HIGHLIGHTS

Following are the top stories at 9.30 pm: NATION DEL113 LD HIMACHAL ****6 rebel Cong MLAs disqualified, party claims differences ironed out in Himachal Shimla: The political turmoil in Himachal Pradesh seems to be over with Congress' central observer DK Shivakumar Thursday announcing that all differences have been ironed out even as the assembly speaker disqualified six rebel Congress legislators over abstaining from voting on the Budget in the House.**** CAL55 WB-LDALL SHAJAHAN ****Shajahan’s arrested; no end to political dust-up over Sandeshkhali Kolkata: The arrest of TMC’s alleged ED assault “mastermind” in Sandeshkhali, Shajahan Sheikh, a day before the Prime Minister’s scheduled visit to West Bengal and a day after the Calcutta High Court's ruling that central agencies could also carry out the fugitive’s apprehension seems to have led the opposition to call the police action “scripted”.**** DEL103 PM-MAURITIUS-3RDLD-PROJECTS ****India-funded airstrip, jetty, other projects to boost connectivity, maritime surveillance in Mauritius New Delhi: India and Mauritius are natural partners in the maritime domain to combat traditional and non-traditional challenges in the Indian Ocean region, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Thursday after virtually inaugurating a new airstrip, a jetty and six community development projects in the island nation.**** DEL100 GROWTH-PM ****8.4% GDP growth shows economy's strength, potential: PM Modi New Delhi: The GDP growth of 8.4 per cent in the third quarter shows the strength of Indian economy and its potential, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Thursday, asserting that the government will continue to make efforts to keep fast economic growth and help 140 crore Indians lead a better life and create a 'Viksit Bharat'.**** DEL116 CAB-LD BIG CATS ****Cabinet nod to set up International Big Cat Alliance with headquarters in India New Delhi: The Union Cabinet has approved the creation of the International Big Cat Alliance, with its headquarters in India, to establish a global network for conserving tigers and other big cats.**** DEL101 DEF-MISSILE ****India successfully flight tests VSHORADS missile New Delhi: India has conducted two successful flight tests of a very short-range air defence missile off the coast of Odisha.**** DEL114 PB-LD BADAL-MANN ****Badals got Rs 108 cr waived in taxes for luxury hotel, alleges Punjab CM; SAD issues rejoinder Chandigarh: Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Thursday alleged that the Badal family had taxes worth Rs 108 crore waived for a Mohali-based luxury hotel -- Sukhvilas -- by way of a ''tailor-made'' eco-tourism policy during the Akali regime.**** DEL106 RAILWAY-UNION-STRIKE ****Railway unions threaten to stop all trains from May 1 if old pension scheme not implemented New Delhi: Several unions of railway employees and workers, who have come together under the Joint Forum For Restoration of Old Pension Scheme (JFROPS), have threatened to stop all train services across the country from May 1 if their demand to implement the Old Pension Scheme is not met.**** DEL112 ENV-LEOPARD LD REPORT ****'Minimal growth' in India's leopard population; poaching, human-wildlife conflict likely cause New Delhi: India's estimated leopard population rose marginally from 12,852 in 2018 to 13,874 in 2022, with their numbers likely being impacted by poaching and human-wildlife conflict, according to a new report released by the Union environment ministry on Thursday.**** CAL42 AS-NDA-SEAT SHARING ****Assam LS polls: BJP to contest 11 seats, rest three for allies AGP and UPPL Guwahati: The BJP will contest 11 seats in the forthcoming Lok Sabha polls in Assam, leaving three for its allies Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) and the United People's Party Liberal (UPPL), Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said on Thursday.**** MDS20 KA-LD CASTE CENSUS ****Caste census report submitted to Karnataka Govt, sparks renewed debate within ruling Cong Bengaluru: The much awaited Socio-Economic and Education Survey report, popularly known as the ''caste census'', was submitted to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, by Karnataka State Commission for Backward Classes Chairman K Jayaprakash Hegde on Thursday, triggering a renewed debate within the Congress which appeared divided over the issue.**** LEGAL LGD30 SC-2NDLD STAY ORDERS ****SC overrules its 2018 verdict, says there can't be automatic vacation of stay orders of trial courts, HCs New Delhi: Overturning an apex court judgement of 2018, the Supreme Court on Thursday ruled that stay orders passed by a lower court or high court in civil and criminal cases cannot stand vacated automatically after six months, and said such a direction ''virtually amounts to judicial legislation''.**** LGD25 SC-LD VEDANTA ****SC rejects Vedanta's plea against closure of copper plant in TN, says public health of utmost concern New Delhi: In a jolt to Vedanta Limited, the Supreme Court on Thursday dismissed its plea for re-opening of its copper smelting plant in Tamil Nadu's Thoothukudi, closed since May 2018 over pollution concerns, while underlining the importance of health and welfare of the local residents.**** FOREIGN FGN53 CHINA-UNSC-INDIA ****China continues to harp on package solution through 'most extensive consultations' for UNSC reforms Beijing: China on Thursday parried criticism that it is blocking India’s entry as a permanent member to the United Nations Security Council and harped on the need for the “broadest possible consensus” to work out a “package solution” through serious and thorough consultations.**** FGN54 PAK-3RDLD PARLIAMENT ****Pakistan's newly elected Parliament meets amid vociferous protests by pro-Imran Khan lawmakers against vote rigging Islamabad: Pakistan's newly-elected lawmakers were sworn in on Thursday during Parliament's maiden session amid vociferous protests by the supporters of jailed former Prime Minister Imran Khan alleging massive vote rigging during the elections.****