Highlights

These are the top stories at 5 pm: NATION DEL11 IMD-CYCLONE Tauktae intensifies into 'very severe cyclonic storm', yellow alert issued for Gujarat coast: IMD New Delhi: Cyclone Tauktae has intensified into a ''very severe cyclonic storm'' and is approaching the Gujarat coast, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said on Sunday.

DEL28 CYCLONE-NCMC NCMC directs states to ensure proper running of COVID centres during Cyclone Tauktae New Delhi: The National Crisis Management Committee (NCMC) headed by Cabinet Secretary Rajiv Gauba met on Sunday, where the top bureaucrat of the country directed agencies to ensure ''uninterrupted'' functioning of the COVID hospitals in the states affected by the impending Cyclone Tauktae and secure ''zero loss'' of lives.

DEL15 VIRUS-SOP RURAL AREAS Govt issues guidelines on COVID management in rural, peri-urban areas New Delhi: As rural areas see a rise in COVID-19 cases, the Centre on Sunday issued new guidelines for containment of the virus advising that peri-urban and rural areas plan a minimum 30-bedded COVID Care Centre for asymptomatic cases with comorbidities or mild cases where home isolation is not feasible.

DEL5 VIRUS-LD CASES India records 3.11 lakh fresh cases of COVID-19, 4,077 fatalities in single day New Delhi: With 3.11 lakh fresh coronavirus infections, India saw the lowest rise in daily COVID-19 cases after a gap of 25 days, while the death toll rose to 2,70,284 with 4,077 new fatalities, according to the Union Health Ministry data updated on Sunday.

DEL16 VIRUS-VACCINE ALLOCATION States to receive nearly 51 lakh COVID-19 vaccine doses in next three days: Centre New Delhi: More than 1.84 crore COVID-19 vaccine doses are still available with states and UTs, while nearly 51 lakh doses are in the pipeline and will be received by them within the next three days, the Union Health Ministry said on Sunday.

MDS6 TL-SPUTNIK-LD SECOND BATCH Second batch of Russian COVID-19 vaccine reaches Hyderabad Hyderabad: As many as 60,000 doses of the second batch of Russia's COVID-19 vaccine Sputnik V on Sunday landed at Rajiv Gandhi International Airport here, Dr Reddy's Laboratories said on Sunday.

DEL18 DL-VIRUS LD LOCKDOWN COVID-19: Delhi govt extends lockdown by a week, says gains made can't be lost due to relaxations New Delhi: Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Sunday announced extension of the ongoing lockdown by one more week in the national capital, saying the gains made so far in combating COVID-19 cannot be lost due to any relaxations now.

DEL14 LAW-JUDICIARY-VACANCIES Vacancies in SC, HCs: Govt awaits recommendations New Delhi: The Supreme Court has seven vacancies, two high courts are functioning without regular chief justices and two high court chief justices are set to retire in the next one and a half months, a government functionary said. DEL23 CONG-VACCINE-ARRESTS Tough questions will be asked from PM, arrest us: Congress leaders dare New Delhi: Congress leaders on Sunday slammed the police action against some people for allegedly putting up posters critical of the prime minister and dared the government to arrest them for raising questions on the export of COVID vaccines.

MDS5 KA-LD TAUKTAE Cyclone Tauktae: 73 villages affected in Karnataka, 4 dead Bengaluru: With Cyclone Tauktae wreaking havoc in the coastal and surrounding Malnad districts of Karnataka, four deaths have been reported in the state so far, officials said on Sunday.

BUSINESS DEL6 BIZ-PETROL-PRICE-HIKE Petrol, diesel price hiked again; petrol price nears Rs 99 in Mumbai New Delhi: Petrol price on Sunday was increased by 24 paise per litre and diesel by 27 paise, pushing rates across the country to record highs and that of petrol in Mumbai to near Rs 99 a litre.

DEL17 BIZ-CAIRN-ASSET SEIZE Cairn identifies $70 bn Indian assets for seizing to recover amount due from govt New Delhi: UK's Cairn Energy has identified USD 70 billion of Indian assets overseas for potential seizure to collect USD 1.72 billion due from the government -- a move if successful will put India in league with Pakistan and Venezuela which faced similar enforcement action over failure to pay arbitration awards. By Ammar Zaidi LEGAL LGD3 SC-DENTIST-ASTHANA Plea for probe into complaint against NCB chief: SC to hear matter against HC order after 4 weeks New Delhi: The Supreme Court would hear after four weeks a plea by a dentist who has challenged the Delhi High Court order dismissing his petition seeking directions to the Centre, Central Vigilance Commission and CBI to probe and launch prosecution on his complaint against Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) chief Rakesh Asthana. LGD 1 DL-HC-VIRUS-ISOLATION CENTRES PIL in HC seeks COVID-19 isolation centres for poor, children New Delhi: A PIL in the Delhi High Court has urged it to direct the Centre and Delhi government to set up isolation centres equipped with medical facilities for the poor and children at government schools in the national capital.

FOREIGN FGN13 VIRUS-UK-INDIA-TRAVEL-BAN UK defends delay in adding India to red list travel ban as COVID-19's B1.617.2 variant spreads rapidly London: The UK government came under strong criticism on Sunday for not adding India to the "red list" travel ban at the same time as Pakistan and Bangladesh in early April, which is feared as a major factor behind a rapid spike in cases of COVID-19's B1.617.2 variant first identified in India. By Aditi Khanna PTI TDS TDS

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)