HIGHLIGHTS

These are the top stories at 5 pm: NATION DEL64 UP-2NDLD PM PM praises Adityanath for his handling of coronavirus, says it helped save 85k lives Lucknow: Showering praise on Yogi Adityanath for his handling of COVID-19 pandemic, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday said the vast preparations made by the Uttar Pradesh chief minister saved at least 85,000 lives, something that was unthinkable before 2017. DEL12 VIRUS-LD CASES India registers over 17,000 COVID-19 daily cases for first time; death toll crosses 15,000-mark New Delhi: The highest single-day surge in COVID-19 cases went past 17,000 on Friday, pushing India's tally to 4,90,401, while the death toll climbed to 15,301 with 407 new fatalities, according to the Union Health Ministry data.

DEL50 SINOINDIA-SONIA If China hasn't occupied territory, why were our 20 soldiers martyred, asks Sonia New Delhi: Congress president Sonia Gandhi on Friday said the central government cannot shirk its responsibility of securing our borders with China and asked Prime Minister Narendra Modi to take the nation into confidence on the situation in Ladakh. DEL54 SINOINDIA-RAHUL China has occupied Indian land, PM's denial will benefit neighbouring country: Rahul Gandhi New Delhi: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Friday asked Prime Minister Narendra Modi to speak up and tell the truth to the country on whether China has occupied any Indian territory.

DEL26 CBSE-LD ASSESSMENT-SCHEME Marks for cancelled CBSE Class 10, 12 exams to be based on students' best performing subjects New Delhi: Marks for the pending class 10, 12 exams, which have been cancelled in view of the COVID-19 pandemic, will be awarded on basis of marks scored by a student in his or her best performing subjects, according to Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE)'s four-point assessment scheme. CAL12 MAMATA-COAL-PM Reconsider decision allowing 100 pc FDI in coal mining: Mamata to PM Kolkata: Expressing reservations about the central government allowing 100 per cent foreign direct investment (FDI) in the coal sector, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi requesting him to reconsider the decision.

DEL15 UP-LD PRIYANKA 'I am Indira Gandhi's granddaughter': Priyanka dares UP govt New Delhi: "I am Indira Gandhi's granddaughter, not an undeclared BJP spokesperson like some of the opposition leaders," Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Friday said, as she alleged that the Uttar Pradesh government is threatening her through various departments for speaking the truth. DEL39 JK-2NDLD ENCOUNTER Three militants killed in encounter with security forces in J-K's Pulwama Srinagar: Three militants were on Friday killed in an overnight encounter with security forces in Pulwama district of Jammu and Kashmir, the Army said.

DEL49 JK-2NDLD ATTACK-CRPF CRPF personnel, minor boy killed in militant attack in J-K's Anantnag Srinagar: A CRPF jawan and a minor boy were killed when militants attacked a security forces team in Anantnag district of Jammu and Kashmir on Friday, police said. LEGAL LGD6 VIRUS-SC-LD CBSE EXAMS SC approves CBSE’s scheme on cancellation of board exams, re-assessment formula New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Friday permitted the Centre and the CBSE to cancel the remaining board examinations due to COVID-19 pandemic and gave the go-ahead to its scheme to award marks to students for the cancelled papers scheduled to be held in July.

LGD15 SC-LD JOURNALIST SC stays any coercive action against TV anchor for remarks against Sufi saint New Delhi: The Supreme Court Friday stayed any coercive action against TV news anchor Amish Devgan in multiple FIRs lodged in several states over his alleged defamatory statements against Sufi saint Khwaja Moinuddin Chisti. BUSINESS DEL18 BIZ-SWISSBANKS-INDIA-LIST Money in Swiss banks: India at 77th place, accounts for just 0.06% of all foreign funds New Delhi/Zurich: India has moved down three places to 77th rank in terms of money parked by its citizens and enterprises with Swiss banks at the end of 2019, while the UK has retained its top position, as per the latest data from Switzerland's central bank. FOREIGN FGN23 US-LD CHINA US reviewing global force posture to counter Chinese threat to countries like India: Pompeo Washington: The US is reviewing its global deployment of forces to ensure that it is "postured appropriately" to counter the growing Chinese military threat to countries like India, Malaysia, Indonesia and the Philippines, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has said. By Lalit K Jha FGN14 US-BIDEN-LD INDIA Biden seeks restoration of peoples' rights in Kashmir; disappointed with CAA, NRC Washington: Democratic presidential nominee and former US vice president Joe Biden wants India to take necessary steps to restore the rights of Kashmiris, and has expressed disappointment over the Citizenship (Amendment) Act and the implementation of the NRC in Assam. By Lalit K Jha FGN27 US-INDIA-TRAFFICKING-CHILDREN Children as young as 14 are recruited by armed groups against govt in J-K: US report Washington: A US State Department report on human trafficking in India has said that non-state armed groups continue to recruit and use children as young as 14 years in direct hostilities against the government in Jammu and Kashmir.