HIGHLIGHTS

Following are the top stories at 1800 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.

DEL44 JK-LD ENCOUNTER Three Hizb militants killed in J-K's Pulwama

Srinagar: Three Hizbul Mujahideen militants, including a self-styled commander of the outfit, were killed in an encounter with security forces in the Tral area of Pulwama district in Jammu and Kashmir, police said on Wednesday.

DEL40 CAB-FASAL BIMA Govt approves changes in PMFBY to make it optional for farmers

New Delhi: The government on Wednesday approved major changes in the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY) making it optional for farmers with a view to plug loopholes in the farm insurance scheme.

DEL52 PM-DL-LD 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 where he interacted with artisans and relished 'litti-chokha' and 'kulhad' tea.

DEL51 CONG-LD CVC Cong terms process for appointing CVC 'illegal, unconstitutional'; seeks its scrapping

New Delhi: The Congress on Wednesday termed the process adopted for appointment of the next Chief Vigilance Commissioner "illegal, unlawful and unconstitutional" and demanded its immediate scrapping.

DEL46 JK-DGP-TRUMP Will ensure no subversive activity takes place in J&K during Trump's India visit: DGP

Srinagar: The Jammu and Kashmir police on Wednesday said it will take all measures to ensure that militants are not able to carry out any subversive activity in the Union territory during US President Donald Trump's visit to the country next week.

CAL5 WB TAPAS 2NDLD MAMATA Tapas Paul's death sets off political slugfest in Bengal

Kolkata: Actor-politician Tapas Paul's death has kicked up a political storm in West Bengal, with Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday blaming the Centre's "vendetta politics" for it and the BJP hitting back insisting "neglect and mistreatment" by the TMC caused his demise.

MDS6 TL-GST-SWAMY GST "biggest madness of the 21st century": Subramanian Swamy

Hyderabad: Describing India's latest tax reform GSTas "the biggest madness of the 21st century," BJP leader and Rajya Sabha MP Subramanian Swamy on Wednesday said that the country needs to grow at 10 per cent per annum to become a superpower by 2030.

LEGAL:

LGD28 SC-2NDLD ELECTRIC VEHICLES Can transport minister come to explain govt proposal for introducing EVs, asks SC

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

LGD21 DL-COURT-LD INX MEDIA INX Media case: Delhi court grants bail to ex-NITI Aayog CEO, others

New Delhi: A Delhi court Wednesday granted bail to former NITI Aayog CEO Sindhushree Khullar and others in the INX Media corruption case which also involves former finance minister P Chidambaram and his son Karti as accused.

BUSINESS:

DEL45 BIZ-RBI-CORONAVIRUS Coronavirus outbreak to hit global growth; to have limited impact on India: RBI Guv

New Delhi: The coronavirus outbreak will have a limited impact on India but the global GDP and trade will definitely get affected due to the large size of the Chinese economy, RBI Governor Shaktikanta Das has said.

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.

FGN27 UK-JLR-VIRUS-SUITCASES Tata-owned JLR shipping parts in suitcases as supply chains in China hit by coronavirus outbreak

Coventry (UK): Tata Motors-owned Jaguar Land Rover has flown in auto parts in suitcases as the effects of coronavirus take a toll on the luxury carmaker's supply chains in coronavirus-hit China.

SPORTS:

SPF20 SPO-CRI-HARMANPREET-WC India can put pressure on any team in Women's T20 WC: Harmanpreet

Sydney: India captain Harmanpreet Kaur on Wednesday said her team has the ability to put pressure on any side in the upcoming ICC Women's T20 World Cup if it stays in the right frame of mind.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)