HIGHLIGHTS

New Delhi, Feb 18 (PTI) Following are the top stories at 9 pm: NATION DEL53 INDIA-QATAR-FTA

India, Qatar explore possibility of bilateral FTA; PM Modi, Qatar Amir discuss New Delhi: India and Qatar are "exploring" the possibility of signing a bilateral free trade agreement in future, and this was discussed during the talks between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Amir of Qatar Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al-Thani on Tuesday, officials said.

CAL36 OD-STUDENT-DEATH-2NDLD VISIT

KIIT row: Police hand over girl student’s body to family after autopsy; probe panel formed Bhubaneswar: Odisha Police on Tuesday handed over the body of the Nepali girl student to her father after post mortem at AIIMS Bhubaneswar, even as the incident triggered a statewide outcry with the issue being raised in the Assembly.

DEL48 2NDLD INDIA-QATAR

India, Qatar aim to double trade to USD 28 billion over next five years New Delhi: India and Qatar on Tuesday agreed to double bilateral trade to USD 28 billion over the next five years and announced elevation of their relationship to the level of strategic partnership as Prime Minster Narendra Modi held talks with Amir Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al-Thani.

DEL59 RAIL-EXPERT-INDEPENDENT PROBE

Conflicting claims on cause of stampede: Experts say independent probe needed for fact to come out New Delhi: Safety and legal experts Tuesday demanded an independent probe to find out the reason behind the February 15 stampede at the New Delhi Railway Station, as conflicting claims were made by witnesses, Railway Protection Force and ministry officials about the cause of the tragedy. By Jeevan Prakash Sharma

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Smriti Irani 'real agent' of billionaire investor George Soros, alleges Cong; BJP hits back New Delhi: Amid a controversy over alleged funding by a US agency for raising voter turnout in India, the Congress on Tuesday accused BJP leader Smriti Irani of being the "real agent" of billionaire investor George Soros.

DEL61 DL-BJP-LD OATH PREPARATIONS

Delhi: Wait for new CM to end tomorrow; PM, ministers, celebrities to attend Feb 20 oath New Delhi: Delhi's wait for its new chief minister after the assembly polls will end on Wednesday, when the BJP Legislature Party is slated to choose the Leader of the House, even as preparations for the February 20 oath-taking ceremony are in full swing at the historic Ramlila Ground here.

DEL56 UP-KUMBH-EXTENSION-RUMOUR

No extension of Maha Kumbh: Prayagraj DM Mahakumbh Nagar: Prayagraj District Magistrate (DM) Ravindra Mandar on Tuesday categorically denied rumours circulating on social media regarding an extension of the Maha Kumbh Mela due to heavy crowds. Dismissing these claims, he clarified that the schedule of the event is determined on the basis of religious "muhurats" (auspicious timings) and remains unchanged.

DEL54 MHA-LD SATYENDAR

Prez grants prosecution sanction against AAP leader Satyendar Jain New Delhi: President Droupadi Murmu has granted the sanction to prosecute AAP leader and former Delhi minister Satyendar Jain in a money-laundering case being investigated by the Enforcement Directorate, sources said on Tuesday.

DEL51 UP-3RDLD-UDIT RAJ

Controversy erupts over Udit Raj's 'strangle Mayawati' remark; BSP seeks action Lucknow: A controversy erupted on Tuesday over Congress leader and former Lok Sabha MP Udit Raj's remarks that BSP chief Mayawati has "strangled the social movement and now the time has come to strangle her", with the BSP demanding his arrest.

CAL26 OD-STUDENT-LD FATHER

Odisha's KIIT mistreated Nepali students, alleges deceased's father Bhubaneswar: The father of the Nepali student, whose body was found in her hostel on the KIIT campus in Odisha's Bhubaneswar, on Tuesday alleged that the private engineering institute "mistreated" undergraduates from the neighbouring country.

DEL46 UPSC-EXTENSION

UPSC further extends last date to apply for civil services prelims exam till Feb 21 New Delhi: The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) has extended the last date to apply for this year's civil services preliminary examination till February 21.

