HIGHLIGHTS

These are the top stories at 12.45 pm: IN THE PIPELINE 1,684 new COVID-19 cases in 24 hours, total number of cases rise to 23,077: Health Ministry. ON THE WIRE NATION DEL4 VIRUS-CASES Death toll due to COVID-19 touches 718; number of cases climb to 23,077 New Delhi: The death toll due to COVID-19 rose to 718 and the number of cases to 23,077 in the country on Friday, according to the Union Health Ministry. DEL36 VIRUS-PM-LD GRAM PANCHAYATS PM says self-reliance biggest lesson from pandemic, hails 'Do Gaz Ki Doori' mantra to combat virus New Delhi: Applauding people for their grit in fighting the COVID-19 outbreak, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday said the biggest lesson the pandemic has taught India is to become self-reliant and complimented rural India for defining social distancing in simpler words, 'Do Gaz Ki Doori', to make people understand its importance.

DEL84 VIRUS-MHA-SITUATION COVID-19 situation especially serious in Ahmedabad, Surat, Hyderabad, Chennai: MHA New Delhi: The Centre on Friday said the COVID-19 situation is especially serious in major or emerging hotspot areas including Ahmedabad, Surat, Hyderabad and Chennai. DEL80 LOCKDOWN-PAR PANEL-WAGES Industries cannot be forced to pay wages during lockdown: Chief of par panel on labour New Delhi: Industries cannot be forced to pay wages to their employees during the coronavirus-induced lockdown, BJD MP Bhartruhari Mahtab, who chairs the parliamentary panel on labour, said on Monday.

DEL52 LOCKDOWN-MONTH India's one month of lockdown: Experts feel it helped in preventing 'US or Europe-like' situation but say bigger challenge awaits New Delhi: As India completes a month under lockdown that brought the world's most populous democracy to a virtual standstill, with no or very minimal social and economic activities to prevent the spread of COVID-19 pandemic, several medical experts feel that these restrictions were crucial in preventing a "US or Europe-like" situation from materialising in the country. By Asim Kamal DEL55 VIRUS-LD CONG Freezing of DA insensitive, inhumane; govt should shelve bullet train, Central Vista projects: Cong New Delhi: Noting that it was "insensitive and inhumane" to freeze dearness allowance, the Congress on Friday said instead of "hurting" the middle-class employees and pensioners, the government should shelve bullet train and Central Vista redevelopment projects to save money for the coronavirus fight. DEL49 UP-VIRUS-CM-REVIEW Labourers stranded in other states due to lockdown will be brought home: UP CM Lucknow: The Uttar Pradesh government will bring back labourers stranded in other states because of the coronavirus-forced lockdown, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath said on Friday, and directed officials to prepare an action plan in this regard.

BOM8 GJ-VIRUS-AHMEDABAD-PROJECTION Ahmedabad may have 8 lakh COVID-19 cases by May end: Official Ahmedabad: The number of COVID-19 patients in Ahmedabad city of Gujarat may grow to eight lakh by the end of May if the current four-day period of doubling of such cases continues, an official said on Friday. CAL11 WB-MAMATA-LD GOVEROR Bengal governor pans Mamata over COVID-19 handling, minority appeasement Kolkata, Apr 24: West Bengal Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar mounted a fresh assault on Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee over her monumental failure in tackling the COVID-19 crisis that resulted in "incremental spread" of the pandemic.

LEGAL LGD8 JK-HC-RATHER J-K Bank fraud case accused seeks bail citing coronavirus outbreak, HC denies relief Jammu: The Jammu and Kashmir High Court on Friday rejected the bail application of Hilal Rather, the son of former state minister Abdul Rahim Rather, in a bank fraud case. LGD5 SC-LD ARNAB SC grants 3-week protection to Arnab Goswami from any coercive action New Delhi: The Supreme Court Friday granted 3-week protection from any coercive action to Republic TV editor-in-chief Arnab Goswami on FIRs against him for alleged defamatory statements against Congress Chief Sonia Gandhi he made in the news shows on the recent Palghar mob-lynching of three persons including two sadhus in Maharashtra.

FOREIGN FGN23 VIRUS-US-POMPEO-CHINA China 'will pay a price' for causing 'huge challenge' for global economy, says Pompeo Washington: Blaming China for the coronavirus pandemic, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said it has caused a "huge challenge" for the global as well as the US economy by not sharing the information they had and the ruling Communist Party "will pay a price" for it. By Lalit K Jha FGN28 VIRUS-BANGLA-IFTAR Bangladesh bans Iftar gatherings during Ramzan Dhaka: Bangladesh on Friday banned Iftar gatherings during the holy month of Ramzan to curb the spread of the coronavirus infections as the Muslim-majority country recorded the highest single-day spike of 503 positive cases, increasing the total cases to 4,689. FGN15 VIRUS-US-INDIAN-GIRL Indian girl brings smile on withered faces of US nursing home residents amid COVID-19 lockdown Washington: Girls her age play Candy Crush or like watching cartoons, but 15-year-old Hita Gupta peps up hundreds of lonely Americans, including the elderly and children, marooned in nursing homes due to the COVID-19 lockdown by sending them gift packs and spirit-lifting notes.