New Delhi, Dec 20 (PTI) Following are the top stories at 5 PM NATION CAL37 WB-PM-LD RALLY (3.43 PM)

Will end ‘maha jungle raj’ in Bengal; TMC making people suffer to oppose BJP: PM Kolkata: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday lashed out at the Trinamool Congress in West Bengal, calling the state’s prevailing situation “maha jungle raj” and alleging that "corruption, nepotism and appeasement of the ruling dispensation" have prevented development in the state.

DEL23 SONIA-LD MGNREGA (4.50 PM)

Modi govt bulldozed MGNREGA, says Sonia Gandhi, vows fight against new 'black law' New Delhi: Congress Parliamentary Party chairperson Sonia Gandhi on Saturday accused the Modi government of bulldozing the MGNREGA, and asserted that the "black law" that seeks to repeal it will be defied by the lakhs of party workers across the country.

BOM10 MH-LD JAISHANKAR (1.29 PM)

World perceives India much more positively due to brand and talent: Jaishankar Pune: The world today perceives India much more positively, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said on Saturday, adding that the evolution of the country’s image is an undeniable reality.

DEL6 CONG-NUCLEAR-TRUMP (1.30 PM)

Nuclear Bill 'bulldozed' in Parliament to help Modi restore 'SHANTI' with 'once good friend': Cong New Delhi: The Congress on Saturday alleged that the SHANTI Bill was "bulldozed" in Parliament only to help Prime Minister Narendra Modi “restore SHANTI” with his “once good friend”.

BOM12 MP-ECONOMY-SCINDIA (4.24 PM)

India will surpass Germany to become third-largest economy by 2027: Scindia Indore: Union Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia on Saturday expressed confidence that India will surpass Germany to become the world’s third-largest economy by the end of 2027, lauding the polices and institutional reforms ushered in by the Centre under Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

DEL13 PARL PANEL-LAND ACQUISITION-REPORT (3.07 PM)

Parliamentary panel calls for rigorous implementation of Land Acquisition Act New Delhi: A Parliamentary panel has called for the rigorous implementation of the Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act, 2013 (LARR Act), particularly in the Scheduled Areas, and raised concerns over violations of the Act’s provisions.

CAL39 AS-TRAIN-3RDLD ELEPHANTS (4.12 PM)

Sairang-New Delhi Rajdhani Exp mows down 7 elephants in Assam, 5 coaches derailed Nagaon/ Guwahati: Seven elephants were killed, and one was injured after a herd of jumbos was hit by the Sairang-New Delhi Rajdhani Express in Assam's Hojai district early Saturday, officials said.

MDS13 ISRO-GAGANYAAN-PARACHUTE (3.43 PM)

Drogue parachute deployment tests for Gaganyaan mission successful: ISRO Bengaluru: A series of qualification tests for drogue parachutes, which have been carried out to develop a deceleration system for ISRO's Gaganyaan crew module, were successful, the space agency said on Saturday.

MDS16 KL-ACTOR-2NDLD DEAD

Versatile Malayalam actor-screenwriter Sreenivasan dies at 69 Kochi: Sreenivasan, one of the most influential figures in Malayalam cinema as an actor, screenwriter and director, died at a government hospital here on Saturday morning, film industry sources said.

LEGAL LGD4 SC-ANIMALS (1.04 PM)

Courts will lean toward animals who are silent victims of commercial ventures: SC New Delhi: The Supreme Court has observed that courts will always lean in favour of animals, who suffer silently when their migration paths are blocked by humans and commercial ventures.

LGD8 SC-BENCHES-HEARING (4.57 PM)

CJI Surya Kant-led special vacation bench to sit on Dec 22 to hear urgent matters New Delhi: Chief Justice of India Surya Kant will sit in a special vacation bench on December 22 to hear some urgent matters that require immediate judicial intervention.

BUSINESS DEL15 BIZ-FSSAI-EGGS (3.34 PM)

Eggs safe for consumption, cancer risk claims unfounded: FSSAI New Delhi: The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has categorically dismissed recent claims linking eggs to cancer risk, terming them "misleading, scientifically unsupported and capable of creating unnecessary public alarm".

DEL11 BIZ-VICE PRESIDENT-TEXTILES (3.01 PM)

Need more free trade pacts to compete with Bangladesh, others in textile exports: Vice President New Delhi: Vice President C P Radhakrishnan on Saturday stressed on the need for India to enter into more free trade agreements (FTAs) to gain a level-playing field with competitors like Bangladesh in global textile and apparel export markets.

FOREIGN FGN32 PAK-2NDLD IMRAN (1.22 PM)

Imran Khan, his wife sentenced to 17 years in jail in corruption case Islamabad: Pakistan's former prime minister Imran Khan and his wife Bushra Bibi were sentenced to 17 years in jail each by a court on Saturday in the Toshakhana 2 corruption case. By Sajjad Hussain

FGN34 BANGLA-2NDLD SITUATION (3.43 PM)

Youth leader’s funeral prayers held in B’desh capital amid tightened security Dhaka: Bangladesh held the funeral of prominent youth leader Sharif Osman Hadi on Saturday drawing a large number of people in the capital amid extra-tight security after his death triggered unrest across the country.

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