HIGHLIGHTS AT 9 PM

Following are top stories at 9 PM: Nation: DEL73 PM-UP-3RDLD AMU No religious discrimination in development, nobody to be left behind: PM at AMU centenary Aligarh (UP): Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday said ideological and political differences should be set aside for the sake of development and assured that nobody will be left behind in the path to progress because of their religion. DEL103 LD ALL VIRUS-UK 20 test positive as passengers from UK come under scanner, govt issues stringent SOPs New Delhi: At least 20 passengers from the UK tested positive for COVID-19 on Tuesday as the government issued a stringent set of SOPs mandating RT-PCR tests at airports for each traveller from the country and isolation in a separate unit of an institutional facility for positive cases in view of the new coronavirus strain.

DEL104 VIRUS-LD HEALTH MINISTRY Mutated COVID strain detected in UK will have no impact on potential of emerging vaccines; no such mutation found in India yet: Govt New Delhi: There is no need to panic over the mutated variant of SARS-CoV-2 detected in the UK, the government said on Tuesday, asserting that no such variant or any significant mutation in the coronavirus strain has been seen in India yet. DEL94 VIRUS-SURVEY VACCINE 44% rural Indians willing to pay for COVID-19 vaccine; 51% consider coronavirus 'Chinese conspiracy': Survey New Delhi: Nearly 44 per cent of rural Indians are willing to pay for the COVID-19 vaccine, while more than half of the population in India's villages believe the coronavirus crisis is a ''conspiracy by China', a survey showed on Tuesday.

DEL100 PM-LD SCIENCE Govt ready to accept any challenge and improve research environment in country: PM New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday invited the global community to innovate in India, invest in the country and its talent and said the government is ready to accept any challenge and improve research environment in the country. DEL84 FARMERS-TOMAR Farmers' stir: Tomar says hopeful of protesting unions resuming talks with Govt soon New Delhi: As farmers' agitation against three farm laws entered its 27th day, Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar said on Tuesday he is hopeful that protesting unions would soon complete their internal discussions and resume talks with the government to resolve the crisis.

DEL97 MOE-LD BOARD EXAMS Board exams not to be conducted till February next year: Education minister New Delhi: Union Minister of Education Ramesh Pokhriyal 'Nishank' on Tuesday ruled out conducting board examinations for classes 10 and 12 till February next year in view of the COVID-19 situation. DEL 102 DEF-RAJNATH-LD JAPAN India, Japan discuss regional security situation; call for free and open maritime order New Delhi: In the backdrop of China's growing assertiveness in the region, India and Japan on Tuesday strongly opposed any attempts to ''unilaterally change'' the status quo by ''coercion'' or any activities that escalate tension and highlighted the importance of a free and open maritime order.

MDS17 KL-ASSEMBLY-FARMERS-LD GOVERNOR Kerala Guv says 'no' to special assembly session for passing resolution against Central farm laws Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala Governor Arif Mohammed Khan declined approval for a special assembly session planned on Wednesday by the Left front government to discuss and pass a resolution against the three contentious central farm laws, against which farmers have been protesting near Delhi. Legal: LGD6 DL-COURT-AKBAR #MeToo: Ramani should have taken recourse to law, not social media allegations, Akbar tells court New Delhi: Former Union minister M J Akbar Tuesday told a Delhi court that journalist Priya Ramani should have taken recourse to law instead of making allegation of sexual misconduct against him on social media.

Foreign: FGN32 NEPAL-2NDLD POLITICS NCP's Prachanda-led faction removes PM Oli as party chairman; appoints Madhav Nepal as new chair Kathmandu: The ruling Nepal Communist Party's Central Committee faction led by Executive Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal 'Prachanda' on Tuesday removed Prime Minister K P Sharma Oli from the post of chairman and decided to take disciplinary action against him, virtually splitting the party more than two years after its formation. By Shirish B Pradhan FGN24 US-MODI-2NDLD AWARD President Trump presents Legion of Merit to PM Modi Washington: President Donald Trump has conferred the Legion of Merit, one of the highest military honours of the US, on Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his leadership in elevating bilateral strategic partnership and accelerating emergence of India as a global power. By Lalit K Jha FGN29 CHINA-US-LD VISA China hits back with visa bans against US officials behind new Tibet policy act Beijing: China on Tuesday said it would impose reciprocal measures against unnamed American officials and their family members who were behind a legislation passed by the US Congress on Tibet, asserting that it brooks no interference in its internal affairs. By K J M Varma..