DEL44 EC-LD RAJIV KUMAR

Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar, who oversaw LS and J-K polls, demits office New Delhi: Rajiv Kumar, who oversaw the 2024 Lok Sabha elections and the crucial Jammu and Kashmir assembly polls, demitted office on Tuesday as the 25th chief election commissioner after a nearly three-year tenure marked with high electoral successes but also repeated allegations of bias by opposition parties.

BOM31 MH-COURT-SAVARKAR-LD RAHUL

After bail, Rahul gets permanent exemption from court appearance in defamation case Pune: A Pune court on Tuesday granted permanent exemption from appearance to Congress MP Rahul Gandhi in a defamation case filed over his alleged objectionable remarks on Hindutva ideologue V D Savarkar, citing his top-level security and the Leader of Opposition status.

BOM28 GJ-POLLS-LOCAL BODIES-RESULTS

BJP sweeps local body polls in Gujarat, Cong bags just one municipality out of 68 Ahmedabad: The ruling BJP on Tuesday swept the local body polls in Gujarat by winning the Junagadh Municipal Corporation (JMC) as well as 60 municipalities out of 68 and all three taluka panchayats where voting was held on February 16.

LEGAL LGD37 SC-2NDLD ALLAHBADIA

SC gives relief to Ranveer Allahbadia, raps him for 'vulgarity, dirty mind' New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Tuesday granted interim protection from arrest to podcaster Ranveer Allahbadia over his comments on a YouTube show while calling it "vulgar" and saying he had "dirty mind" which put the society to shame.

LGD41 SC-ALLAHBADIA-AUSTRALIAN PROGRAMME

We don't sit in ivory towers, know where Allahbadia copied comments from: SC New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Tuesday said it wasn't sitting in "ivory towers" and knew podcaster Ranveer Allahbadia, booked for his utterances on a YouTube show, copied his comments from an Australian programme.

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'All kinds of things going on': SC flags 'vacuum' in online content regulation, asks Centre to act New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Tuesday flagged the "vacuum" in law when it comes to sharing of content on platforms such as YouTube and said "all kinds of things were going on".

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Influencer Ranveer Allahbadia, associates not to air any other show till further orders: SC New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Tuesday pulled up social media influencer Ranveer Allahbadia for his comments on YouTube show India's Got Latent and directed him and his associates not to air any show till further orders.

LGD43 DL-COURT-LD SAJJAN KUMAR

1984 anti-Sikh riots: Prosecution seeks death for ex-Congress MP Sajjan Kumar in murder case New Delhi: The prosecution on Tuesday sought death penalty for former Congress MP Sajjan Kumar in a murder case related to the 1984 anti-Sikh riots, saying the crime was committed in a "brutal and diabolical manner".

LGD44 LAWYERS-LETTER-EKTA KAPOOR

Lawyers urge president to revoke Ekta Kapoor's Padma Shri for making 'pornographic content' New Delhi: Over a hundred lawyers on Tuesday wrote a letter to President Droupadi Murmu seeking revocation of Padma Shri conferred on film and TV producer Ekta Kapoor for making "unlawful" and "horrendous pornographic content".

FOREIGN FGN66 NEPAL-STUDENT-DEATH (RPT)

Nepal govt says may stop issuing NOC to students wishing to study in Odisha if situation not resolved Kathmandu: The Nepal government on Tuesday said that it may stop issuing no objection certificates to students who wish to study in institutes in Odisha if the situation arising from the death of a student at a Bhubaneswar university is not resolved in a “justifiable and legal way”. By Shirish B Pradhan

FGN64 PAK-PARLIAMENT-KASHMIR (RPT)

Pakistan parliament passes resolution urging India to hold plebiscite in Kashmir Islamabad: Pakistan’s parliament on Tuesday passed a resolution urging New Delhi to hold a plebiscite in Kashmir, invoking again a demand rejected long back by India. By Sajjad Hussain

FGN70 UK-TATA STEEL

UK welcomes 'major step forward' in Tata Steel's green steel growth plans London: Tata Steel UK on Tuesday announced that its proposals to deliver a state-of-the-art Electric Arc Furnace for greener steelmaking in Port Talbot, South Wales, has got the requisite approval from the local council.

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Source: PTI