Hong Kong can take decision on Nirav Modi's arrest: China 

China today said that Hong Kong can accede to India's request to arrest fugitive Indian diamond merchant Nirav Modi based on local laws and mutual judicial assistance agreements.

India's Minister of State for External Affairs V K Singh told parliament last week that "the ministry has sought the provisional arrest of Nirav Deepak Modi by the government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR), the People's Republic of China."

Asked about India's request, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang told a media briefing here that "according to the one country two systems and basic law of the HKSAR, under the assistance and authorisation of the central government, the HKSAR can make proper arrangement on judicial mutual assistance with other countries," he said.

14:35 Rahul Gandhi leads Congress fast against communalism, non-functioning of Parliament

Congress president Rahul Gandhi today led his party in a nationwide daylong fast against caste violence, communalism and the non-functioning of Parliament, for which the UPA major blames the ruling BJP.

Congress workers are observing a daylong fast in all state and district headquarters to voice their protest against the BJP government and to promote communal harmony and peace across the country.

Senior Congress leaders Kamal Nath, Sheila Dikshit, P C Chacko, the party's Delhi unit chief Ajay Maken and Congress chief spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala were among the leaders at Rajghat, where the fast is being observed.

Party leaders Sajjan Kumar and Jagdish Tytler, both accused in the 1984 anti-Sikh riots, were asked to not sit on the main stage at the protest venue when Gandhi was about to arrive, party leaders said. Kumar left the venue immediately after he was told about it. Surjewala was quick to hit out at the BJP over the controversy.

14:24 Sajjan Kumar, Jagdish Tytler asked not to sit on main dais at Congress fast against communalism 

The 1984 anti-Sikh riots cast its shadow over the Delhi Congress' daylong fast against caste violence and communalism with Sajjan Kumar and Jagdish Tytler, listed as accused for their alleged role in the riots, being made to stay away from the main dais, party leaders said.

While a Congress leader said on anonymity that Tytler and Kumar were asked not to sit on the stage, the party's chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said the BJP was seeking to create a controversy where none existed.

The dais was reserved for AICC members, former ministers of the Congress government in Delhi and sitting MPs, a leader said. Other leaders sat on mats close to the main stage at Rajghat, the venue of the symbolic fast being led by Congress president Rahul Gandhi. The party's units across the country are holding similar fasts today.

14:08 LTTS bags ExxonMobil deal, expects $20 million revenues in 1st year

L&T Technology Services (LTTS) today said it has bagged a multi-million deal from ExxonMobil Exploration Company, which will deliver revenues of USD 20 million in the first year.

The company, a listed subsidiary of EPC major Larsen & Toubro, will help geoscientists with improved data availability, enhancing the speed and efficiency of analysis and evaluation, it said in a statement. It will deploy geospatial and digital expertise and work with sister company L&T Infotech on the contract.

14:00 Strike on Syria air base kills 14, including Iranian forces: War monitor

An early-morning strike on a Syrian government air base in the country's centre killed 14 fighters, including Iranian forces allied to the regime, a monitoring group said today.

"At least 14 fighters were killed in the strike on the T-4 airport, among them Iranian forces," said the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a Britain-based war monitor.

Syrian state media had earlier reported dead and wounded in the strike, without giving casualty figures. The T-4 base lies in Syria's central Homs province and is also known as the Tiyas airport.

13:52 Israeli jets target Gaza position after infiltration attempt Jerusalem

Israeli fighter jets targeted a Hamas "military target" in northern Gaza today in response to Palestinians infiltrating the border and laying bombs the previous day, the army said.

Palestinian security sources in Gaza said the Israeli strikes hit a base in Jabalia belonging to Ezzedine al-Qassam Brigades, Hamass armed wing, and farmland near Beit Lahia, causing damages but no injuries.

The Israeli strike came a day after suspects crossed the northern Gaza border fence, leaving "explosive devices" that were found by the army.

