HIGHLIGHTS

Following are the top stories at 9 PM: NATION DEL159 PM-CORONAVIRUS PM calls for Janta Curfew, urges people to stay indoors New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday made a fervent appeal to all Indians to stay indoors as much as possible to avoid getting infected by coronavirus, saying the world has never seen a danger as grave as this. DEL167 CORONAVIRUS-LD IRAN-INDIAN One Indian suffering from coronavirus dies in Iran New Delhi: The government on Thursday said one Indian who tested positive for coronavirus has died in Iran while the other citizens infected with the disease are being provided treatment and taken care of by the Iranian government. DEL168 MEA-ITALY-INDIANS Next batch of stranded Indians in Italy will be evacuated over weekend: MEA New Delhi: The next batch of Indians stranded in coronavirus-hit Italy will be evacuated over the weekend, the Ministry of External Affairs said on Thursday.

DEL85 CORONAVIRUS-DEATH Fourth coronavirus death reported in India, number of cases rises to 173 New Delhi: India reported the death of a COVID-19 patient from Punjab on Thursday taking the toll in the country to four, the Union health ministry said. According to the ministry, the number of novel coronavirus cases in the country has risen to 173. MDS15 TN-CORONAVIRUS-CASE TN reports one more coronavirus case, number goes up to three Chennai: A 21-year-old student who arrived here two days ago from Ireland has tested positive for coronavirus, taking the number of cases in Tamil Nadu to three, Health Minister C Vijayabaskar said on Thursday.

BOM54 MH-CORONAVIRUS-NUMBERS Number of coronavirus patients rises to 49 in Maharashtra Mumbai: With one more person testing positive on Thursday, the number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Maharashtra rose to 49, which included a patient who died in Mumbai earlier this week. DEL162 DEF-LMG GUN-ACQUISTION Defence Ministry signs contract with Israeli firm IWI to acquire 16,479 light machine guns New Delhi: The Defence Ministry on Thursday said it has signed a capital acquisition contract with Israel Weapons Industries (IWI) for procurement of 16,479 light machine guns (LMGs) at a cost of Rs 880 crore. LEGAL LGD53 DL-HC-NIRBHAYA Nirbhaya case: 3 death row convicts move Delhi HC for stay on execution, hearing shortly New Delhi: Three of the four death-row convicts in the Nirbhaya gang-rape and murder case moved the Delhi High Court Thursday evening challenging the trial court order declining to stay their execution scheduled for early morning tomorrow.

LGD50 DL-COURT-NIRBHAYA-FAMILY Nirbhaya's family happy, convict's wife in tears as court dismisses plea on stay of death penalty New Delhi: The trial court's Thursday order dismissing a plea to stay the execution of death penalty of the four convicts in the Nirbhaya gang-rape and murder case brought some relief to the victim's family members, and tears for the condemned prisoners' kin. LGD54 SC-4THLD MP MP crisis: SC orders reconvening Assembly, directs Nath govt to undergo floor test tomorrow New Delhi: In a jolt to the Kamal Nath-led Congress government in Madhya Pradesh, the Supreme Court Thursday directed Assembly Speaker N P Prajapati to reconvene a special session tomorrow with sole agenda of conducting the floor test that must conclude by 5 pm. BUSINESS DEL166 BIZ-CORONAVIRUS-BOARD MEETINGS Cos can conduct board meetings through video conference, says govt amid coronavirus outbreak New Delhi: The government on Thursday allowed companies to conduct board meetings through video conference and other audio visual means till June 30, as part of precautionary measures to curb spreading of coronavirus infections. DEL134 BIZ-LD-RBI-YESBANK RBI opens Rs 60,000-cr emergency credit line for Yes Bank New Delhi: The Reserve Bank has opened an emergency line of credit of around Rs 60,000 crore to Yes Bank to meet any liquidity crisis in paying back its depositors as the bank resumes normal operations from Thursday.

DEL150 ED-YES BANK-2ND LD ANIL AMBANI Yes Bank PMLA case: Anil Ambani questioned by ED for 9 hours, called again on March 30 Mumbai: The ED on Thursday questioned Reliance Group Chairman Anil Ambani for about nine hours in connection with a money laundering probe against Yes Bank promoter Rana Kapoor and others, officials said. FOREIGN FGN46 CORONAVIRUS-CHINA-DOCTOR Coronavirus whistleblower in Wuhan punished inappropriately: Probe Beijing: Police in China's virus epicentre Wuhan on Thursday apologised to the family of a doctor, who was reprimanded for trying to issue the first warning about the deadly coronavirus outbreak, after a Chinese government investigation found that their action against the whistleblower was not appropriate. FGN45 CORONAVIRUS-SINGAPORE-LD INDIANS India evacuates over 90 citizens stranded in Singapore due to coronavirus travel restrictions Singapore: India on Thursday evacuated over 90 citizens stranded at Singapore's Changi Airport due to the travel restrictions imposed by the government back home in response to the fast-spreading coronavirus pandemic, the Indian High Commission here said. PTI RDM RDM