HIGHLIGHTS

Following are the top stories at 9 pm: NATION DEL93 PM-LDALL VARANASI **** Oppn instigating people in name of caste, those not in 'hosh' calling youth 'nasheri: PM Modi in Varanasi Varanasi: In a relentless attack on the Opposition, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday said it was instigating people in the name of caste and making them fight and also hit out at Rahul Gandhi for his ''drunk men'' on Varanasi roads remark, saying those not in their senses are terming the youth ''nasheri''. **** DEL115 LD FARMERS **** Police use tear gas to prevent farmers from reaching Khanauri border, Haryana withdraws NSA order Hisar/Chandigarh: As the deadlock between the protesting farmers and the central government persists, the Haryana Police on Friday used tear gas to disperse farmers heading towards Khanauri on Punjab's border with the state. **** CAL22 WB-2NDLD-SANDESHKHALI-PROTESTS **** Fresh protests in Sandeshkhali as locals resort to violence; demand police action against culprits Kolkata: Fresh protests rattled the troubled enclave of Sandeshkhali in West Bengal's North 24 Parganas district on Friday, as enraged locals vented their ire by torching the property of TMC leaders accused of tormenting villagers besides staging demonstrations against perceived police inaction towards the perpetrators. **** DEL105 HR-3RDLD-BUDGET **** Haryana announces interest waiver on crop loans; Khattar says I am farmer's son, know their pain Chandigarh: Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar on Friday announced a waiver of interest and penalty on certain crop loans and did not hike taxes in the Rs 1.89-lakh-crore budget for 2024-25. **** CAL25 WB-SANDESHKHALI-TMC **** BJP trying to aggravate Sandeshkhali situation, not allowing peace to return: TMC Kolkata: The Trinamool Congress (TMC) on Friday blamed the BJP for trying to aggravate the situation in restive Sandeshkhali by foiling every effort to restore peace and normalcy in the area even as the administration and police are working overtime to reach out to every villager to address their grievances. **** DEL88 PB-FARMERS-SKM **** Farmers' protest: SKM observes 'black day', burns effigies of BJP leaders Hoshiarpur/Amritsar (Pb): The Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM) observed a ''black day'' on Friday and burnt effigies of BJP leaders in protest against the Haryana Police's action against agitating farmers camping at two of the state's border points. **** DEL110 CONG-SEAT SHARING **** Cong hopeful of finalising seat-sharing with TMC, AAP soon New Delhi: The Congress is hopeful of soon finalising the Lok Sabha poll seat-sharing arrangements with INDIA bloc allies AAP and TMC, sources said on Friday, days after the principal opposition party arrived at an understanding with the Samajwadi Party in Uttar Pradesh.**** CAL26 WB-COURT-ED-SHEIKH **** ED opposes Shajahan Sheikh's anticipatory bail plea, says he is very influential Kolkata: The Enforcement Directorate on Friday opposed an anticipatory bail prayer made by Trinamool Congress leader Shajahan Sheikh before a Kolkata court in connection with the agency's probe into an alleged ration distribution scam in West Bengal, claiming that he is a very influential person. **** LEGAL LGD20 SC-FARMERS PROTEST-PLEA **** Plea in SC alleges violation of farmers' rights by Centre, four states New Delhi: A petition has been filed in the Supreme Court alleging violation of the rights of the ''peacefully protesting'' farmers by the Centre and some states. **** LGD6 SC-J-K-INTERNET RESTRICTIONS **** Internet curb in J-K: SC directs publication of review orders, says it can't be empty formality New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Friday directed the Jammu and Kashmir administration to publish the review orders of the special committee under the Union Home Secretary on restoration of internet services in the Union Territory, saying the review cannot be an empty formality. **** BUSINESS DEL114 BIZ-3RDLD BYJUS **** Byju's shareholders vote for removing CEO, family members; company calls vote invalid New Delhi: Byju's shareholders on Friday voted unanimously for removing founder CEO Byju Raveendran and his family from the board over alleged ''mismanagement and failures'' at what was once India's hottest tech startup, but the company dug in its heels, calling the voting done in absence of founders as invalid and ineffective. **** DEL92 BIZ-RBI-LD-PAYTM **** NPCI advised to help '@Paytm' UPI handle users migrate to other banks Mumbai: The Reserve Bank has asked the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) to examine the possibility of migrating Paytm Payments Bank customers using the UPI handle '@paytm' to 4-5 other banks, in a bid to prevent any disruptions in the payment ecosystem. **** FOREIGN FGN34 MALDIVES-INDIA-LANKA-EXERCISE **** India, Maldives & Sri Lanka’s ‘Dosti’ in Indian Ocean Region near Male Male: Seeking to enhance maritime security and interoperability, coast guard personnel from India, the Maldives and Sri Lanka have embarked on a four-day trilateral exercise to identify emerging maritime challenges in the Indian Ocean Region. **** FGN36 PAK-IMRAN-IMF-LD REAX **** IMF ready to work with new govt in Pakistan to ensure macroeconomic stability; mum on Imran Khan's demand for election 'audit' Washington/Islamabad: The IMF is looking forward to working with the new government in Pakistan, a top official has said while keeping mum on jailed former prime minister Imran Khan's demand that the global lender should conduct an ''audit'' of the election results before approving any new loan for the cash-strapped country. ****