A look at the headlines right now:

  1. Rajasthan slashes VAT on petrol by Rs 4 and on diesel by Rs 5: The new prices will be effective from Tuesday midnight, Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot said in a tweet. He added that the decision would result in an annual loss of Rs 3,500 crore in revenues for the state government.
  2. West Bengal Assembly passes resolution against Centre’s extension of BSF jurisdiction in state:  Last month, the Border Security Force’s jurisdiction in West Bengal, Punjab and Assam had been extended to 50 km from the international border.
  3. Covishield recipients no longer allowed in restaurants, theatres in Austria: Those vaccinated with Covishield, Sinopharm and Sinovac would be allowed entry into the country but not its public spaces, the Austrian government said.
  4. ‘BJP’s desperation to please voters,’ says Sitaram Yechury on Purvanchal Expressway unveiling: On Tuesday morning, Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the 341 kilometres-long Purvanchal Expressway built at a cost of Rs 22,500 crores.
  5. Xi Jinping warns Joe Biden against encouraging independence of Taiwan: The United States opposed China’s ‘unilateral efforts’ to disturb peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait.
  6. Assam and Meghalaya say they will settle border disputes in six areas by end of the year: Seven districts of northern and western Assam share their borders with Meghalaya. At least 12 points along these borders are disputed.
  7. Kartarpur corridor  to reopen on Wednesday ahead of Gurpurab: The decision came after several leaders from Punjab requested Prime Minister Narendra Modi to reopen the corridor.
  8. Nine booked for allegedly converting tribal Hindus to Islam in Gujarat’s Bharuch: One of the accused, identified as Fefdawala Haji Abdul, is currently residing in London.
  9. United States asks its citizens not to travel to India-Pakistan border: The country has asked its citizens to exercise increased caution in India, citing crime and terrorism.
  10. Heavy rains likely in Chennai, three other districts of Tamil Nadu on Thursday, IMD issues red alert: The weather department noted that a low-pressure area over Bay of Bengal is likely to move westwards and reach Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu.