EXPLOSIVE DEVICE FOUND ON STATE BUS NEAR PANVEL

NAVI MUMBAI: An improvised explosive device (IED) and detonator were found inside a state transport bus, near Panvel on Wednesday night. There were no passengers in the bus when the conductor spotted the device. The police are yet to ascertain where it came from. ››P3

Olympic status on the line as Pak shooters kept out

NEW DELHI: Shooters were left shocked on the eve of the ISSF World Cup on Thursday after the chief of the global shooting body announced the event has been stripped of its Olympic qualifying status over refusal of visas to Pakistan participants. The International Olympic Committee has scrapped 16 qualification berths for India refusing visas to Pakistan’s shooters and manager, the shooting body said. ››P17

PM Modi to launch farm scheme during UP rally

MUMBAI: On February 24, with the click of a mouse that will initiate millions of cash transfers, PM Narendra Modi will launch the government’s Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN), at a farmers’ rally in UP’S Gorakhpur, according to agriculture minister Radha Mohan Singh. At least 20 million small cultivators are likely to receive the first tranche of ~2,000 each directly into their accounts. ››P9

Trump: Woman who joined ISIS is not welcome

WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump said he is barring Us-born former Islamic State (IS) propagandist Hoda Muthana from returning home, making the highly unusual case that she is not a US citizen. ››P14