HIGHLIGHTS

Following are top stories at 1700 hrs: DEL89 PM-2NDLD CORONAVIRUS Modi bats for joint SAARC strategy to fight coronavirus, gets prompt support from neighbours New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday proposed formulation of a joint strategy by SAARC nations to fight coronavirus, with member states such as Nepal and Sri Lanka promptly hailing the idea of unitedly taking on the pandemic. DEL61 JK-LD ABDULLAH J-K admin revokes PSA against veteran politician Farooq Abdullah Srinagar: The Jammu and Kashmir administration on Friday revoked the stringent Public Safety Act (PSA) against former chief minister Farooq Abdullah, a five-time parliamentarian and a member of the present Lok Sabha, with immediate effect.

DEL90 JK-ABDULLAH-LD STATEMENT Future to be decided after all leaders are released from detention: Farooq Abdullah Srinagar: Former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister and NC patron Farooq Abdullah on Friday thanked parliamentarians who "fought for my freedom" from detention and said he will be able to take a decision on future only after other leaders are released. DEL58 CORONAVIRUS-LD AVI-IRAN AIR Second batch of 44 Indian pilgrims arrived from Iran: Jaishankar Mumbai/New Delhi: Second batch of 44 Indian pilgrims has arrived from Iran, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Friday said. DEL87 CORONAVIRUS-SCIENTISTS-IRAN Indian scientists in Iran not been able to establish makeshift lab for COVID-19 test: Official sources New Delhi: Indian scientists who are stationed in Iran to establish a makeshift laboratory for testing stranded Indians for novel coronavirus have not been given permission by authorities to do so citing security reasons, official sources said.

DEL82 CORONAVIRUS-AVI-LD AIRINDIA AI cancels flights to Italy, France, Germany, 4 other countries till April 30 Mumbai: Mar 13 (PTI) Air India has decided to cancel flights to Italy, France, Germany, Spain, Israel, South Korea and Sri Lanka till April 30, an airline official said on Friday, amid mounting concerns over coronavirus epidemic. DEL62 CORONAVIRUS-ARMY-NEW CASE Coronavirus: Man tests positive at Army's Manesar quarantine facility New Delhi: A man who returned from Italy this week and was lodged at the Army's quarantine facility in Manesar, Haryana has tested positive for the novel coronavirus disease, Army sources said on Friday.

BOM25 MH-LD CORONAVIRUS Covid-19: 1 more positive in Pune, 2 in Nagpur; Maha count 17 Pune/Nagpur: One more person was confirmed to have contracted the coronavirus in Pune on Friday, taking the number of Covid-19 cases in the city to 10 and that in Maharashtra to 17. LGD13 DL-HC-LD NIRBHAYA Nirbhaya convict Vinay Sharma moves HC claiming procedural lapse in mercy plea rejection New Delhi: One of the four death row convicts in the 2012 Nirbhaya gang rape and murder case, Vinay Sharma, on Friday approached the Delhi High Court claiming that there were procedural lapses and "constitutional irregularities" in the rejection of his mercy plea by President Ram Nath Kovind. DEL54 SHAH-GANGA 'Namami Gange' improved water quality of Ganga: Shah New Delhi: The central government's 'Namami Gange' mission has improved the water quality of Ganga river, Union home minister Amit Shah said on Friday. DEL29 DL-CORONAVIRUS-SISODIA Coronavirus threat: Delhi govt bans sports gatherings, including IPL New Delhi: The Delhi government has stopped all sports gatherings, including the Indian Premier League 2020, in the national capital amid the coronavirus threat, Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia said on Friday.

DEL83 DL-CORONAVIRUS-LD JNU JNU suspends classes till March 31 New Delhi: The Jawaharlal Nehru University on Friday ordered suspension of classes with immediate effect till March 31 due to the coronavirus outbreak. DEL85 UP-CORONAVIRUS-LD YOGI Coronavirus: All schools, colleges in UP to be shut till March 22 Lucknow: The Uttar Pradesh government announced on Friday that all schools and colleges in the state where exams were not going on, have been closed till March 22 in view of the coronavirus scare. DEL80 CORONAVIRUS-APPRAISAL-HEALTHCHECKUP Annual health check ups for govt officials suspended till June 30 New Delhi: The government has suspended till June 30 the mandatory annual health checkup of all its officials in the wake of coronavirus outbreak to avoid unnecessary strain on hospitals and ward off chances of them getting infected in health facilities, officials said Friday.

DEL69 RS-RJ-NOMINATION RS polls: Congress, BJP candidates file nomination papers in Rajasthan Jaipur: Congress and BJP candidates filed their nomination papers on Friday for the Rajya Sabha elections in the Rajasthan Assembly. CAL6 OD-CORONAVIRUS-LD PATNAIK Coronavirus threat: Odisha shuts educational institutions, cinema halls till March 31 Bhubaneswar: All educational institutions in Odisha have been ordered closed on Friday till March 31 over the coronavirus threat, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik said on Friday, and earmarked Rs 200 crore to combat the disease.

DEL71 CAB-DA HIKE Cabinet clears 4 pc DA hike for central government employees New Delhi: The Union Cabinet on Friday approved 4 per cent hike in dearness allowance (DA) to 21 per cent for central government employees, costing the exchequer an additional Rs 14,595 crore. MDS13 CORONAVIRUS-KA-LD MEASURES Coronavirus: Karnataka govt announces lock-down of malls, theatres, pubs & night clubs Bengaluru: A day after the country's first coronavirus death was reported from Kalaburagi in Karnataka, the State government on Friday leapt into action announcing lock-down of malls, cinema theatres, pubs and night clubs for a week..