HIGHLIGHTS

DEL4 BIZ-STOCKS-OPEN Sensex rises over 200 pts in opening session on firm global cues Mumbai: Equity benchmark Sensex surged over 200 points in early trade on Tuesday led by gains in index-heavyweights Reliance Industries, ICICI Bank and HDFC amid positive cues from global markets FOREIGN FGN10 US-SINOINDIA-LD SENATORS Top US senators slam China's 'unwarranted armed' aggression against India Washington: Top US senators have expressed solidarity with India as they slammed China for its "unwarranted and lawless armed aggression" against the country.

Following are the top stories at 12:30 pm: DEL11 VIRUS LD CASES India's COVID-19 tally climbs to 5,66,840, Tamil Nadu surpasses Delhi in case count New Delhi: With 18,522 people testing positive for coronavirus in a single day, India's COVID-19 tally climbed to 5,66,840 on Tuesday while the death toll rose to 16,893 with 418 new fatalities, according to the Union Health Ministry data. DEL1 JK-ENCOUNTER Two militants killed in encounter in J-K's Anantnag Srinagar: Two unidentified militants were killed in an encounter with security forces in Anantnag district of Jammu and Kashmir on Tuesday, police said.

DEL13 ED-AHMED PATEL ED begins second round of questioning of Ahmed Patel in PMLA case New Delhi: Enforcement Directorate (ED) investigators on Tuesday began the second round of questioning of senior Congress leader Ahmed Patel at his house here in connection with the Sandesara brothers bank fraud and money laundering case probe, officials said. MDS2 AP-LD GAS LEAK Benzene gas leak at pharma plant in Vizag leaves 2 dead Visakhapatnam(AP): Two people were killed and four others taken ill after benzene gas leaked at a pharmaceutical company at Parawada near here early on Tuesday morning, with the plant being temporarily shut and officials assuring the situation was under control BOM2 MH-TAJ-SECURITY Security outside Taj hotel in Mumbai beefed up: Police Mumbai: Police have beefed up security outside the Taj hotel in south Mumbai after the Karachi Stock Exchange terror attack, a senior official said on Tuesday.

BOM3 MH-AADITYA-VANDE BHARAT FLIGHTS Aaditya seeks coordination with Centre on Vande Bharat flights Mumbai: Maharashtra Tourism Minister Aaditya Thackeray has said the Civil Aviation Ministry should coordinate with state governments on the repatriation flights under the Vande Bharat Missionfor effectively reaching out to Indians stranded around the world LEGAL LGD1 DL-HC-DU-CONTEMPT HC considering contempt proceedings against DU for withholding info on deferment of online exam New Delhi: The Delhi High Court has asked the Delhi University why contempt proceedings be not initiated against it and its officers for trying to mislead the court by withholding information on deferment of the online open book exams. LGD3 DL-HC-EIA HC extends time till Aug 11 for giving suggestions to draft EIA 2020 New Delhi: The Delhi High Court on Tuesday extended till August 11 the period for giving suggestions to the draft Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) notification of 2020, which provides for post facto approval of projects and does away with public consultation in some cases.

BUSINESS DEL6 BIZ-TIKTOK-APP BAN Chinese app ban: TikTok says in process of complying with govt order New Delhi: TikTok on Tuesday said it is in the process of complying with the government’s order on blocking of the app, and asserted that it has not shared information of Indian users with any foreign government, including that of China. DEL4 BIZ-STOCKS-OPEN Sensex rises over 200 pts in opening session on firm global cues Mumbai: Equity benchmark Sensex surged over 200 points in early trade on Tuesday led by gains in index-heavyweights Reliance Industries, ICICI Bank and HDFC amid positive cues from global markets FOREIGN FGN10 US-SINOINDIA-LD SENATORS Top US senators slam China's 'unwarranted armed' aggression against India Washington: Top US senators have expressed solidarity with India as they slammed China for its "unwarranted and lawless armed aggression" against the country. By Lalit K Jha FGN14 UN-INDIA-WOMEN India accounts for 45.8 million of the world's 'missing females': UN report United Nations: India accounts for 45.8 million of the world's 142.6 million "missing females" over the past 50 years, a report by the United Nations said on Tuesday, noting that the country along with China form the majority of such women globally. By Yoshita Singh FGN12 US-BIDEN-INDIAN Joe Biden names Indian-American expert as digital chief of staff Washington: Indian-American Medha Raj has been named by Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden as his digital chief of staff, a key role in his election campaigns which are entirely going virtual due to the COVID-19 pandemic in the US. By Lalit K Jha..