HIGHLIGHTS

Following are the top stories at 1700 hours:

NATION:

DEL37 INDOUS-TRUMP-VISIT Trump, Modi to discuss trade, defence during Feb 25 talks

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Donald Trump will hold talks on February 25 to deepen cooperation in a range of key sectors including defence and trade, Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla said on Wednesday.

MDS4 TN-VIRUS-LD SHIP 2 crew members of Chinese ship under isolation in TN

Chennai: Two Chinese crew members of a ship, which arrived from the novel coronavirus-hit China, have been kept in isolation due to fever while the vessel has been "kept away from access", the Chennai Port Trust said here on Wednesday.

DEL38 CORONAVIRUS-ITBP-DISCHARGE Coronavirus: Final batch of inmates at ITBP quarantine facility discharged

New Delhi: The third and final batch of inmates quarantined at an ITBP facility here after being evacuated from the coronavirus-hit Chinese city of Wuhan was discharged, a senior official said on Wednesday.

DEL19 DL-KERJIWAL-LD SHAH Arvind Kejriwal meets Home Minister Amit Shah

New Delhi: Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal met Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Wednesday, their first meeting after the assembly polls in the national capital.

DEL23 CAB-LAW COMMISSION Union Cabinet approves creation of 22nd Law Commission

New Delhi: The Union Cabinet on Wednesday approved the creation of the 22nd Law Commission, which advises the government on complex legal issues.

DEL33 CAB-REPRODUCTIVE-BILL Cabinet approves Assisted Reproductive Technology (Regulation) Bill

New Delhi: The Union Cabinet on Wednesday approved the Assisted Reproductive Technology (Regulation) Bill, Union minister Prakash Javadekar said.

DEL15 PM-DL-HUNARHAAT PM Modi makes surprise visit to 'Hunar Haat' at Rajpath; relishes 'litti-chokha'

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday made a surprise visit to 'Hunar Haat' at Rajpath here, where he interacted with artisans and relished 'litti-chokha' and 'kulhad' tea.

DEL21 DL-LD SHAHEEN BAGH-INTERLOCUTORS SC upheld right to protest but other citizens also have rights: SC interlocutor to Shaheen Bagh protesters

New Delhi: The two interlocutors appointed by the Supreme Court on Wednesday visited Shaheen Bagh to initiate talks with the protesters, asserting that the top court has upheld their right to protest but it should not affect the rights of other citizens.

DEL14 CONG-CVC Arbitrariness in top judicial institutions fatal for democracy: Cong on CVC appointment

New Delhi: The Congress on Wednesday attacked the government over the appointment of CVC and CIC and alleged there is no place for transparency, accountability and constitutional processes in Prime Minister Narendra Modi's 'New India, which was fatal for democracy.

CAL4 BH-MAOIST-SCHOOL-BLAST Maoists blow up school building in Bihar, leave behind anti-CAA pamphlets

Gaya: Suspected Maoists rebels blew up a school building in Bihar's Gaya district and left behind pamphlets denouncing the CAA-NPR-NRC and the "fascist BJP government", a senior police official said on Wednesday.

LEGAL:

LGD16 SC-LD ELECTRIC VEHICLES Can environment minister come to explain govt proposal for introducing EVs, asks SC

New Delhi: The Supreme Court Wednesday expressed desire to interact with the Environment Minister on the proposal for gradual conversion of all public transport and government vehicles into electric vehicles (EVs) to curb air pollution.

LGD15 DL-COURT-LD CBI CBI vs CBI: Court raps probe agency for not conducting psychological, lie detector tests on Asthana

New Delhi: A Delhi court rapped the CBI on Wednesday for not conducting psychological and lie detector tests on its former special director Rakesh Asthana in a bribery case in which he was recently given a clean chit.

BUSINESS:

DEL13 BIZ-PETROL-SUPPLY India to switch to world's cleanest petrol, diesel from Apr 1

New Delhi: India will switch to the world's cleanest petrol and diesel from April 1 as it leapfrogs straight to Euro-VI emission compliant fuels from Euro-IV grades now - a feat achieved in just three years and not seen in any of the large economies around the globe.

FOREIGN:

FGN14 INDOUS-TRUMP-LD TRADE Trump says trade deal with India may not materialise during his first visit to New Delhi

Washington: US President Donald Trump has said he is "saving the big deal" with India for later and does not know if it will be signed before the presidential election in November, signalling that a bilateral trade pact may not materialise during his maiden visit to New Delhi next week.

FGN9 US-JUDGE-SRINIVASAN Judge Sri Srinivasan becomes first Indian-American to lead powerful federal circuit court

Washington: Sri Srinivasan, a prominent Indian-American judge, has created history by becoming the first person of South Asian descent to lead a powerful federal circuit court considered next only to the US Supreme Court.

SPORTS:

SPF16 SPO-AFC-INDIA-HOST India awarded hosting rights of 2022 AFC Women's Asian Cup

Kuala Lumpur: India will host the 2022 AFC Women's Asian Cup as the sport's continental body on Tuesday awarded the showpiece to the country with an aim to maximise the promotion of the game.