The border fence between the Palestinian enclave and Israel has become the backdrop of mass Gaza demonstrations that lead to deadly clashes. Israel has faced mounting questions over its use of live fire after 10 days of protests and clashes along the Gaza Strip border.

13:50 Rains lash many places in Punjab, Haryana; farmers worried Chandigarh

Rains lashed many places in Punjab and Haryana, including Chandigarh today, increasing the woes of farmers who fear damage to wheat crop.

According to the MeT office, rains lashed Amritsar, Kharar, Muktsar, Kapurthala, Sangrur, Adampur, Pathankot, Talwandi Sabo, Anandpur Sahib, Dhuri, Faridkot and Nangal in Punjab. In Haryana, Dabwali, Kurukshetra, Pehowa, Bhiwani, Kaithal, Jhajjar, Karnal and Panchkula were among other places to be lashed by rains. Chandigarh too received a heavy downpour in the morning today.

The rains have increased worries of wheat farmers as heavy showers are harmful for ripening wheat crop.

13:40 PDP-BJP govt has become a 'non-performing liability': Congress

The Congress today alleged that the People's Democratic Party-Bhartiya Janata Party (PDP-BJP) government in Jammu and Kashmir had become a "non-performing liability", and said the administration must come out of deep slumber to infuse responsiveness and accountability in order to mitigate the sufferings of the people.

"The PDP-BJP government has collapsed. It is non-performing liability in J&K," Congress leader and former minister Sham Lal Sharma told reporters at a function in Chowki Choura area in Jammu.

Expressing serious concern over scarcity of essential commodities, poor power and water supplies, Sharma said, "The administration must come out of deep slumber and infuse responsiveness and an element of accountability in its machinery in order to mitigate the sufferings of people." Sharma alleged that the PDP-BJP government led by Mehbooba Mufti had failed on all fronts.

13:32 Migsun to invest Rs 1,000 crore on low-cost homes at Ghaziabad 

Realty firm Migsun will invest about Rs 1,000 crore over the next two years to develop an affordable housing project at Ghaziabad.

Affordable housing has gained momentum on the back of infrastructure status and subsidy offered by the government. The GST rate has also been lowered at 8 percent for affordable housing projects, leading to higher demand and supply in this segment.

The company would develop 3,000 housing units under the central government's scheme 'Affordable Housing in Partnership (AHP) Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana', its MD Yash Miglani said.

"We are coming up with an 11-acre project 'Migsun Atharva' at Rajnagar Extension. We will build about 3,000 units, of which 800 units will be for economically weaker section (EWS) to be allotted by the government under this scheme," he told PTI.

The units allotted to EWS will be priced at around Rs 4.5 lakh, while the remaining flats will be sold at about Rs 10-12 lakh. Miglani said the company would be investing about Rs 1,000 crore on this project.

13:21 Cauvery water dispute issue |  Supreme Court will hear the Cauvery water dispute issue on May 3. The apex court has asked the authorities in Tamil Nadu and Karnataka to maintain peace in their states till the Court finalises the scheme for implementation of its judgment. The Centre will file a draft scheme on the same day.

13:15 BJP MLA held for vandalising Samajwadi Party's office after NCP leader's detention 

The police in Maharashtra's Ahmednagar district today arrested BJP MLA Shivaji Kardile for allegedly vandalising the office of the superintendent of police (SP), a senior official said.

An NCP MLC, Arun Jagtap, who was also allegedly involved in the incident, was on the run and a search was on for him, Ahmednagar Superintendent of Police Ranjankumar Sharma told PTI.

The incident took place on Saturday when NCP MLA from Ahmednagar city, Sangram Jagtap, was detained at the SP's office in connection with the killing of two local Shiv Sena leaders. According to police, all the three legislators are relatives. The Shiv Sena leaders - Sanjay Kotkar (35) and Vasant Thube (40) - were shot dead on Saturday in Shahunagar area of Kedgaon in Ahmednagar, hours after the result of a civic bypoll in the area was announced, the police said. The bypoll was won by the Congress.

