HIGHLIGHTS

These are the top stories at 5.30 pm: Nation DEL11 VIRUS-LD CASES Record single-day spike of 66,999 cases pushes India's COVID-19 tally to 23,96,637; death toll 47,033 New Delhi: With a record single-day increase of 66,999 cases, India's COVID-19 tally mounted to 23,96,637 on Thursday, while the number of patients who have recovered from the disease surged to 16,95,982, pushing the recovery rate to 70.77 per cent in the country, according to the Union health ministry. DEL54 RJ-LD-BJP Rajasthan BJP to move no-confidence motion against Congress govt Jaipur: The BJP in Rajasthan will move a motion of no confidence against the Ashok Gehlot-led Congress government in the state assembly, leader of opposition Gulab Chand Kataria said.

DEL57 RJ-CONG-MEETING Gehlot calls CLP meeting; Pilot likely to attend Jaipur: Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot has called a meeting of the Congress Legislature Party at his residence on Thursday at 5 pm, a day before the state assembly session is scheduled to begin. DEL43 UP-VIRUS-2NDLD TRUST Chief of Ram temple trust Mahant Nritya Gopal Das tests positive for COVID-19 Lucknow/Mathura: The head of the Ram temple trust, Mahant Nritya Gopal Das (80), tested positive for COVID-19 on Thursday and was rushed to the Medanta hospital in Gurgaon, officials said.

DEL32 PM LD TAX PM unveils new tax reforms - faceless tax assessment, taxpayers' charter New Delhi: In a major overhaul of tax administration, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday unveiled faceless tax assessment and appeals to reduce the scope for corruption and overreach by officials, and said a taxpayers' charter is being implemented to ensure a free, fair and transparent tax environment. DEL8 MUKHERJEE-HEALTH Condition of Mukherjee remains unchanged, is in deep comatose: Hospital New Delhi: The condition of former President Pranab Mukherjee remains unchanged and he is deeply comatose, the Army's Research and Referral hospital said on Thursday.

DEL59 DEF-BHADAURIA Air Chief Marshal reviews operational preparedness of IAF at frontline base New Delhi: Chief of Air Staff Air Chief Marshal RKS Bhadauria on Thursday flew a Mig 21 Bison jet at a frontline airbase in the Western Command, and carried out a comprehensive review of the operational preparedness of the air warriors in the region, officials said. DEL28 SONIA-ENVIRONMENT Sonia, Rahul seek withdrawal of EIA 2020 New Delhi: Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi on Thursday accused the government of dismantling India's environment rules and demanded that the draft EIA 2020 be withdrawn immediately.

DEL67 JK-ENCOUNTER-PROBE J-K police to collect DNA samples of people claiming to be relatives of 3 youths killed in encounter Srinagar: A police team from Kashmir has been sent to Rajouri district in Jammu region to collect DNA samples of the people claiming to be relatives of the three youths killed in an alleged fake encounter in Shopian district of the Union Territory last month, a senior police official said on Thursday. Legal LGM1 KL-COURT-BISHOP-CHARGES Kerala court frames charges against Ex-Bishop of Jalandhar in nun rape case Kottayam (Kerala): A court here on Thursday framed charges against former Bishop of Jalandhar Diocese, Franco Mulakkal, in the case relating to rape of a nun in Kerala.

LGD6 SC-LD CONTEMPT SC allows Arun Shourie, N Ram & Prashant Bhushan to withdraw plea on contempt law New Delhi: The Supreme Court Thursday allowed former Union minister Arun Shourie, veteran journalist N Ram and activist-lawyer Prashant Bhushan to withdraw their plea challenging the constitutional validity of a legal provision dealing with criminal contempt. Foreign FGN17 US-BIDEN-LD HARRIS Biden, Harris shred Trump's White House record in first joint appearance as running mates Washington: Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden made a maiden public appearance with his running mate Kamala Harris on Wednesday during which the Indian-American shredded Donald Trump's White House record, saying that the president is not "up to the job." FGN12 US-TRUMP-BIDEN-HARRIS Trump calls Biden's pick Kamala Harris as 'very unusual' and 'risky' Washington: President Donald Trump has said that Indian-origin Senator Kamala Harris is a "very unusual" and "risky" pick as a running mate by Joe Biden, the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee.

FGN9 US-H1B Trump administration allows certain exemptions in H-1B, L-1 travel ban Washington: In a move that could help Indian IT professionals and those working in the healthcare sector, the Trump Administration has announced certain exemptions in H-1B and L-1 travel ban for those continuing employment with the same employer. FGN27 PAK-JUD-LEADERS Pak court suspends one-year jail sentence of 2 senior JuD leaders Lahore: A Pakistani court on Thursday suspended a one-year jail sentence of two senior leaders of the Jamaat-ud-Dawah and close aides of mastermind of the 2008 Mumbai attack Hafiz Saeed in a terror-financing case. By M Zulqernain FGN24 BANGLA-INDICTMENT Bangla court indicts country's first Hindu Chief Justice, 10 others in graft case Dhaka: A Dhaka court on Thursday indicted Bangladesh's first Hindu Chief Justice Surendra Kumar Sinha and 10 others on charges of embezzling 40 million taka from a bank, a court official said. PTI HDA

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