HIGHLIGHTS AT 9.30 PM

These are the top stories at 9.30 pm: NATION DEL43 VIRUS-2NDLD CASES Record single-day spike of 9,971 COVID-19 cases; death toll 6,929: Health Ministry New Delhi: India registered its highest single-day spike of COVID-19 cases for the fifth consecutive day on Sunday, with 9,971 new infections taking the country's tally to 2,46,628, while the death toll rose to 6,929, according to the Union Health Ministry. DEL82 VIRUS-HEALTH MINISTRY COVID-19: Govt says 'fine-tuning' strategy, slams reports claiming experts not consulted New Delhi: Asserting that coronavirus is a "new agent" about which not everything is known, the government on Sunday defended the timing of imposition of the lockdown and rejected as "baseless" media reports expressing concerns that it did not take inputs from technical experts while drawing up its COVID-19 strategy.

DEL90 2NDLD SHAH Confident NDA will get two-third majority in Bihar polls under Nitish Kumar: Amit Shah New Delhi: Setting the tone for Bihar assembly polls, Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Sunday said the state moved from "jungle raj to janta raj" during the NDA rule and expressed confidence that the alliance will get a two-third majority in the state elections under Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's leadership. DEL8 DEF-SINOINDIA TALKS Eastern Ladakh standoff: Indian, Chinese armies agree to resolve issue through talks New Delhi: Indian and Chinese military commanders agreed to peacefully resolve the current border issue in eastern Ladakh in accordance with bilateral pacts as well as the agreement reached between leadership of the two countries, the External Affairs Ministry said on Sunday.

DEL41 JK-ARMY Support for terrorism nearly 'wiped out' in JK, people want peace: senior Army officer Srinagar: Recent "uncoordinated" acts of violence in North Kashmir are "signs of desperation" by militants which are not finding resonance among people who want to get out of the cycle of violence, a fact visible in the sharp dip this year in the recruitment of local youths in terror groups, a senior Army officer has said. DEL75 JK-3RDLD ENCOUNTER Five Hizbul militants killed in encounter with security forces in J-K's Shopian Srinagar: Five Hizbul Mujahideen militants, including a top commander of the outfit, were on Sunday killed in an encounter with security forces in Shopian district of Jammu and Kashmir, police said.

DEL88 UP-ATS-LD-KHALISTAN UP ATS arrests arms supplier to Khalistani terrorists Lucknow: The Uttar Pradesh Anti-Terrorist Squad on Sunday arrested an alleged arms supplier to Khalistani terrorists, a senior officer said. DEL72 LOCKDOWN-ASI-3RDLD MONUMENTS Centre nod to open 820 ASI monuments with places of worship from June 8; Maha sites may stay shut New Delhi: The Union Culture Ministry on Sunday approved opening of 820 Archeological Survey of India-protected monuments which have places of worship from June 8, Minister Prahlad Patel said.

DEL74 GJ-RSPOLLS-LD CONG MLAS Congress shifts 21 Guj MLAs to Rajasthan; FIR against Rajkot resort where legislators were lodged Ahmedabad/Jaipur: The Congress on Sunday shifted 21 of its Gujarat MLAs to a resort in Abu Road in Rajasthan and alleged that the BJP was indulging in horse-trading ahead of the June 19 polls for four Rajya Sabha seats. DEL87 DL-VIRUS-2NDLD KEJRIWAL Delhi govt-run and pvt hospitals to be reserved for Delhiites; City's borders to be reopened from Monday New Delhi: Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Sunday announced that the hospitals run by the Delhi government and private entities will only treat Delhiites during the coronavirus crisis while the city's borders will be reopened from Monday.

DEL61 QUAKE-EXPERTS Nothing unusual in recent quakes but Delhi should have proper disaster management plan: Experts New Delhi: With nearly 13 earthquakes jolting the Delhi-NCR region in two months, there have been apprehensions if it is a prelude to a big temblor, but experts say there is nothing unusual in this seismic activity. LEGAL LGD10 SC-AADHAAR SC to take up on June 9 pleas seeking review of verdict upholding validity of Aadhaar scheme New Delhi: The Supreme Court will take up on June 9 pleas seeking review of a verdict upholding the Centre's flagship Aadhaar scheme as constitutionally valid but striking down some of its provisions, including its linking with bank accounts, mobile phones and school admissions.

LGD8 DL-COURT-LD CAA TERROR Terror accused woman tests positive for COVID-19 in NIA custody New Delhi: A Kashmiri woman, who was arrested earlier this year for allegedly planning a terror attack in the country during the anti-CAA protests here, has been sent for treatment after the National Investigation Agency informed a court that she tested positive for COVID-19. FOREIGN FGN6 VIRUS-CHINA-WHITEPAPER China exonerates self in whitepaper on COVID-19, says virus first noticed on Dec 27 Beijing: A beleaguered China on Sunday exonerated itself from the global allegations of delay in reporting the coronavirus outbreak, saying the virus was first noticed in Wuhan on December 27 as a viral pneumonia and human-to-human transmission was discovered on January 19, after which it took swift actions to curb it. By K J M Varma PTI NSD NSD