HIGHLIGHTS

Following are the top stories at 5 pm: DEL45 LOCKDOWN-LD GOVT COVID-19: Govt mulling extending lockdown after requests from states, experts: Sources New Delhi: A lot of state governments as well as experts are requesting the Central government to extend the nationwide coronavirus lockdown beyond April 14, and the Centre is thinking in this direction, government sources said on Tuesday. DEL52 VIRUS-LD SONIA-PM Suspend Central Vista project, stop media advts to save money to fight COVID-19: Sonia to PM New Delhi: Congress president Sonia Gandhi on Tuesday wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi suggesting five measures to save money for the fight against COVID-19, including suspension of Central Vista beautification project and complete ban on media advertisements by government for two years.

DEL56 LOCKDOWN-VP-STATEMENT Next 7 days critical in evolving lockdown exit plan: Vice President New Delhi: Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu on Tuesday said the final week of the ongoing lockdown is "critical" for evolving an exit strategy as data regarding the spread of coronavirus will have a bearing on the decision to be taken by the government. DEL50 VIRUS-LD DRUG COVID-19: India to export hydroxychloroquine on case-by-case basis; Rahul Gandhi says ensure Indians get it first New Delhi: India has decided to partially lift the ban on export of paracetamol and anti-malarial drug hydroxychloroquine in sync with its global commitment to deal with the COVID-19 pandemic, officials said on Tuesday.

DEL65 VIRUS-IIT-DISINFECTION-MACHINE COVID-19: IIT team develops LED-based disinfection machine for sanitising floors of hospitals, buses New Delhi: A team at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) has developed a low-cost LED-based machine which can be used for disinfection of floors at hospitals as well as buses and trains to aid the fight against COVID-19 in the country. By Gunjan Sharma DES10 UP-VIRUS-PATIENT-FLEE COVID-19 patient flees community centre in Baghpat, found in brick kiln Baghpat: A 65-year-old COVID-19 positive man from Nepal fled from the community health centre here after breaking a window pane and was later found with the help of locals at a brick kiln, officials said on Tuesday. DEL52 JK-LD MEHBOOBA Mehbooba Mufti being shifted to her official residence, detention continues Srinagar: In a partial relief, former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Mehbooba Mufti, who was detained under the stringent Public Safety Act (PSA), is being shifted to her official residence that has been converted into a subsidiary jail where she would continue to be in detention.

DEL48 DL-VIRUS-KEJRIWAL 1 lakh random rapid COVID-19 tests to be conducted in Delhi's hotspot areas: Kejriwal New Delhi,: Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal announced on Tuesday a five-point action plan to contain the spread of coronavirus in the national capital and said one lakh random rapid COVID-19 tests will be conducted in the city's hotspot areas. BUSINESS: DEL49 BIZ-VIRUS-LD WHATSAPP WhatsApp to limit sharing of frequently forwarded messages to one chat at a time New Delhi: WhatsApp will allow users to send frequently forwarded messages to only one chat at a time as part of efforts to curb spreading of misinformation amid the coronavirus pandemic.

DEL48 BIZ-STOCKS-CLOSE Sensex zooms 2,476 pts to reclaim 30K level; Nifty rallies 708 pts Mumbai: The BSE gauge Sensex on Tuesday went past the key 30,000-level by surging over 2,476 points, the biggest single-day gains in absolute terms, amid a broad-based rally in global equities. LEGAL: DELHI LGD9 VIRUS-SC-UK Coronavirus: SC seek Centre's response on plea for evacuating Indian students stranded in UK New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Tuesday sought response from the Centre on a plea for immediate evacuation of all Indian students who are stranded in the United Kingdom (UK) amid the lockdown due to COVID-19 pandemic.

LGD5 VIRUS-DL-HC-LD SHIVINDER COVID-19: HC rejects ex-Fortis promoter Shivinder Singh's bail plea New Delhi: The Delhi High Court has rejected the bail plea of ex-Fortis promoter Shivinder Mohan Singh, arrested for alleged misappropriation of funds from Religare Finvest Ltd (RFL). FOREIGN: FGN51 VIRUS-CHINA-TIMELINE Coronavirus detected in Wuhan in late December: China Beijing: The first case of the novel coronavirus was detected in Wuhan city in "late December 2019", China has said while skirting the key question about its origin, as the official media came out with a timeline of the detection and control of the pandemic in the country, amid international criticism of cover-up by Beijing. By K J M Varma FGN37 VIRUS-UK-JOHNSON-3RDLD ICU Boris Johnson spends night in ICU with COVID-19, good wishes pour in from around the world London: Boris Johnson spent Monday night in the intensive care unit (ICU) at a London hospital in a move Downing Street said was a "precaution" should the British Prime Minister require ventilation to aid his recovery from the COVID-19. By Aditi Khanna .