NDTV TOP STORIES
1. Congress MP Shashi Tharoor is cleared by a Delhi court on Wednesday of charges linked to the death of his wife Sunanda Pushkar in 2014. Sunanda Pushkar, 51, was found dead in a suite of a luxury hotel in Delhi on the night of January 17, 2014. She had moved into the hotel because the MP's home was being renovated. Shashi Tharoor was charged with abetment to suicide and cruelty by the Delhi Police. 2. The Central Bureau of Investigation should be an autonomous body reporting only to parliament, the Madras High Court says on Tuesday. Batting for the autonomy and independence of the central agency, which according to the opposition has become a political tool in the hands of the BJP-led Central government, the court said: "The CBI should have autonomy as that of the Comptroller and Auditor General of India, who is only accountable to Parliament." 3. Justice BV Nagarathna is in line to become the first woman Chief Justice of India in 2027. Led by Chief Justice NV Ramana, the Supreme Court Collegium has recommended the names of nine judges for the elevation to the top court. Justice BV Nagarathna, who is presently a judge with the Karnataka High Court, has also been recommended by the Collegium. She was appointed as an Additional Judge of the High Court of Karnataka in 2008 and as a permanent judge nearly two years later. 4. India reports a single-day rise of 35,178 new COVID-19 cases on Wednesday, nearly 40 per cent higher than yesterday's 25,166 cases. Besides, 440 new fatalities have taken the COVID-related death count to 4,32,519, according to the health ministry's morning update. 5. As Maharashtra takes measured steps to unlock amid fears over Delta variant, malls across the state have decided to shut down again over the requirement of fully vaccinated staff. The Shopping Centres Association of India, however, has urged the Uddhav Thackeray government to consider opening the malls if the staff has "received one dose". 6. The Taliban's co-founder returns to Afghanistan Tuesday following the group's stunning takeover of the country, as a top spokesman insisted the insurgents will not seek "revenge" and declared a general amnesty.
