HIGHLIGHTS

Following are the top stories at 2100 hours: NATION: DEL105 HEALTH-2NDLD CORONAVIRUS Coronavirus cases rise to 60 in India; Kerala reports 8 more cases New Delhi: The number of novel coronavirus patients in the country has risen to 60, with 10 more positive cases -- eight from Kerala and one each from Delhi and Rajasthan -- being reported since Tuesday's update, the Union health ministry said on Wednesday. DEL103 LD ALL MP-SCINDIA Scindia joins BJP as Cong govt in MP totters, parties herd MLAs to resorts in 'friendly states' New Delhi/Bhopal: Long-time Congress leader Jyotiraditya Scindia crossed over to the BJP on Wednesday, leaving the Madhya Pradesh government tottering precariously and both parties scrambling to send their legislators far away from the state capital -- and from the machinations of each other.

DEL111 LDALL YES BANK Yes Bank case: Of Rs 30K cr loan sanctioned by Rana Kapoor, Rs 20K cr turned NPA: ED to court Mumbai/New Delhi: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Wednesday told a special court that Yes Bank founder Rana Kapoor had sanctioned loans worth Rs 30,000 crore to various entities during his tenure as its chief out of which Rs 20,000 crore turned into bad debts. DEL107 BJP-SCINDIA-LD RAJYA SABHA Scindia among 9 BJP candidates for Rajya Sabha polls New Delhi: The BJP on Wednesday named Jyotiraditya Scindia as its Rajya Sabha candidate from Madhya Pradesh as it released a list of nine nominees for the election to 55 seats in the Upper House across 17 states on March 26.

DEL88 DL-YOGA DAY-LEH Leh to host International Yoga Day's main event, PM Modi to attend New Delhi: Leh, the capital of the Union territory of Ladakh will be the venue for the main event for International Yoga Day on June 21 and Prime Minister Narendra Modi will attend it, AYUSH Ministry officials said on Wednesday. DEL109 RSQ-JK-PSA 451 under detention in Jammu and Kashmir: Minister tells Rajya Sabha New Delhi: A total of 451 people are under detention in Jammu and Kashmir, including 396 slapped with the Public Safety Act, Rajya Sabha was informed on Wednesday.

DEL89 CONG-LD APPOINTMENTS Cong appoints Anil Chaudhary DPCC president, DK Shivakumar made chief of Karnataka unit New Delhi: In key organisational changes, the Congress on Wednesday appointed young face Anil Chaudhary as its Delhi unit chief and named D K Shivakumar, known to be the party's chief troubleshooter in crisis situations, as the head of the Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee. MDS9 CORONAVIRUS-KL-ITALY RETURNEES Kerala govt puts 45 Italy returnees under observation Kochi: Stepping up efforts to check the spread of coronavirus in Kerala, the state government has put at least 45 people who returned here from COVID-19 hit Italy under observation, official sources said on Wednesday.

BOM36 MH-IPL-MINISTER Coronavirus: IPL could be 'TV only' affair, indicates minister Mumbai: Maharashtra health minister Rajesh Tope on Wednesday said the government has two options: either postpone IPL matches or limit them to TV audience only in view of the coronavirus situation in the state. CAL7 MZ-FOREIGNER-DRIVE Mizoram govt launches drive to detect foreigners Aizawl: The Mizoram government has launched a massive drive to detect foreigners residing in the state, a senior official said on Wednesday.

LEGAL: LGD22 SC-UP-LD POSTERS Posters of anti-CAA protestors in Lucknow: UP moves SC against HC order New Delhi: The Uttar Pradesh government moved the Supreme Court on Wednesday challenging the Allahabad High Court order directing the state adminstration to remove posters of those accused of vandalism during anti-CAA protests. LGD18 DL-COURT-NIRBHAYA Nirbhaya case: Convict moves court for FIR against cops for alleged prison assault New Delhi: Pawan Kumar Gupta, one of the four death row convicts in the Nirbhaya gang rape and murder case, on Wednesday moved a Delhi court seeking registration of an FIR against two police constables for allegedly physically assaulting him when he was lodged at Mandoli jail last year.

BUSINESS: DEL108 BIZ-LD-RUPEE Rupee recovers 49 paise as crude, dollar weaken further Mumbai: The rupee recovered 49 paise to settle at 73.68 against the US dollar on Wednesday amid positive domestic equities and weakening of the American dollar in the overseas market. FOREIGN: FGN54 CORONAVIRUS-LD CHINA China allows gradual opening of Wuhan after Xi's visit to coronavirus epicentre Beijing: As the coronavirus showed signs of abating after virtually shutting down China for over two months, the Communist nation limped back to normalcy with measured opening of businesses in the worst-hit Wuhan city even as authorities reported 22 new fatalities, taking the death toll to 3,158. By K J M Varma FGN49 US-VOTE-3RDLD BIDEN Biden inches towards Democratic Party's presidential nomination Washington: Former US vice president Joe Biden inched closer to Democratic Party's presidential nomination on Wednesday after securing big primary wins in four states, including the key battleground Michigan, over his main rival Bernie Sanders. By Lalit K Jha SPORTS: SPF30 SPO-BAD-IND Sindhu advances at All England Open Birmingham: Indian badminton star PV Sindhu made a confident start at the All England Open, beating American Beiwin Zhang in straight games here on Wednesday..