HIGHLIGHTS

Following are the top stories at 9.10 pm: NATION DEL62 AMARINDER-2NDLD SHAH Amarinder meets Amit Shah amid crisis in Punjab Cong, triggers speculation about his future move New Delhi: Former Punjab chief minister Amarinder Singh met Union Home Minister Amit Shah at his residence here on Wednesday, triggering speculation over his future plans ahead of the Assembly polls in the state.

DEL42 CABINET-LD PM POSHAN Mid-Day Meal scheme to be now called PM POSHAN, to cover students of pre- primary classes also New Delhi: The national Mid-Day Meal Scheme in government and aided schools popularly will now be known as PM POSHAN Scheme and will also cover students of balvatikas or pre primary classes, the government announced Wednesday.

DEL7 VIRUS-LD CASES Active COVID-19 cases in country lowest in 194 days New Delhi: The daily rise in coronavirus infections remained below 20,000 for the second consecutive day with 18,870 fresh cases recorded in a single day, while the active cases declined to 2,82,520, the lowest in 194 days, according to the Union Health Ministry data updated on Wednesday.

DEL48 PB-CHANNI-2NDLD SIDHU Channi speaks to Sidhu, says let's sit and talk Chandigarh: Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi on Wednesday reached out to a miffed Navjot Singh Sidhu and offered to resolve issues through talks, a day after the former cricketer resigned as the state Congress chief.

DEL50 CONG-SIBAL-LD G23 Sibal demands immediate CWC meeting, says 'G23' not 'Jee Huzur 23' New Delhi: With several Congress leaders quitting the party and its Punjab unit in turmoil, senior party leader Kapil Sibal on Wednesday demanded that an immediate meeting of the Congress Working Committee (CWC) be convened and wondered who in the party was taking decisions in the absence of a full-time president.

MDS10 KL-RAHUL-BJP-INDIA BJP, RSS view India as a map, Congress sees it as the people here: Rahul Gandhi Malappuram/Kozhikode (Ker): The BJP and RSS view India as a geographical territory or a map, but Congress' views the country as the people here and the relationships they have with others here and globally, Wayanad MP Rahul Gandhi said on Wednesday.

DEL13 ED-LD SENA MP-SUMMONS ED summons Shiv Sena MP Gawali for questioning in PMLA case Mumbai: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has summoned Shiv Sena MP Bhavana Gawali for questioning on October 4 in a money laundering case registered against her and others, official sources said on Wednesday.

CAL11 WB-ABHISHEK-CONGRESS Cong needs to shed 'armchair politics', hit the streets against BJP: Abhishek Banerjee Kolkata: Trinamool Congress general secretary Abhishek Banerjee on Wednesday advised the Congress to hit the streets against the BJP, instead of indulging in ''armchair politics''.

CAL9 WB-FALEIRO-TMC Former Goa CM Luizinho Faleiro joins TMC Kolkata: Two days after quitting the Congress, former Goa chief minister Luizinho Faleiro joined the Trinamool Congress on Wednesday.

CAL8 WB-ADHIR Mamata BJP's Trojan Horse, must be kept out of oppn platform: Adhir Chowdhury Kolkata: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee was the Trojan Horse of the BJP and should be kept out of all efforts to cobble up an opposition platform ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, senior Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury alleged on Wednesday. By Pradipta Tapadar LEGAL DEL60 SC-LD NGO Power to punish for contempt cannot be abridged or taken away even by legislative enactment, says SC New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Wednesday said its power to punish for contempt is a constitutional power which cannot be abridged or taken away even by legislative enactment as it held the chairperson of an NGO guilty of contempt for not depositing Rs 25 lakh for ''scandalising and browbeating'' the court.

LGD11 SC-LD FIRECRACKERS CBI report on use of toxic chemicals in firecrackers very serious, violation of court's orders: SC New Delhi: The Supreme Court Wednesday said the CBI report on use of toxic chemicals in manufacturing firecrackers is very serious and ''prima facie'' it appears that there has been violation of the court's orders on use of barium and labelling of fireworks.

BUSINESS DEL36 BIZ-FINMIN-EXTERNAL-DEBT India's external debt rises 2.1 pc to USD 570 billion New Delhi: India's external debt rose modestly by 2.1 per cent year-on-year to USD 570 billion as of March-end 2021, notwithstanding the COVID-19 pandemic, according to the finance ministry.

FOREIGN FGN34 US-PAKISTAN-LD AFGHAN US war in Afghanistan a 'strategic failure', says top American general Washington: The top American general has dubbed the 20-year war in Afghanistan a ''strategic failure'' as the Pentagon leadership told lawmakers that they had recommended having 2,500 troops in Afghanistan to prevent a collapse of the West-supported government in Kabul, but President Joe Biden disagreed. By Lalit K Jha FGN26 JAPAN-3RDLD POLITICS Japan ex-diplomat Kishida wins party vote, to become new PM Tokyo: Japan's former Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida won the governing party leadership election on Wednesday and is set to become the next prime minister, facing the imminent task of addressing a pandemic-hit economy and ensuring a strong alliance with Washington to counter growing regional security risks.