HIGHLIGHTS

Following are the top stories at 9.15 PM: NATION DEL30 ED-BSIV VEHICLES-2NDLD ATTACH BS-IV 'scam': ED attaches assets of ex-TDP MLA, probes Ashok Leyland New Delhi: The ED said Wednesday it has attached assets worth more than Rs 22 crore of former Andhra Pradesh TDP MLA J C Prabhakar Reddy, his associates and companies linked to them in a case related to an alleged BS-IV vehicles scam.

BOM20 MH-COURT-LD MALIK-BAIL Court refuses bail to ex-Maha minister Nawab Malik in ED case Mumbai: A special court here on Wednesday refused bail to former Maharashtra minister Nawab Malik in an alleged money laundering case linked to a land deal in which fugitive gangster Dawood Ibrahim and his aides were involved.

CAL22 BH-MUNICIPAL POLLS-NEW DATES Bihar municipal polls to be held on Dec 18, 20 Patna: The State Election Commission in Bihar on Wednesday announced December 18 and 20 as the new dates for municipal polls, which were initially to be held in October, but got postponed following a Patna High Court order.

DEL59 CONG-GJ-EC POLLS Cong urges EC to take action against channels allegedly airing opinion polls ahead of voting in Gujarat New Delhi: The Congress has urged the Election Commission to take strict action against the alleged airing of ''sponsored'' opinion polls on the Gujarat assembly election ahead of voting in the first phase on Thursday and claimed it was a brazen attempt to influence the electorate.

DEL64 CONG-GDP Climate for investment vitiated, appetite for investment poor: Cong on GDP growth slipping to 6.3 pc in Q2 New Delhi: The Congress on Wednesday attacked the Centre over India's economy slowing down to 6.3 per cent in the July-September quarter of this fiscal, saying it is a pity that the government is helpless against external factors and in denial about internal factors.

GUJARAT BOM33 ELECTIONS-GUJARAT-CONG-LD BJP On eve of Gujarat polls' first phase, Nadda, Rajnath target Cong for using 'abusive' words against PM Modi Ahmedabad: On the eve of the Gujarat assembly polls' first phase, the BJP on Wednesday intensified its attack on the Congress over its president Mallikarjun Kharge's 'Ravan' jibe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi and said people will give a befitting reply to the opposition party.

BOM27 ELECTIONS-GUJARAT-SHAH-TRIBALS PM Modi took steps to preserve tribal glory and pride while Cong failed on that front: Shah Ahmedabad: Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Wednesday accused the Congress of not doing anything to preserve the glorious history of tribals, and said Prime Minister Narendra Modi took concrete steps in that direction.

BOM22 ELECTIONS-GUJARAT-RAJNATH-CONGRESS Congress created maximum credibility crisis in Indian politics: Rajnath Singh Ahmedabad: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Wednesday said the Congress has created the ''maximum credibility crisis'' in Indian politics as there is a vast difference between the promises made by the party and their implementation. BUSINESS DEL72 BIZ-GDP-LD FINMIN India to grow 6.8-7 pc this fiscal, can navigate 2023 global headwinds much easily: CEA New Delhi: The Indian economy is on track to achieve a 6.8-7 per cent GDP growth in the current fiscal and would be able to navigate the headwinds in 2023 'much easily', Chief Economic Advisor V Anantha Nageswaran said on Wednesday.

DEL57 BIZ-FM-INFLATION India will succeed in handling inflation better: Sitharaman New Delhi: Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Wednesday exuded confidence that India will succeed in handling inflation better as it has already put in place a ''very good framework'' in place to address supply side pressures on food prices.

DEL65 BIZ-2NDLD INDIA-AUSTRALIA FTA Indo-Australia trade agreement to come into force from Dec 29; to give duty free access to a number of goods New Delhi: The free trade agreement between India and Australia will come into force from December 29 giving duty free access to thousands of domestic goods in that market, which will help in almost doubling the bilateral commerce to USD 45-50 billion in around five years.

LEGAL LGD19 SC-LD BILKIS Bilkis Bano moves SC against remission to convicts, says premature release shook conscience of society New Delhi: Bilkis Bano, who was gang-raped and seven members of her family slaughtered during the 2002 Gujarat riots, Wednesday moved the Supreme Court challenging the remission of sentence of 11 convicts in the case by the state government, saying their premature release has ''shaken the conscience of society''.

LGD14 UP-HC-GYANVAPI Gyanvapi row: HC fixes Dec 5 for hearing on mosque committee's plea challenging Varanasi court verdict Prayagraj: The Allahabad High Court on Wednesday fixed December 5 for further hearing on a Gyanvapi masjid management's revision petition challenging a Varanasi court order on the maintainability of a plea seeking permission to offer regular prayers to idols of deities in the mosque complex.

FOREIGN FGN45 US-CHINA-2NDLD NUCLEAR China to have 1,500 nuclear warheads by 2035: Pentagon report Washington: China is expanding its nuclear arsenal and is likely to have a stockpile of about 1,500 warheads by 2035, up from the current estimated number of 400, the Pentagon has said, with Beijing focusing on accelerating its nuclear capabilities as it seeks to challenge America's global dominance. By Lalit K Jha PTI RDT RDT