HIGHLIGHTS

Following are the top stories at 5:30 pm: NATION DEL44 AYODHYA-UP-SCENE Ayodhya awaits its big day, outsiders not welcome Ayodhya: Police barricades, yellow banners, walls with a fresh coat of paint and the sounds of bhajan mark parts of Ayodhya as the city awaits its big day Wednesday, when the first brick will be laid for the Ram temple. By Arunav Sinha DEL54 AYODHYA-BJP-JOURNEY Ayodhya ceremony: Another core BJP promise fulfilled under Modi New Delhi: For the BJP which was once forced to keep the "contentious" Ram temple issue aside to woo allies, the beginning of construction of a grand temple in Ayodhya is an ideological victory over its rivals with even many opposition leaders welcoming the development. DEL34 AYODHYA-GOVINDACHARYA Hindutva now basic coat on canvas of Indian politics: Govindacharya New Delhi: Hindutva is now the "basic coat on the canvas of polity" and political parties subscribing to its various shades may be vying for power in future as socialism and secularism are no longer the pivot of politics, former RSS ideologue K N Govindacharya said on Tuesday.

DEL31 VIRUS LETTER REGISTERED DEATHS Release data on registered deaths to understand mortality impact of COVID-19: researchers New Delhi: More than 200 researchers, epidemiologists and public health professionals from India and abroad have urged government agencies to release data on registered deaths to understand the mortality impact of the COVID-19 pandemic in India. CAL14 LD-SUSHANT Sushant death case: Bihar recommends CBI probe, Rhea's lawyer says it's beyond jurisdiction Patna/Mumbai: The Bihar government on Tuesday recommended a CBI inquiry into actor Sushant Singh Rajput's death case, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar said, a move contested by Rhea Chakraborty's lawyer, who insisted the state had no jurisdiction to make such a recommendation.

BOM10 MH-SUSHANT CBI-GOVT Sushant Singh Rajput case: Maha slams CBI probe recommendation Mumbai: The ruling NCP and Congress in Maharashtra on Tuesday slammed the Bihar government for recommending a CBI probe into the death of actor Sushant Singh Rajput, saying the move encroaches upon rights of the state government and helps the BJP in "destruction" of Constitution. DEL36 UPSC-2NDLD RESULT IRS officer Pradeep Singh tops civil services exam 2019 New Delhi: IRS officer Pradeep Singh tops the list of 829 candidates who have qualified for the prestigious civil services, including the IAS, the IPS and the IFS, the Union Public Service Commission announced on Tuesday. By Ashwini Shrivastava DEL49 THEATRE-EBRAHIM ALKAZI Theatre doyen Ebrahim Alkazi dies at 94 New Delhi: Theatre doyen and legendary teacher Ebrahim Alkazi died on Tuesday afternoon after suffering a heart attack, his son said.

DEL13 AVI-INDIGO-MOSCOW IndiGo operates charter flight to repatriate 212 Indians from Russia New Delhi: IndiGo said on Tuesday that it operated a passenger charter flight from Moscow to Amritsar to Kochi on Sunday, bringing back a total of 212 Indians from the Russian capital. LEGAL LGD6 DL-HC-TABLIGHI-FOREIGNERS Tablighi Jamaat: HC seeks response from Centre, police on foreigners’ pleas to quash FIRs New Delhi: The Delhi High Court Tuesday sought response of the Centre and the police on two separate pleas by 23 foreigners seeking quashing of FIRs against them for attending the Tablighi Jamaat event here and allegedly indulging in missionary activities in violation of visa norms and breaching anti-COVID-19 guidelines.

BUSINESS DEL52 BIZ-LD STOCKS Sensex snaps 4-day losing streak with 748-point leap; RIL, HDFC Bank lead charge Mumbai: Equity benchmarks made an emphatic comeback on Tuesday after four straight sessions of losses as market heavyweights Reliance Industries and HDFC Bank saw robust buying amid firm global cues. FOREIGN FGN12 VIRUS-TRUMP-INDIA-CHINA US doing 'very well' against COVID-19, India has a 'tremendous problem': Trump Washington: President Donald Trump has said that as compared to big countries, America is doing "very well" in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic, while India is having a "tremendous problem" battling the disease and China is witnessing a "massive flare up" in infections. By Lalit K Jha FGN16 PAK-JADHAV Pak court appoints three senior lawyers as amici curiae in Jadhav's case Islamabad: A top Pakistani court has named three senior lawyers as amici curiae in the case of Kulbhushan Jadhav as it ordered the Pakistan government to give "another chance" to India to appoint a counsel for the death-row prisoner. By Sajjad Hussain SPORTS SPD6 SPO-CRI-IPL-TESTING-SOP Players to be tested every 5th day during IPL, seven-day quarantine for kin who breaches bio-bubble New Delhi: Indian players and support staff will have to return negative for COVID-19 at least five times before they start training in the UAE and subsequently will be tested every fifth day during the IPL, according to a draft prepared by the BCCI. By Bharat Sharma PTI AD