HIGHLIGHTS

These are the top stories at 9.30 pm: Nation DEL94 LD HC-BOLLYWOOD After months of vitriol, Bollywood producers begin pushback against two TV channels with lawsuit New Delhi/Mumbai: In an unprecedented show of unity, major Bollywood producers, including the three Khans, Karan Johar and Akshay Kumar, on Monday approached the Delhi High Court against two TV channels and their editors for allegedly defaming the industry with terms such as “scum” and “druggies”. DEL81 BIZ-2NDLD FM Govt announces Rs 73,000 cr package to stimulate economy, boost demand New Delhi: Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Monday announced a Rs 73,000 crore package, including advance payment of a part of wages to central government employees and cash in lieu of LTC, to stimulate consumer demand and investment in the economy damaged by the coronavirus pandemic.

DEL85 2NDLD RAJNATH Pakistan, China creating border dispute as if it was under a mission: Rajnath on eastern Ladakh standoff New Delhi: After Pakistan, China too is creating a dispute at the border with India as if it was part of a "mission", Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said on Monday, in a direct criticism of the two countries together for creating tensions along India's northern and western frontiers spanning around 7,000 kms. DEL33 SINOINDIA-TALKS Ladakh standoff: India, China hold 7th round of high-level military talks New Delhi: India and China on Monday held the seventh round of high-level military talks with a sole agenda of finalising a roadmap for disengagement of troops from all the friction points in eastern Ladakh.

DEL10 VIRUS-LD CASES India's COVID-19 tally crosses 71-lakh mark with 66,732 fresh cases New Delhi: India's COVID-19 tally went past 71 lakh with 66,732 fresh cases, while the number of people who have recuperated crossed 61 lakh, pushing the recovery rate to 86.36 per cent, according to the Union health ministry data updated on Monday. DEL76 VIRUS-LD BIOMEDICAL WASTE India generated over 18,000 tonnes COVID-19 waste since June; Maharashtra biggest contributor New Delhi: India generated 18,006 tonnes of COVID-19 biomedical waste in the last four months, with Maharashtra contributing the maximum (3,587 tonnes) to it, according to Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) data. By Gaurav Saini BOM16 MH-3RDLD POWER OUTAGE-MUMBAI Power outage leaves trains stuck on tracks in Mumbai, WFH staff hit; services resume partially Mumbai: A rare citywide power outage paralysed Mumbai on Monday, halting local train services, trapping people in lifts and disrupting work from home adopted by millions during the ongoing pandemic.

DEL75 LD KUSHBOO Kushboo quits Cong to join BJP, says nation needs Modi New Delhi/Chennai: Actor-turned-politician Kushboo Sundar quit the Congress on Monday and joined the BJP here, asserting that she had come to realise that if the nation has to move forward, then someone like Prime Minister Narendra Modi is needed to take the country "in the right direction and to its glory". DEL98 JUDGE-LD FREE SPEECH Ex-SC judge laments 'weaponising' sedition law New Delhi: Former Supreme Court judge Madan B Lokur on Monday lamented "weaponising" the sedition law, adding one of the worst forms of curtailment of freedom of speech is charging a person with sedition.

CAL16 BH-POLL-NITISH Nitish launches poll campaign, ridicules RJD over '10 lakh job sanction' claim Patna: Launching poll campaign for the JD(U), Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Monday ridiculed the RJD's claim of approving 10 lakh government jobs at the very first cabinet on coming to power and wondered whether cabinet meetings were held properly during the 15 years of its rule. DEL73 JK-3RDLD ENCOUNTER Top LeT terrorist, accomplice killed in encounter in Old Barzulla area of Srinagar Srinagar: A top Pakistani Lashkar-e-Toiba terrorist and his local accomplice were killed on Monday in a fierce gunbattle with security forces in Old Barzulla area of Srinagar, police said.

Legal LGD12 SC-LD FARM LAWS SC seeks Centre's reply on pleas challenging constitutionality of farm laws New Delhi: The Supreme Court Monday sought the Centre's response on a batch of petitions challenging the constitutional validity of the newly enacted three contentious farm laws. Business DEL77 BIZ-LD INFLATION Retail inflation spikes to eight-month high of 7.34 per cent in Sep on costlier food items New Delhi: Pushed by rising prices of essential kitchen items, the retail inflation rose to an eight-month high of 7.34 per cent in September, making the RBI's task to push growth by reducing the interest rate even more difficult in coming the days.

Foreign FGN31 NOBEL-3RDLD ECONOMICS 2 Stanford economists win Nobel prize for improving auctions Stockholm: Two American economists won the Nobel Prize for improving how auctions work, research that underlies much of today's economy - from the way Google sells advertising to the way telecoms companies acquire airwaves from the government..