13:08 Need to identify constraints, renew focus on NER: Niti Aayog VC Rajiv Kumar 

There is a need to identify constraints, streamline resources and renew focus on the north-east region (NER), Niti Aayog vice chairman Rajiv Kumar today said.

Kumar said that the government would involve all north-east states as much as possible in formulating development policies in the region so that nobody feels left out.

Addressing media on the eve of the first meeting of the NITI Forum for North East (to be held in Agartala, Tripura) tomorrow, he said the government would try to address concerns over inequality in the region.

The meeting will be chaired by Kumar and the co-Minister of State (Independent Charge), Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER), Jitendra Singh. Speaking at the same event, Singh said the government will ensure equitable growth of NER.

Chief ministers of north eastern states will attend the deliberations tomorrow.

13:06 No NAFTA deal in principle to be announced at Lima summit: Sources

Talks to rework the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) are not advanced enough for the United States, Mexico and Canada to announce a deal "in principle" at this month's Summit of the Americas in Lima, according to two people familiar with matter.

The ministers responsible for NAFTA met on Friday in Washington, and said progress had been made on reworking the accord. But there was still too much to do unveil an agreement at the April 13-14 summit, the sources said, speaking on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the matter.

US President Donald Trump, his Mexican counterpart Enrique Pena Nieto and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau are due to attend the Lima gathering, and officials have held out hope for substantive progress on the renegotiation before the meeting.

Spokespeople for the Mexican economy ministry and Canada's foreign ministry declined to comment. A spokeswoman for the office of US Trade Representative (USTR) Robert Lighthizer did not respond to a request for comment on Sunday.

13:03 Four booked in Uttar Pradesh for derogatory Facebook post against Ambedkar 

An FIR has been registered against four people for allegedly making derogatory remarks against B R Ambedkar on social media and assaulting a Dalit youth in Reoti area here, police said today.

The FIR has been lodged against Durgesh Pandey, Ankesh Pandey, Ritesh and Tej Narain for derogatory Facebook posts, Superintendent of Police (SP) Sriparna Gongulee said. The FIR was lodged under the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, IT Act and relevant provisions of the IPC yesterday on a complaint of Shiv Prakash Paswan, who was assaulted by the four.

12:57 Mumbaikars to pay more for bus rides from this week

Lakhs of daily commuters in Mumbai will have to bear additional burden on their pockets as bus rides in the city are set to get costlier from the middle of this week. The Mumbai Metropolitan Region Transport Authority (MMRTA) has decided to approve the proposal for BEST fare hike in the Maharashtra capital on April 11 and the revised fare could come into effect from April 12.

As per a Times of India report, the increment in fares will be for distances over 4 kilometer and it will remain the same for shorter distances - less than 4 km. Once the MMRTA approves the fare hike, the ticket prices will increase from Re 1 to Rs 12, depending on the distance travelled by the red buses.

Read the full report here. 

12:46 Supreme Court to decide maintainability of plea for court-monitored probe into PNB scam 

The Supreme Court today said it will decide whether the PIL seeking a court-monitored probe into the over Rs 11,000 crore Punjab National Bank fraud case is maintainable or not.

A bench of Chief Justice Dipak Misra and Justices A M Khanwilkar and D Y Chandrachud was told by the Centre that agencies like the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), Enforcement Directorate (ED), the Income Tax department and the Serious Fraud Investigation Office (SFIO) are independently probing the PNB scam.

Attorney General K K Venugopal sought dismissal of the PIL seeking a court-monitored probe into the alleged scam saying multiple agencies are already probing the matter. The AG was opposing a plea filed by lawyer Vineet Dhanda, who has sought an independent probe in the PNB case and a direction to the government to get diamond merchant Nirav Modi deported.

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has already registered two FIRs -- one on January 31 and another in February -- against billionaire Nirav Modi, his relative Mehul Choksi of Gitanjali Gems and others for allegedly defrauding the bank of about Rs 11,400 crore.

12:42 Indian cryptocurrency exchanges considering challenging RBI's diktat

Indian cryptocurrency exchanges are considering to challenge the diktat of the RBI which prohibits entities under its regulation to work with companies which offer cryptocurrency services.

