March 8—Top news at 4 pm    

Suspected ISIS terrorist killed in Lucknow operation

A suspected ISIS terrorist was killed in a house in Lucknow after a 12-hour long operation to capture him alive. The terror suspect Saifullah was killed in an exchange of fire with the police. He is suspected to be linked with the blast in the Bhopal-Ujjain train yesterday, police said. "The anti-terror operation was being monitored by senior officials. Now after opening the doors of the house (where the terrorist was holed up), the force has gone inside the house, and the suspect has been found dead along with his weapons," Additional Director General of Police (Law and Order) Daljit Chaudhary said on Wednesday. He said at one point of time it appeared that more than one person was holed up inside the house. "The operation stands closed now. Rest of the legal formalities will subsequently take place," Chaudhary said.

UN: 'Gains made in defending women’s rights fragile'

The UN human rights chief has praised movements around the world by women to "reclaim public spaces", including in India, but warned the gains made over the years were fragile and should not be taken for granted. "It is heartening that women are mobilising in massive numbers to call for their rights to be respected," UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra'ad Al Hussein said, as the world marks the International Women's Day on March 8. Al Hussein praised women's movements in Argentina, Poland and Saudi Arabia, where women and men are taking to the streets to demand change, marching against legislative proposals to criminalise some sexual and reproductive rights and fighting femicide. "In India, we have seen women's protests against sexual violence and movements to reclaim public spaces," he said in a statement. "It is time to come together to protect the important gains of the past and maintain a positive momentum," he said.

The UN high commissioner, however, termed "extremely troubling" the recent rollback of fundamental legislations in Bangladesh, Burundi and Russia, which weakens women's rights against child marriage, marital rape and domestic violence.

Sena joins Opposition in loan waiver demand; Maharashtra Assembly adjourned for the day
The Maharashtra Legislative Assembly was today adjourned for the day without transacting any business after it witnessed noisy scenes as Shiv Sena legislators joined Opposition Congress and NCP to demand loan waiver for distressed farmers. As soon as the House assembled for the day, Leader of Opposition, Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil through an adjournment notice highlighted the plight of farmers across the state after consecutive droughts and said there was no alternative other than granting them a loan waiver. NCP leader Ajit Pawar asked the BJP government to recall how its ministers, while in Opposition would raise farmers' woes. "When industries are given loan waivers, why is the government not doing the same to farmers," he asked. Subsequently, Opposition members entered the well of the House and began shouting slogans. They were later joined in the protest by Shiv Sena legislators.

Delhi HC CJ recuses from hearing plea to stall 2017 MCD polls

Delhi High Court Chief Justice (CJ) today recused herself from hearing pleas seeking to quash the notification laying down the manner of allocation of wards for the reserved categories and women in the upcoming municipal polls in the national capital. A bench headed by Chief Justice G Rohini said the matter will be heard by some other bench, of which she is not a party. Without assigning any specific reason for recusal, the CJ listed the batch of petitions for hearing tomorrow. Earlier the CJ had issued notice to the Centre, Delhi state election commission and three municipal corporations in which the election are scheduled to be held for 272 wards in April. She had directed all concerned authorities to file their responses by today.

OPS faction on day-long fast; seek probe into Jaya's death

The O Panneerselvam-led AIADMK faction is observing a day-long fast here and in the district capitals of Tamil Nadu today, demanding an independent probe into the death of former Chief Minister Jayalalithaa. Besides Panneerselvam, former ministers Pandiarajan and Ponnaiyan and Rajya Sabha MP V Maithreyan led party cadres in observing the fast across Tamil Nadu. The OPS faction had announced on February 28 that they would observe a one-day fast as the "silence" maintained by the government on the issue was a cause of worry to the people and to the true loyalists of Jayalalithaa. A 12-member delegation led by Maitreyan had also called on President Pranab Mukherjee in Delhi that day and submitted a memorandum, seeking a probe. In their memorandum, they sought steps for instituting a probe (a judicial enquiry or a CBI probe), which may be decided by the President. On March 6, the government had cited reports from Apollo Hospitals and AIIMS to state that Jayalalithaa died on December 5 after a massive cardiac arrest.