New Delhi, Feb 27 (PTI) Following are the top stories at 5 pm: NATION DEL23 MEA-US-STUDENT-VISA

MEA takes up with US visa issue of family of Indian student injured in accident New Delhi: The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has taken up with the US a request for an urgent visa by the family of an Indian student who is battling for life following a road accident in California, sources said.

DEL34 PM-2NDLD KUMBH

Maha Kumbh manifestation of a nation breathing with new consciousness: PM Modi New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday likened the massive Maha Kumbh congregation to the newly awakened consciousness of a nation breathing freely after breaking the shackles of a mindset steeped in centuries-old slavery.

MDS5 TN-HINDI-LD STALIN

Hindi is mask, Sanskrit the face, says Stalin Chennai: Upping the ante against alleged Hindi imposition by the Centre, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin on Thursday said the state will not allow the forcing of the language on it and vowed to protect Tamil and its culture.

MDS2 TL-TUNNEL-RESCUE

Telangana tunnel accident: Rescue ops intensified by removing obstacles to reach trapped persons Nagarkurnool (Telangana): The teams engaged in rescuing eight persons who remain trapped in a partially collapsed SLBC tunnel have began cutting the part of Tunnel Boring Machine and other obstacles that are preventing them from going to the spot where they can search for the individuals.

BOM5 MH-RAPE-BUS-PROBE

Rape inside MSRTC bus: police announce Rs 1 lakh reward for information about absconding accused Mumbai: Pune Police on Thursday announced a reward of Rs 1 lakh for information leading to the arrest of a history-sheeter who allegedly raped a 26-year-old woman inside a state transport bus at the Swargate bus station here, officials said.

DEL24 CONG-PROF-LD GODSE

'Appropriate Gandhi, glorify Godse': Cong slams Modi govt over NIT prof's appointment as Dean New Delhi: Slamming the Modi government over the appointment of an NIT-Calicut professor who is accused of praising Mahatma Gandhi's assassin Nathuram Godse as a Dean, the Congress said this was part of its mindset to "appropriate Gandhi" but "glorify Godse".

CAL25 OD-STUDENT DEATH-PROBE

Nepalese student death case: Odisha govt's committee records statement of more KIIT officials Bhubaneswar: Around half a dozen senior KIIT officials on Thursday appeared before the Odisha government's high-level committee probing the death allegedly by suicide of a 20-year-old Nepalese B Tech student Prakriti Lamsal and the subsequent unrest on the campus.

DEL28 CONG-US-TARIFFS

Modi govt must stand up to US, tariff removal on American goods will destroy economy: Cong New Delhi: Flagging US President Donald Trump's push for reciprocal tariffs, the Congress on Thursday said the Modi government must stand up to the "humiliation" and tell its American counterpart that such moves would not be acceptable to India as they would "destroy" the country's economy.

CAL3 AS-QUAKE

Assam hit by 5 magnitude earthquake; no casualty reported Guwahati: An earthquake of 5 magnitude jolted the central part of Assam on Thursday morning, an official bulletin said.

BOM6 MP-CARBIDE-WASTE-DISPOSAL

MP govt prepares for trial burning of Carbide waste as SC refuses to interfere with HC order Dhar/Indore: Preparations have begun to incinerate 10 tonnes of the 337 tonnes of Union Carbide waste on a trial basis in Madhya Pradesh’s Dhar district after the Supreme Court refused to intervene in the matter, officials said on Thursday.

CAL28 WB-TMC-2ND LD ABHISHEK

TMC's Abhishek dismisses speculation of rift with Mamata Kolkata: Dismissing reports of his so-called 'rift' with Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee, the party’s MP and national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee on Thursday asserted that he remains a "loyal soldier of the TMC", and considered the party supremo as his leader.

BUSINESS DEL19 BIZ-FM-TRADE

India needs to ramp up bilateral relations for trade, investment: Nirmala Sitharaman New Delhi: Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Thursday said India needs to ramp up its bilateral relations for trade and investment, as the world is witnessing a churn, and bilateralism seems to be the new catalyst tool.

LEGAL LGD11 DL-HC-PM-DEGREE

PM degree row: Delhi HC reserves verdict on DU plea against info disclosure New Delhi: The Delhi High Court on Thursday reserved its verdict on Delhi University's plea challenging CIC order directing disclosure of information with respect to the bachelor's degree of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

LGD7 SC-GST-ANTICIPATORY BAIL

Persons can seek anticipatory bail in cases related to GST, Customs even in absence of FIR:SC New Delhi: In a significant verdict, the Supreme Court on Thursday held that the provision of anticipatory bail is applicable to the Goods and Services Act and customs law and persons can move courts for pre-arrest bail even if an FIR is not in place.

LGD13 DL-HC-NATIONAL HERALD

Delhi HC extends stay on trial proceedings in National Herald case New Delhi: The Delhi High Court on Thursday extended the stay on the trial court proceedings in the National Herald case involving Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi and others.

FOREIGN FGN46 US-TRUMP-INDIANS-CITIZENSHIP

US companies can now hire Indian graduates from top universities under new citizenship plan: Trump Washington: US President Donald Trump has said that the newly proposed ‘gold card’ initiative will allow American companies to hire Indian graduates from top US universities like Harvard and Stanford.

FGN25 UN-INDIA-PAK

Failed state that spreads falsehoods handed down by its military-terrorist complex: India slams Pakistan at UN  United Nations/Geneva: India has slammed Pakistan after it raked the issue of Jammu and Kashmir in the UN Human Rights Council, saying the "failed state” that survives on “international handouts” “dutifully” spreads “falsehoods handed down by its military-terrorist complex.” By Yoshita Singh

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