HIGHLIGHTS

Following are top stories at 1730 hours:

TOP STORIES:

DEL39 UP-AKHILESH-2NDLD AIRPORT SP chief 'stopped' at airport, uproar in UP legislature

Lucknow: SP chief Akhilesh Yadav on Tuesday claimed he was stopped by authorities at Lucknow airport in a bid to prevent him from visiting Allahabad, triggering outrage by party lawmakers in the state legislature and workers outside the airport.

DEL38 POL-RAFALE-LD RAHUL Modi acted as Anil Ambani's middleman in Rafale deal, committed 'treason': Rahul

New Delhi: Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of "treason" and violating the Official Secrets Act by acting as Anil Ambani's "middleman" in the Rafale jet contract, citing an email to claim the businessman was aware of the deal days before India and France signed it.

DEL59 AP-NAIDU-PREZ Chandrababu Naidu marches to Rashtrapati Bhavan, demands special status for Andhra from President

New Delhi: Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu along with TDP MPs and MLAs met President Ramnath Kovind at Rashtrapati Bhavan here on Tuesday and raised demand for special status for the state.

DEL56 JK-3RDLD ENCOUNTER Main conspirator of Lashkar terrorist's escape killed

Srinagar: In a major success, security forces shot dead Hizbul Mujahideen militant Hilal Ahmed Rather, who had helped dreaded LeT terrorist Naved Jhatt escape, during an encounter in South Kashmir Tuesday in which an Army jawan was also killed, officials said.

NATION

DEL55 HR-PM-CORRUPTION Govt to expedite campaign to rid country of the corrupt: Modi

Kurukshetra: Prime Minister Narendra Modi said Tuesday his government will speed up the campaign to rid the country of the corrupt, claiming that only such people had a problem with him while the honest trusted the 'chowkidar'.

DEL49 RJ-GUJJAR AGITATION Blockades continue as Gujjar quota stir enters 5th day

Jaipur: The Gujjar community agitation for five per cent reservation in jobs and education entered its fifth day on Tuesday, with protesters blocking Chaksu town, about 40 km from here on National Highway 52, police said.

CAL 2 MN-BILL-ORDER Prohibitory orders imposed in Imphal districts amid protests over Citizenship Bill

Imphal: Authorities in Manipur have imposed prohibitory orders in Imphal East and Imphal West districts for an indefinite period in view of the continued protests against the Citizenship Bill which is likely to be tabled in the Rajya Sabha on Tuesday.

BOM9 GJ-2ND LD SHAH

Modi has rock-solid support; who is Oppn's PM candidate: Shah Ahmedabad: Claiming that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has rock-solid support of people, BJP president Amit Shah Tuesday dubbed the proposed "mahagathbandhan" of opposition parties as an alliance of state-level leaders "not standing a chance" in the coming Lok Sabha polls.

MDS2 TN-EARTHQUAKE

Moderate earthquake hits Bay of Bengal off TN coast Chennai: A moderate earthquake of magnitude 5.1 struck the Bay of Bengal at a depth of 10 km, and 600 km east of Chennai, Tuesday morning, IMD said.

LEGAL

LGD16 SC-LD CBI RAO

SC holds Rao and CBI legal advisor guilty of contempt, imposes fine of Rs 1 lakh on both New Delhi: In a punishment reminiscent of a classroom rebuke, the Supreme Court Tuesday ordered then acting CBI Director M Nageswara Rao and agency's legal advisor S Bhasuram to sit in the courtroom till the rising of the court after holding them guilty of its contempt.

LGD21 SC-LD ERICSSON

SC adjourns hearing on Ericsson's contempt plea by a day, orders Ambani, others to be present New Delhi: The Supreme Court Tuesday adjourned for tomorrow the hearing on a contempt plea filed by Ericsson India against Reliance Communication Ltd (RCom) Chairman Anil Dhirubhai Ambani and others for allegedly not clearing its dues of Rs 550 crore.

BUSINESS

DCM27 BIZ-TELECOM-5G-SINHA

India will not miss 5G opportunity; economic impact seen at over USD 1 trillion: Sinha New Delhi: The economic impact of 5G is estimated to be over one trillion dollars for India, which is aggressively positioning itself to be at the forefront of the new age technologies, Communications Minister Manoj Sinha said Tuesday.

FOREIGN

FGN16 US-LAWMAKERS-2NDLD WALL

Republicans, Democrats reach agreement to avert another govt shutdown over wall funding Washington: Democrats and Republicans have struck a deal in principle to fund the US government and avert another crippling government shutdown while denying President Donald Trump much of the USD 5.7 billion he demanded to build a controversial wall along the US-Mexico border.

SPORTS

SPB1 SPO-ISL-MUMBAI-PREVIEW

ISL: Mumbai, North East in battle to enhance playoff hopes Mumbai: After two back-to-back defeats, Mumbai City FC would be keen to get back to winning ways when they clash with an equally strong North East United FC in an Indian Super League encounter here on Wednesday.