HIGHLIGHTS

LGD7 DL-COURT-SISODIA Excise policy Manish Sisodia sent to 14-day judicial custody in money laundering case New Delhi A Delhi court on Wednesday sent former Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia to 14-day judicial custody in a money laundering case arising out of the excise policy matter.

Following are the top stories at 2100 hrs: NATION DEL71 LDALL COLLEGIUM **** SC Collegium expresses concern over instances of Centre withholding or overlooking names recommended as judges New Delhi: The Supreme Court Collegium has voiced concern over instances of the Centre withholding or overlooking the names recommended for appointment as judges and asked it to take ''necessary action'' for elevation of those selected earlier. **** DEL65 PM-MEETING-2NDLD COVID **** PM Modi holds high-level review meeting on Covid, influenza situation, stresses on Covid-appropriate behaviour New Delhi: Amid a spike in influenza and COVID-19 cases in the country in the past two weeks, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday chaired a high-level meeting and directed officials to enhance genome sequencing while also emphasizing on Covid-appropriate behaviour. **** DEL62 PREZ-LD PADMA AWARDS **** Karnataka ex-CM Krishna, industrialist Birla, singer Suman Kalyanpur get Padma awards New Delhi: Former Karnataka chief minister S M Krishna, noted industrialist Kumar Mangalam Birla and famous playback singer Suman Kalyanpur were given Padma awards by President Droupadi Murmu at a ceremony at the Rashtrapati Bhavan on Wednesday. **** DEL51 INTERVIEW-RANDEEP GULERIA-COVID **** XBB.1.16 variant 'new kid on the block', could be driving recent rise in Covid cases: Randeep Guleria New Delhi: As India witnessed the highest number of Covid cases in over four months, former AIIMS director Dr Randeep Guleria on Wednesday said the new XBB.1.16 variant could be driving the recent rise but emphasised there was no need for panic as long it does not cause severe illness and deaths. By Payal Banerjee **** DEL69 DELHI-LDALL BUDGET **** Delhi govt's Rs 78,800 cr budget focuses on infrastructure, transport; plan for 'modern' Delhi announced New Delhi: Delhi Finance Minister Kailash Gahlot on Wednesday presented a Rs 78,800-crore budget, giving a major push to transport and infrastructure with an allocation of Rs 21,817 crore ahead of the G20 Summit, and announced a comprehensive plan to make the capital a ''clean, beautiful and modern city''. **** DEL63 PB-AMRITPAL-ESCAPE **** Amritpal's mentor Papalpreet helped him escape police dragnet Chandigarh: The brains behind pro-Khalistan fugitive Amritpal Singh's escape from the police dragnet was 38-year-old Papalpreet Singh, who was in close contact with Pakistan's ISI and was taking instructions from it, officials said on Wednesday. By Sumir Kaul **** BOM10 GJ-ISRO-MISSIONS **** ISRO discussing possible mission to moon with Japanese agency: S Somanath Ahmedabad: Indian Space Research Organisation chairman S Somanath on Wednesday said ISRO has successfully done significant collaborations on its space missions and is also discussing a possible mission to the moon with Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency. **** DEL53 JK-LD TEMPLE-SHAH **** HM Shah e-inaugurates Sharda Devi temple near LoC in J&K's Kupwara Srinagar: Home Minister Amit Shah on Wednesday e-inaugurated the Mata Sharda Devi temple near the Line of Control in the Karnah sector of Jammu and Kashmir, saying the abrogation of Article 370 is taking the Union territory back to its traditions, culture and the Ganga-Jamuna tehzeeb. **** DEL34 CONG-LD ADANI **** SC-appointed expert committee will be 'clean chit' panel, JPC must to probe all aspects of Adani issue: Cong New Delhi: The Congress on Wednesday claimed that the Supreme Court-appointed expert committee lacks jurisdiction to probe all aspects of the Adani issue and would only be a ''clean chit'' panel for the government, asserting that only a JPC investigation could bring out the truth in the matter. **** DEL47 PAWAR-OPPOSITION MEET **** Ahead of polls, NCP chief Pawar calls meeting of opposition leaders New Delhi: Amid talks of opposition unity in the run-up to the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, NCP supremo Sharad Pawar has invited leaders of various opposition parties here on Thursday 23 to discuss issues of common interest and efficacy of EVMs. **** BOM17 GJ-COURT-RAHUL **** Rahul in Surat court on Thursday for verdict in defamation case; Cong plans show of strength Surat: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi will appear before a court in Gujarat's Surat city on Thursday when it is expected to deliver its verdict in a 2019 criminal defamation case filed against him over his ''Modi surname'' remarks, party leaders said on Wednesday. **** LEGAL LGD11 SC-LD BILKIS **** Bilkis Bano case: SC agrees to constitute special bench to hear plea against remission to convicts New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Wednesday agreed to constitute a special bench to hear a plea against the remission of sentence of 11 convicts in the Bilkis Bano gangrape case, which also involves the killing of seven members of her family during the 2002 Gujarat riots. **** LGD7 DL-COURT-SISODIA **** Excise policy: Manish Sisodia sent to 14-day judicial custody in money laundering case New Delhi: A Delhi court on Wednesday sent former Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia to 14-day judicial custody in a money laundering case arising out of the excise policy matter. **** FOREIGN FGN58 CHINA-RUSSIA-XI **** China, Russia to jointly counter US' Indo-Pacific strategy; Xi returns from Moscow after talks with Putin Beijing/Moscow: Chinese President Xi Jinping concluded his state visit to Moscow on Wednesday and vowed to build ''an equal, open and inclusive security system'' with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin to counter the Indo-Pacific strategy pursued by the US. ****

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