HIGHLIGHTS

Following are the top stories at 5 pm: NATION DEL38 VIRUS-RECOVERY-FATALITY India’s COVID-19 fatality rate declines to 2.25%; recovery rate rises over 64%: Health ministry New Delhi: India's COVID-19 fatality rate is progressively falling from 3.33 per cent on June 18 to 2.25 per cent as on date, while the recovery rate increased from around 53 per cent in mid-June to more than 64 per cent, the Union health ministry said on Tuesday. DEL34 RJ-CABINET-RECOMMENDATION  Raj govt sends revised proposal to governor seeking assembly session Jaipur: The Rajasthan government on Tuesday forwarded a revised recommendation to Governor Kalraj Mishra for calling an assembly session from July 31 after the Cabinet discussed the points raised by the governor on the issue. DEL35 EC-JK-MURMU EC takes 'exception' to J&K LG's reported remarks on timing of polls New Delhi: The Election Commission on Tuesday took "exception" to the reported remarks of Jammu and Kashmir Lt Governor G C Murmu on timing of polls in the union territory, and said in the constitutional scheme of things, only the EC is authorised to decide on the poll schedule.

DEL42 TIGER-REPORT Corbett has highest number of 231 tigers in country; 3 reserves in Mizoram, Bengal and Jharkhand have none: Report New Delhi: A year after a tiger estimation was done, a detailed report released on Tuesday has shown that the Corbett Tiger Reserve in Uttarakhand has the highest number of 231 big cats in the country while three reserves in Mizoram, West Bengal and Jharkhand have none. DEL29 AICTE-COLLEGES-CLOSURE 179 professional colleges shut down this year, highest in last 9 years New Delhi: Nearly 180 professional colleges, including engineering institutes and business schools, have shut down during the academic year 2020-21, the highest number of closure of technical institutions in the last nine years, according to All India Council of Technical Eduction (AICTE) data.

BOM3 MP-VIRUS-CHOUHAN If detected early, COVID-19 not incurable: Chouhan Bhopal: Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, who tested positive for coronavirus, on Tuesday chaired the first virtual cabinet meeting from hospital and said if the infection is detected early, then it is not incurable and is like any other cold, cough and fever. CAL6 OD-VIRUS-LD CREMATION Odisha govt permits cremation of COVID-19 suspects' bodies without test report Bhubaneswar: The Odisha government has allowed the cremation of bodies of COVID-19 suspects without waiting for their test reports to avoid delay in the conduct of last rites, officials said.

MDS5 TL-TEMPLE-OWAISI-VHP Bhoomi pujan: Owaisi opposes Modi's 'participation'; VHP calls for celebrations Hyderabad: AIMIM Chief Asaduddin Owaisi on Tuesday said Prime Minister Narendra Modi's possible attendance to the 'Bhoomi pujan' ceremony of the Ram temple at Ayodhya on August 5 would mean violation of his constitutional oath, even as VHP called for celebrations on that day. LEGAL LGD14 SC-LD ENCOUNTER-DUBEY Vikas Dubey encounter: SC dismisses pleas seeking removal of members of inquiry commission New Delhi: The Supreme Court Tuesday dismissed the pleas seeking removal of former high court judge Justice (retd) Shashi Kant Agarwal and retired Uttar Pradesh Director General of Police (DGP) K L Gupta from the 3-member inquiry commission set up to probe the killing of gangster Vikas Dubey in police encounter.

LGD16 SC-ENCOUNTER-POLICE OFFICER Vikas Dubey case: SC asks wife of suspended SI to move HC for protection New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Tuesday refused to entertain a plea seeking protection for a police officer who was suspended and arrested for his alleged role in passing on crucial information abourt the raid to gangster Vikas Dubey and his aides. LGD13 DL-HC-LD INSOLVENCY ORDINANCE Plea against Insolvency code ordinance; HC seeks Centre stand New Delhi: The Delhi High Court Tuesday sought the Centre's reply on a plea challenging the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (IBC) Ordinance which suspended proceedings against defaults arising on or after March 25 for six months in view of the COVID-19 pandemic. BUSINESS DEL37 BIZ-STOCKS-CLOSE Sensex soars over 558 pts; Nifty tops 11,300 Mumbai: The BSE benchmark Sensex surged over 558 points and the NSE Nifty topped the 11,300-mark on Tuesday, propelled by broad-based buying and firm cues from global markets.

FOREIGN FGN36 NEPAL-LD POLITICS Prachanda convenes ruling NCP meet without Nepal PM Oli as intra-party rift deepens further Kathmandu: Nepal's ruling communist party executive chairperson Pushpa Kamal Dahal "Prachanda" on Tuesday unilaterally convened a meeting of the powerful Standing Committee at Prime Minister K P Sharma Oli's official residence without his presence, further deepening the political crisis in the country. By Shirish B Pradhan SPORTS SPD6 SPO-CRI-IPL-LD MEETING IPL governing council meeting on August 2; tournament schedule set to be finalised New Delhi: The Indian Premier League's Governing Council will meet on August 2 to give a final shape to the schedule and other arrangements for the eagerly-awaited T20 showpiece to be held in the UAE this year..