Top news of the day: Vasundhara Raje breaks silence on Rajasthan political crisis; COVID-19 recoveries in India exceed active cases by over 2.9 lakh, and more

The major news headlines of the day, and more.

A man showers flower petals on the coffin of a paramilitary officer who died of COVID-19, at a crematorium in Srinagar on July 18, 2020.

Rajasthan political crisis | People paying for the discord within Congress, says Vasundhara Raje

It is the first reaction of the former Chief Minister on the spiralling political crisis in the State.

Rajasthan political crisis |

BJP demands CBI probe into alleged phone tapping

Party spokesperson Sambit Patra said that the events around the unfolding of the political crisis in Rajasthan were a mix of “conspiracy, lies and illegalities” by the Congress government in the State.

Rajasthan political crisis | BJP has openly admitted to murdering democracy, says Congress

Congress Rajasthan unit president Govind Singh Dotasra (centre) with State Health Minister Raghu Sharma (left) and Transport Minister Pratap Singh Khachariyawas addresses the media in Jaipur on July 18, 2020.

 

Hours after the BJP demanded a CBI enquiry into alleged phone tapping of Rajasthan legislators , the Congress said the BJP had admitted, in front of the entire nation, of its role in the ‘conspiracy’ to topple the Ashok Gehlot government.

Coronavirus | Recoveries exceed active cases by 2.95 lakh, says Health Ministry

The Ministry said, “The last 24 hours saw 17,994 COVID-19 patients recovering. The recovery rate is now 63%.”

Coronavirus | Cases may peak in India as early as mid-September, says expert

Speaking to PTI , Prof. K. Srinath Reddy, president of Public Health Foundation of India, expressed concern over the microbe spreading with renewed vigour, as confirmed infections and deaths crossed 1 million and 25,000 respectively in India earlier this week.

Rajnath Singh visits forward posts in Kupwara

The Defence Minister’s visit comes amid the growing number of ceasefire violations along LoC by Pakistan and infiltration bids from across the LoC.

Vikas Dubey | U.P. government justifies use of earthmover during search at gangster’s house

Part of building collapsed while recovering weapons, it says in an affidavit submitted to the Supreme Court.

C.S. Seshadri, a leader of Indian mathematics, passes away in Chennai

A leader in the field of algebraic geometry, he made breakthroughs that lie at the base of many branches of this profound discipline.

India issues notice to Twitter after recent hack targeting high-profile users

India’s cybersecurity nodal agency CERT-In has issued a notice to Twitter asking the micro-blogging platform for full details of the recent global hack targeting high-profile users, as it sought complete information on number of Indian users affected as well as impact on data, a source said.

John Lewis, pioneer of civil rights movement and longtime U.S. Congressman, dies at 80

In this June 7, 2020 photo provided by the Executive Office of District of Columbia Mayor Muriel Bowser, John Lewis looks over a section of 16th Street that’s been renamed Black Lives Matter Plaza in Washington.

 

Using a cane, he walked with Washington, D.C., Mayor Muriel Bowser on a street by the White House that Mr. Bowser had just renamed Black Lives Matter Plaza, which had just been dedicated with a large yellow mural — large enough to be seen from space — reading “Black Lives Matter”.

HDFC Bank Q1 net profit up 19.6%, makes provisions of ₹3,891.5 crore

The bank’s net revenues (net interest income plus other income) grew to ₹ 19,740.7 crore from ₹ 18,264.5 for the same period last year.

Jofra Archer fined, warned for COVID-19 bio-secure protocol breach

Archer broke the rules by going to his flat in Brighton following the series opener in Southampton last week.