HIGHLIGHTS

Following are the top stories at 1 pm: NATION DEL28 VIRUS-2ND LD CASES Number of COVID-19 cases rises to 415 in India: Health Ministry New Delhi: The total number of COVID-19 cases in the country surged to 415, a spike from the 360 figure the night before, the Health Ministry said on Monday. DEL20 PB-VIRUS-LOCKDOWN Lockdown comes into force in Punjab, Chandigarh, 7 districts of Haryana Chandigarh: Punjab, the Union Territory Chandigarh and seven districts of Haryana were put under a lockdown on Monday, a day after the authorities decided to enforce it as an emergency measure to prevent the spread of coronavirus. CAL1 AR-VIRUS-LOCKDOWN Coronavirus: Arunachal Pradesh orders lockdown from Monday evening till March 31 Itanagar: The Arunachal Pradesh government has announced a lockdown in the state from Monday evening till March 31 in view of the coronavirus outbreak, officials said.

DEL26 GOVT-VIRUS-LOCKDOWN Centre asks state govts to strictly enforce lockdown: Official statement New Delhi: The Centre has asked state governments to strictly enforce lockdown and take legal action against violators, according to an official statement on Monday. DEL18 PM-VIRUS Many people still not taking lockdown seriously, request states to enforce rules: PM Modi New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday appealed to state governments to ensure that rules and regulations of the coronavirus lockdown are enforced as he noted that many people are not taking the measure seriously. DEL24 PM-VIRUS-AIR INDIA PM hails AI for courage, call of duty to fight coronavirus New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday hailed the crew of Air India which has been evacuating stranded people from coronavirus-hit countries, a day after the airline complained that some "vigilante" resident welfare associations and neighbours were ostracising its crew members who went abroad as part of their duty.

BOM9 GJ-VIRUS-CASES 11 new COVID-19 patients in Guj; total goes up to 29 Ahmedabad: Eleven new coronavirus cases have been reported in Gujarat, taking the total number of those infected by the deadly virus in the state to 29, the state health department said on Monday. MDS5 KA-VIRUS-POLICE Home quaratine stamped-people to be arrested if found in public places in Bengaluru Bengaluru: Amid rising coronavirus cases, Bengaluru city Police Commissioner Bhaskar Rao said on Monday those subjected to home quarantine stamping would be arrested if they were found to visit public places.

LEGAL LGD10 DL-HC-LD CORONAVIRUS COVID-19: Will grant special parole to convicts to decongest prisons, Delhi govt tells HC New Delhi: The AAP government told the Delhi High Court on Monday that it had decided to decongest its prisons to check the spread of coronavirus by providing convicts with the options of special parole and furlough. LGD8 HC-VIRUS-LD ATC Delhi HC suspends breath analyser test through tube process for air traffic controllers New Delhi: The Delhi High Court on Monday directed the authorities concerned to suspend till March 27 breath analyser tests (BAT) through tube process for air traffic controllers in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak.

LGM1 KL-VIRUS-HC Kerala High Court to shutdown over till April 8 Kochi: The Kerala High Court on Monday decided to shutdown till April 8 except for emergency functions in view of the coronavirus outbreak in the state. FOREIGN FGN18 VIRUS-SAARC-FUND-LANKA Will soon announce our contribution to SAARC COVID-19 Emergency Fund: Lanka Colombo: The Sri Lankan government has said it will soon announce its contribution to the SAARC Coronavirus Emergency Fund proposed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi with an initial offer of USD 10 million from India to help combat the fast-spreading COVID-19 pandemic in the region, according to a media report on Monday.

FGN9 VIRUS-CHINA-LD TOLL China reports no domestic coronavirus cases amid rise in imported infections Beijing: China has reported no new domestic cases of the novel coronavirus but confirmed 39 imported infections, taking the death toll to 3,270 as the country ramped up measures to strictly quarantine people coming from abroad to prevent a recurrence of the COVID-19 outbreak, health officials said on Monday. By K J M Varma FGN12 VIRUS-TRUMP-CHINA 'Little upset with China' over coronavirus: Trump Washington: US President Donald Trump has said he is "upset" with China over its late sharing of information on coronavirus. By Lalit K Jha FGN16 VIRUS-AUSTRALIA-CASES Morrison warns citizens as coronavirus cases cross 1,600 in Australia Melbourne: Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison on Monday warned the country's citizens that the health crisis due to the COVID-19 infection could last at least six months as the number of cases has crossed 1,600 in the country due to the novel coronavirus which was wreaking economic havoc. By Natasha Chaku SPORTS SPD4 SPO-VIRUS-OLY-LD IND Will wait and watch for a month before any decision: IOA after Canada pulls out of Olympics New Delhi: The Indian Olympic Association on Monday said it will "wait and watch" for at least a month before taking any call on Tokyo Olympics participation after Canada created a flutter by becoming the first nation to pull out of the showpiece due to the COVID-19 pandemic..