A look at the headlines right now:

  1. Three suspected militants, police officer and Army jawan killed in gunfight in Kulgam: The militants are said to be members of the Jaish-e-Mohammed.
  2. GST Council reduces tax rate on under-construction residential properties: Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said a decision on revising tax rates on lotteries will be taken at another council meeting.
  3. Arunachal Pradesh government decides to take no further action on permanent residents matter after protests: A mob burned down the deputy CM’s home in Itanagar. The protests were against the state’s move to provide permanent resident certificates to six tribal communities.
  4. Protests break out in Chitrakoot, Madhya Pradesh, after kidnapped twins are found dead in a river: Six people have been arrested.
  5. Narendra Modi launches income support scheme to benefit 12 crore farmers: The scheme, announced in the Interim Budget on February 1, will cost the government Rs 75,000 crore in 2019-’20.
  6. J&K police launch massive crackdown on separatist leaders, around 150 detained: There was a shutdown in parts of the Valley. Governor Satya Pal Malik asked people not to believe in rumours, and said additional forces were deployed only for elections.
  7. Nine arrested by Bengaluru Police in connection with Karachi Bakery harassment: The men claimed they were social workers.
  8. Toll in Assam spurious liquor consumption case rises to 124, over 300 in hospital: Assam minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said the toll and the number of people admitted to medical facilities is ‘changing minute to minute’.
  9. Saudi Arabia’s new ambassador to the US is its first-ever woman envoy: Princess Reema bint Bandar al-Saud is the daughter of a former envoy to the United States.
  10. Pakistani MP meets Narendra Modi and Sushma Swaraj, offers to mediate between countries: Ramesh Kumar Vankwani said he had assured the Indian leaders that Islamabad was not involved in the February 14 attack in Pulwama.