HIGHLIGHTS

Following are the highlights at 1730 hours:

TOP NEWS:

DEL13 CBI-DIRECTOR-APPOINTMENT Rishi Kumar Shukla appointed CBI director

New Delhi: Former Madhya Pradesh Police chief Rishi Kumar Shukla was on Saturday appointed CBI director for a fixed tenure of two years, according to an order issued by the personnel ministry.

CAL19 WB-MODI-CITIZENSHIP BILL Modi pitches for citizenship bill, claims ground slipping from under Mamata's feet

Thakurnagar (WB): As a raucous debate rages on over the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, Prime Minister Narendra Modi made a strong pitch for the contentious piece of legislation on Saturday, insisting it would bring "justice and respectability" to those who faced religious persecution.

DEL7 MEA-INDIAN STUDENTS LD US

India issues 'demarche' to American Embassy on detention of Indian students in US New Delhi: India Saturday issued a demarche to the American Embassy here, expressing its concern over the detention of Indian students in the US, and sought immediate consular access to them.

CAL20 WB-MODI-LD TMC Modi accuses TMC of extortion, says it's killing aspirations of middle class

Durgapur: In a scathing attack on the Trinamool Congress, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday accused it of killing the aspirations of the middle-class people in the state and said the ruling party in West Bengal is known for "triple T -- Trinamool Tolabaji Tax".

CAL24 WB-MAMATA-CITIZENSHIP BILL

Will oppose Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, Centre will have to withdraw it: Mamata Kolkata: West Bengal Chief Minister and Trinamool Congress supremo Mamata Banerjee Saturday said her party would oppose the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, and demanded that the BJP-led government at the Centre withdraw the contentious piece of legislation.

DEL3 DEF-RIFLE Defence Ministry approves procurement of 73,000 assault rifles from US

New Delhi: In major move towards infantry modernisation, the Defence Ministry has cleared a long-pending proposal of the Army to procure around 73,000 assault rifles from the US under fast track mode, official sources said on Saturday.

DEL9 UKD-LD-SHAH Ram temple should be built at the earliest: Shah '

Dehradun: BJP president Amit Shah Saturday said a Ram temple should be built in Ayodhya at the earliest and dared the Congress to spell out its own stand on the issue.

BOM3 MH-ARREST-2NDLD TELTUMBDE

Court terms Anand Teltumbde's arrest illegal, orders release Pune: In an embarrassment for the Pune police, a sessions court here Saturday termed Dalit scholar Anand Teltumbde's arrest in the Elgar Parishad case as "illegal", and ordered that he should be released immediately.

CAL14 POL-WB-RAJNATH Centre will use technology to seal Bangladesh borders in Bengal, Assam: Rajnath

Falakata (WB): Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Saturday said the Centre will use technology to seal the international borders of both West Bengal and Assam with Bangladesh, through an integrated border management system.

LGD9 DL-COURT-2NDLD VADRA

Money laundering case: Delhi court grants interim bail to Robert Vadra, directs him to join probe New Delhi: A Delhi court Saturday granted interim bail till February 16 to Robert Vadra in a money-laundering case and asked him to appear before the Enforcement Directorate and cooperate in the investigation.

FGN6 PAK-CHINA-LOAN

China to provide USD 2.5 bn loan to Pak to boost foreign cash reserves Islamabad: China will provide USD 2.5 billion in loans to Pakistan to boost the foreign exchange reserves of its "all-weather ally", a media report said Saturday. By Sajjad Hussain

FGN8 CHINA-TIBET-CPC

China cracks down on CPC officials in Tibet having religious beliefs, secret links with Dalai Lama Beijing: China's ruling Communist Party is cracking down on its officials who are taking part in religious activities violating party's ideology of adhering to atheism and secretly maintaining contacts with Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama, who has been branded as "separatist" by Beijing. By K J M Varma SMN

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