HIGHLIGHTS

Following are the top stories at 5:45 PM: NATION DEL85 CORONAVIRUS-DEATH Fourth coronavirus death reported in India, number of cases rises to 173 New Delhi: India reported the death of a COVID-19 patient from Punjab on Thursday taking the toll in the country to four, the Union health ministry said. According to the ministry, the number of novel coronavirus cases in the country has risen to 173. DEL81 MEA-CORONAVIRUS Platform was humanitarian, not political: MEA on Pak raising Kashmir during SAARC video-conference New Delhi: India slammed Pakistan on Thursday for raising Kashmir during a SAARC video-conference earlier this week, saying it was not a political platform, but a humanitarian one, and Islamabad "misused" it.

MDS15 TN-CORONAVIRUS-CASE TN reports one more coronavirus case, number goes up to three Chennai: A 21-year-old student who arrived here two days ago from Ireland has tested positive for coronavirus, taking the number of cases in Tamil Nadu to three, Health Minister C Vijayabaskar said on Thursday. MDS11 KL-CORONAVIRUS-LOCALBODIES Ker CM seeks support of civic bodies to check third phase spread of coronavirus Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Thursday sought the support of local body institutions to check the spread of coronavirus in the state, where 24 people including two foreigners, have so far rested positive for the virus and over 25,000 are under surveillance.

DEL57 CORONAVIRUS-LD GOVT-STAFF COVID-19: Work from home, staggered working hours for central govt employees New Delhi: The Central government on Thursday allowed 50 per cent of its employees to work from home and the remaining to attend office every day besides implementing different time slots for working hours in its effort to further check the spread of the coronavirus disease. BOM30 GJ-CORONAVIRUS-WRIST BANDS Guj: Coronavirus suspects in home quarantine to wear wrist bands Gandhinagar: The Gujarat government said on Thursday that those undergoing 14-day home quarantine for suspected coronavirus infection will have to wear a coloured wrist band. LEGAL LGD28 DL-COURT-2NDLD NIRBHAYA Nirbhaya: Delhi court dismisses plea of convicts seeking stay of execution, to be hanged tomorrow New Delhi: A Delhi court Thursday dismissed the plea of three of the four death-row convicts in the Nirbhaya gang-rape and murder case seeking stay on their execution which is slated for early morning on Friday.

LGD26 SC-NIRBHAYA-3RDLD MUKESH Nirbhaya case: SC declines to entertain Mukesh's plea claiming he wasn't in Delhi at time of crime New Delhi: The Supreme Court Thursday refused to entertain the plea of Mukesh Singh, one of the four death-row convicts in the Nirbhaya gang rape and murder case, challenging the Delhi High Court order which rejected his claim that he was not in the city when at the time of crime on December 16, 2012. LGD18 SC-LD MP MP political crisis: SC suggests Speaker interact with rebel MLAs via video link, he refuses New Delhi: The Supreme Court Thursday suggested that Madhya Pradesh Assembly Speaker N P Prajapati should interact with the rebel Congress MLAs through video link or the court can appoint an observer to allay the fear that the legislators are in captivity. The Speaker refused to accept the top court's proposal.

BUSINESS DEL76 BIZ-LD STOCKS Equities extend rout to 4th day; energy, banking stocks lead slide Mumbai: Indian equity benchmarks spiralled lower for the fourth session on the trot on Thursday as investors fled risky assets amid heightened fears of a coronavirus-induced global recession. DEL75 BIZ-SEBI-CORONAVIRUS-LD RESULTS Sebi relaxes compliance requirements for cos amid coronavirus outbreak; provides addl time for filing Q4 results New Delhi: Easing compliance requirements amid coronavirus outbreak, regulator Sebi on Thursday gave a 45-day relaxation for companies to file their fourth quarter results as well as an additional one-month time to submit their annual results.

DEL54 DOPT-TRANSFER-BANKS Govt transfers 8 executive directors of state-run banks New Delhi: The Centre has transferred eight executive directors of state-run banks with effect from the financial year beginning April 1, according to an official order. FOREIGN FGN35 CORONAVIRUS-3RDLD CHINA China reports no new domestic coronavirus cases for first time since outbreak began Beijing: China on Thursday reported no new domestic transmissions of coronavirus for the first time since the deadly virus surfaced three months ago, achieving a milestone in its battle against the pandemic that has brought the country to a grinding halt and caused an unprecedented global health crisis. By K J M Varma FGN28 LANKA-POLLS Lanka postpones parliamentary polls over coronavirus outbreak Colombo: Sri Lanka on Thursday indefinitely postponed parliamentary elections that were scheduled for next month in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic.