Highlights at 2100 hrs

New Delhi: Following are the top stories at 2100 hrs: DEL137 LDALL CORONAVIRUS Coronavirus cases in India reach 74: Delhi govt announces shutting down of schools, colleges, cinema halls New Delhi: The coronavirus cases in India rose to 74 on Thursday after 14 fresh cases were reported from several states, including nine from Maharahtra, Union health ministry said, as the Delhi government declared COVID-19 an epidemic and announced shutting down of schools, colleges and cinema halls till March 31. DEL85 PM-LD CORONAVIRUS Say no to panic, yes to precautions: PM's message to people on coronavirus New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday urged people to avoid non-essential travel and large gatherings to break the chain of spread of coronavirus and said his government is fully vigilant about the situation. DEL135 LDALL MADHYA PRADESH MP Speaker asks 22 rebel Cong MLAs to clarify resignations by Friday; high drama in Bengaluru Bhopal/Bengaluru: Putting the ball in the court of the 22 rebel Congress MLAs in Madhya Pradesh, the Assembly Speaker has asked them to appear before him by Friday and clarify whether their resignations that pushed the 15-month-old Kamal Nath government to the brink of collapse was voluntary or under pressure.

DEL126 RAHUL-LD SCINDIA Scindia ignored ideology as he feared for political future, will not get respect in BJP: Rahul New Delhi: Jyotiraditya Scindia ignored his ideology and decided to go with the RSS as he feared for his political future, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said on Wednesday, asserting that "his old friend" will neither get respect in the BJP, nor will he be satisfied. LS-2ND LD-CORONAVIRUS-EAM 'Initial focus to bring back Indian pilgrims stranded in Iran' New Delhi: Coronavirus outbreak is a matter of "great concern" and the government's initial focus is to bring back Indian pilgrims stranded in Iran, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said on Thursday.

DEL123 RS-SHAH Perpetrators of Delhi riots will be punished irrespective of caste, religion, political affiliations: Shah New Delhi: Home Minister Amit Shah on Thursday asserted that those responsible for the recent riots in Delhi will be brought to book irrespective of their caste, religion and political affiliations. DEL140 CONG-RAJYA SABHA-CANDIDATES K C Venugopal, K T S Tulsi among 9 Rajya Sabha candidates named by Cong New Delhi: The Congress on Thursday declared nine candidates for the Rajya Sabha polls, including party general secretary K C Venugopal, Rajiv Satav and senior Supreme Court advocate K T S Tulsi. MDS9 TN-POL-LD RAJINIKANTH Rajini roots for 'upsurge' among TN people to enter politics Chennai: Belying his fans' expectations that he would unveil a definitive work plan for his political party's launch, actor Rajinikanth on Thursday said he never aspired for the Chief Minister's post and would enter politics when there is an "upsurge" among people favouring clean politics.

LEGAL LGD19 SC-CORONAVIRUS-LD IPL SC refuses urgent hearing on plea to postpone IPL-2020 amid coronavirus scare New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Thursday refused to accord urgent hearing on a petition seeking postponement of the Indian Premier League-2020 amid the coronavirus scare. LGD24 SC-2NDLD UP POSTERS Posters of anti-CAA protesters in Lucknow: No law to back UP govt's action, says SC New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Thursday told the Uttar Pradesh government that there is "no law" which backs its action of putting up posters on roadsides with details of those accused of vandalism during anti-CAA protests in Lucknow.

LGD33 BAR-JUDGE International Bar body writes to Prez against 'hasty' transfer of Delhi HC judge New Delhi: An international lawyers' body has written a letter to President Ram Nath Kovind raising concerns over the "hasty decision" of the government to transfer Justice S Muralidhar from the Delhi High Court to the Punjab and Haryana High Court. FOREIGN FGN58 UK-JOHNSON-MODI Boris Johnson calls PM Modi to discuss coronavirus crisis London: British Prime Minister Boris Johnson called Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday to discuss the coordinated international efforts required to tackle the spread of deadly coronavirus. By Aditi Khanna FGN14 CORONAVIRUS-LD CHINA Coronavirus cases drop to single-digit in Wuhan, China reports rise in 'imported cases' Beijing: The coronavirus cases continue to drop sharply in China which has reported 11 new fatalities, taking the death toll to 3,169, while in the worst-hit Wuhan, the confirmed cases for the first time dropped to single digit with eight new infections, amid a surge in "imported COVID-19 cases" in the country. By K J M Varma BUSINESS DEL121 BIZ-LD IIP Industrial output grows 2 pc in January; highest in 6 months New Delhi: India's industrial production grew at the fastest pace in six months at 2 per cent in January, mainly on account of uptick in mining activity and power generation, official data showed on Thursday.

DEL127 BIZ-LD INFLATION Retail inflation cools to 6.58 pc in Feb New Delhi: Retail inflation dropped for the first time after six months in February, easing to 6.58 per cent as prices of vegetables and other kitchen items cooled, government data showed on Thursday. AAR AAR.