HIGHLIGHTS

These are the top stories at 9:40 PM: NATION DEL88 LD FACEBOOK Cong steps up attack on Facebook; internet giant says it prohibits hate speech New Delhi: The Congress on Monday stepped up attack on Facebook amid an escalating row over Wall Street Journal's report that the social media platform refused to apply hate speech rules to certain BJP politicians, even as the tech giant asserted that its policies are enforced globally without regard to political affiliation. LD PANDIT JASRAJ Legendary classical vocalist Pandij Jasraj dies at 90 New Delhi: Indian classical music doyen Pandit Jasraj died on Monday following a cardiac arrest at his home in New Jersey, his daughter Durga Jasraj said.

DEL56 VIRUS-LD TESTS COVID-19 tests in India cross 3 crore-mark New Delhi: The total number of tests for detection of COVID-19 has crossed the 3 crore-mark in India, with the Union Health ministry asserting on Monday that the "new landmark" has been achieved due to expanded diagnostic lab network and facilitation for easy testing across the country. DEL76 SC-BHUSHAN-LD CONTEMPT SC to consider larger questions in 2009 contempt case against Prashant Bhushan, frames 3 issues New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Monday framed larger questions for consideration in the 2009 contempt case against activist-lawyer Prashant Bhushan including what process should be followed in contempt cases involving corruption allegations against judges.

DEL82 JK-4RTHLD ATTACK JK: 2 militants killed in encounter after 3 security personnel martyred in attack Srinagar: Hours after Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) militants carried out an attack which left two CRPF jawans and a Jammu and Kashmir policeman dead in Baramulla district of the union territory on Monday, security forces chased the ultras and killed two of them in an encounter, police said. DEL69 NHRC-UP-GIRL NHRC notice to UP govt, DGP over gang-rape and murder in Lakhimpur Kheri New Delhi: The NHRC has sent notices to the Uttar Pradesh government and the state police chief over the alleged gang-rape and murder of a 13-year-old girl belonging to Scheduled Caste when she had gone to relieve herself in a farmland in Lakhimpur Kheri, officials said Monday.

DEL84 LD WEATHER Bihar flood situation grim; heavy rains affect normal life in parts of country, 7 dead New Delhi: The flood situation in Bihar remained grim Monday with water level in the Ganga continuing to rise, while heavy rains disrupted normal life in parts of the country, and at least seven persons drowned in inundated water bodies in Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh. DEL59 CONG-LETTER-ROW Cong rebuffs claim that 100 party leaders have written to Sonia Gandhi over leadership change New Delhi: Suspended Congress leader Sanjay Jha on Monday triggered a row by claiming that around 100 leaders had written to party president Sonia Gandhi seeking a change of political leadership, a claim the grand old party rushed to deny.

DEL86 PERSONNEL-LD-BSF APPOINTMENT Rakesh Asthana appointed BSF DG, V S K Kaumudi MHA Special Secy (Internal Security) New Delhi: Gujarat cadre IPS officer Rakesh Asthana has been appointed the chief of the Border Security Force and V S K Kaumudi the Special Secretary (Internal Security) in the Home Ministry, according to a Personnel Ministry order issued on Monday DEL83 UP-VIRUS-ASSEMBLY 20 UP Assembly staff test COVID positive Lucknow: Twenty staff members of the Uttar Pradesh Assembly tested positive for the novel coronavirus on Monday, three days before the session begins, Speaker Hriday Narayan Dixit said. By Arunav Sinha LEGAL LGD13 SC-TELECOM SC asks Centre to clarify stand on why Reliance Jio be not asked to pay AGR related dues New Delhi:With differences cropping up between two ministries, the Supreme Court on Monday asked Centre to clarify its stand on why Reliance Jio, which is earning revenue by sharing Reliance Communication’s (RCom) spectrum be not asked to pay the Adjusted Gross Revenue (AGR) related dues to the government. LGM2 KL-COURT-GOLD Gold case accused Swapna travelled thrice with suspended IAS officer to Gulf nations during 2017-18: ED Kochi: Suspended IAS officerM Sivasankar travelled thrice to the Gulf countries with Swapna Suresh, a key accused in the Kerala gold smuggling case, during 2017 and 2018, the Enforcement Directorate probing the money trails of the racket informed a court here on Monday.

FOREIGN FGN32 NEPAL-POLITICS NCP central secretariat endorses panel formed to resolve intra-party rift Kathmandu: The ruling Nepal Communist Party's powerful Central Secretariat on Monday endorsed a six-member task force formed by Prime Minister K P Sharma Oli and party’s executive chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’ to resolve the ongoing intra-party rift. By Shirish B Pradhan FGN40 US-HUAWEI US tightens noose around Huawei; adds 38 affiliates to its Entity List Washington: The US on Monday tightened the noose around Huawei, which it considers an arm of the Chinese Communist Party’s surveillance state, by adding 38 of its affiliates across 21 nations to its Entity List and taking steps to prevent the company from circumventing American law. By Lalit K Jha PTI AD.