These are the top stories from the northern region at 10 pm.

These are the top stories from the northern region at 10 pm. DEL118 PB-LOCKDOWN-LD AMARINDER Punjab CM favors lockdown extension, seeks fiscal support to states Chandigarh: Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh on Monday pitched for the extension of the coronavirus lockdown, but with a carefully crafted exit strategy backed by economic empowerment of states to save lives and secure livelihood. DEL117 PB-VIRUS-CASES 54 new COVID-19 infections in Punjab, cases reach 1,877 Chandigarh: Fifty-four people tested positive for COVID-19 in Punjab on Monday, pushing the case count to 1,877 in the state, according to the government's medical bulletin. . DES10 PB-LOCKDOWN-SUICIDE 'Denied' free ration, daily wager hangs self in Punjab's Ludhiana Ludhiana: A 37-year-old daily wager committed suicide in Punjab's Ludhiana as the authorities allegedly denied him free ration, a charge refuted by police.

DES16 UP-VIRUS-CASES 53 new COVID-19 cases in UP take state tally to 3,520 Lucknow: Uttar Pradesh reported 53 new coronavirus cases on Monday, pushing the state's overall tally to 3,520. . DES12 UP-MIGRANTS-ACCIDENT 2 migrants killed, 7 injured as truck overturns in UP Gorakhpur/Lucknow: Returning home to Uttar Pradesh from Telangana, two migrant labourers were killed and seven others injured after a truck they had hitched a ride on to take a break from walking overturned in Gorakhpur district on Monday, police said.

DES22 UP-LOCKDOWN-MIGRANTS-AKHILESH Those who promised houses failed to feed poor: Akhilesh attacks UP govt Lucknow: Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav on Monday took a dig at the state BJP government, saying those who promised houses to the poor failed to feed them during the coronavirus lockdown. . DES32 NCR-VIRUS-NOIDA CASES 6 new cases push Gautam Buddh Nagar's COVID-19 tally to 224 Noida (UP): Six more people have tested positive for coronavirus in Uttar Pradesh's Gautam Buddh Nagar, taking the number of cases in the district to 224, officials said on Monday.

DEL114 JK-VIRUS-CASES 18 fresh COVID-19 cases in J-K, tally now 879 Srinagar: Eighteen more people tested positive for COVID-19 in Jammu and Kashmir on Monday, bringing the number of cases to 879 in the Union Territory, officials said. . DES15 JK-VIRUS-DISCRIMINATION Recovered coronavirus patients in J-K face social discrimination Srinagar: At 45 per cent, Jammu and Kashmir has been effectively fighting coronavirus to register a high rate of recovery but patients declared COVID-19 free are now battling discrimination and in some cases ostracism from the society.

DEL148 RJ-LOCKDOWN-GEHLOT-PM Rajasthan CM seeks job guarantee scheme for urban areas Jaipur: Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on Monday suggested Prime Minister Narendra Modi to launch an employment guarantee scheme for urban areas on the lines of the MGNREGA. . DES3 RJ-LOCKDOWN PASSES Travel guidelines eased in Rajasthan Jaipur: The Rajasthan government has relaxed guidelines for movement of people in the state during the lockdown period, allowing inter-district and intra-district travel for permissible activities from 7 am to 7 pm without pass.

DES21 RJ-VIRUS-HEALTH MINISTER COVID-19 death rate in Raj lower than national average: Health min Jaipur: The COVID-19 mortality rate in Rajasthan is 2.83 per cent compared to the national average of 3.3 per cent, the state's health minister Raghu Sharma said on Monday. . DES43 HR-VIRUS-CASES Haryana reports another COVID-19 death, cases rise to 730 Chandigarh: Haryana reported one more COVID-19 death on Monday as the total number of coronavirus cases in the state rose to 730.

DES18 HR-HOODA No rush when vends reopened because illegal liquor sale continued during lockdown: Hooda Chandigarh: Senior Congress leader Bhupinder Singh Hooda on Monday claimed that liquor was illegally being sold in Haryana during lockdown and hence there was no rush when its sale was allowed on May 6. DES46 HP-VIRUS-LD CASES One more test positive for coronavirus in Himachal; total count 60 Shimla: One more coronavirus case surfaced in Himachal Pradesh on Monday, taking the infection count to 60 in the state, an official said. . DEL132 UP-LD ALLAHABAD UNIVERSITY No renaming Allahabad University, its executive council rules Allahabad (UP): The Allahabad University's executive council has decided against changing the name of the Centre-run varsity following the renaming of the district to Prayagraj, officials said on Monday.

DES59 UP-JAVED- AZAAN-MP SP MP flays Bollywood lyricist Javed Akhtar for 'azaan' remarks Sambhal (UP): Samajwadi Party MP Shafiqur Rahman Barq on Monday flayed Bollywood lyricist and poet Javed Akhtar's for his 'azaan' remarks, terming it anti-Islam. . DES56 PB-LD SHOWDOWN Showdown in Punjab: Two ministers say won't attend meetings if chief secretary is present Chandigarh: Two Punjab ministers on Monday said they will not participate in any meeting attended by the state's chief secretary, deepening a crisis triggered by a showdown between them and the top bureaucrat last week.

DES28 PB-COURT-DGP Mohali court grants anticipatory bail to ex-DGP Sumedh Saini Chandigarh: A Mohali court on Monday granted anticipatory bail to former Punjab DGP Sumedh Singh Saini in a 29-year-old disappearance case.