| Welcome to The Morning Filter, your guide to the busy news day ahead. We hope you are staying safe. Here are the latest updates and the big news stories to follow today: 1. Farmers' rail roko from noon to 4 p.m. today The railways has deployed 20 additional companies of the RPSF across the country, with focus on Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal, in the wake of the "rail roko". 2. Day 2 of foreign envoys visit to J&K  Envoys visit the Hazratbal shrine in Srinagar on February 17, 2021. The delegation is scheduled to visit Jammu on Thursday where they are likely to meet the officials of the Union territory. 3. India hosts meeting on COVID-19 management; nine countries invited India is hosting on Thursday a regional conclave on management of coronavirus pandemic and nine countries, including Afghanistan Bangladesh, Bhutan, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka, have been invited for it, official sources said. 4. U.P. Budget session begins today The Yogi Adityanath government is slated to present its annual budget for 2021-22 on Monday. This will be the last budget of the BJP government before the state goes to polls early next year. 5. Budget session of Odisha Assembly from today The budget session of the Odisha Assembly which commences from Thursday is likely to be stormy as both the opposition and treasury bench members are ready with key issues. 6. Mamata, Amit Shah to address rallies in same district today A head-to-head political battle will play out on Thursday in Kolkata neighbouring South 24 Parganas district where Home Minister Amit Shah and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee are scheduled to address independent rallies separated by some distance. 7. Congress sweeps Punjab civic polls The ruling Congress swept the municipal polls in Punjab, winning seven out of eight municipal corporations. The counting for Mohali will take place on Thursday. 8. Tamilisai Soundararajan to be sworn-in as Pondy Lt Governor today  Telangana Governor Tamilisai Soundararajan (R) with Kiran Bedi. File A communication from the government said that she will be sworn in at 9 a.m. 9. Keen to move up, Churchill Brothers take on Chennai City FC Churchill Brothers will look to get back to the top of the Hero I-League table when they take on ninth-placed Chennai City FC, at the Kalyani Municipal Stadium in Kalyani on Thursday. 10. Mohammedan Sporting aim to bounce back against Aizawl FC Stunned by a young Indian Arrows side, local giants Mohammedan Sporting would seek to bounce back in their I-League campaign when they face Aizawl FC in Kolkata on Thursday. 11. Punjab FC aim to consolidate top spot with win over Real Kashmir FC Punjab FC would look to extend their one-point lead at the top of I-League table when they face second-placed Real Kashmir FC in Kalyani on Thursday. 12. 2021 IPL auction to be held in Chennai today RCB, CSK could bid for Maxwell; all eyes on Moeen, Malan, uncapped Azharuddeen; Kings XI Punjab renamed as Punjab Kings. 13. Australian Open | Women's semifinals Naomi Osaka beat Serena Williams on Thursday to reach the final of the 2021 Australian Open. Osaka won the game in straight sets beating the 23-time Grand Slam winner 6-3, 6-4. Jennifer Brady vs. Karolina Muchova (9.45 a.m. IST). 14. NASA rover attempting most difficult Martian touchdown yet  In this illustration provided by NASA, the Perseverance rover fires up its descent stage engines as it nears the Martian surface. The rover named Perseverance is headed on Thursday (3.25 a.m. IST on Friday) for a compact 8km-by-6.4km) patch on the edge of an ancient river delta. 15. Coronavirus | Latest numbers and developments The number of positive coronavirus cases reported from India now stands at 1,09,49,560 at the time of publishing this newsletter. The death toll from the disease stands at 1,57,391. Morning Filter will return tomorrow. Follow up on the day’s biggest stories and get concise analysis by The Hindu with the Evening Wrap newsletter. Click here to get it in your inbox. | 
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