HIGHLIGHTS

Following are the top stories at 2100 hours:

NATION:

DEL82 TRUMP-VISIT Trump to be treated to India's rich cultural heritage in Ahmedabad, visit will be 'brief but intense'

New Delhi: US President Donald Trump and his delegation will be treated to India's rich and diverse cultural heritage during his visit to Ahmedabad in a manner that has few parallels in the country or elsewhere, Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla said on Wednesday.

DEL70 RAMMANDIR TRUST-LD MEETING Nritya Gopal Das elected president, Champat Rai general secretary of Ram Mandir Trust

New Delhi: Mahant Nritya Gopal Das was elected president and Champat Rai general secretary of the Ram Temple trust at its first meeting here on Wednesday.

DEL67 SC-LDALL ELECTRIC VEHICLES SC expresses desire to interact with Transport minister Gadkari on introduction of Electric Vehicles

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Wednesday expressed a desire to interact with Union Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari in open court on the Centre's plan for introduction of electric vehicles(EVs), noting he has been making statements on this subject for reducing vehicular pollution.

MDS11 TN-VIRUS-2NDLD SHIP Two crew members of Chinese vessel test negative for COVID-19

Chennai: Two Chinese crew members of a ship, which arrived here from novel coronavirus-hit China, have tested negative for the disease known as COVID-19, the Chennai Port Trust said on Wednesday.

DEL76 POLICE-PM Treat incidents affecting vulnerable sections on par with terror threats: PM to top police brass

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi has asked the top police officers of the country to deal with incidents affecting the vulnerable sections of the society such as the SCs, STs and women with alacrity and treat such threats on par with terror challenges

DEL74 DL-KEJRIWAL-2NDLD SHAH Arvind Kejriwal meets Home Minister Amit Shah

New Delhi: Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Wednesday met Union Home Minister Amit Shah for the first time after taking oath and discussed various issues pertaining to the national capital.

DEL62 UP-BJP MLA-LD FIR UP BJP MLA among 7 booked for raping woman

Bhadohi (UP): An FIR was lodged against local BJP MLA Ravindra Nath Tripathi and six others here on Wednesday for allegedly raping a woman repeatedly for a month in 2017, police said.

DEL56 CAB-SWACHH BHARAT Cabinet approves second phase of Swachh Bharat Mission (Rural)

New Delhi: The Centre on Wednesday approved the second phase of Swachh Bharat Mission (Rural), Prime Minister Narendra Modi's pet project focussed on sustainability of ODF and management of solid and liquid waste.

DEL63 DRUGS-DARKNET-ARRESTS Darknet drugs racket: NCB widens probe, arrests 3 more from Nagpur

New Delhi: Widening its probe into the busting and arrest of the country's first darknet-based narcotics operator, the NCB on Wednesday said it has nabbed three more persons and seized over 135 kg of psychotropic drugs and tablets worth Rs 4 crore.

DEL78 DL-TRUMP-SECURITY Delhi Police, security agencies gear up for Trump's visit

New Delhi: A multi-tier security arrangement comprising the Delhi Police, US Secret Service and other agencies will be in place in the national capital, including at the ITC Maurya hotel where US President Donald Trump is likely to stay when he visits India next week, officials said on Wednesday.

DEL58 DL-2NDLD SHAHEEN BAGH-INTERLOCUTORS Tears and defiance as Shaheen Bagh protesters meet SC interlocutors

New Delhi: There were tears and defiance too as the women of Shaheen Bagh poured their hearts out to the two Supreme Court appointed interlocutors on Wednesday, the first attempt to reach out to those sitting in protest against the citizenship amendment legislation for more than two months.

DEL53 RAIL-RAMAYANA EXPRESS Shri Ramayana Express to run from March 28: IRCTC

New Delhi: The railways will run a special tourist train for those wishing to go on a pilgrimage of sites associated with Lord Ram from March 28, the IRCTC said on Wednesday.

DEL73 MANMOHAN-ECONOMY Modi govt does not acknowledge the word 'slowdown': Manmohan

New Delhi: Attacking the Modi government on the state of the economy, former prime minister Manmohan Singh on Wednesday said the current dispensation does not acknowledge the word "slowdown" and the real danger is that if problems are not recognised, then finding credible answers to take corrective action is unlikely.

DEL55 TRUMP-INDIA CONG Trump remarks on eve of visit to India an insult, affront to country: Cong

New Delhi: The Congress on Wednesday alleged that the remarks made by US President Donald Trump ahead of his visit to India are an insult and affront to the country's dignity and the government should respond accordingly.

BOM11 MH-CORONAVIRUS COVID-19: 36 return to Maharashtra from quarantine camps

Mumbai: Thirty-six people from Maharashtra, who were airlifted from the novel coronavirus-hit Wuhan city of China and quarantined for 14 days at facilities in the National Capital Region, returned to the state on Wednesday, Health Minister Rajesh Tope said.

BOM13 MP-GAS-ARREST Bhopal gas case: CBI arrests runaway convict; court grants him bail

Bhopal: In a major breakthrough, the CBI has arrested S I Qureshi, a convict in the 1984 Bhopal gas tragedy case, who has been absconding since 2016.

CAL8 BH-GRANDALLIANCE-SHARAD Sharad Yadav rules himself out as oppn alliance's CM nominee in Bihar, bats for Tejashwi

Patna: Former JD(U) leader Sharad Yadav on Wednesday ruled himself out as a possible chief ministerial candidate for the opposition Grand Alliance in Bihar, asserting that Tejashwi Yadav, who has already been declared CM candidate by the RJD, fits the bill.

LEGAL:

LGD36 SC-COAL Coal scam: SC directs CBI to file fresh status report on probe against ex-CBI chief Ranjit Sinha

New Delhi: The Supreme court Wednesday directed the CBI to file fresh status report within four weeks on probe into the charges of "abuse of official position" by former agency chief Ranjit Sinha and the progress made in over 50 coal scam cases.

LGD33 DL-HC-MARRIAGE AGE Task force formed to study issue of age of girl entering motherhood: Centre to HC

New Delhi: The Centre on Wednesday informed the Delhi High Court that a task force has been constituted to study the issue of minimum age of girl entering motherhood.

BUSINESS:

DEL79 BIZ-LD DRUG EXPORTS-CORONAVIRUS Coronavirus: Dept of Pharma asks DGFT to restrict export of 12 drug ingredients, formulations

New Delhi: The Department of Pharmaceuticals has asked the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) to issue orders restricting export of 12 active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) and formulations in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak, according to an office memorandum.

FOREIGN:

FGN31 CHINA-LDALL VIRUS Xi calls for greater protection of medical staff as coronavirus death toll crosses 2,000

Beijing: Chinese President Xi Jinping called for greater protection of medical workers fighting the coronavirus after causalities among them showed an upward trend as the death toll from the epidemic crossed the 2,000-mark on Wednesday, authorities said.

FGN29 INDOUS-TRUMP-2NDLD TRADE India not treating US "very well" on trade front: President Trump says ahead of first visit

Washington: US President Donald Trump has complained that India has not treated his country "very well" on the trade front and indicated that a "very big" bilateral deal with New Delhi may not be signed before the American presidential election in November.

SPORTS:

SPF26 SPO-CRI-KOHLI-NZ-SHARE If we had to share number one spot with any team, it will be New Zealand: Kohli

Wellington: Impressed by the good-natured New Zealand cricketers, Indian captain Virat Kohli says if his side were to share the number one ICC Test spot with any team, it will be the Black Caps.