HIGHLIGHTS

Following are the top stories at 5 pm: NATION CAL13 AS-PM Modi to visit poll-bound Assam on Feb 7 Guwahati: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit Assam on February 7 and lay the foundation stone of two medical colleges and launch the scheme for the upgradation of the state highways, state Finance Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said on Wednesday.

MDS13 AEROINDIA-LD RAJNATH India to spend USD 130 bn on military modernisation, prepared to defeat misadventures at border: Rajnath Singh Bengaluru: India is vigilant in the face of attempts to change status quo at its border and prepared to defeat any misadventures to defend its territorial integrity, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said on Wednesday, amid the continued military standoff with China.

DEL51 HR-FARMERS-LD TIKAIT Jind mahapanchayat demands repeal of farm laws Jind (Har): A ''mahapanchayat'' attended by Bharatiya Kisan Union leader Rakesh Tikait on Wednesday renewed the call to repeal the new farm laws, an event marred by the collapse of the stage on which the speakers had assembled.

MDS14 KL-NADDA BJP president Nadda slams LDF, UDF, says both are two sides of the same coin Thiruvananthapuram: BJP president J P Nadda on Wednesday attacked the ruling CPI(M)-led LDF and the opposition UDF spearheaded by the Congress, saying they are two sides of the same coin.

DEL33 FARMERS-3RDLD THUNBERG Greta Thunberg, others extend support to farmers' protest New Delhi: Teen climate activist Greta Thunberg and US Vice President Kamala Harris' niece are among several people from the international community who have come out in support of the farmers protest against the Centre's new agriculture laws.

DEL57 FARMERS-RAHUL India's reputation has taken 'massive hit': Rahul Gandhi on farmers' protest New Delhi: Amid the ongoing farmers' protest against the new farm laws, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday said India's reputation has taken a ''massive hit'' and its biggest strength, its soft power, has been ''shattered'' by the BJP and the RSS.

CAL12 WB-MAMATA TMC defectors will be defeated in polls, anomalies in forest dept recruitment to be probed: Mamata Alipurduar (WB): West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday, without naming former minister Rajib Banerjee -- who recently quit the TMC and join the BJP -- alleged that irregularities have been detected in recruitment of forest department personnel during his tenure.

LEGAL LGD13 SC-FARMERS-LD VIOLENCE SC refers to PM's statement, refuses to entertain pleas on tractor rally violence New Delhi: The Supreme Court Wednesday referred to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's statement that law will take its own course on the Republic Day violence here and refused to entertain pleas for time-bound probe by an apex court-appointed panel, saying it doesn't want to ''interfere at this stage''.

LGD15 SC-STUBBLE BURNING Punjab witnessed 44.5 pc increase in stubble burning incidents in 2020: Centre tells SC New Delhi: Punjab witnessed an increase of 44.5 per cent incidents of stubble burning in 2020 despite getting 46 per cent of the total funds from the central government for checking crop burning residue, the Centre has told the Supreme Court.

FOREIGN FGN27 US-MYANMAR-LD COUP US in touch with India and Japan on coup in Myanmar: State Department official Washington: Terming the detention of Myanmar's top civilian leaders by the military ''a coup'', a senior State Department official has said that the US is in constant touch with regional allies like India and Japan on the latest developments in Nay Pyi Taw as the two countries have better contact with the military in the Southeast Asian nation. By Lalit K Jha FGN24 VIRUS-CHINA-2NDLD WHO WHO team visits Wuhan virus lab at centre of speculation Wuhan: World Health Organisation investigators on Wednesday visited a research centre in the Chinese city of Wuhan that has been the subject of speculation about the origins of the coronavirus, with one member saying they'd intended to meet key staff and press them on critical issues.