Startups like Unocoin, Coinsecure and Zebpay have expressed their reservations with the order and going by the statements they are considering to mount a legal challenge in the Supreme Court.

Coinsecure said that they were discussing the matter with industry stakeholders like Blockchain and Cryptocurrency Committee of India and the Internet and Mobile Association of India.

Read the full report here.

12:37 Ashok Gehlot appointed member of Congress central election panel 

Congress general secretary Ashok Gehlot has been appointed a member of the party's central election committee, the apex body for selection of candidates during elections.

Party sources said today that Gehlot would become a member of the key committee chaired by Congress president Rahul Gandhi with immediate effect.

Gehlot, a former chief minister of Rajasthan, was recently appointed the AICC general secretary in charge of organisation and training of party cadres.

A meeting of the central election committee is likely to be held tomorrow to discuss party candidates for the upcoming assembly polls in Karnataka. The Congress is seeking to remain in power in the southern state under the leadership of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah. Karnataka assembly election will be held on May 12 and the counting of votes will be held on May 15.

12:28 PNB Fraud case update | The Enforcement Directorate is conducting raids on Diamond Power Pvt Ltd at multiple location. The CBI has already registered a case against its promoters and the company.

12:23 Xiaomi sets up new manufacturing units in India for smartphones, PCBs

Chinese handset maker Xiaomi today said it has set up three new smartphone manufacturing units in Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh, along with a facility for printed circuit board (PCB) manufacturing in India.

While the company didn't disclose investment details, it said the move will double its manufacturing capacity in India.

"We had two facilities for smartphone manufacturing earlier. Now we have added thee more in Sri City, Andhra Pradesh and Sriperumbudur in Tamil Nadu. These are in partnership with Foxconn," Xiaomi VP and India Managing Director Manu Jain told reporters here.

12:16 PNB fraud case | Attorney General KK Venugopal questioned the maintainability of petitions, reports ANI. Supreme Court to now hear the matter on April 23.

11:58 RBI's crackdown on cryptocurrencies forces Indian exchanges to think of moving abroad: Report

Almost immediately after the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) decided to ban regulated entities from dealing with them, Indian cryptocurrency exchanges have started looking at moving their offices abroad.

According to a report by The Economic Times, cryptocurrency exchanges like Zebpay, Unocoin, CoinSecure, BuyUcoin and BTCX India, are looking to move their head offices to places like Singapore, Belarus, or Delaware in the Unites States.

Many of them have already approached their advisers and are working on various tax structures, the report stated.

Read the full report here. 

11:50 The unravelling of BJP has begun: Salman Khurshid

With just a year left to general elections in India, senior Congress leader Salman Khurshid says the "unravelling" of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has begun and the popularity wave on which it came to power in 2014 is waning.

Against the backdrop of the Dalit protests, the farmers' agitation and high profile fraud cases, he said "we need to look at whether with this performance should (the BJP) be coming back" to power in 2019. "On that the clear answer is a no."

"I think that the unravelling of the BJP has begun and frankly I wouldn't be complacent but I think they have a very, very, very tough 2019," Khurshid told PTI.

11:43 TDP MPs' detention height of Centre's 'oppressive attitude': Andhra Pradesh CM N Chandrababu Naidu

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu has condemned the detention of TDP MPs by the police in New Delhi, saying it was the "height of the Centre's oppressive attitude".

It was "atrocious" to behave in "an inhuman" manner against the MPs, who tried to stage a peaceful protest outside the prime minister's residence, he said.

A release from the Chief Minister's Office yesterday said Naidu spoke over phone with some of the MPs who had been hospitalised following their "arrest" and enquired about their health.

"They (Delhi police) behaved in an inhuman fashion, without even caring about the MPs' age. This was the height of the Centre's oppressive attitude. The Centre's stance is totally undemocratic," the chief minister said.

