HIGHLIGHTS

Following are the top stories at 12:40 pm:

DEL23 DL-LD VIOLENCE SITUATION N-E Delhi violence: Death toll mounts to 20; CM says situation 'alarming', Army should be called in

New Delhi: The death toll in northeast Delhi communal violence over the amended citizenship law rose to 20 on Wednesday, even as Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal flagged that the situation has become "alarming" and the Army should be called in as police is "unable to control it".

LGD29 SC-VIOLENCE Delhi violence: SC refuses to entertain pleas, terms violence 'unfortunate'

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Wednesday termed unfortunate the incidents of violence in Delhi but refused to entertain pleas on them.

LGD28 DL-HC-VIOLENCE-LD FIR Northeast Delhi violence: HC directs police to respond by 12:30 pm on plea

New Delhi: The Delhi High Court directed police to respond by 12:30 pm on Wednesday to a plea seeking lodging of FIRs and arrests of those involved in the ongoing communal violence in parts of northeast Delhi over the Citizenship (Amendment) Act.

DEL20 CONG-VIOLENCE Cong leaders to march to Rashtrapati Bhavan to seek normalcy in Delhi

New Delhi: Congress leaders will march to Rashtrapati Bhavan to seek normalcy and peace in violence-hit Delhi after its working committee meeting on Wednesday, party sources said.

DEL9 DEF-BALAKOT-ANNIVERSARY India's armed forces now do not hesitate to cross border to protect country: Rajnath Singh

New Delhi: India's approach in dealing with terrorism has undergone a major change as its armed forces now do not hesitate to cross the border to protect the country against the menace, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said on the first anniversary of the Balakot air strike.

DEL13 MEA-ENVOY Jawed Ashraf to be India's new envoy to France

New Delhi: Seasoned diplomat Jawed Ashraf was on Wednesday appointed India's next Ambassador to France.

DEL22 RJ-BUS-ACCIDENT 24 dead, four injured as bus carrying wedding party plunges into river in Bundi

Kota (Rajasthan): At least 24 people died and four others sustained injuries as a private bus carrying a wedding party fell into a river on Kota-Dausa highway in Bundi district on Wednesday morning, police said.

DEL24 CONG-VIOLENCE-CHIDAMBARAM Violence in Delhi colossal failure of Delhi Police: Chidambaram

New Delhi: Senior Congress leader P Chidambaram on Wednesday described the violence in Delhi as a colossal failure of Delhi Police.

DEL14 DL-JAMIA-PROTEST-VIOLENCE Demanding action against violence, Jamia students protest outside CM's residence

New Delhi: The students of Jamia Millia Islamia staged a protest outside the residence of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Wednesday to demand his action against the communal violence in northeast Delhi.

BOM2 MH-DL VIOLENCE-SENA Delhi violence like a horror film depicting anti-Sikh riots: Sena

Mumbai: Observing that the violence in Delhi is akin to a "horror film" depicting the grim reality of the 1984 anti-Sikh riots, the Shiv Sena on Wednesday said the "bloodbath" has brought disrepute to the national capital like never before while US President Donald Trump was in India with the "message of love".

FGN5 US-TRUMP-INDIA-CHRISTIANS Trump praised for raising issue of religious freedom, plight of minorities in India

Washington: An organisation of Indian-American Christians has thanked US President Donald Trump for raising the issue of religious freedom and the plight of minorities during his talk with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, saying political tranquillity is fundamental to economic progress. By Lalit K Jha

FGN3 CHINA-VIRUS-TOLL China coronavirus: Death toll climbs to over 2,700 amidst signs of slowdown

Beijing: The death toll in China's novel coronavirus epidemic on Wednesday climbed to 2,715 with 52 new fatalities while the confirmed cases rose to 78,064, amidst strong signs of COVID-19 slowing down even at its epicentre Hubei province. By K J M Varma

CAL1 AVI-EMERGENCY LANDING Spicejet aircraft makes emergency landing at Kolkata airport

Kolkata: A Spicejet aircraft with 183 passengers on board made an emergency landing at the Kolkata airport on Wednesday morning after the pilot suspected a leakage in the fuel tank, airport sources said.