New Delhi, Apr 23 (PTI) These are the top stories at 09:30 pm:

NATION

DEL129 LDALL VIRUS

Lockdown helping minimise virus spread, but much more tests needed: Govt

New Delhi: Asserting that the ongoing lockdown has helped minimise the spread of coronavirus, the government on Thursday said the recovery rate among COVID-19 patients has almost doubled in last the ten days but testing needs to be ramped up continuously for a decisive battle against the pandemic. The nationwide tally, meanwhile, rose to 21,700 cases and 686 deaths.

DEL130 LOCKDOWN-MHA-LD-INDUSTRIES

MHA: Lockdown rules misinterpreted, no legal action against CEOs if employee found COVID positive

New Delhi: The Union government Thursday said no legal action will be taken against the CEO of a company, nor a factory will be sealed, in case an employee tests positive for COVID-19.

DEL112 VIRUS-LDALL CWC

Instead of tackling COVID-19, BJP polarising society, spreading virus of communal prejudice: Cong

New Delhi, Apr 23 (PTI) The Congress Thursday expressed concern over the BJP's alleged attempt to polarise society and inflame communal divisions, with Sonia Gandhi accusing it of spreading the virus of hatred, causing "grave damage" to social harmony.

DEL131 VIRUS-RAIL-DA

Putting on hold increment in DA, DR for staff, pensioners arbitrary and demotivating: Rly unions

New Delhi, Apr 23 (PTI) Railway unions protested against the Centre's decision to put on hold increment in dearness allowance (DA) for its employees and dearness relief (DR) for pensioners due to the coronavirus crisis, saying it was "arbitrary and "demotivating".

DELHI DEL127 MEA-LOCKDOWN-MURALEEDHARAN

Be patient till May 3; MEA making best efforts: Muraleedharan to Indians stranded abroad

New Delhi: The rules of the lockdown do not allow for bringing back stranded Indians and getting them held up at various airports, Minister of State for External Affairs V Muraleedharan said on Thursday, urging citizens abroad who want to return to be patient till May 3.

DEL121 VIRUS-LD IIT-TEST

Affordable COVID-19 test method developed by IIT Delhi gets ICMR nod: Officials

New Delhi: A method to detect COVID-19 which will significantly reduce the cost of testing, making it affordable for a large population in the country, developed by Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Delhi has got the approval from the ICMR, officials said on Thursday. By Gunjan Sharma

DEL118 LAUNDERING-EX JH MINISTER- LD SENTENCE

Former J'khand minister Ekka sentenced to 7 years' rigorous imprisonment for money laundering

New Delhi/Ranchi: Former Jharkhand minister Anosh Ekka was on Thursday sentenced to seven years' rigorous imprisonment and slapped with a fine of Rs 2 crore by a special court in Ranchi in a money laundering offence, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) said.

DEL81 VIRUS-CSIR-WASH BASIN

CSIR's IMMT develops foot-operated wash basins, to be installed in Mumbai's Dharavi

New Delhi: In the time of coronavirus crisis, CSIR's Institute of Minerals and Materials Technology, which is known for research on minerals, has come up with foot-operated wash basins that will be installed in Mumbai's Dharavi -- a densely-populated slum area which has so far reported 189 cases of the infection.

BOM18 MH-VIRUS-DHARAVI

Dharavi's tally of COVID-19 patients crosses 200-mark

Mumbai: The number of coronavirus positive patients in Dharavi area of Mumbai crossed the 200- mark on Thursday after 25 new cases were detected, a civic official said.

CAL18 OD-FLIGHT-BHUTAN

Special flight takes 26 Bhutanese nationals home from Odisha

Bhubaneswar, Apr 23 (PTI) At least 26 Bhutanese nationals stranded in Odisha amid the COVID 19-induced lockdown left for home on Thursday in a special flight.

MDS14 TL-LOCKDOWN-RENT

Defer rent collection from tenants for 3 months, Telangana govt tells house owners

Hyderabad: The Telangana government onThursday directed residential property owners to defer collection of rent from tenants for three months, apparently due to hardships being faced by people following the ongoing lockdown to contain the coronavirus spread.

BUSINESS

DEL98 BIZ-VIRUS-LD FINMIN-DA (CORRECTED)

COVID-19 pandemic: Govt freezes DA, DR for 1.1 cr employees, pensioners

New Delhi: The government on Thursday froze inflation-linked allowance for its 1.1 crore employees and pensioners, a move states are likely to replicate, helping save a combined Rs 1.2 lakh crore that could be used to combat the coronavirus crisis.

FOREIGN

FGN56 VIRUS-POMPEO-JAISHANKAR

Jaishankar, Pompeo talk over phone; discuss cooperation to contain COVID-19

Washington: External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and his American counterpart Mike Pompeo on Thursday spoke over phone and discussed bilateral and international cooperation to contain and mitigate the novel coronavirus.

FGN58 VIRUS-US-TRUMP-2NDLD IMMIGRATION

Trump temporarily suspends immigration into US for 60 days to protect American workers

Washington: President Donald Trump has signed an executive order to suspend certain types of immigration into the US for 60 days to protect the jobs of Americans laid off due to the COVID-19 pandemic that has ravaged the country's economy.

SPORTS

SPO-TENDULKAR-INTERVIEW

Sport in empty stadiums will be disappointing, feels Sachin Tendulkar

New Delhi: He revelled in the full-throated chants that accompanied his stay at the crease and Sachin Tendulkar says that's one reason why the very idea of sport inside an empty stadium disappoints him. By Kushan Sarkar PTI

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)