HIGHLIGHTS

Following are the top stories at 9 pm.

NATION **** DEL92 RAISINA-LD JAISHANKAR Captain Modi gives his bowlers certain freedom: Jaishankar New Delhi: External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Friday likened Prime Minister Narendra Modi to a cricket team captain and said he gave his bowlers a certain amount of freedom while expecting them to take wickets. **** DEL82 JAPAN-FM-LD INTERVIEW **** As G7 president, Japan wishes to coordinate closely with G20 chair India: Japanese Foreign Minister Hayashi New Delhi: The Russian invasion of Ukraine has put a great strain on the global economy including energy and food security, and Japan is keen to respond to the challenges by working hand-in-hand with India, Japanese Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi said on Friday.By Manash Pratim Bhuyan **** DEL91 DEF-CDS-CHAUHAN **** We need to be self-reliant in defence, says Gen Chauhan on lessons for India from Ukraine war New Delhi: The biggest lesson that Indian armed forces can draw from the war in Ukraine is that they should not depend on supplies of weapons and military hardware from foreign countries, Chief of Defence Staff Gen Anil Chauhan said on Friday. **** DEL83 DEF-RAJNATH-LD ISRAEL **** Rajnath and Israeli defence minister discuss key defence projects New Delhi: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Friday spoke to his Israeli counterpart Major General Yoav Gallant and discussed key projects relating to co-development of military hardware. **** DEL85 RAHUL-LD REAX **** BJP, Cong trade barbs over Rahul's Pegasus remarks at Cambridge University New Delhi: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's remarks at Cambridge University that he was under surveillance triggered a political slugfest on Friday with the BJP accusing him of maligning India on foreign soil and the Congress hitting back by citing instances of Prime Minister Narendra Modi raking up internal politics abroad. **** CAL25 MG-NPP-2NDLD SANGMA **** Meghalaya: Conrad submits letter of support of 32 MLAs to Guv, stakes claim to form govt Shillong: National People's Party (NPP) president Conrad K Sangma on Friday called on Meghalaya Governor Phagu Chauhan and submitted to him the letter of support of 32 MLAs, while staking claim to form the government in the northeastern state. **** MDS26 KA-BJP MLA's SON-LDALL SEIZURE **** Lokayukta recovers Rs 6 cr unaccounted cash from BJP MLA's son’s house Bengaluru: Lokayukta sleuths recovered unaccounted cash of more than Rs six crore from the house of BJP MLA K Madal Virupakshappa’s son Prashanth Madal close on the heels of his arrest for allegedly accepting a bribe of Rs 40 lakh. **** DEL79 NCR-UZBEK-LD COUGH SYRUP **** Uzbekistan cough syrup deaths case: 3 employees of Noida pharma firm arrested Noida: Three employees of a city-based pharmaceutical firm, whose cough syrup is alleged to have led to the death of 18 children in Uzbekistan last year, were arrested on charges of manufacturing and sale of adulterated drugs, officials said. **** CAL28 JH-2NDLD BUDGET **** Schemes for farmers, students, MSMEs in Jharkhand's Rs 1.16 lakh cr FY24 budget Ranchi: The Jharkhand government on Friday presented a Rs 1.16 lakh crore budget for the 2023-24 fiscal, announcing a variety of schemes for “all-round development” of the state, including programmes for farmers, students and the MSME sector. **** LEGAL **** LGD25 DL-COURT-LD SISODIA Excise scam: Delhi court to hear Manish Sisodia’s bail plea on Saturday New Delhi: A city court is likely to hear the bail application of Delhi's former deputy chief minster Manish Sisodia, arrested in a corruption case related to the alleged Delhi excise scam, on Saturday when he is scheduled to be produced before the judge on expiry of his five-day CBI custody. **** LGD29 DL-HC-EWS-EDUCATION **** Denying admission under EWS category frustrates right to education: Delhi HC New Delhi: Denial of admission under EWS or Disadvantaged Group category by a school even after allotment by the authorities frustrates and undermines the noble objective of the law on right to education and violates the fundamental rights of children under the Constitution, the Delhi High Court has said.**** LGD27 NCR-PRINCE-TESTIMONY **** Gurugram schoolboy death: Court hears testimonies of two witnesses Gurugram: A court here on Friday heard the testimonies of two witnesses in connection with the killing of a seven-year-old boy at a private school in Bhondsi in 2017, a lawyer said. **** BUSINESS **** DEL76 BIZ-AP-SUMMIT-LD RELIANCE Reliance to set up 10 GW solar plant, invest Rs 40,000 crore for 5G rollout in AP: Mukesh Ambani Visakhapatnam: Billionaire Mukesh Ambani on Friday announced plans for setting up a 10 gigawatt solar plant in Andhra Pradesh as his oil-to-telecom conglomerate bets big on renewable sources which can be converted into carbon-free green hydrogen. **** FOREIGN **** FGN28 CHINA-QUAD-MEETING-LD REAX China slams Quad meeting held in New Delhi; opposes 'exclusionary blocs' Beijing: China on Friday renewed its criticism of the Quad grouping comprising the US, India, Australia and Japan, saying that state-to-state cooperation should be consistent with the trend of peace and development, rather than putting up ''exclusionary blocs.'' By K J M Varma **** FGN40 2NDLDALL RAHUL-CAMBRIDGE **** Indian democracy under attack: Rahul Gandhi in Cambridge; BJP accuses him of maligning country's image on foreign soil London/New Delhi: Indian democracy is under attack and several politicians, including himself, are under surveillance, former Congress chief Rahul Gandhi alleged during a lecture at Cambridge university, drawing sharp reactions from the BJP that accused him of maligning the country's image on foreign soil after facing successive electoral setbacks. ****