The TDP MPs were detained when they attempted to protest near Prime Minister Narendra Modi's residence at 7, Lok Kalyan Marg in Delhi demanding special category status to Andhra Pradesh.

11:38 Cambridge Analytica whistle-blower says breached Facebook data may have been stored in Russia

The data that was inappropriately taken from Facebook may have been partially stored in Russia, the Cambridge Analytica whistleblower has alleged, lending credence to the theory of Russian meddling in US elections.

According to a Bloomberg report, whistleblower Christoper Wylie, in an episode of NBC’s “Meet the Press” said that a some of the data “could be stored in various parts of the world, including Russia.”

It was initially suggested that the data of 50 million users was breached. Facebook states that the data breach compromised close to 87 million users. Wylie said that it was possible for the final number to be higher.

11:37 Alembic Pharma gets USFDA nod for Acyclovir ointment

Alembic Pharma today said it has received approval from the US health regulator its Acyclovir ointment USP, used for the treatment of genital herpes.

The company has received approval from the USFDA for its abbreviated new drug application (ANDA) Acyclovir ointment USP, 5 percent, Alembic Pharmaceuticals said in a BSE filing.

The approved ointment is therapeutically equivalent to the reference listed drug product (RLD) Zovirax ointment 5 per cent of Valeant Pharmaceuticals North America LLC.

The drug is used for management of initial genital herpes and in limited non-life-threatening mucocutaneous herpes simplex virus infections in immunocompromised patients, the company said. As per the IMS data, for twelve months ending December 2016, the ointment has an estimated market size of USD 145 million.

11:33 China's PLA using new equipment for all-weather border monitoring 

China's military is bolstering the management of its border defence by developing new types of equipment including a satellite early warning system that can be used to monitor the border areas in all environments, according to official media reports.

A satellite early-warning monitoring system is planned in some border areas that are in dispute or are difficult to enter and patrol, state-run Beijing Evening News reported yesterday.

A surveillance camera network has also been built in border zones and the density of coverage is set to increase to cover blind spots, the report said but did not mention which, or if all, of China's border regions are covered.

11:29 Supreme Court refuses to interfere with West Bengal panchayat poll process 

The Supreme Court today refused to extend the last date for the filing of nominations for panchayat polls in West Bengal, saying it could not interfere with the election process.

The top court, however, granted liberty to all candidates to approach the West Bengal State Election Commission for appropriate relief.

"We have not interfered with the election process but we have granted liberty to all candidates to approach State Election Commission today itself for necessary relief," a bench of Justices R K Agrawal and A M Sapre said.

The BJP had on March 6 told the apex court that "democracy is being murdered" in West Bengal as the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) was engaged in large scale poll violence and not allowing its candidates to file nominations for the upcoming panchayat polls.

It had also alleged that the assistant panchayat electoral registration officers appointed by the West Bengal State Election Commission were refusing to give nomination forms to BJP candidates.

11:04 JUST IN | National Investigation Agency (NIA) has put a Pakistani diplomat on its wanted list and released his photo, seeking information, reports ANI. 

10:53 Pakistan President promulgates ordinances to implement economic reforms

Pakistan's President Mamnoon Hussain has issued four ordinances to implement economic reforms which seek to increase the tax base and help people declare their hidden assets at home and abroad.

The ordinances, promulgated yesterday, include Voluntary Declaration of Domestic Assets Ordinance 2018, Foreign Assets (Declaration and Repatriation) Ordinance 2018, Income Tax (amendment) Ordinance 2018, and Economic Reforms (amendment) Ordinance 2018.

The Economic Reforms Package (ERP) was announced by Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi last week who had said that the focus of the new scheme was to facilitate taxpayers and expand the tax net to at least three million people from less than 1.2 million in a population of 207 million, Dawn reported.

The ERP envisaged "one-time" amnesty scheme to whiten the undeclared assets, reduction in income tax rates, issuance of dollar-denominated bonds and barring cash transactions in non- filer accounts.

The government has issues a list of public office holders who cannot avail the amnesty scheme. The list includes the president, prime ministers, governors, chief ministers, nazims, councillors, government consultants and judges of the higher and lower courts. Those facing litigation will also not be able to avail this facility.

