HIGHLIGHTS

Following are the top stories at 12.50 pm: NATION DEL7 VIRUS-LD CASES Over 6,500 new coronavirus cases in India, death toll climbs to 4,167 New Delhi: The death toll due to COVID-19 rose to 4,167 in the country, while the number of cases climbed to 1,45,380, registering an increase of 146 deaths and 6,535 cases since Monday 8 am, the Union Health Ministry said. DEL20 RAHUL-LOCKDOWN Centre's lockdown strategy has failed: Rahul Gandhi New Delhi: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday said the four phases of nationwide lockdown have "failed" and not given the results that Prime Minister Narendra Modi expected.

BOM1 MH-THACKERAY-PAWAR CM Thackeray meets Pawar, Sena says Maha govt strong Mumbai: Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray held a meeting with NCP president Sharad Pawar here, senior Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut said on Tuesday while asserting that the state government is "strong". MDS1 AVI-AP-FLIGHTS Flight services resume in Andhra Pradesh Amaravati(AP): After almost two months of COVID-19 induced lockdown, domestic flight operations resumed in Andhra Pradesh as the first Spicejet plane from Bengaluru landed at Vijayawada airport early Tuesday with 79 passengers.

BOM3 MH-VIRUS-SENA-BJP Gujarat 'worse' in handling COVID-19 crisis: Raut Mumbai, May 26 (PTI) Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut on Tuesday hit back at BJP MP Narayan Rane's demand for President's rule in Maharashtra, saying Gujarat's performance in handling the COVID-19 crisis is "worse", hence it deserves to be put under the central rule first. CAL2 OD-VIRUS-CASES 79 more test COVID-19 positive in Odisha, total cases rise to 1,517 Bhubaneswar: Seventy-nine more people have tested positive for COVID-19 in Odisha, taking the number of cases to 1,517 in the state, a health department official said on Tuesday.

MDS2 AP-VIRUS-CASES COVID-19: One death, 97 fresh cases reported in AP; toll at 57 Amaravati(AP): With 97 fresh COVID-19 cases, the total number of infections in Andhra Pradesh climbed to 2,983 while one death due to the virus was reported, taking the toll in the state to 57, a government bulletin said on Tuesday. BOM2 MP-VIRUS-INDORE COVID-19 cases rise to 3,103 in Indore; death toll reaches 117 Indore: As many as 39 more people tested positive for coronavirus in Indore in last 24 hours, taking the number of such cases in the Madhya Pradesh district to 3,103, an official said on Tuesday.

FOREIGN FGN8 VIRUS-US-INDIANS-EVACUATION Over 300 Indians fly home on board special Air India flight from New York New York: Over 300 Indian nationals, who were stuck in the US due to the coronavirus-induced global travel restrictions, have flown home on board the fourth special flight from New York under the Vande Bharat Mission. By Yoshita Singh FGN6 VIRUS-CHINA-CASES China reports 36 new coronavirus cases Beijing: China has reported 36 new coronavirus cases, including 29 asymptomatic infections, mostly in the contagion's first epicentre Wuhan where 6.5 million people have been tested so far, health officials said on Monday. By K J M Varma FGN9 VIRUS-PAK Pak's COVID-19 tally soars to 57,705 Islamabad: Pakistan's coronavirus cases on Tuesday soared to 57,705 after 1,356 new infections were reported, while 1,197 people have died so far of the disease in the country, the health ministry said. FGN5 VIRUS-INDIANS-LD VENTILATOR COVID-19: Indian-American couple develops low-cost ventilator Washington: An Indian-American couple has developed a low-cost portable emergency ventilator which is soon to hit the production stage and will be available in India and the developing world to help doctors deal with the COVID-19 patients. By Lalit K Jha SPORTS SPF5 SPO-BALBIR-PAK-REAX Lost a big name: Pakistan's hockey fraternity mourns death of Balbir Singh Sr Karachi: Balbir Singh Sr's death evoked emotional tributes from Pakistan's hockey community, which described the legendary centre-forward's demise as a big loss to the sport in general and the subcontinent in particular.

SPF8 SPO-CRI-SLC-MADUSHANKA Sri Lanka Cricket set to suspend drug-charged player Madushanka's contract Colombo: Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) is planning to suspend the contract of medium pacer Shehan Madushanka after he was arrested for possessing heroin. BUSINESS DCM3 BIZ-GADKARI-CHARDHAM Chardham project: Nitin Gadkari lauds BRO for Chamba tunnel construction New Delhi: Union Minister Nitin Gadkari on Tuesday lauded the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) for constructing a 440-metre long tunnel below the busy Chamba town on Rishikesh-Dharasu road and termed it as an 'extraordinary feat' in nation-building during the pandemic.