HIGHLIGHTS

New Delhi, Mar 8 (PTI) Following are the top stories at 9:20 pm: NATION DEL49 MEA-PM-MAURITIUS

India, Mauritius to sign several pacts during PM Modi's visit New Delhi: India and Mauritius will sign several pacts providing for cooperation in the areas of capacity building, trade and to tackle cross-border financial crimes during Prime Minister Narendra Modi's two-day visit to the country from Tuesday.

MDS20 KA-ISRAELI-TOURIST-3RD LD GANGRAPE

Two women, including Israeli tourist raped, male traveller killed near Karnataka's Hampi Koppal: Two women, including a 27-year-old Israeli tourist, were allegedly gang-raped and assaulted while stargazing near Hampi, police said on Saturday.

DEL57 PREZ-LD WOMEN WORKFORCE PARTICIPATION

Women's Day: President Murmu calls for greater workforce participation of women New Delhi: President Droupadi Murmu on Saturday underscored the need for increased participation of women in the workforce as the country moves towards becoming the world's third-largest economy.

BOM17 GJ-LD PM

Women's safety our govt's top priority; we made strict laws to prevent crimes against them: PM Modi Navsari: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday said his government has given topmost priority to women's safety and framed stricter laws and rules to prevent crimes against them, besides making a provision for capital punishment to those indulging in heinous crimes like rape.

DEL56 INDIA-US-TARIFF-NEGOTIATIONS

Premature to talk about negotiations on Indo-US trade deal: Govt sources after Trump's claim of India agreeing to cut tariff New Delhi: Negotiations between India and the US for a trade deal have just begun and it would be premature to talk about its details, government sources said on Saturday, hours after US President Donald Trump said India agreed to cut tariffs "way down".

DEL53 INDIA-MAURITIUS-TIES

India-Mauritius cultural ties centuries-old, first Mauritian PM statue in Patna New Delhi: India and Mauritius enjoy a cultural bond that goes back nearly two centuries, fostered with vibrant people-to-people ties and linguistic bridges.

DEL51 UP-AMU 2NDLD HOLI

AMU says students can 'freely' celebrate Holi at NRSC Hall on March 13-14 Aligarh: Amid demands for allowing Holi celebration on the Aligarh Muslim University campus, its administration has decided that students can do so "freely" at the Non-Resident Students Centre Hall, an official said.

DEL50 DL-NADDA-WOMEN-LD AID

BJP govt in Delhi wouldn't be possible without support and blessings of women: Nadda New Delhi: BJP chief JP Nadda on Saturday thanked women for the victory of the saffron party in the Delhi Assembly polls, saying it would have been impossible without their blessings and support.

DEL46 SPACE-SATELLITE

Digantara commissions world's first commercial space surveillance satellite New Delhi: The world's first commercial space surveillance satellite, capable of tracking objects as small as 5 centimetres orbiting the Earth, was commissioned on Saturday as it captured images over South America, the Bengaluru-based start-up Digantara said.

DEL45 IAF-CHIEF-TECHNOLOGY

We are chasing tech, it should come out of India: IAF chief New Delhi: IAF Chief Air Chief Marshal A P Singh on Saturday said the Indian ecosystem needs to reach a stage where new technology comes out of India and others are chasing it.

DEL43 DL-CM-LD WOMEN-AID

Delhi govt approves Mahila Samriddhi Yojana, allocates Rs 5,100 crore for scheme New Delhi: The BJP government in Delhi approved the Mahila Samriddhi Yojana on Saturday to provide a monthly assistance of Rs 2,500 each to women from poor families in the city and allocated Rs 5,100 crore for the scheme.

CAL28 MN-CLASHES-3RDLD KANGPOKPI

Manipur violence: Protester killed in Kangpokpi; shutdown in Kuki-Zo areas from midnight Imphal: A protester was killed while 25 others, including women, were injured in clashes between Kuki demonstrators and security forces in different parts of Manipur's Kangpokpi district on Saturday, officials said.

LEGAL LGD2 ATTORNEY GENERAL-EVENT

Law must evolve like science to create inclusive society: Attorney General R Venkataramani New Delhi: Attorney General R Venkataramani on Saturday said law must evolve like science to create an inclusive and equitable society.

FOREIGN FGN57 UK-JAISHANKAR

Sign of bigger things to come: EAM Jaishankar on new Consulate General of India in Manchester Manchester: External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Saturday inaugurated a new Consulate General of India in Manchester, which he said was symbolic of the importance of the growing diaspora in the region and a sign of things to come, including an India-UK Free Trade Agreement (FTA). By Aditi Khanna

FGN58 PAK-CHINA-LOAN

China extends repayment period of USD 2 billion loan to Pakistan by one year Islamabad: China extended the repayment period of Pakistan’s USD 2 billion loan by one year, easing pressure of the International Monetary Fund on the dollar-deficit country. By Sajjad Hussain

FGN38 NEPAL-LD QUAKE

Nepal hit by three quakes, no loss of lives Kathmandu: Nepal was hit by three earthquakes, a strong one in eastern Nepal areas bordering Tibet in the afternoon and two of mild intensity in western Nepal in the morning on Saturday. By Shirish B Pradhan

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