10:51 Flyers beware! Mumbai airport to be partially shut for six hours on April 9-10

Fliers travelling in and out of Mumbai may have to face delays if they are travelling on Monday and Tuesday as the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport will be closed for flight operations for six hours each day between 11 am and 5 pm. The closure is a part of routine pre-monsoon maintenance practice to remove rubber deposits on the runway.

The airport authority will close the main runway to carry on routine exercise and the secondary runway will be functional. However, owing to the closure of the main runway, it is expected that several flights will be delayed and few may even get cancelled, reported News18.

10:47 Goa govt to launch its app-based taxi service 

The Goa government has decided to launch its own app-based taxi service to some key tourist destinations in the coastal state.

The state-run Goa Tourism Development Corporation (GTDC) today invited the taxi operators to register with the new mobile application-based transport service. Currently, the tourist taxi operators run their businesses individually in Goa.

They had earlier opposed attempts made by online cab aggregators like Ola to start services in the state, saying that such a move will affect their business.

10:34 Facebook to send Cambridge Analytica data-use notices

Get ready to find out if your Facebook data has been swept up in the Cambridge Analytica scandal.

Starting today, the 87 million users who might have had their data shared with Cambridge Analytica will get a detailed message on their news feeds.

Facebook says most of the affected users (more than 70 million) are in the US, though there are over a million each in the Philippines, Indonesia and the UK.

10:22 SBI to invest Rs 80 bn in hydropower project of Nepal: Report

The State Bank of India (SBI) will be investing a total of Rs 80 billion in the Arun III hydropower project of Nepal, which has 900 megawatts (MW) electricity production capacities, reports ANI. 

SJVN, which has been awarded with the construction of the mega power project of Nepal, has made an informal agreement with the SBI to acquire the investment as loan and soon will make the formal agreement, sources told the paper.

10:09 NITI Aayog suggests Finance Commission should reward performing states

National think tank NITI Aayog has proposed a formula through which the Centre’s divisible pool of taxes is shared with states in a way that the interests of states performing well on are not ignored.

According to a Mint report, NITI Aayog vice-chairman Rajiv Kumar said that it was clear that the formula for the pool of taxes must have a performance-based component so that states that have achieved some progress in these parameters don't get punished.

10:02 More than 100 stocks above Rs10K crore market cap trading above 200-DMA; time to buy?

The Nifty50 flirted with its long-term moving average which is also known as 200-day moving average (DMA) in the past week but there are as many as 126 stocks in the large and midcap space with a market capitalisation of more than Rs 10,000 crore which are trading just above this crucial level as on 5th April.

When the Nifty was flirting with 200-DMA there were many stocks which were trading above this levels which include names like ABB India, ACC, Adani Enterprises, Adani Ports, Asian Paints, Axis Bank, Bajaj Auto, BHEL, Bharat Electronics, Bharti Infratel, Canara Bank, CESC, Crompton Greaves, DLF, Eicher Motors, Hero MotoCorp etc. among others.

So why is 200-DMA important for traders? Well, the 200-day simple moving average is more relevant for traders in determining the overall trend for the market. It is considered as a crucial support for the index or stocks in a falling market scenario.

Read the full report here. 

09:57 Mood in Karnataka favours Congress, says Rahul Gandhi after 6 round of 'Yatra'

Congress president Rahul Gandhi today asserted that the mood in Karnataka was in favour of his party and it would win the May 12 polls, as he concluded his six rounds of "Yatra" in the run-up to the elections, reports PTI. 

Addressing a public rally to mark the culmination of his "Janarshivad Yatra" covering all regions of the state, he also accused the Narendra Modi government of discriminating against the Congress-ruled Karnataka.

"Karnataka's mood is in favour of the Congress party and we will the election," Gandhi said, winding up the last lap of his "yatra", which he devoted to mainly attack the Modi government. The visit also saw Gandhi visit temples and other religious places and interact with Hindu seers, besides holding roadshows and mingling with crowds.

