A look at the headlines right now:
- India, US to sign defence deal during ‘2+2 dialogue’ to exchange sensitive data, military hardware: US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Defence Secretary Mark Esper will hold the ministerial-level talks with their Indian counterparts S Jaishankar and Rajnath Singh on Tuesday.
- Oxford’s Covid-19 vaccine is producing immune response in old and young adults, says UK firm: AstraZeneca said the vaccine also triggered lower adverse responses among the elderly.
- Three PDP leaders quit Mehbooba Mufti’s party, say her comments ‘hurt patriotic sentiments’: In a letter to the party chief, the leaders said they were “feeling quite uncomfortable some of her actions and undesirable utterances especially which hurt patriotic sentiments”.
- Uttar Pradesh’s law on cow slaughter being misused against the innocent, says Allahabad HC: The High Court said that in several cases the accused continue to languish in jail for an offence that may not have been committed at all.
- BJP wins Ladakh hill council polls, secures 15 of 26 seats: The Congress has won in nine constituencies, while Independent candidates have secured two seats.
- Tejashwi Yadav raises inflation in campaign for Bihar polls; Paswan says jail ‘right place’ for Nitish Kumar: The Bharatiya Janata Party, meanwhile, highlighted national security measures and construction of a Ram temple to garner support.
- SC suspends committee to monitor stubble burning after Centre promises to create new law for pollution: The top court had appointed retired Supreme Court judge Madan B Lokur as the head of the committee.
- Delhi doctors go on mass leave over pending salaries, warn of indefinite strike: The Indian Medical Association said healthcare workers are a national asset and their “humiliation by denying” them legitimate salaries was nothing but “state-sponsored violence”.
- Editors Guild asks Republic TV to be responsible, urges Mumbai Police not to victimise journalists: It added that the police must ensure the investigation does not become a tool to suppress media rights.
- India’s case fatality rate at 1.50% – lowest since March 22, says health ministry: India’s coronavirus count rose to 79,09,959 on Monday and the toll reached 1,19,014. Globally, the coronavirus has infected more than 4.29 crore people and killed 11,52,978.
