New Delhi, Jan 15 (PTI) Following are the top stories at 9 pm: NATION DEL58 MEA-INDIA-2NDLD EU (7.20 PM)

EU's Costa, von der Leyen to grace R-Day celebrations; historic trade deal at finish line New Delhi: Top European Union leaders Antonio Costa and Ursula von der Leyen will grace India's Republic Day celebrations and the two sides are set to seal the much-anticipated free trade deal on January 27 amid increasing concerns over Washington's trade and tariff policies.

DEL62 INDIA-IRAN-CONTINGENCY (7.37 PM)

MEA making contingency plans to evacuate Indians from Iran New Delhi: India is making preparations to evacuate Indians from Iran in view of the precarious situation there as the US has not ruled out any military action against Tehran over its crackdown on nationwide protests.

DEL65 SC-WB-LDALL ED RAIDS (7.52 PM)

ED raids row: SC terms allegation of obstruction in central probe in WB "serious", issues notice to CM Mamata New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Thursday termed the ED's allegation of obstruction by West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee in its probe and search operation at the office of political consultancy firm I-PAC as "serious" and agreed to examine if law enforcement agencies of a state can interfere with a central agency's investigation into any serious offence.

BOM68 MH-CIVIC POLLS-3RDLD RAJ THACKERAY (7.59 PM)

Civic polls: Uddhav urges voters to dislodge BJP regime; Raj Thackeray accuses SEC of bias Mumbai: Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray on Thursday claimed irregularities in the Maharashtra civic polls, terming it an attempt to murder democracy, and urged voters to dislodge the "brutal, fraud, corrupt and dictatorial regime of the BJP".

DEL56 AVI-LD AIR INDIA-PLANE DAMAGE (6.58 PM)

Air India Delhi-New York flight engine sucks in baggage container; no one injured New Delhi: Air India's newest Airbus A350, operating a Delhi-New York flight with over 250 passengers on board, sustained engine damage after ingesting an improperly secured baggage container while taxiing to its parking bay at Delhi airport, sources said.

MDS17 KL-TRAINEES-2NDLD SUICIDE (5.08 PM)

Kerala: Two sports trainees found hanging in hostel, probe launched Kollam (Kerala): Two teenage girl athletes, both trainees staying at a SAI hostel, were found dead in one of their rooms on Thursday in an apparent suicide pact, the police said.

DEL68 HP-CM-APPLES (8.10 PM)

Himachal CM seeks 100 pc import duty on apples to save state's economy New Delhi: Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu on Thursday took up the issue of apple growers with the central government and urged for its immediate intervention against the dumping of foreign apples, which is hurting the state's economy.

DEL70 VBGRAMG-MGNREGA-TRANSITION (8.28 PM)

MGNREGA job cards to be used for work under new law to ensure smooth transition: Official New Delhi: Workers with MGNREGS job cards would be able to get work under the new rural employment scheme Viksit Bharat- Guarantee for Rozgar and Aajeevika Mission (Gramin) as it unrolls, government sources said on Thursday.

BOM53 CG-NAXAL SURRENDER (R) (5.19 PM)

52 Naxalites surrender in Chhattisgarh’s Bijapur Bijapur (Chhattisgarh): As many as 52 Naxalites, 49 of them carrying a collective bounty of over Rs 1.41 crore, surrendered before the police in Chhattisgarh’s Bijapur district on Thursday, a senior official said.

LEGAL LGD42 SC-WB-IPAC-ED-RAIDS-JANTAR MANTAR (05:21 PM)

The SC flagged concern over the enormous disturbance and commotion in the Calcutta High Court on January 9 on account of an unmanageable crowd which forced it to adjourn the scheduled hearing of cases related to the ED's search and seizure operations at political consultancy firm I-PAC's office.

LGD54 SC-DIGITAL ARREST-COMMITTEE (7.16 PM)

High-level panel formed to examine digital arrest issues: MHA tells SC New Delhi, Jan 15 (PT1) The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) on Thursday informed the Supreme Court that it had formed a high-level committee to examine issues regarding digital arrest scam cases.

BUSINESSS DEL52 BIZ-LD INDIA-US-TRADE TALKS (6.03 PM)

India, US trade deal 'very near'; both sides engaged on pending issues: Comm Secy New Delhi: India and the US are "very near" to finalising the trade agreement, and it would be announced when both sides are ready, Commerce Secretary Rajesh Agrawal said on Thursday.

DEL66 BIZ-SMARTPHONE-EXPORTS (7.53 PM)

Smartphone exports up 43.7 pc during Apr-Nov: Comm min data New Delhi: The country's smartphone exports rose 43.7 per cent to USD 18.8 billion during the April-November period this fiscal year, according to the commerce ministry data released on Thursday.

DEL54 BIZ-INDIA-IRAN-TRADE (6.52 PM)

Awaiting clarity on US' proposed Iran-related tariffs: Comm Secy New Delhi: India on Thursday said its exports to Iran are largely humanitarian and it will wait for the US executive order on the 25 per cent tariff announced by President Donald Trump on countries doing business with Tehran to assess its implications.

FOREIGN FGN52 ANGLA-INDEMNITY-ORDINANCE (7.10 PM)

Bangladesh’s interim govt approves law to protect ‘July warriors’ from prosecution Dhaka: Bangladesh’s interim government of Muhammad Yunus on Thursday approved a draft ordinance to indemnify from prosecution the protesters who led the demonstrations that toppled then prime minister Sheikh Hasina’s Awami League regime on August 5, 2024.

FGN57 LANKA-PREZ-TAMILS (8.07 PM)

We will build a country free of racism: Sri Lankan Prez to Tamils Colombo: Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake on Thursday assured the minority Tamil community that he would build a country free of racism and rich in national unity.

PTI SHS SHS

Supreme Court to examine alleged state interference in central probe while MHA forms committee on digital arrest issues. The Supreme Court deemed allegations that a state chief minister obstructed a central agency's search and seizure operation as serious and will examine whether state law enforcement bodies may interfere with central probes into serious offences. The Court also noted disorder at the Calcutta High Court hearing. Separately, the Ministry of Home Affairs has formed a high level committee to examine issues arising from digital arrest cases, creating an administrative review mechanism for procedural and technological law enforcement concerns.