HIGHLIGHTS

Following are the top stories at 2100 hrs: NATION: DEL59 DEF-ARMY-COMMANDERS Army commanders to deliberate on long-pending reforms, situation in Eastern Ladakh at 4-day conference New Delhi: Top commanders of the Army will extensively deliberate on the border row with China in eastern Ladakh as well as on a slew of long-pending reform measures like cutting down on ceremonial practices and non-military activities to ensure a rational distribution of resources, at a four-day conference beginning October 26, official sources said. DEL33 FATF-PAK Pak fails to fulfil 6 key mandates of FATF; no action against Masood Azhar, Hafiz Saeed New Delhi: Pakistan's failure to fulfil six key obligations of the FATF, including action against two of India's most wanted terrorists Maulana Masood Azhar and Hafiz Saeed, and the sudden disappearance of more than 4,000 terrorists from its official list will most likely lead to its continuation in the 'grey list' of the Global money laundering and terrorist financing watchdog, officials said on Sunday. By Achinta Borah DEL27 VIRUS-LD EXPERT PANEL CHIEF Possibility of 2nd wave of coronavirus infection in winter can't be ruled out: Expert panel chief V K Paul New Delhi: The number of new coronavirus cases and deaths has declined in the last three weeks as the spread of the pandemic has stabilised in most of the states, Niti Aayog Member V K Paul said on Sunday but did not rule out the possibility of a second wave of infections in the winter season.

By Bijay Kumar Singh DEL30 MHA-JK JK: In absence of legislators, Centre to form directly elected district-level councils New Delhi, Oct 18 (PTI) In the absence of legislative assembly representatives, the Centre has amended the Panchayati Raj Act in Jammu and Kashmir to strengthen local bodies under which a new power structure will be created in every district which will be directly elected by the voters to carry out various development works. DEL50 THAROOR-LAHORE Tharoor's remarks at Lahore event spark BJP-Cong spat New Delhi: The BJP and the Congress were engaged in a war of words on Sunday over MP Shashi Tharoor's remarks at a Lahore event, as the ruling party accused him of "demeaning and discrediting" India and wondered if Rahul Gandhi wanted to contest elections in Pakistan.

DEL51 DEF-INDO-LANKA-NAVAL Indian and Sri Lankan navies to carry out 3-day military drill beginning Monday New Delhi: The navies of India and Sri Lanka will conduct a three-day military exercise off Trincomalee beginning Monday, in a show of growing congruence in their strategic interests and operational convergence in the region, officials said. DEL54 MUKHERJEE-SHEIKH MUJIB Mukherjee recalled fond memories of Sheikh Mujib in his article penned days before his death New Delhi: In an article penned days before his death, former president Pranab Mukherjee had fondly remembered Bangladesh founder Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and recalled how in 1972 the then Pakistan President Zulfikar Ali Bhutto had tried in vain to pressure him into issuing a joint statement to show that Pakistan remained undivided.

DEL53 SONIA-GOVT Indian democracy passing through its 'most difficult phase': Sonia Gandhi New Delhi: Congress president Sonia Gandhi Sunday launched a scathing attack on the government over the three farm laws, the handling of the COVID-19 pandemic, economic slowdown and alleged atrocities against Dalits while claiming that Indian democracy is passing through its "most difficult phase". DEL23 CHIRAG-BJP BJP following 'coalition dharma' by attacking me despite 'anger' against Nitish: Chirag Paswan Patna: Lok Janshakti Party president Chirag Paswan on Sunday downplayed the BJP's recent attacks on him, claiming that it was only following the "coalition dharma" as an ally of Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar.

DEL48 UP-3RDLD FIRING BJP leader, four others held in Ballia murder case Ballia/Lucknow: The Uttar Pradesh Police has arrested the main accused-a BJP leader-and four others in the Ballia murder case, officials said on Sunday. DEL47 POLLS-BH-LD LUV SINHA Ready to take on BJP in its 'bastion'; fighting uphill battle proves mettle: Luv Sinha New Delhi: Facing the daunting task of taking on a three-time sitting MLA, Congress candidate from Bihar's Bankipur Luv Sinha on Sunday said he has decided to fight an "uphill battle" on his political debut by challenging the BJP in its bastion in order to prove his mettle. By Asim Kamal DEL57 POLLUTION-3RDLD JAVADEKAR Pollution problem can't be resolved in a day, continuous efforts needed: Javadekar New Delhi: Union Environment Minister Prakash Javadekar on Sunday said the pollution problem cannot be resolved in a day and continuous efforts are needed to tackle each of the contributing factors.

FOREIGN: FGN20 VIRUS-LD CHINA Living coronavirus found on frozen food packaging for first time: China's health authority Beijing: China's health authority has confirmed the detection and isolation of living novel coronavirus on the outer packaging of imported frozen marine fish in the port city of Qingdao, in what it described as the first detection of its kind on the cold food chain in the world. 

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