09:54 Five injured after quake hits Japan Tokyo

A 5.6-magnitude quake hit western Japan early today, injuring five people and damaging buildings and roads, as officials warned stronger tremors could come in the days ahead.

The shallow tremor was gauged as magnitude 5.6 by the US Geological Survey and 6.1 by Japans meteorological agency on the Richter scale.

It rocked the west of the main island of Honshu, 96 kilometres north of Hiroshima, at 1:32 AM (2200 IST yesterday).

The Japanese agency urged residents to stay vigilant. "We want the areas that experienced strong tremors to be on guard in the coming week or so against quakes that could be as powerful as the upper five," agency official Toshiyuki Matsumori told a news conference, referring to a Japanese seismic scale with a maximum intensity of seven.

09:11 Indian rupee opens higher by 12 paise at 64.85 per dollar

US President Donald Trump today warned Syrian President Bashar al-Assad that there would be a "big price to pay" for a chemical attack on a violence-hit town in Syria where dozens of Syrians choked to death.

Trump also called Assad an "animal" and blamed Russia and Iran for backing him.

"Many dead, including women and children, in mindless chemical attack in Syria. Area of atrocity is in lockdown and encircled by Syrian Army, making it completely inaccessible to outside world," Trump said in a series of tweets on Sunday.

"President Putin, Russia and Iran are responsible for backing Animal Assad. Big price to pay," Trump said, warning his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin and Iran for backing the authoritarian Assad regime. Trump also accused former President Barack Obama for the Syrian disaster, saying if his predecessor's actions could have stopped "Animal Assad" long ago.

09:04 Essar Steel auction: NCLT may decide on Numetal, ArcelorMittal pleas this week

ArcelorMittal and Numetal will on Monday present submissions to the National Company Law Tribunal's Ahmedabad bench on their pleas to get their bids for Essar Steel reconsidered.

While the bench hasn't mentioned a date for announcing the judgment, sources close to the development said that "an operative order could be announced on Thursday.

The bench is expected to inform the parties a day before announcing the judgment. It has also asked all the petitioners to share the submissions with each other.

Read the full report here. 

08:58 Common Wealth Games 2018 | Weightlifter Pradeep Singh wins silver in men's 105 kg category. Shooter Jitu Rai wins gold and Omprakash Mithraval wins bronze in men's 10m Air-Pistol event.

08:51 JJ Hospital's provisional diagnosis points to drug overdose in Indrani's case 

State-run JJ Hospital authorities on Sunday said a "basic-level provisional diagnosis" pointed to a drug overdose in the case of Indrani Mukerjea, who was arrested by the police in August, 2015 for allegedly killing daughter Sheena Bora.

Mukerjea was brought to the JJ Hospital at around 11:15 pm on Friday from the Byculla Jail in south Mumbai in a "semi-conscious" state and was admitted to the Critical Care Unit, doctors said.

Dr Sudhir Nanandkar, Dean of JJ Hospital, said, "Presently, the basic-level provisional diagnosis is of a drug overdose. It was said that she was on anti-depressants, but it has not been confirmed. We are awaiting a report on blood, urine and stomach wash from the Forensic Science Laboratory. We should get it by tomorrow (Monday)".

08:46 BJP names 72 candidates for Karnataka Assembly polls, fields Yeddyurappa from Shikaripura 

BJP's chief ministerial candidate for Karnataka, B S Yeddyurappa, will contest from Shikaripura assembly constituency, the party's Central Election Committee announced today, as it released a list of 72 candidates for the high-stake contest.

Veteran state leaders Jagadish Shettar and K S Eswarappa will contest from Hubli Dharwad Central and Shimoga Assembly seats, respectively, it said.

The BJP top brass, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi and party president Amit Shah, met earlier tonight to finalise the candidates for the polls. Senior party leader J P Nadda released the list of 72 candidates following the committee's meeting.

