Top stories on 6 March in a capsule

Periyar's statue attacked in Chennai, hours after BJP leader's threat

Hours after BJP Minister H Raja threatened on social media, that the statue of Dravidian revolutionary, Periyar, in Chennai will be vandalized, it was attacked on late Tuesday night by two men. In the attack that took place at a municipal office in Vellore district, the glasses and nose of the statue were broken by a BJP and a CPI member, as identified by the police. Raja’s threat came on the same day when two statues of Russian Communist leader, Vladmir Lenin, were razed down by mobs in Tripura, just two days after BJP won assembly elections in the state, ending the 25-year-old rule of the Communist Party.

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Sri Lanka declares 10 days of  emergency over communal clashes

Sri Lanka has declared a state of emergency for 10 days following communal unrest between the Buddhist and Muslim communities on Tuesday. Properties of Muslim communities, including apartments and mosques being burnt were reported. The tensions started a week after a Sinhalese truck driver injured by a group of Muslim men in an alleged case of road rage. The man succumbed to his injuries on 3 February. Mob attacks followed in the coming days and a 20-year-old Muslim man was burnt in his apartment in Kandy district. “There were concerns that communal violence would spread, therefore we declared the emergency,” Cabinet Minister Mani Ganesh said.

• Nidahas Trophy 2018: Sri Lanka Beat India by 5 wicket in the 1st T20I match

Sri Lankan batsman Kusal Perera's brilliant half-century made a mark over Shikhar Dhawan's 49-ball 90 as the host defeated India in the opening T20I match of the Nidahas Trophy tri-series. Sri Lanka, won the match by five wickets at R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo on Tuesday. Riding on Perera's  successful 37-ball 66, the hosts chased down 175 in 18.3 overs. Security was stepped up for the Indian side following state of emergency being declared in a district of the country. 

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Open to talks with US, no nuclear war, says a 'new' North Korea

North Korea, met its opponent South Korea for the first time in years to advance inter-Korea relations and make a move towards reunification of both the countries. North Korea’s supremo Kim Jong Un received South Korea’s delegation, led by National Security Officer head Chung Eui-Yong in of Pyongyang on Tuesday. According to Chung, Kim Jong has agreed to talk to the US on giving up nuclear weapons. North Korea said it will not 'retain nuclear weapons if the military threat against the country is resolved and it's security can be guaranteed,' Chung added. Both North and South Korea have further agreed to hold summit talks in April.

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Rahul joins TDP's protest, promises special status for alliance 

Congress President Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday joined the protest by the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) MPs outside Parliament, assuring the state of ‘special status’ in exchange for alliance. “I am confident that if we stand together we will convince the Government of India and Prime Minister Narendra Modi that what is due to the people of Andhra Pradesh should be given to them,” adding that this is the first thing his government would do when they come to power in 2019. The issue steams from TDP being disappointment with not being given any special funds during the Union Budget presentation.

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Russian military plane crashes, killing all 39 on board 

A Russian transport plane crashed in Syria killing all 39 people on board, all of whom were Russian military personnel. The Antonov-26 aircraft crashed at Russia's Khmeimim airbase in Latakia province on Tuesday, Russian media quoted the ministry as saying. Initial information suggested the crash may have been caused by a technical fault, contrary to initial reports that the plane was shot down in the ongoing war in Syria. The aircraft hit the ground about 500 metres short of the runway, the ministry said. Thirty-three passengers and six crew members were on the aircraft when it went down at about 3pm Moscow time.


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BJP establishes its CM candidates in Tripura, Nagaland and Meghalaya

Source: DNA
(From L to R): Biplab Deb, Neiphiu Rio, Conrad Sangma

The BJP on Tuesday established all of its Chief Ministerial canidates in the north eastern states of Meghalaya, Tripura and Nagaland which recently held its assembly elections. In Meghalaya, NPP’s Conrad Sangma, backed by the BJP and other allies swore in as the 16th Chief Minister, in spite of the Congress getting the highest number of seats in the results, but failing to touch the majority mark of 30 seats. Tripura also witnessed the announcement of its new CM, the RSS trained Biplab Kumar Deb, in a state that had been under the Communist rule for over two decades. By evening Nagaland also welcomed the arrival Neiphiu Rio of PDA, BJP’s ally, following predecessor TR Zeliang's resignation after two days of protest.

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ICICI and Axis Bank CEO called in for questioning in PNB case 

The Serious Fraud Investment Office has issued notices to ICICI Bank’s CEO Chanda Kochar and Axis Bank’s managing director Shikha Sharma in the PNB scam case worth 12,700 crores. They both were asked to appear in the Mumbai SFIO on Tuesday. The investigative body has authorized them to send representatives in case they are not able to appear themselves. A consortium of 31 banks led by ICICI Bank has loans close to Rs 5,200 crore to Mehul Chokshi's Gitanjali Group. Nirav Modi firms Stellar Diamond and Solar Exports and Diamonds have together borrowed close to Rs 4,000 crore from banks.

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Sensex tanks 400 points, Nifty at 10,200 dragged by Banking Stocks 

Benchmark indices closed lower for a fifth straight session on Tuesday, dragged by banking stocks despite strong trades in Asian and European equities. The BSE Sensex tanked 429.58 points, or 1.27 percent, to 33,317.20, while NSE index Nifty50 plunged 109.60 points, or 1.06 percent, to 10,249. This selling has wiped off 2 lakh crore of investors wealth from the markets. Market capitalisation of BSE-listed companies plunged to Rs 144 lakh crore today from Rs 146 lakh crore in the previous session. The SFIO is said to have summoned senior executives from 31 banks with business dealings with the firms promoted by Nirav Modi and Choksi, PTI reported.

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