HIGHLIGHTS

These are the top stories at 5.15 pm: NATION MDS15 TL-FIRE-TOLL 9 killed in Srisailam hydel power plant fire mishap in Telangana Hyderabad, Aug 21 (PTI) Nine people died in a fire mishap in the Srisailam hydroelectric plant on the Telangana-Andhra Pradesh border on Friday, a senior government official said. BOM3 MH-SUSHANT-CBI CBI starts probe in Sushant death case Mumbai: After the Supreme Court nod, the Central Bureau of Investigation on Friday started its probe into the Sushant Singh Rajput death case in the city as it collected relevant documents and reports from the Mumbai police, officials said.

BOM2 MH-VIRUS-BCG VACCINE COVID-19: Study to find effectiveness of BCG vaccine in elders Mumbai: The ICMR is undertaking a study in Mumbai to evaluate whether the BCG (Bacille Calmette-Guerin) vaccine, primarily used against tuberculosis, is effective in preventing COVID-19 in elderly population, the city civic body said on Friday. DEL9 VIRUS-LD CASES COVID-19 tally in India crosses 29-lakh mark New Delhi: India's COVID-19 tally zoomed past 29 lakh, a day after it crossed 28 lakh, with a single-day spike of 68,898 infections, while the recoveries have increased to 21,58,946 on Friday pushing the recovery rate to over 74 per cent, according to the Union Health Ministry data.

DEL17 AVI-AIR INDIA-HONG KONG 14 Air India passengers have tested positive for COVID-19 till Thursday: Hong Kong govt New Delhi: Fourteen passengers who travelled from Delhi to Hong Kong on an Air India flight on August 14 have tested positive for COVID-19 till Thursday, the Hong Kong government said. CAL1 WB-LOCKDOWN West Bengal: Strict lockdown in Kolkata, violations reported in some districts Kolkata: Normal life came to a grinding halt in the city on Friday as a complete shutdown was enforced across West Bengal for the second consecutive day this week to stem the spread of COVID-19 cases, while violation of the lockdown restrictions was witnessed in some towns and rural areas in the state.

DES4 UP-LD MLA BJP legislator Janmejay Singh dies of cardiac arrest Lucknow/Deoria: BJP MLA from Deoria Sadar seat, Janmejay Singh, has died of a cardiac arrest at a hospital in Lucknow, party spokesperson Chandra Mohan said Friday. He was 75. LEGAL LGD1 SC-JUDGE SC rejects plea seeking inquiry into conduct of ex-CJI Ranjan Gogoi as judge New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Friday refused to entertain a plea seeking setting up of a three-judge panel to inquire into the conduct of former Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi as a judge of the apex court. Gogoi is now a Rajya Sabha MP.

BUSINESS DEL24 BIZ-LD STOCKS Markets back to winning ways as banks, power stocks jump; log weekly gains Mumbai: Benchmark indices resumed their ascent on Friday after a day's breather as investors flocked to banking and power stocks amid a rebound in global markets. DCM1 BIZ-TAX-REFUND Income Tax refunds worth Rs 88,652 cr issued to 24.64 lakh taxpayers so far this fiscal New Delhi: The Income Tax department on Friday said it has issued refunds worth Rs 88,652 crore to over 24 lakh taxpayers so far this fiscal.

FOREIGN FGN10 US-DNC-BIDEN-LD NOMINATION Biden accepts Democratic presidential nomination, says Trump has cloaked US in darkness Washington: Joe Biden pledged that he will be an "ally of the light" as he officially accepted the presidential nomination of the Democratic Party, urging the American voters to unite to overcome a "season of darkness" that President Donald Trump has cloaked the US for "much too long". By Lalit K Jha FGN34 US-DNC-BIDEN-2NDLD HARRIS Kamala's 'story is the American story', says Biden in his presidential nomination acceptance speech Washington: Democratic Party's presidential nominee Joe Biden praised his Indian-American running mate Kamala Harris during his nomination acceptance speech, describing the California senator as a "powerful voice" in the US and said her "story is the American story." By Lalit K Jha SPORTS SPD6 SPO-HOCK-JOHN-RESIGNATION 'Ignored' David John resigns as Hockey India's High Performance Director New Delhi: Hockey India's long-standing High Performance Director David John has resigned from his post, days after his contract was renewed by the Sports Authority of India, apparently because of differences with the national federation's top brass. PTI HDA.