HIGHLIGHTS

Following are the top stories at 5:30 pm:

NATION:

DEL36 CAB-BSNL-MTNL BSNL, MTNL to be merged

New Delhi: The government on Wednesday decided to merge loss-making telecom firms MTNL and BSNL as part of a revival package that includes raising sovereign bonds, monetising assets and voluntary retirement scheme (VRS) for employees.

DEL17 JK-LD DGP-AL QAEDA Al-Qaeda offshoot AGH wiped out from Kashmir, Musa's successor killed: J-K DGP

Srinagar: The Al Qaeda's offshoot in Kashmir, Ansar Ghazwat-ul Hind (AGH), has been wiped out from the Valley with the killing of the group's chief Hameed Lone and two other terrorists, Jammu and Kashmir Director General of Police Dilbag said on Wednesday.

DEL44 CAB-LD UNAUTHORISIED COLONIES Centre approves proposal to grant ownership rights to people in unauthorised colonies in Delhi

New Delhi: In a move that will benefit 40 lakh people, the Union Cabinet on Wednesday approved a proposal to grant ownership rights to people living in unauthorised colonies in Delhi, Union Minister Prakash Javadekar said.

DEL41 UP-MURDER-ASSISTANCE UP CM sanctions Rs 15 lakh to slain Hindu outfit leader's wife

Lucknow: Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Wednesday sanctioned immediate financial help of Rs 15 lakh to wife of Kamlesh Tiwari, a Hindu outfit leader who was killed last week.

DEL22 UP-MURDER-LD AUTOPSY Killers shot Kamlesh, stabbed him multiple times: Autopsy

Lucknow: The body of Hindu outfit leader Kamlesh Tiwari, who was killed last week, bore 15 stab wounds and a bullet injury, according to a post-mortem report.

DEL43 JK-KATHUA-DGP No torture in Kathua probe, court order on FIR against team will be followed: DGP

Srinagar: Defending the team that probed the Kathua rape and murder case last year, Jammu and Kashmir police chief Dilbag Singh on Wednesday said no witnesses were tortured and the court's directive of an FIR against the investigating police officials would be followed.

LEGAL:

LGD7 DL-HC-CHIDAMBARAM P Chidambaram moves HC seeking bail in INX media money laundering case

New delhi: Former finance minister P Chidambaram on Wednesday moved the Delhi High Court seeking bail in the INX Media money laundering case.

LGD3 SC-LAND ACQUISITION Land Acquisition case: Justice Mishra not to recuse from hearing matter

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Wednesday said that Justice Arun Mishra will not recuse from hearing a Constitution bench matter challenging provisions of the Land Acquisition Act.

LGD14 DL-HC-LD SHIVAKUMAR D K Shivakumar granted bail by Delhi HC in money laundering case

New Delhi: The Delhi High Court Wednesday granted bail to Karnataka Congress leader D K Shivakumar in a money laundering case, filed by the Enforcement Directorate (ED), saying he cannot tamper with the evidence or influence witnesses.

LGD11 DL-HC-AADHAAR-MEDIA Plea in HC to link social media accounts with Aadhaar to curb fake news

New Delhi: A PIL was on Wednesday moved in the Delhi High Court seeking directions to the Centre to take steps for linking social media accounts with Aadhaar, PAN or voter ID card to weed out fake accounts.

BUSINESS:

DEL42 BIZ-LD STOCKS

Markets resume upward trend; IT, finance stocks sparkle Mumbai: Equity indices found firmer ground on Wednesday, led by IT, finance and auto stocks, as investors tracked corporate results amid mixed cues from global markets.

DEL34 BIZ-CAB-2LD-WHEAT

Govt hikes MSP for wheat by Rs 85/qtl; pulses up to Rs 325/qtl New Delhi: The government on Wednesday hiked the minimum support price for wheat by Rs 85 to Rs 1,925 a quintal and for pulses by up to Rs 325 per quintal.

DEL32 CAB-OIL

Govt opens up fuel retailing to non-oil companies New Delhi: The government on Wednesday opened up fuel retailing norms, allowing non-oil companies to set up petrol pumps to increase competition.

FOREIGN

FGN23 US-KASHMIR-JOURNALIST Pakistan-sponsored terrorism ignored by world press: Indian journalist testifies before US committee

Washington: An Indian journalist, who testified before a US committee discussing human rights situation in Kashmir, said Pakistan-sponsored terrorism has been completely overlooked by the world press for the past 30 years, evoking a sharp reaction from a US Congresswoman who questioned her objectivity while reporting. By Lalit K Jha

FGN28 PAK-KARTARPUR Kartarpur corridor agreement likely to be signed on Thursday: Pak

Islamabad: Pakistan said on Wednesday that a historic agreement with India to operationalise the Kartarpur corridor was likely to be signed on Thursday. By Sajjad Hussain

FGN 11 CHANDRAYAAN-LD NASA Latest Moon flyby finds no trace of India’s Chandrayaan-2 Vikram lander: NASA

Washington: NASA has found no evidence of Chandrayaan-2’s Vikram lander in the images captured during a latest flyby of its Moon orbiter of the lunar region where India's ambitious mission attempted a soft landing, the US space agency said.

SPORTS:

SPD18 SPO-2NDLD BCCI Captain takes charge: Ganguly becomes BCCI President

Mumbai: Former India captain Sourav Ganguly on Wednesday took charge as the BCCI president, easily the most high-profile name to head the world's richest cricket board that has been mired in administrative turmoil for the past three years. By Nikhil Bapat.