HIGHLIGHTS

These are the top stories at 9 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. DEL74 VIRUS-2NDLD CASES India registers over 17,000 COVID-19 daily cases for first time; death toll crosses 15,000 mark New Delhi: The number of COVID-19 cases in India increased by a record 17,296 in 24 hours for the first time on Friday pushing the total tally to 4,90,401, over half of which have been reported from 10 cities and districts, according to 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. DEL98 SINOINDIA-BJP-SONIA Cong peddling 'lies, falsehoods': BJP after Sonia's video message New Delhi: The BJP on Friday accused the Congress of advancing Chinese propaganda and peddling "lies and falsehoods" to lower the morale of armed forces, as it hit back at the opposition party after Sonia Gandhi asked Prime Minister Narendra Modi to take the nation into confidence on the border situation in Ladakh.

DEL94 LOCKDOWN-LD STATES COVID-19: 12-hour night curfew in Assam, Hyderabad market traders to shut shops for 8 days Guwahati/Hyderabad: With coronavirus cases on the rise, the Assam government announced a 12-hour night curfew across the state from Friday and a 14-day complete lockdown in Kamrup (Metro) district, of which Guwahati city is a part, from June 28 midnight while traders of Hyderabad's largest wholesale market Begum Bazar decided to shut shops for eight days from Sunday. 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.

DEL79 DL-VIRUS-LD JAIN Delhi Health Minister Jain tests negative for COVID-19, discharged from hospital New Delhi: Delhi Health Minister Satyendar Jain was on Friday discharged from the Max Hospital here after he tested negative for COVID-19, sources said. DEL110 NHRC-UP-LD JOURNALIST NHRC notice to UP govt, DGP over murder of journalist who reported on sand mafia New Delhi: The NHRC on Friday issued notice to the Uttar Pradesh government and the state's police chief in connection with the murder of a journalist last week in Unnao district over his purported coverage of the sand mafia, a senior official 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 LGD27 VIRUS-SC-2NDLD CBSE EXAMS SC nod to CBSE, ICSE schemes for cancellation of board exams, approves assessment formula New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Friday approved the schemes of CBSE and ICSE for cancellations of remaining board examinations scheduled from July 1 to 15 due to COVID-19 pandemic and approved their formula for assessment of examinees.

LGD32 SC-2NDLD JOURNALIST SC protects TV anchor against coercive action in FIRs related to comments on Sufi saint New Delhi: In a relief to TV news anchor Amish Devgan, the Supreme Court Friday protected him from any coercive action in pending and future FIRs which may be lodged over his alleged defamatory comment against Sufi saint Khwaja Moinuddin Chisti in a show telecast on June 15. 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.