New Delhi, Sep 8 (PTI) Following are the top stories at 1 pm: NATION DEL11 NIA-2NDLD SEARCHES **** NIA searches underway at 22 locations in five states, JK in terror conspiracy case New Delhi: The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Monday conducted searches at 22 locations across five states and Jammu and Kashmir, officials said. **** DEL10 JK-LD ENCOUNTER **** One terrorist killed in encounter in JK’s Kulgam Srinagar: An unidentified terrorist was killed and a soldier injured in an encounter in Kulgam district of Jammu and Kashmir on Monday, officials here said. **** DEL12 SONIA-LD NICOBAR **** Mockery of legal, deliberative processes: Sonia slams govt on Nicobar project New Delhi: Terming the Great Nicobar infrastructure project a “planned misadventure”, Congress Parliamentary Party chairperson Sonia Gandhi on Monday said it poses an existential danger to the island’s indigenous tribal communities and is being insensitively pushed through, making a “mockery of all legal and deliberative processes”. **** BOM2 MH-QUOTA-JARANGE **** Enforce GR, start giving Kunbi certificates to Marathas before Sep 17: Jarange to govt Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar: Quota activist Manoj Jarange on Monday demanded that the Maharashtra government implement a GR issued last week for issuing Kunbi caste certificates to Marathas before September 17, or else he will take a “tough decision” again. **** CAL10 WB-SAND SMUGGLING-ED-LD RAIDS **** ED conducts raids in several areas of West Bengal over sand smuggling racket Kolkata: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Monday launched a series of coordinated raids at over 20 locations spread across West Bengal, including Kolkata, targeting individuals and businesses found to be allegedly involved in a sand smuggling racket, a senior official said. **** MDS5 KA-PROCESSION-CLASHES-MINISTER **** Minister Parameshwara says situation in Maddur under control after Ganesha procession clashes Mandya (Karnataka): Karnataka Home Minister G Parameshwara on Monday said the situation in Maddur town is under control following the communal clashes that broke out during a Ganesha immersion procession on September 7. **** LEGAL LGD5 SC-JOURNALIST **** SC seeks Gujarat govt, ED’s responses on journalist’s bail plea in money laundering case New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Monday sought response of the Gujarat government and the Enforcement Directorate on a bail plea of journalist Mahesh Langa seeking bail in a money laundering case linked to an alleged financial fraud. **** LGD10 SC-TAMIL NADU-DGP **** SC questions Tamil Nadu over appointment of acting DGP, directs UPSC to expeditiously recommend names New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Monday questioned the Tamil Nadu government over appointment of an acting DGP and directed the UPSC to expeditiously recommend names for making a regular appointment. **** LGD8 SC-VEDANTA **** SC judge Chandran recuses from hearing plea seeking probe into US short seller’s allegations against Vedanta New Delhi: Supreme Court judge Justice K Vinod Chandran on Monday recused from hearing a plea seeking directions to authorities to investigate allegations made by US short seller Viceroy Research that billionaire Anil Agarwal’s mining conglomerate was “financially unsustainable” and posing severe risk to creditors. **** BUSINESS DEL9 BIZ-STOCKS-OPEN **** Stock markets rally in early trade tracking firm global trends amid hopes of rate cut by US Fed Mumbai: Benchmark equity indices Sensex and Nifty rallied in early trade on Monday tracking a firm trend in global markets amid hopes of a rate cut by the US Federal Reserve later this month. **** FOREIGN FGN4 LANKA-HUMANRIGHTS **** Sri Lanka opposes international action on human rights, urges support for domestic justice process Colombo: Sri Lanka on Monday opposed international intervention on its human rights situation at the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) in Geneva, asserting that such actions undermine ongoing domestic efforts to ensure justice and reconciliation. **** PTI DIV DIV