March 18: Top news at 3 pm

I-T dept makes public list of defaulters owing ₹448 crore

The Income Tax department today released a list of 29 entities owing ₹448.02 crore in taxes as part of its strategy to name and shame large defaulters. In advertisements issued in leading national dailies, the department brought out the list of defaulters of income tax and corporate tax even as it advised them to pay their "tax arrears immediately". The department has carried out this exercise earlier too and had named at least 67 such entities which have huge tax liabilities on them. "The entries in the list are specific to the tax arrears and assessment year mentioned. The tax defaulter's address, business, shareholding and management may have changed," the notice said.

Hindujas are wealthiest Asians in UK in 2017

NRI businessmen Hindujas have retained their position as the richest Asians in the UK in 2017 with an estimated wealth of £19 billion, an increase of £2.5 billion over last year, according to an annual ranking of the richest Asians in Britain. Steel tycoon Lakshmi N Mittal secured the second place with a fortune of £12.6 billion—up from £6.4 billion last year—in the Eastern Eye Asian Rich List, Britain's 101 Wealthiest Asians 2017, released last night. Britain's 101 wealthiest Asians are collectively worth 69.9 billion pounds, up from £55.4 billion last year—a rise of 25%.

Wouldn't be here right now if not for Twitter: Trump

US President Donald Trump has said that he has reached the position where he is now because of Twitter and the social media platform helps him get around the media. "(I) probably wouldn't be here right now, but very seldom. We have a tremendous group of people that listen and I can get around the media when the media doesn't tell the truth, so I like that," Trump told reporters at a joint White House news conference with visiting German Chancellor Angela Merkel. Trump said he and the German leader probably shared something when it came to the previous Obama Administration. He was responding to a question on wiretapping.

Twin explosions near Agra Cantt station

Two low-intensity explosions occurred in Agra Cantt railway station's vicinity this morning, just hours after Andaman Express crashed into a huge boulder on the tracks near another station 20 km away and police recovered a note at the site threatening of terror attacks. No one was injured in the two incidents, police said. Police has cordoned off the Agra Cantt railway station and senior police officials have inspected the area. "Two explosions were heard early today. The UP police has taken over and now forensic investigations are being done to determine the cause," Divisional Railway Manager Prabhash Kumar told PTI.

Muzaffarnagar riot victims attacked for objecting to harassment

Six Muzaffarnagar riot victims, two of them women, suffered injuries after they objected to the alleged sexual harassment of some girls by a group of youths who pelted stones at them at Palda village in the district. Police said a complaint has been lodged against a dozen people. Two of them have been identified as Gulab and Naeem, who are currently absconding. According to the complaint lodged by one Iqbal, the youths were harassing some girls at Palda village where the victims of the riots had been rehabilitated in 2013.

Former racing champion Ashwin Sundar dies in mishap

Former national racing champion Ashwin Sundar and his wife Niveditha died in a mishap at MRC Nagar in Chennai today. According to police sources, the car in which the two were traveling caught fire after it hit a roadside tree. Sundar and his wife were charred to death inside the vehicle. Police officials claimed that the racer's over speeding was the reason behind the crash. Sundar had won the national title in car racing and two-wheeler events on several occasions. His wife Niveditha was a doctor in a private hospital in Chennai.