HIGHLIGHTS

Following are the top PTI stories at 1700 hours:

DEL10 POL-MODI-LD CONG Cong believed in insulting institutions, its desire for power cost nation greatly: Modi

New Delhi: Accusing the Congress of insulting institutions, including Parliament, judiciary, media and the armed forces, when it was in power, Prime Minster Narendra Modi Wednesday urged people to think wisely before casting their vote in the Lok Sabha elections beginning April 11.

DEL 27 CONG-LD JOBS Rahul slams Modi over jobs, says India's PM is a joke New Delhi: In a scathing attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the issue of jobs, Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday alleged that his policies destroyed one crore jobs last year and said "India's PM is a joke".

DEL22 UP-LD-MAYAWATI

Mayawati not to contest LS polls Lucknow: Bahujan Samaj Party chief Mayawati Wednesday announced that she will not contest the upcoming Lok Sabha polls, but kept open the option of fighting a parliamentary bypoll later

ELN29 MN-LD RAHUL

Modi has reduced PMO to publicity minister's office: Rahul Imphal: Prime Minister Narendra Modi has reduced the PMO to Publicity Minister's Office for marketing himself, Congress president Rahul Gandhi alleged on Wednesday,

as he launched a vitriolic attack on his rival over a host of issues including unemployment and demonetisation.

ELN14 UP-LD PRIYANKA PM should stop thinking people are fools, they see through everything: Priyanka Gandhi

Mirzapur (UP): Prime Minister Narendra Modi should stop thinking that people are fools and understand that they see through everything, Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra said Wednesday

BOM11 GA-2ND LD FLOOR TEST Goa CM Sawant proves BJP-led govt's majority in Assembly

Panaji: Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant Wednesday proved the majority of his BJP-led government in the Assembly, comfortably winning a floor test in the House.

MDS1 KA-COLLAPSE-TOLL

Death toll in Karnataka building collapse rises to 3, 56 rescued Bengaluru: The death toll in the building collapse at Dharwad in north Karnataka rose to three Wednesday with one more body recovered from the rubble, police said.

Legal:

LGD9 DL-HC-VADRA Robert Vadra moves HC seeking quashing of money laundering case by ED

New Delhi: Robert Vadra Wednesday moved the Delhi High Court seeking quashing of an FIR registered by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in a money laundering case in which he has been questioned by the probe agency.

Foreign:

FGN21 UK-NIRAVMODI-LD ARREST Nirav Modi arrested in UK

London: Nirav Modi, the main accused in the USD 2 billion PNB scam case, has been arrested in London, Scotland Yard said Wednesday, in a major boost to India's efforts to bring back the fugitive diamantaire. By Aditi Khanna

FGN12 CHINA-INDIA-LD BRI India signals to boycott China's Belt and Road Forum for 2nd time

Beijing: India on Wednesday signalled that it will boycott China's second Belt and Road Forum for a second time, saying no country can participate in an initiative that ignores its core concerns on sovereignty and territorial integrity. By K J M Varma

FGN22 PAK-BILAWAL-ZARDARI Ex-Pak prez Zardari, Bilawal appear before anti-graft body in corruption case

Islamabad: Pakistan's former president Asif Ali Zardari and his son Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari on Wednesday appeared before the anti-corruption body and recorded their statements in a graft case.

FGN5 NZ-ATTACK-3RDLD BURIAL

Syrian refugee father and son buried as New Zealand funerals begin Christchurch: A Syrian refugee and his son were buried in New Zealand on Wednesday in the first funerals of those killed in the twin mosque massacre as Kiwis braced for days of emotional farewells following the mass slayings.(AFP)

FGN9 AFRICA-LD CYCLONE

Mozambique, Zimbabwe cyclone deaths exceed 300 as UN boosts aid Beira (Mozambique): The death toll from a cyclone that smashed into Mozambique and Zimbabwe rose to more than 300 as rescuers raced against the clock to help survivors and the UN led the charge to provide aid. (AFP).