The BJP has also fielded its Lok Sabha MP B Sriramulu in the polls. The meeting, official sources said, delineated on probable candidates for over 140 seats and the names of remaining candidates are likely to be announced soon. The elections to the 225-seat assembly are scheduled for May 12. The BJP is pulling out all the stops to oust the Siddaramaiah-led Congress government from Karnataka, the only big state where the opposition party is in power.

08:43 EU says evidence points to chemical attack by Syria regime

The EU said today evidence suggested the Syrian regime carried out a chemical attack in Douma and urged Damascuss allies Russia and Iran to help prevent another attack.

"The evidence points towards yet another chemical attack by the regime," the European External Action Service said. "We call on the supporters of the regime, Russia and Iran, to use their influence to prevent any further attack."

8:42 JUST IN | Indrani, the key witness against Chidambaram and son, poisoned in jail, BJP, MP Subramanian Swamy tweets.

08:34 Jet Airways plane hits catering van at Delhi airport 

A Jet Airways plane, with 133 people on-board, hit a parked catering vehicle at the Delhi airport yesterday night, officials said.

No one was injured in the incident that took place around 8 pm when the Jet airways flight, coming from Dubai, arrived at the Terminal 3 of the Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport here, they said.

The aircraft was moving towards its designated parking bay when its right wing hit a catering vehicle of service provider Taj Sats which was stationed on the nearby lane at the terminal, airport sources said.

"All the 125 guests and 8 crew members deplaned safely and the B737 aircraft is currently being inspected by the airlines technical team," a Jet Airways spokesperson said. "Jet Airways is investigating the incident, which has also been reported to the authorities," the spokesperson said.

08:28  What changed for the market while you were sleeping? 10 things you should know

The Nifty which started the week ended April 6 on a muted note managed to recoup losses and closed with gains of just six points but above its crucial psychological support level of 10,300 on Friday. It formed a Doji type pattern on the daily chart and a bullish candle on the weekly chart.

The index, which made a bullish Marubozu candle on the daily chart on Thursday, consolidated in a narrow range on Friday and made an indecisive candlestick pattern on the daily chart. The Nifty index opened at 10,322 and rose to an intra-day high of 10,350 which is close to its 50-DEMA. It slipped to an intra-day low of 10,290 before closing the day six points higher at 10,331.

Analysts advise investors to remain long on the index with a stop loss below 10,227 levels, which is also its crucial support. On the higher side, Nifty is likely to face stiff resistance around 10,460 levels.

Read the full report here.

08:27 JUST IN | Dalit organisations in Kerala have called for a strike today over dilution of the SC/ST act and the violence on Dalits during the Bharat Bandh on April 2, reports CNN News18. 

08:24 PWD to launch drive to de-silt Delhi's drains 

Ahead of the monsoon season, the Public Works Department (PWD) of the Delhi government will launch a two-month exercise to de-silt the city's drains from April 15, a move intended to prevent waterlogging in the national capital.

The department, headed by minister Satyendar Jain, has set a target of completing the de-silting works by June 15. The Delhi government had taken several measures to prevent waterlogging in the national capital during the monsoon, Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia had said on Friday.

08:23 North Korea ready to discuss denuclearization with US: Report

North Korean officials have told their US counterparts that Kim Jong Un is ready to discuss denuclearization, an assurance that could pave the way for a meeting with President Donald Trump, reports said today.

It is the first time the offer was made directly to Washington, after it was previously conveyed through South Korean national security adviser Chung Eui-yong. "The US has confirmed that Kim Jong Un is willing to discuss the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula," a Trump administration official told The Wall Street Journal and Washington Post today.

Washington stunned observers when it announced last month it had agreed to a historic first meeting between Trump and Kim to be held by the end of May.

08:19 Casualties reported in strike on Syria air base: state media
A missile attack on a Syrian military airport left several dead and wounded, state media said today, after the US warned Damascus and its allies over an earlier suspected chemical attack on a rebel-held town.The strike on the Tayfur air base in the central province of Homs, came as international outrage mounts over an attack on Saturday in the rebel enclave of Eastern Ghouta.