HIGHLIGHTS

Following are the top stories at 9:05 pm:

TOP NEWS:

DEL103 LDDALL NIRBHAYA Nirbhaya case:2nd death row convict files mercy plea before Prez, uncertainty again looms over execution of four men on Feb 1

New Delhi: Uncertainty again looms over the hanging of the four death row convicts here in the Nirbhaya gang-rape and murder case scheduled on February 1 with a second condemned prisoner filing a mercy petition before the President on Wednesday and a third convict also moving a curative plea before the Supreme Court.

DEL109 2NDLD CORONAVIRUS Coronavirus outbreak: IndiGo, Air India suspend most of China-bound flights, No case yet in India

New Delhi: The only two Indian carriers that fly to China -- IndiGo and Air India-- on Wednesday announced suspension of most of their flights to that country, while India has requested China for permission to operate two flights to bring back its nationals from Hubei province which has been sealed after the deadly coronavirus outbreak.

DEL84 CAB-LD ABORTION Cabinet approves raising of upper limit for permitting abortions to 24 weeks for certain cases

New Delhi: The Union Cabinet on Wednesday approved extending the upper limit for permitting abortions from the present 20 weeks to 24 weeks for "special categories of women" which would include rape survivors, victims of incest, differently-abled and minors, an official statement said.

NATION

CAL13 WB-2ND LD CLASH 2 killed in Murshidabad in clash over protests against CAA, oppn parties question TMC's credibility

Baharampore(WB): Two persons were killed and three others injured on Wednesday in a clash between TMC and a civil society group in Murshidabad district over a protest against CAA and the proposed NRC, prompting opposition parties to question the credibility of the ruling party on its stand on the contentious law.

DEL100 JD(U)-LD EXPULSION

JD(U) expels Kishor, Varma for 'anti-party' activities New Delhi: The JD(U) on Wednesday expelled its dissident leaders Prashant Kishor and Pavan Varma, capping months of their bitter differences with its president and Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar over the Modi government's citizenship measures, including the CAA.

DEL105 AVI-2NDLD KAMRA

SpiceJet, GoAir ban Kamra; AirAsia India, Vistara say 'reviewing' matter New Delhi: Two more airlines on Wednesday suspended stand-up comedian Kunal Kamra from flying with them "till further notice" for allegedly heckling journalist Arnab Goswami aboard an IndiGo plane with aviation regulator DGCA saying the action by the four carriers is in complete consonance with its regulations.

DEL32 BJP-2NDLD NEHWAL

Badminton ace Saina Nehwal joins BJP, calls Modi an inspiration New Delhi: Former world number one badminton player Saina Nehwal joined the Bharatiya Janata Party on Wednesday, hailing Prime Minister Narendra Modi as an "inspiration" with his "hard work" for the country.

DEL80 POL-DL-RUPANI-INTERVIEW

Shaheen Bagh protest 'totally communal', natural that others are worried: Vijay Rupani New Delhi: The protest in Shaheen Bagh is "totally communal" and has left others worried, Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani said on Wednesday as he defended the controversial comments of BJP leaders during the Delhi poll campaign, arguing they stand for the country's integrity while the other side is "against" it. By Kumar Rakesh

LEGAL LGD36 DL-COURT-2NDLD SHARJEEL

Delhi court sends Sharjeel Imam to 5-day police custody New Delhi: A court here sent Sharjeel Imam, arrested on sedition charges, to five days of police custody on Wednesday, his lawyer said.

BUSINESS

DCM23 BIZ-GST-GAS

Oil Min pitches for inclusion of natural gas in GST New Delhi: Ahead of the Union Budget, the Oil Ministry has made a renewed pitch for inclusion of natural gas in the ambit of GST to promote the use of the environment-friendly fuel by reducing multiplicity of taxes and improving business climate.

DEL79 BIZ-LD-RUPEE

Rupee gains 7 paise against dollar on rebound in equities Mumbai: The rupee on Wednesday appreciated by 7 paise to settle at 71.24 against the US dollar following gains in the domestic equity market.

FOREIGN

FGN54 CHINA-VIRUS-LD INDIANS

Will provide necessary assistance for evacuation of Indians, other nationals from Wuhan: China Beijing: As India prepares to airlift its citizens from Wuhan, the epicentre of the deadly coronavirus outbreak, China said on Wednesday that it would make all appropriate arrangements and provide necessary assistance if any country "insists" on evacuating its nationals. By K J M Varma

FGN50 US-CHINA-DALAI

US House passes bill on sanctions against Chinese officials for meddling in Dalai Lama's succession Washington/Beijing: The US House of Representatives has passed a bill that authorises financial and travel sanctions against Chinese officials who interfere in the process of selecting the successor to the Dalai Lama, the exiled Tibetan spiritual leader based in India. By Lalit K Jha

SPORTS

SPF32 SPO-CRI-LD IND

Rohit pulls off sensational Super Over chase for India in series sealing third T20 Hamilton: Rohit Sharma smashed consecutive sixes in the final two balls of the thrilling Super Over, leading India to their maiden T20 series win in New Zealand following a nerve-wracking finish in the third match here on Wednesday. By Chetan Narula.