HIGHLIGHTS

New Delhi, Apr 17 (PTI) Following are the top stories at 12.30 pm: NATION DEL4 PB-BATHINDA-JAWAN-ARREST * Army jawan arrested in connection with killing of 4 soldiers at Bathinda military station: Police Chandigarh: An Army jawan has been arrested in connection with the killing of four soldiers at the Bathinda Military Station, a senior Punjab Police official said on Monday. * MDS5 ELECTIONS-KARNATAKA-SHETTAR * Former Karnataka Chief Minister Jagadish Shettar joins CongressBengaluru: Senior BJP leader and former Karnataka Chief Minister Jagadish Shettar on Monday joined the Congress ahead of the May 10 Assembly elections in the state. *

DEL14 INDIA-G20-MEETINGS * India holds 100th G20 meeting under its presidency of bloc New Delhi: India celebrated a key milestone in its G20 presidency on Monday with the hosting of the 100th meeting of the grouping, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said. * DEL15 CONG-LD CASTE CENSUS * Kharge writes to PM Modi demanding caste census New Delhi: Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge has written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi demanding an up-to-date caste census, saying meaningful social justice and empowerment programmes are incomplete in the absence of such a data. * DEL13 ATIQ-SIBAL * Sibal raises questions on Atiq killing, says 'art of elimination' New Delhi: Rajya Sabha MP Kapil Sibal on Monday raised a series of questions over the killing of Atiq Ahmad and his brother, asking why they were being taken for a medical checkup by police at 10 pm when there was no emergency and why it was "open to the media". *

DEL17 AR-BORDER-MIGRATION * Development of border villages resulting in early signs of reverse migration: Arunachal CM Kibithoo (Arunachal Pradesh): The Arunachal Pradesh government has placed tremendous focus on development of border areas by improving connectivity and communication and strengthening agricultural activities, resulting in early signs of reverse migration, Chief Minister Pema Khandu said here. By Achinta Borah * DEL6 VIRUS-CASES * Active Covid cases in country climb to 60,313 New Delhi: India has recorded 9,111 new coronavirus infections, while active cases have increased to 60,313, according to the Union Health Ministry data updated on Monday. *

CAL5 BH-HOOCH-TOLL * Death toll rises to 26 in Bihar hooch tragedy Motihari/Patna: The death toll in a suspected hooch tragedy in Bihar's East Champaran district rose to 26 on Monday with four more people losing their lives after consuming the spurious liquor in Motihari, SP Kantesh Kumar Mishra said. * BOM6 MH-SUNSTROKE-DEATHS-RAUT * Sunstroke deaths at Maha event: Politics prevailed over people's convenience, says Sanjay RautMumbai: Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut on Monday blamed the Maharashtra government for the death of 11 people due to sunstroke after attending an award function and claimed politics prevailed over the convenience of people. * CAL4 WB-CBI-LD TMC MLA * Bengal school jobs scam: TMC MLA Jiban Krishna Saha arrested by CBI Kolkata/Murshidabad: Trinamool Congress MLA Jiban Krishna Saha was on Monday morning arrested by CBI sleuths from his residence at Burwan in Murshidabad district in connection with its investigation into the school jobs-for-graft scam case, sources said. *

LEGAL LGD10 SC-LD SAME SEX MARRIAGE * SC agrees to hear Centre's plea questioning maintainability of pleas seeking legal validation of same-sex marriage New Delhi: The Supreme Court agreed to hear on Tuesday a plea filed by the Centre questioning the maintainability of the petitions seeking legal validation of same-sex marriage. * LGD9 SC-WB-LD SCHOOL JOBS SCAM * SC stays Calcutta HC order asking WB not to lodge FIRs against CBI, ED officers probing school jobs scam New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Monday stayed the Calcutta High Court's April 13 order directing the West Bengal police not to lodge any FIR against CBI and Enforcement Directorate officers probing the school jobs-for-bribes scam. * BUSINESS DEL18 BIZ-INFLATION * WPI inflation eases to 29-month low of 1.34 pc in March New Delhi: The wholesale price-based inflation eased to a 29-month low of 1.34 per cent in March on easing prices of manufactured products and fuel items, even though food articles turned costly. *

FOREIGN FGN12 UAE-FIRE-INDIANS-IFTAR * Indian couple who died in Dubai apartment building fire were preparing iftar for neighbours Dubai: An Indian couple who died in a major fire at an apartment in Dubai, which killed 16 people, were preparing an iftar meal for their neighbours, a media report has said. *

FGN15 PAK-SANAULLAH-NAWAZ * 'Nawaz Sharif to return and supervise PML-N's electoral campaign': Pak Interior Minister Sanaullah Islamabad: Pakistan's Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah has said that PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif will return from London as soon as the electoral preparations for the general elections begin. *