HIGHLIGHTS

These are the top stories at 9.30 pm: Nation DEL10 VIRUS-LD CASES COVID tally crosses 60 lakh; 1,039 more deaths New Delhi: India's coronavirus tally galloped past 60 lakh on Monday with 82,170 new cases, while the number of recoveries surged to 50.17 lakh after 74,893 more people recuperated, the Health Ministry said.

These are the top stories at 9.30 pm: Nation DEL10 VIRUS-LD CASES COVID tally crosses 60 lakh; 1,039 more deaths New Delhi: India's coronavirus tally galloped past 60 lakh on Monday with 82,170 new cases, while the number of recoveries surged to 50.17 lakh after 74,893 more people recuperated, the Health Ministry said. DEL70 FARM-LD PROTESTS Protests against new farm laws in many states by Cong and other Oppn parties; Leaders say ready to move SC New Delhi/Lucknow/Chennai: Stepping up pressure, the Congress along with other opposition parties held demonstrations against the new farm laws in several states on Monday, with some protesters torching a tractor at the India Gate in the heart of Lutyens' Delhi.

DEL58 BIZ-PROCUREMENT-MSP-FARMERS Paddy worth Rs 10.53 cr procured in last 48 hrs; MSP buying begins in all states: Govt New Delhi: Amid widespread farmers' protest against the new farm laws, the Centre on Monday came out with the latest data of paddy procurement in the last 48 hours to allay any apprehensions over the minimum support price (MSP) buying. DEL68 CONG-FARM BILLS-STATES Cong asks party-ruled states to bring laws to negate Centre’s agri legislations New Delhi: The Congress Monday asked states under its rule to enact legislations to bypass the three Central farm-related laws that have triggered protests by farmers in some parts of the country.

DEL72 LD INDO-DENMARK India, Denmark elevate ties to 'green strategic partnership' New Delhi: India and Denmark on Monday decided to elevate their ties to a 'green strategic partnership' that aims to create a framework for significant expansion of cooperation in areas of renewable energy, environment, economy, climate change and science and technology. DEL35 DEF-ACQUISITION-LD POLICY Rajnath Singh unveils new Defence Acquisition Procedure New Delhi: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh unveiled on Monday a new Defence Acquisition Procedure (DAP) that features steps to turn India into a global manufacturing hub of military platforms, reduce timelines for procurement of defence equipment and allow purchase of essential items by the three services through capital budget under a simplified mechanism.

DEL63 DEF-LD WEAPONS-PROCUREMENT Defence Ministry approves acquisition of arms, military equipment worth Rs 2,290 crore New Delhi: The defence ministry on Monday approved the procurement of arms and military equipment worth Rs 2,290 crore, including around 72,000 Sig Sauer assault rifles from the US for troops guarding the borders with China and Pakistan, officials said. DEL31 CBI-SUSHANT-STATEMENT No conclusion reached in Rajput death case, all aspects being probed: CBI New Delhi: The CBI has not reached any conclusion in the death of actor Sushant Singh Rajput and all aspects are under investigation, the agency said on Monday.

DEL67 VIRUS-ICMR-LD VACCINE-PORTAL Health ministry launches web portal for updates on COVID-19 vaccine development New Delhi: The Union Health Ministry on Monday launched a web portal that will provide all important information on COVID-19, vaccine development, ongoing clinical trials and progress made in this area locally and globally. DEL47 VIRUS-FELUDA India’s Feluda COVID-19 test cheaper, faster alternative to RT-PCR diagnosis, say scientists New Delhi: More accurate than a rapid antigen test and almost as quick, India’s CRISPR ‘Feluda’ COVID-19 test that changes colour on detection of the SARS-CoV-2 virus could be a cheaper, faster and simpler alternative to an RT-PCR diagnosis, say scientists. By Shakoor Rather Legal LGD21 SC-LD FARM LAW Kerala Congress MP moves SC against newly-enacted farm law New Delhi: A Congress MP from Kerala moved the Supreme Court on Monday challenging the constitutional validity of various provisions of the contentious new farm Act.

LGD6 SC-LD LOAN MORATORIUM Decision in 2-3 days over interest on deferred instalments by banks, Centre tells SC New Delhi: The Centre informed the Supreme Court on Monday that a decision is likely in 2-3 days over charging of interest by banks on instalments which were deferred during the moratorium period in view of the COVID-19 pandemic. LGM1 KL-COURT-TERRORIST Kerala man sentenced to life term for joining ISIS Kochi: A court here on Monday awarded life imprisonment to a man who was convicted for intentionally and knowingly joining ISIS and later proceeding to Iraq to further the activities of the dreaded terror group.

Business DEL13 BIZ-SUGAR EXPORT Govt extends sugar export deadline by 3 months till December New Delhi: The government has given additional three months’ time till December to millers to undertake mandatory export of their sugar quota allocated for this year, a senior Food Ministry official said on Monday. By Laxmi Devi DEL71 PERSONNEL-TRAI-CHAIRMAN Senior bureaucrat P D Vaghela appointed TRAI chairman New Delhi: Senior bureaucrat P D Vaghela was on Monday appointed as chairman of the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI), according to a Personnel Ministry order. Foreign FGN27 PAK-SHAHBAZ-2NDLD ARREST Pakistan's Opposition leader Shahbaz Sharif arrested in money laundering case Lahore: Pakistan's top Opposition leader and PML-N President Shahbaz Sharif was arrested by the country's anti-graft body on Monday after a court rejected his bail plea in a money laundering case. PTI HDA HDA