HIGHLIGHTS at 5.00 pm

Following are the top stories at 5.00 pm:

NATION

DEL33 HEALTH-2NDLD CORONAVIRUS

Coronavirus cases in country climb to 107, cases rise in Maharashtra

New Delhi: The number of novel coronavirus cases in the country rose to 107 on Sunday, with 12 fresh cases in Maharashtra, the Union Health Ministry said.

DEL35 CORONAVIRUS-INDIANS-LD EVACUATION

Coronavirus: Over 450 Indians evacuated from Iran, Italy

New Delhi/Jaisalmer: Over 450 Indians, including students, stranded in coronavirus-hit Iran and Italy were brought back by two flights on Sunday and were quarantined at separate facilities, according to officials.

BOM14 MH-CORONAVIRUS-LD TOURS-POLICE

Coronavirus: Mumbai cops invoke section 144 to ban group tours

Mumbai: In the wake of coronavirus scare, the Mumbai Police on Sunday invoked section 144 of the CrPC to prohibit tour operators from conducting any kind of group tours to foreign or domestic destinations till March 31, an official said.

 

MDS18 CORONAVIRUS-AP-LD CIVIC POLLS

Coronavirus: Civic polls put off in AP

Amaravati (AP): Elections to rural and urban local bodies in Andhra Pradesh were on Sunday put off for six weeks by the State Election Commission in view of spread of coronavirus.

MDS19 CORONAVIRUS-LD TN

KG, primary schools closed in TN till March 31;Theatres, malls too shut in border districts

Chennai: The Tamil Nadu government on Sunday directed closure of all kindergarten and primary schools till March 31 as it stepped up preventive measures against coronavirus.

MDS5 CORONAVIRUS-KL-FLIGHT

UK national tests positive for coronavirus; All 289 passengers offloaded at Kochi airport

Kochi: At least 289 passengers of a Dubai-bound flight were offloaded at the airport here on Sunday shortly before takeoff after a UK national among them tested positive for novel coronavirus, official sources said here.

CAL5 WB-CORONAVIRUS-BANGLA-TRAINS

Coronavirus threat: India-Bangladesh passenger train services suspended

Kolkata: India-Bangladesh passenger train services between Kolkata and cities in the neighbouring country have been suspended from Sunday as a precaution against the spread of COVID-19, on a Union government directive, an Eastern Railway official said.

DEL27 JK-APNI PARTY-SHAH

JK Apni Party delegation meets Amit Shah

New Delhi: Chief of newly-formed 'JK Apni Party' Altaf Bukhari met Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Sunday during which the minister allayed fears of demographic changes in Jammu and Kashmir and also assured for early return of statehood.

DEL34 JK-TERRORISTS-ONLINE

Terrorists roping in youths in Kashmir to make online purchases: Officials

New Delhi: The National Investigation Agency (NIA) probe into the dastardly Pulwama attack of last year has revealed that terror groups such as the Jaish-e-Mohammed were roping in young boys in Kashmir for making online purchases, including chemicals used for manufacturing explosives, officials said.

BOM16 GJ-CONG MLAS-RESIGNATION

Four Gujarat Cong MLAs resign from Assembly ahead of RS polls

Ahmedabad: Four Congress MLAs in Gujarat have tendered their resignation to Assembly Speaker Rajendra Trivedi ahead of the election to the four Rajya Sabha seats in the state to be held on March 26.

BOM3 MP-MLA-LD TRUST VOTE

Madhya Pradesh Governor Lalji Tandon directs CM Kamal Nath to seek trust vote on March 16

Bhopal: Madhya Pradesh Governor Lalji Tandon directed Chief Minister Kamal Nath late Saturday night to seek a trust vote in the Assembly soon after his (governor) address on March 16.

DEL12 PB-CORONAVIRUS LD KARTARPUR

Movement of pilgrims through Kartarpur corridor to be suspended

New Delhi: Pilgrimage and registration for the Kartarpur Sahib Gurudwara in Pakistan will be suspended beginning Sunday midnight in view of the Coronavirus outbreak, the Home Ministry said.

BUSINESS

DEL7 BIZ-PETROL-PRICE

Petrol price cut by 12 paise/litre, diesel by 14 paise

New Delhi: Petrol price was on Sunday cut by 12 paise a litre and diesel rates by 14 paise as oil companies moderated rate reduction amid the fall in global prices to absorb the hike in excise duty on fuel by the government.

FOREIGN

FGN20 CORONAVIRUS-WORLD

Countries around the world announce more virus restrictions

Barcelona: Authorities around the world turned to increasingly drastic measures to try to slow the spread of the new coronavirus on Sunday, with lockdowns, curfews and travel restrictions spreading. (AP)

FGN32 CORONAVIRUS-QUEEN

Queen shifted out of Buckingham Palace amid COVID-19 crisis

London: Queen Elizabeth II has been shifted out of Buckingham Palace in London to Windsor Castle as the UK plans for isolation measures for people over 70 amid the country's death toll from COVID-19 hitting 21, nearly doubling from 11 within a day. By Aditi Khanna

FGN30 CORONAVIRUS-PAK-SAARC

Pak PM's aide to participate in SAARC video conference on coronavirus

Islamabad: Pakistan Prime Minister's Special Assistant on Health Dr Zafar Mirza will participate in a video conference of SAARC member countries on Sunday proposed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to formulate a joint strategy to combat the fast-spreading coronavirus pandemic.