HIGHLIGHTS AT 9.00 PM

These are the top stories at 9.00 pm:

Nation:

DEL8 VIRUS-CASES

COVID-19 death toll rises to 543 in country; number of cases climb to 17,265:

Health Ministry

New Delhi: The death toll due to COVID-19 rose to 543 and the number of cases climbed to 17,265 in the country on Monday, according to the Union health ministry.

DEL90 SINOINDIA-2NDLD TRADE

India's new FDI norms violate WTO's principle of non-discrimination: China

New Delhi: India's new norms featuring "additional barriers" for foreign direct investment from specific countries violate WTO's principle of non-discrimination and are against the general trend of free trade, a Chinese embassy spokesperson said here on Monday.

 

DEL88 PREZ-LOCKDOWN

Prez expresses gratitude to police forces for ensuring lockdown with sensitivity and

professionalism

New Delhi: President Ram Nath Kovind on Monday expressed gratitude to police forces for ensuring the ongoing lockdown to combat the coronavirus with sensitivity and professionalism.

DEL20 LOCKDOWN-MHA-GUIDELINES

Centre asks states, UTs to strictly comply with COVID-19 lockdown guidelines, not

dilute them

New Delhi: The Centre has asked states and union territories to strictly comply with the lockdown measures announced to combat the novel coronavirus pandemic and not to dilute them at any level.

DEL68 VIRUS-MHA-2NDLD STATES

MHA says COVID situation especially serious in Mumbai, Kolkata, Jaipur,Indore; deploys central teams

New Delhi: The Union government has said the COVID-19 situation is "especially serious" in Mumbai, Pune, Indore, Jaipur, Kolkata and a few other places in West Bengal, and warned that violation of lockdown measures risks the spread of the novel coronavirus further.

DEL97 VIRUS-HEALTH MINISTRY

Rate at which coronavirus cases doubling in India improves to 7.5 days: Health Min

New Delhi: The Union Health Ministry said on Monday the rate at which the number of coronavirus cases in the country was becoming double in the last one week has improved to 7.5 days, as against 3.4 days before the nationwide lockdown was imposed.

DEL112 VIRUS-ARMY-COLOURCODE

Coronavirus: Army decides to place personnel under green, yellow, red' categories

New Delhi: The Indian Army has decided to classify all its personnel reporting back from leave, temporary duties and training courses into three categories of 'green, yellow and red' as part of measures to check the spread of coronavirus, official sources said on Monday.

DEL94 VIRUS-KITS-SKOREA

India procuring 5 lakh coronavirus testing kits from South Korea

New Delhi: India is procuring five lakh coronavirus testing kits from South Korea to meet their growing demand in view of rising cases of the infection, officials said on Monday.

DEL40 VIRUS-PM LD MALDIVES

COVID-19: PM says India will stand by Maldives in this challenging times

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday spoke with Maldivian President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih on the "health and economic challenges" the COVID-19 pandemic poses for the island nation.

DEL6 LOCKDOWN-MHA-KERALA

Centre objects to Kerala easing lockdown restrictions

New Delhi: The Union Home Ministry has taken strong objection to the Kerala government's decision to allow opening of restaurants, bus travel in cities and opening of MSME industries in municipal areas, saying it amounts to dilution of its lockdown guidelines.

MDS 3 KL-LOCKDOWN-CENTRE

Kerala govt denies dilution of lockdown guidelines

Thiruvananthapuram: The Kerala government on Monday said there was some "misunderstanding", due to which the Centre had objected to dilution of thelockdown protocol after the state had allowed opening of restaurants and MSME industries in municipal areas among others.

DEL89 CBI-MALLYA

UK court's decision against Mallya validates CBI's painstaking, meticulous

investigation: Officials

New Delhi: It is a significant achievement for continuing the war against economic fugitives, an elated CBI said on Monday's verdict of a UK High Court rejecting the appeal of embattled liquor baron Vijay Mallya who had sought an order against his extradition to India.

DEL121 THAROOR-PAR-PANEL

LS Speaker approves holding of meetings of Parl panel on IT by video conference: Tharoor

New Delhi: Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla has approved the holding of meetings of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Information Technology by video conference, senior Congress leader and chairman of the panel Shashi Tharoor said on Monday.

DEL91 VIRUS-RAHUL

Make all COVID-19 related equipment GST-free: Rahul Gandhi

New Delhi: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Monday urged the government to waive GST on all COVID-19-related equipment.

Foreign:

FGN54 UK-LDALL MALLYA

Vijay Mallya loses UK High Court appeal, clock set for extradition to India

London/New Delhi: Embattled liquor baron Vijay Mallya on Monday lost a crucial appeal against his extradition to India with the UK High Court ruling that the ex-boss of Kingfisher Airlines did have a prima facie case to answer in the Indian courts over the alleged Rs 9,000-crore fraud associated with loans sought from Indian banks for his now defunct airline.