HIGHLIGHTS AT 9 PM

Following are the top stories at 9 pm: NATION BOM16 MP-2NDLD BUS 45 killed as bus plunges into canal in MP's Sidhi district Sidhi/Rewa: At least 45 people, including 20 women, were killed when a packed bus skidded off the road and plunged into a canal in Madhya Pradesh's Sidhi district on Tuesday morning, a senior official said DEL22 DL-TOOLKIT-POLICE COMMISSIONER Toolkit case: Disha Ravi's arrest made in accordance with law, says Delhi Police chief New Delhi: Delhi Police Commissioner S N Shrivastava on Tuesday said the arrest of climate activist Disha Ravi was made in accordance with law which ''doesn't differentiate between a 22-year-old or 50-year-old''.

DEL67 VIRUS-2NDLD HEALTH MINISTRY 4 detected with SA variant of COVID-19 in India, one with Brazil strain New Delhi: For the first time in India, four people were detected with the South Africa variant of SARS-CoV-2 and one tested positive for the Brazil variant in the country, the Centre said on Tuesday. DEL54 UP-3RDLD PM False propaganda over laws, they benefit small farmers: Modi Lucknow: Accusing the opposition of “false propaganda” against the new agri-marketing legislation, Prime Minister Narendra Modi Tuesday claimed that those who had made laws for bringing in foreign firms are now creating a scare among farmers over local companies.

DEL62 BUD-CESS-AGRI INFRA 'Cess introduced in budget will boost states' agri infra' New Delhi: The agri cess introduced in the Union Budget 2021-22 will finally go towards boosting APMC mandis and related farming infrastructure, all of which are governed by states, a top government functionary said on Tuesday, rejecting criticism that the cess deprives states of revenue as its receipt entirely falls in the Centre's kitty.

DEL70 DL-FARMERS-PROTEST-CROWD Crowds thin at Singhu, Tikri, but farmer leaders say movement stronger than ever New Delhi: As the farmers' stir against three new agriculture laws of the Centre inches towards the three-month mark, crowds at the major protest sites -- Singhu, Tikri and Ghazipur borders -- visibly appear to be thinning, but the leaders maintain that their movement is now stronger than ever.

CAL10 WB-LD LEFT-CONG ALLIANCE Furfura Sharif cleric's ISF, other secular parties to be part of Left-Cong alliance Kolkata: In a new political alignment in poll-bound West Bengal, state Congress president Adhir RanjanChowdhury on Tuesday announced the inclusion of newly formed Indian Secular Front (ISF) of Furfura Sharif cleric AbbasSiddiqui in the Left Front-Congress alliance.

CAL11 AS-LD CONG-CAA Grand memorial for anti-CAA protestors if party comes to power : Cong Guwahati: Assam Congress on Tuesday announced that it will build a grand memorial here tocommemorate the anti-Citizenship Amendment Act(CAA) protestors who sacrificed their lives if the party comes to power, itscampaign committee chairman Pradyut Bordoloi said.

BOM18 MP-2ND LD-WOMAN-ASSAULT MP: Woman thrashed, forced to walk with boy on shoulders by in-laws Guna: A tribal woman was beaten up and forced to walk for three km carrying a teenage boy on hershoulders by her in-laws in Madhya Pradesh's Guna district, police said on Tuesday.

LEGAL LGD13 DL-COURT-TOOLKIT Toolkit case: Court asks Delhi Police to give FIR copy to Disha Ravi, allows her to talk to family New Delhi: A court here on Tuesday directed Delhi Police to hand over to 21-year-old climate activist Disha Ravi a copy of the FIR and other documents related to her arrest in connection with allegedly being involved in sharing a ''toolkit'' on social media on the farmers' protest and allowed her to speak to her family.

LGD20 SC-RAJDEEP SC registers suo motu contempt case against journalist Rajdeep Sardesai for his tweets New Delhi: The Supreme Court has registered a suo motu contempt case against journalist Rajdeep Sardesai for his tweets allegedly scandalising judiciary. LGD18 DL-COURT-LD FARMERS Farmers' protest: Law of sedition cannot be invoked to quieten the disquiet, says Delhi court New Delhi: A Delhi court has said that the law of sedition cannot be invoked to quieten the disquiet under the pretence of muzzling the miscreants. BUSINESS DCM24 BIZ-FM-RBI Sitharaman addresses RBI board, explains priorities of govt New Delhi: Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Tuesday explained the government's priorities to the Reserve Bank of India's central board during their first meeting after presentation of the Union Budget 2021-22.

DCM15 BIZ-EPFO-INTEREST EPFO likely to declare rate of interest on EPF deposits for 2020-21 on March 4 New Delhi: Retirement fund body EPFO is likely to announce the rate of interest on provident fund deposits for financial year 2020-21, on March 4, when its Central Board of Trustees will meet at Srinagar.

FOREIGN FGN34: UK-IHC-FARMERS-LETTER Indian High Commission issues open letter to British MP on farmer protests London: The Indian High Commission in London has issued an open letter to a British member of Parliament who has been vocal over the issue of farmer protests in India and related arrests of activists.

FGN33: BANGLA-COURT-LD MILITANTS B'desh anti-terrorism tribunal sentences 5 to death for killing blogger Avijit Roy Dhaka: A special anti-terrorism tribunal on Tuesday sentenced five members of a banned Islamist militant group, including a fugitive army Major, to death and a sixth man to life in prison for the killing of prominent Bangladeshi-American atheist blogger Avijit Roy in 2015.

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