HIGHLIGHTS

Following are the top stories at 9.20 pm: NATION CAL41 LD JHARKHAND Champai Soren takes oath as Jharkhand CM; trust vote on Feb 5; MLAs flown to Hyderabad Ranchi: After two days of political uncertainty, JMM legislature party leader Champai Soren on Friday was sworn in as the chief minister of Jharkhand and the JMM-led coalition government will seek a vote of confidence on February 5.

DEL136 PM-LD ECONOMY India moving fast, set to become 3rd largest economy in our third term: Modi New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday said India is moving fast and will become the world's third-largest economy in the ''third term'' of his government.

PAR15 LD CONG MP BJP seizes upon Congress MP's 'separate nation' remarks; Kharge asserts India is one New Delhi: The BJP on Friday seized upon Congress MP D K Suresh's remarks on a separate nation comprising southern states and demanded an apology from top opposition leaders, such as Mallikarjun Kharge and Sonia Gandhi.

DEL131 DL-DELHI-POLICE KEJRIWAL Allegation of BJP 'buying' AAP MLAs: Delhi Police at CM Kejriwal's residence to serve notice New Delhi: A Delhi Police crime branch team is at Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's residence to serve him a notice in connection with a probe over his claim that the BJP was trying to buy some AAP MLAs, official sources said Friday night.

DEL98 DL-PROTEST-LD KEJRIWAL BJP caught on camera stealing votes in Chandigarh mayoral polls, alleges Kejriwal New Delhi: Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Friday attacked the BJP over the Chandigarh mayoral elections alleging that the ''world's biggest party was caught on camera stealing votes''. If it (BJP) can ''rig'' the Chandigarh mayoral polls, it could go to any extent in the assembly and Lok Sabha elections, he said.

PAR11 RS-KHARGE PM may one day claim he is 'very popular' and there is no need for democracy: Kharge in Rajya Sabha New Delhi: Taking a swipe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge said in the Rajya Sabha on Friday that he may one day claim that he is ''very popular'' and there is no need for democracy and elections.

DEL121 LAW PANEL-LD CRIMINAL DEFAMATION Law panel bats for retaining criminal defamation as an offence New Delhi: The Law Commission has recommended that criminal defamation should be retained within the scheme of criminal laws in India.

DEL134 DEF-NAVY-LD PIRACY Indian Navy foils piracy attempt on cargo vessel along east coast of Somalia New Delhi: The Indian Navy foiled a piracy attempt on an Iranian-flagged fishing vessel with a crew of 11 Iranian and eight Pakistani nationals along the east coast of Somalia, in the latest in a series of such rescue missions in the region.

DEL140 CBI-3RDLD NGO CBI books activist Harsh Mander, his NGO for alleged FCRA violations; conducts searches New Delhi: The CBI has registered a case of alleged violation of the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act against human rights activist Harsh Mander and his NGO, and searched his premises on Friday, officials said.

CAL45 WB-MAMATA-LD-CONG Doubt Cong will get 'even 40 seats' in LS polls: Mamata Banerjee Kolkata: In a scathing attack, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Friday challenged the Congress to take on the BJP in the Hindi heartland states and said she has doubts whether the grand-old party will secure ''even 40 seats'' in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.

BOM17 GJ-LD BUDGET Gujarat govt presents Rs 3.32 lakh crore budget; no new taxes proposed Gandhinagar: No new taxes were proposed in Gujarat's Rs 3.32 lakh crore budget for the next fiscal presented in the Assembly on Friday as Finance Minister Kanubhai Desai announced a host of projects and schemes targeted at girls' education, women, the poor, youth and farmers.

MDS14 TN-ACTOR VIJAY-2NDLD PARTY 'Thalapathy' Vijay takes the political plunge, eyes 2026 assembly elections Chennai: Top Tamil star Vijay on Friday announced the launch of his political party in the state, following a string of film industry personalities into politics, and setting his sights on winning the 2026 assembly elections.

LEGAL LGD7 SC-LD SOREN SC rejects Hemant Soren's plea against arrest by ED, asks him to move HC New Delhi: In a setback to former Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren, the Supreme Court on Friday refused to interfere with his arrest by the ED in a money laundering case and asked him to approach the high court. LGD13 UP-HC-LD GYANVAPI No immediate relief granted on Gyanvapi management's plea against Hindu prayers in mosque cellar Prayagraj: The Allahabad High Court on Friday did not give any immediate relief to the Gyanvapi Masjid committee which had challenged the order of the Varanasi court allowing Hindu prayers in a cellar of the mosque.

LGD19 DL-COURT-WRESTLERS Sexual harassment case: Ex-WFI chief Singh seeks discharge claiming delay in reporting offence New Delhi: BJP MP and former WFI chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh on Friday sought to be discharged in the sexual harassment case filed against him by women wrestlers, claiming delay in reporting the alleged offence and contradiction in the statements of the complainants.

FOREIGN FGN39 PAK-US-OSAMA-GILANI US shared apprehensions of bin Laden hiding in Pak much before he was killed, says ex-PM Gilani Islamabad: Former Pakistan Prime Minister Yusuf Raza Gilani has said that ex-US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice had shared her apprehensions with his government that Osama bin Laden was hiding in the country much before American commandos killed the dreaded al Qaeda leader in Abbottabad in 2011.

FGN40 FRANCE-INDIA-UPI UPI’s global launch at the iconic Eiffel Tower in France Paris: India on Friday formally launched UPI at the iconic Eiffel Tower here, terming it as taking Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s ''vision of taking UPI global''.