A look at the headlines right now:

  1. IAF doesn’t calculate casualty numbers, Centre will clarify on air strikes, says Air chief marshal: Narendra Modi said in Jamnagar that if the IAF had Rafale aircraft, none of India’s fighter jets would have been shot down. Meanwhile, the Aam Aadmi Party and the Congress accused BJP President Amit Shah of lying about the number of terrorists killed in the attack.
  2. Former Biju Janata Dal leader Jay Panda joins BJP: Panda had resigned from the Biju Janata Dal on May 28 last year.  
  3. ‘PM lied out of habit,’ says Rahul Gandhi on Narendra Modi’s remarks in Amethi: Modi had accused previous governments of neglecting armed forces and attacked the United Progressive Alliance government on stalling the Rafale deal.  
  4. Indian Air Force jet shoots down Pakistani drone near international border in Rajasthan, says report: The Pakistani aircraft reportedly violated Indian airspace around 11.30 am.  
  5. Pakistan won’t hesitate to use nuclear weapons if it is losing a conventional war, says Amarinder Singh: Congress leader Navjot Singh Sidhu asked if air strikes were ‘poll gimmick’. 
  6. Samjhauta Express train service between India and Pakistan restored: On Monday morning, the Samjhauta Express carrying nearly 150 passengers left Lahore railway station for India.  
  7. Despite banning Jamaat-ud-Dawa, Pakistan now lists it and charity group as being ‘under watch: The two organisations were banned last month after a meeting of the country’s National Security Team.
  8. Air pollution from crop burning costs North India over $30 billion annually, finds study: The study by a research body found that the burning of crop residue increases the risk of acute respiratory infection three times.
  9. Rebel Karnataka Congress MLA Umesh Jadhav resigns, likely to join BJP: Jadhav’s brother said the MLA will contest from Mallikarjun Kharge’s constituency in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.  
  10. ‘Why hasn’t a single Rafale jet been inducted into the IAF during Modi’s rule?’ asks Mayawati: The Bahujan Samaj Party chief criticised Modi for claiming that the fighter aircraft would have made a difference in the dogfight with Pakistan.