Chennai, Feb 18 (PTI): Highlights from the southern region at 5 PM.

MDS2 PD-TAMILISAI-LT GOVERNOR Telangana Governor sworn in as Pondy Lt Governor Puducherry: Telangana Governor Tamilisai Soundararajan,who was given additional charge of Puducherry, was sworn inas Lt Governor of the Union Territory.

MDS3 PD-VIRUS-CASES Pondy logs 20 new COVID-19 cases Puducherry: The Union Territory of Puducherry added 20new cases of COVID-19 in the last 24 hours ending 10 am onThursday, taking the infection count to 39,526.

MDS5 TL-VIRUS-CASES COVID-19: Telangana reports 163 fresh cases Hyderabad: Telangana recorded 163 fresh COVID-19 cases,taking the caseload to 2,97,113, while two deaths pushed thetoll to 1,622, the government said.

MES2 KA-RAIL ROKO-FARM LAWS Mixed response to rail-roko in Karnataka Bengaluru: The call for a nationwide rail-roko campaignby the farmer-leaders in Delhi against the Centre's farm lawsevoked a mixed response in Karnataka.

LGM1 TL-HC-LAWYERS-MURDER Lawyer-couple's murder: T'gana HC notices to state govt Hyderabad: The Telangana High Court on its own tookcognisance of the killing of a lawyer-couple in Peddapallidistrict of the state and directed the government to properlyand expeditiously conduct investigation into the matter.

SRG3 KA-MLC-BYPOLL Karnataka MLC seat bypoll on March 15: ECI Bengaluru: The bypoll to the Karnataka Legislative Councilseat which fell vacant due to the death of Council deputyspeaker S L Dharmegowda will take place on March 15, theElection Commission said.