HIGHLIGHTS

Following are the top stories at 2100 hours: NATION DEL157 DEF-RAFALE-INDUCTION IAF formally inducts Rafale aircraft into 101 Squadron of Eastern Air Command New Delhi: The Indian Air Force (IAF) formally inducted the Rafale aircraft into its 101 Squadron of the Eastern Air Command in the presence of Air Chief Marshal R K S Bhadauria at the Hasimara Air Force Station in West Bengal on Wednesday.

DEL154 EC-POLLS-CEOs Election Commission meets CEOs of 5 states due for polls early next year, reviews preparations New Delhi: Stepping up its preparations for the assembly polls in five states due early next year, the Election Commission Wednesday reviewed advance planning with the chief electoral officers of Goa, Manipur, Punjab, Uttarakhand and Uttar Pradesh.

DEL158 PAR-PANEL-LD PEGASUS Parliamentary panel meeting to question govt officials on Pegasus postponed due to lack of quorum New Delhi: A parliamentary panel meeting that was set to question government officials on Wednesday on the Pegasus spyware issue was postponed due to lack of quorum.

DEL152 NDA-PARLIAMENTARIANS-LD MEDICAL QUOTA NDA MPs request PM to implement OBC, EWS reservation in all-India quota of medical education New Delhi: A delegation of NDA MPs belonging to the OBC category, including Union Minister Bhupender Yadav, on Wednesday requested Prime Minister Narendra Modi to implement the reservation for OBC and EWS candidates in the all-India quota of undergraduate and postgraduate medical courses.

DEL150 BLINKEN-LDALL CIVIL SOCIETY All people deserve to have a voice in their govt: Blinken, says successful democracies include 'thriving' civil societies New Delhi: All people deserve to have a voice in their government and be treated with respect no matter who they are, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Wednesday while noting that Indians and Americans believe in human dignity, fundamental freedoms, including freedom of religion.

DEL148 LD-MAMATA Will depend on situation, no problem if someone else leads: Mamata Banerjee on being face of Oppn New Delhi: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday said it will ''depend on the situation'' who becomes the face of the Opposition to take on the BJP, but added she has no problem if someone other than her leads.

DEL144 MHA-AS-MZ-LD MEET MHA, govts of Assam, Mizoram agree on deployment of neutral central force along disturbed border New Delhi: A neutral central force will be deployed along the disturbed Assam-Mizoram border where five policemen and a civilian were killed following a bloody clash recently, officials said Wednesday.

DEL159 OPPOSITION-2NDLD PEGASUS Oppn hardens stand on Pegasus issue, Rahul rejects govt's charges on Parliament disruption New Delhi: The opposition on Wednesday hardened its stand on the Pegasus spyware issue with 14 parties unitedly demanding a debate in Parliament in the presence of the prime minister or the home minister and a Supreme Court-monitored probe into the matter.

DEL126 DL-SISODIA-LD SCHOOLS COVID-19: Delhi govt to seek feedback from teachers, parents about reopening of schools New Delhi: The Delhi government is seeking feedback from students, teachers and parents about the reopening of schools considering the Covid situation is under control, Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia announced on Tuesday.

DEL105 UP-4THLD ACCIDENT 18 killed, 25 injured after truck hits bus in UP Barabanki (UP): At least 18 people were killed and 25 injured after a truck rammed into a stationary double-decker bus here, police said on Wednesday.

BOM24 MH-RAINS-DEATH TOLL Maha rains: Death toll reaches 213; eight still missing Mumbai: The death toll of the last week's rain-related incidents in Maharashtra rose to 213 on Wednesday with the worst-hit Raigad district alone accounting for nearly 100 fatalities, the state government said.

LEGAL LGD12 SC-2NDLD KERALA ASSEMBLY Kerala Assembly ruckus: Privileges, immunities no gateways to claim exemption from law, says SC New Delhi: Privileges and immunities are “not gateways” to claim exemptions from criminal law which governs the action of every citizen, the Supreme Court said on Wednesday while dismissing Kerala government's plea for withdrawal of a case against six LDF leaders in connection with the ruckus in the state Assembly in 2015.

FOREIGN FGN38 VIRUS-UK-QUARANTINE UK lifts quarantine for fully vaccinated EU, US travellers London: Fully vaccinated travellers from the US and European Union (EU) countries will be able to avoid a 10-day compulsory quarantine when they arrive in England from next Monday, the UK government said on Wednesday.

By Aditi Khanna FGN36 PAK-PANAMA-IMRAN Panama scandal: Pak PM names 'common friend' who offered Rs 1K cr bribe to withdraw case against Nawaz Sharif Lahore: Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan has finally filed a reply in a defamation case and identified a “common friend” who allegedly offered him Rs 1,000 crore on behalf of Shahbaz Sharif to withdraw the Panama Papers case in the Supreme Court against then prime minister Nawaz Sharif.

By M Zulqernain PTI SRY