HIGHLIGHTS

Following are the top stories at 5.30 pm.

NATION DEL42 CAB-LD VACCINE All above 60 years of age, 45-plus with comorbidities can get COVID-19 vaccine from March 1 New Delhi: Everyone above 60 years of age and those over 45 years with comorbidities will be able to get COVID-19 vaccine from March 1 for free at government facilities and for a charge at many private hospitals, the government said on Wednesday.

DEL32 CAB-PUDUCHERRY Cabinet approves President's Rule in Puducherry New Delhi: The Union Cabinet on Wednesday approved a proposal to impose President's Rule in Puducherry, days after a Congress-led government in the union territory lost power during a vote of confidence.

DEL12 PM-FARMERS-SCHEME Govt ushered historic increase in MSP, doing everything possible to double farmers' income: PM New Delhi: On the completion of two years of the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday said his government ushered a historic increase in the Minimum Support Price (MSP) for crops and was doing everything possible to double the income of farmers.

DEL25 CONG-MOILY INTERVIEW People will give befitting reply to BJP in polls for 'subverting' mandate in Puducherry: Moily New Delhi: Accusing the BJP of using money power to make the Congress government fall in Puducherry, senior Congress leader M Veerappa Moily on Wednesday said the people will give a befitting reply to the saffron party in upcoming polls for ''subverting'' a popular mandate, and asserted that upholding democratic ideals will be the main issue in the elections. By Asim Kamal DEL23 FARMERS-WESTERN UP-BALYAN False narrative created that farmers will lose land, won't get support price: Balyan Muzaffarnagar: With khaps in western Uttar Pradesh throwing their weight behind the ongoing protest against the Centre's new farm laws, BJP leader and Union Minister Sanjeev Balyan on Wednesday said the issue has become ''emotional'' and acknowledged that his party and the government might not have been able to explain the benefits of the legislations to farmers.

DEL11 DL-VIRUS-LD TRAVEL Delhi likely to ask people coming from 5 states to show negative COVID-19 test report: Officials New Delhi: Amid a spike in coronavirus infections in some states, the Delhi government is likely to ask travellers from five states, including Maharashtra, Kerala and Punjab, to show negative COVID-19 test report before entering the national capital, officials said on Wednesday.

MDS9 KL-RAHUL-2N LD FISHERMEN Rahul assures inclusion of fishermen's demands in Congress manifesto for Kerala polls Kollam (Ker): Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday sought to reach out to fishermen in poll-bound Kerala, assuring them his party would include their needs in its election manifesto as he sailed with a group of fishers and expressed admiration for their work in sea braving all odds.

DEL40 VACCINE-UNICEF India dispatches first batch of six lakh COVID vaccine doses to Ghana New Delhi: India on Wednesday dispatched the first batch of six lakh COVID-19 vaccine doses to the African country of Ghana under the COVAX facility in collaboration with the UNICEF, which aims to cover 92 countries under the initiative.

CAL6 WB-MAMATA-MODI PM Modi biggest rioter, worse fate than Donald Trump awaits him: Mamata Sahaganj: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday lambasted Prime Minister Narendra Modi, branding him as the ''biggest rioter'', who will face an ''even worse fate'' than former US President Donald Trump.

LEGAL LGD8 SC-LD CIVIL SERVICES SC rejects plea for extra chance in UPSC exam to those who exhausted last attempt amid pandemic New Delhi: The Supreme Court Wednesday dismissed a plea seeking an extra chance for UPSC civil services exam aspirants who exhausted their last attempt in October 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

LGD3 DL-COURT-TOOLKIT Court seeks police response on Shantanu Muluk's anticipatory bail plea New Delhi: A court here on Wednesday sought response from the Delhi Police on the anticipatory bail application of Shantanu Muluk, who along with Disha Ravi is accused of sharing a ''toolkit'' on social media related to the farmers' protest.

FOREIGN FGN31 NEPAL-OLI Nepal PM Oli in no mood to resign, prepared to face Parliament: official By Shirish B Pradhan Kathmandu, Feb 24 (PTI) Nepal Prime Minister K P Sharma Oli will not resign immediately and implement the Supreme Court’s verdict against him by facing Parliament that is due to convene within two weeks, an official representing the embattled premier said on Wednesday.

FGN27 LANKA-UN-RESOLUTION Sri Lankan foreign minister appeals for rejection of UN rights body resolution Colombo: A top Sri Lankan minister has made a fervent appeal to the member states of the UNHRC to reject the impending resolution on the island nation’s human rights accountability and reconciliation, terming it a ''pure political move'' against the country.

FGN34 US-UNHRC US to seek election to Human Rights Council for 2022-24 term: Blinken Washington: Asserting that the Biden administration is placing democracy and human rights at the center of its foreign policy, Secretary of State Tony Blinken announced on Wednesday that the US will seek election to the Human Rights Council for the 2022-24 term, almost three years after it quit the UN's top rights body.

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