HIGHLIGHTS

FGN25 UK-NIRAV Nirav Modi further remanded in custody until August 27, trial begins in Sept London: Fugitive diamond merchant Nirav Modi, fighting extradition to India, was on Thursday further remanded in custody until August 27 after he appeared via videolink at a regular remand hearing before a UK court on charges over the nearly USD 2 billion Punjab National Bank (PNB) fraud and money laundering case.

These are the top stories at 5 pm: NATION DEL19 VIRUS LD CASES Over 56,000 COVID-19 cases in country in single day New Delhi: India saw a single day increase of 56,282 COVID-19 cases taking the country's virus tally to 19,64,536, while the recoveries have surged to 13,28,336, according to the Union Health Ministry data. DEL32 KASHMIR-CHINA-LD INDIA India hits out at China for attempting to raise Kashmir issue at UNSC New Delhi: Hitting out at China for making yet another effort to raise the Kashmir issue at the UN Security Council, India on Thursday asked Beijing to draw proper conclusions from such "infructuous attempts" and "firmly" rejected its "interference" in the country's internal affairs.

DEL55 MEA-INDOPAK TEMPLE India rejects Pakistan's criticism of launch of construction of Ram temple New Delhi: India on Thursday strongly rejected Pakistan's criticism of the launch of construction of the Ram temple in Ayodhya, and asked the neighbouring country to refrain from "communal incitement." DEL11 JK-LG LD SINHA Manoj Sinha appointed as new LG of J-K New Delhi: Senior BJP leader from Uttar Pradesh Manoj Sinha was on Thursday appointed as the new Lieutenant Governor of Jammu and Kashmir, the first political leader to take charge as the LG of the union territory. BOM5 GJ-HOSPITAL-2ND LD LD FIRE Ahmedabad COVID-19 hospital fire leaves 8 patients dead Ahmedabad: A blaze in the wee hours at a private hospital here has left eight COVID-19 patients dead, a fire brigade official said on Thursday.

DES1 DL-SADIA Sadia Dehlvi dies at 63, Delhi lost its favourite story-teller New Delhi: Noted Delhi-based writer and activist Sadia Dehlvi has passed away after a prolonged battle with cancer. She was 63. DEL65 JK-DGP-SEPARATISTS 504 J-K separatist leaders signed 'good behaviour bond' before release from detention, says DGP Srinagar: As many as 504 separatist leaders, who had been detained following the abrogation of Article 370 provisions a year ago, were released after they signed bond of "good behaviour", Jammu and Kashmir Police chief Dilbag Singh said on Thursday. By Achinta Borah LEGAL LGM1KA-HC-EIA Karnataka HC restrains Centre from publishing EIA 2020 final notification till Sept 7 Bengaluru: The Karnataka High Court has directed the Centre not to publish the final notification of the Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) 2020 till September 7, observing that the draft was not publicised in vernacular languages.

LGD12 RJ-HC-BSP BSP-Cong merger: Case goes back to single-judge bench Jaipur: The division bench of Rajasthan High Court on Thursday disposed of appeals filed by a BJP MLA and the Bahujan Samaj Party against the order of a judge, who had refused to stay the functioning of six BSP MLAs as Congress legislators. BUSINESS DCM30 BIZ-2NDLD RBI RBI hits pause button on interest rate cut; allows loan restructuring Mumbai: The Reserve Bank on Thursday kept interest rates on hold to contain elevated inflation, even as it allowed banks to restructure some corporate and individual loans as part of efforts to revive the economy that faces its first contraction in more than four decades.

DEL49 BIZ-RBI-LD INFLATION Headline inflation to remain elevated in Q2FY21: RBI Governor Das Mumbai: Reserve Bank of India (RBI) Governor Shaktikanta Das on Thursday said the country’s headline inflation is expected to remain elevated during the second quarter of the current fiscal year and may subside thereafter. DEL58 BIZ-RBI-LIQUIDITY RBI Guv says easy liquidity policies have helped NBFCs, pvt cos; aided faster transmission Mumbai: RBI Governor Shaktikanta Das on Thursday defended the easy liquidity stance of the central bank, asserting that the private sector entities have benefitted out of the policy.

FOREIGN FGN11 US-AYODHYA-TIMES-SQUARE Lord Ram’s image displayed at iconic Times Square to celebrate Ram Temple ‘Bhoomi Poojan’ in Ayodhya New York: The image of Lord Ram and the grand Ram Temple to be built in Ayodhya beamed across a giant billboard at the iconic Times Square in New York City where members of the Indian community gathered in large numbers to celebrate the ‘Bhoomi Poojan’ performed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. By Yoshita Singh FGN26 LANKA-POLL-RESULTS Sri Lanka election: Early results show Rajapaksa clan heading for landslide win Colombo: Sri Lanka’s powerful Rajapaksa family-run Sri Lanka People's Party (SLPP) appeared to be heading for a landslide win in the country’s parliamentary election, according to early results announced on Thursday. FGN25 UK-NIRAV Nirav Modi further remanded in custody until August 27, trial begins in Sept London: Fugitive diamond merchant Nirav Modi, fighting extradition to India, was on Thursday further remanded in custody until August 27 after he appeared via videolink at a regular remand hearing before a UK court on charges over the nearly USD 2 billion Punjab National Bank (PNB) fraud and money laundering case. By Aditi Khanna PTI HDA HDA