HIGHLISGHTS

New Delhi, Aug 15 (PTI) Following are the top stories at 1.30 pm: NATION CAL5 WB-HC-HOSPITAL-VANDALISM **** It was absolute failure of state machinery: Cal HC on vandalism at RG Kar hospital Kolkata: The Calcutta High Court on Friday observed that mob violence at the R G Kar Medical College and Hospital was an absolute failure of state machinery in West Bengal. **** CAL3 WB-DOCTOR-VANDALISM-ARREST **** 19 arrested for vandalism at Kolkata's RG Kar hospital Kolkata: Kolkata Police on Friday said it has so far arrested 19 people in connection with the vandalism and violence at R G Kar Medical College and Hospital in the metropolis. **** CAL2 WB-DOCTOR-STRIKE **** SUCI-C strike: Road blockades, processions in parts of Bengal to protest Kolkata medic's rape-murder Kolkata: The SUCI (Communist) on Friday blocked roads and took out rallies in various parts of West Bengal, as part of its 12-hour general strike to protest against the alleged rape and murder of a woman doctor at a state-run hospital here. **** DEL4 EC-ASSEMBLY POLLS-SCHEDULE **** EC to announce schedule for Assembly elections on Friday afternoon New Delhi: The Election Commission will announce the schedule for assembly elections on Friday afternoon.

DES8 JK-POLICE-RESHUFFLE **** IGPs, DIGs among several senior J-K police officers transferred, intel wing gets new chief Srinagar: In a major shakeup in the Jammu and Kashmir Police, several senior officers were transferred by the administration on Friday while the intelligence wing got a new chief. **** DEL11 PREZ-PM-VAJPAYEE-LD TRIBUTE **** Prez Murmu, PM Modi pay tributes to Vajpayee on death anniversary New Delhi: President Droupadi Murmu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi paid tributes to former prime minister and BJP stalwart Atal Bihari Vajpayee on his death anniversary on Friday. **** BOM8 MH-MVA **** Will back any candidate announced by Cong, NCP (SP) as CM face of MVA: Uddhav Mumbai: Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray on Friday said he will back any candidate announced by the Congress and NCP (SP) as Maha Vikas Aghadi’s chief ministerial face. **** BOM9 MH-HC-RANE **** HC issues summons to Narayan Rane on Sena (UBT) leader's plea seeking cancellation of his election Mumbai: The Bombay High Court on Friday issued a summons to BJP MP Narayan Rane on Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Vinayak Raut's plea seeking cancellation of the former's election from the Ratnagiri-Sindhudurg constituency. **** DEL14 SIBAL-PM-LD UCC **** BJP has been neither secular nor civil: Sibal on PM's remarks on UCC New Delhi: A day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi's strong pitch for a "secular civil code", Rajya Sabha MP Kapil Sibal on Friday alleged that the BJP has been neither secular nor civil in the last 10 years. **** DEL12 CONG-ADANI **** Hindenburg tip of iceberg, only JPC probe can unravel truth of Adani 'scam': Cong New Delhi: The demand for a Joint Parliamentary Committee probe into the Adani issue goes beyond the Hindenburg Research's revelations, the Congress said Friday and claimed the "irregularities and wrongdoings" relating to the business conglomerate span every dimension of the political economy. **** MDS6 ISRO-SSLV-CHAIRMAN **** Third developmental flight of SSLV is 100 per cent success: ISRO Chairman Sriharikota (Andhra Pradesh): ISRO on Friday successfully launched an Earth observation satellite on board a small satellite launch vehicle, giving a boost to India's space programme. By S Vijay Karthik **** LEGAL LGD2 DL-HC-SPICEJET-ENGINES **** HC refuses urgent listing of Spicejet's plea challenging grounding of three engines New Delhi: The Delhi High Court on Friday refused to grant an urgent listing of low-cost airline Spicejet's plea challenging an order to ground three aircraft engines by today and hand those over to the lessors within 15 days. **** FOREIGN FGN22 BANGLA-UNREST-MINORITIES **** Bangladesh's caretaker government vows to take swift action against people attacking minorities Dhaka: Bangladesh's newly-appointed Home Affairs Ministry adviser has vowed to take swift legal action against those who attack or abuse minorities, stressing that there is no place for violence, conflict, or hatred in the country. **** FGN12 US-I DAY-CELEBRATIONS **** India's Independence Day celebrated with fervour across New York City New York: The hues of the Indian tricolour, India's rich cultural heritage and strong bilateral relations with the US resonated across the city as the country's 78th Independence Day was celebrated here with patriotic fervour. By Yoshita Singh **** FGN7 US-INDIA-PENTAGON **** Relationship with India remains one of great importance: Pentagon Washington: US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin is set to host his Indian counterpart, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, at the Pentagon on August 23. By Lalit K Jha **** PTI OZ OZ SKY SKY