HIGHLIGHTS

Following are the top stories at 9 PM: NATION: DEL111 LD ALL CORONAVIRUS Mumbai man becomes third person in India to die of COVID-19, number of cases climbs to 137 New Delhi/Mumbai: India on Tuesday reported its third coronavirus fatality with a 63-year-old dying in Mumbai, Health Ministry officials said as the number of positive cases rose sharply to 137 and more parts of the country shut down to stem the spread of the infection. DEL119 CORONAVIRUS-IRAN-MEA Cannot confirm whether over 250 Indian in Iran have tested positive for COVID-19: MEA officials New Delhi: Ministry of External Affairs officials on Tuesday said they cannot confirm whether more than 250 Indians in Iran have tested positive for novel coronavirus.

DEL139 GOVT-CORONAVIRUS-STATES Govt deputes 30 joint secretary and above rank officers to assist state govts on COVID-19 New Delhi: The Centre on Tuesday deputed 30 officers in the rank of joint secretary and above to states so that they can effectively deal with the outbreak of coronavirus. DEL136 CORONAVIRUS-LD HEALTH MIN Guidelines formed for management of bodies infected with COVID-19: Health Ministry New Delhi: With the country reporting the third death due to novel coronavirus, the Heath Ministry on Tuesday said that guidelines for management of bodies infected with the disease have been issued to define a set of protocols in handling such cases.

DEL109 LDALL GOGOI Row erupts over nomination of ex-CJI Gogoi to RS; Oppn parties calls it "brazen" action by govt New Delhi/Guwahati: A row erupted on Tuesday over the nomination of former Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi to the Rajya Sabha with the Congress and other Opposition parties alleging that the "brazen action" by the government subsumes the independence of the judiciary. DEL133 PM-BANGLADESH India, Bangladesh have created a golden chapter of mutual relations: PM Modi New Dehi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday hailed Sheikh Mujibur Rahman for pulling Bangladesh out of devastation, saying he devoted his every moment to create a positive and progressive society.

DEL117 BJP-LD MEETING Parliament should be doing its work when country is staring at health scare: Modi New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi asked BJP MPs on Tuesday to spread awareness about the coronavirus and made it clear that the ongoing Budget Session of Parliament will not be curtailed as lawmakers should be seen to be doing their work at a time when the country is staring at a health scare. DEL125 LS-ABORTION-BILL LS nod to bill which seeks to extend upper limit for permitting abortions from 20 to 24 weeks New Delhi: Lok Sabha on Tuesday passed a bill which seeks to extend the upper limit for permitting abortions from the present 20 weeks to 24 weeks for "special categories of women" which include rape survivors, victims of incest, differently-abled and minors.

DEL112 NHRC-NIRBHAYA-CONVICT NHRC dismisses complaint from Nirbhaya case convict's mother seeking its intervention New Delhi: The NHRC has dismissed a complaint lodged with it by the mother of one of the convicts in the Nirbhaya case which sought intervention by the commission to prevent the hanging of her son, officials said on Tuesday. LEGAL: LGD50 SC-NAVY-CENTRE SC asks Centre to grant permanent commission to women Navy officers in 3-months New Delhi: The Supreme Court asked the Centre on Tuesday to consider granting permanent commission (PC) to women officers in Indian Navy within three months and it should be based on the Naval Ceremonial Regulations of 1963.

LGD29 SC-3RDLD MP-CHOUHAN SC seeks response of MP govt on Chouhan's plea seeking floor test New Delhi: The Supreme Court Tuesday asked the Kamal Nath-led Congress government in Madhya Pradesh to respond by tomorrow to a plea by senior BJP leader Shivraj Singh Chouhan seeking immediate floor test in the state Assembly. LGD48 DL-COURT-3RDLD NIRBHAYA Nirbhaya: Delhi court dismisses plea of convict Mukesh Singh seeking quashing of death penalty New Delhi: A Delhi court on Tuesday dismissed the plea of Mukesh Singh, one of the four convicts in the Nirbhaya gang rape and murder case, seeking quashing of his death penalty and asked the Bar Council of India (BCI) to give appropriate sensitisation exercise to his counsel.

BUSINESS: DEL123 BIZ-2NDLD YES BANK No need for forensic audit as book is clean now: Yes Bank CEO-designate Mumbai: Yes Bank CEO-designate Prashant Kumar on Tuesday ruled out a forensic audit of the lender's books and remained non-committal on continuing to pay the present 5-6 per cent interest on deposits. FOREIGN: FGN42 CORONAVIRUS-3RDLD CHINA China begins withdrawal of medical staff from Wuhan after virus-hit city records just 1 new case Beijing/Wuhan: China on Tuesday began withdrawal of thousands of doctors and medical staff from Wuhan after the epicentre of the coronavirus outbreak reported just one confirmed case. By K J M Varma PTI AD