A look at the headlines right now:

  1. China tells Pakistan it is observing Kashmir situation, India reiterates that it is an internal matter: Chinese President Xi Jinping reportedly told Pakistan’s Imran Khan that ‘relevant parties’ can solve the Kashmir problem through peaceful dialogue.
  2. Sedition case against 49 celebrities is ‘maliciously false’, will be closed, says Bihar Police: The police also said that the complainant, Sudhir Ojha, will be charged for filing frivolous complaints.  
  3. ‘Congress needs introspection, some correctives,’ says party general secretary Jyotiraditya Scindia: Scindia said the party’s situation should be assessed and improved.
  4. Turkey launches military offensive against Kurdish groups and Islamic State in Syria: A spokesperson for the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces claimed that Turkish warplanes had begun carrying out attacks in Syria’s civilian areas.  
  5. Coal India fourth worst polluter among state-owned companies since 1965, finds global study: Just 20 fossil fuel companies have accounted for 35% of all carbon emissions in the world in this period, the study showed.
  6. Dearness allowance for central government employees and pensioners hiked from 12% to 17%: The government said the allowance was raised to compensate for the rise in prices. The Cabinet also approved a rehabilitation package for PoK families that initially settled outside J&K.
  7. Congress to boycott J&K Block Development Council elections: The party said this was in view of the ‘indifferent’ attitude of the state administration and detention of senior party leaders in the Valley. Activist Shehla Rashid quit electoral politics, saying she could not legitimise ‘brutal suppression’.
  8. Southwest monsoon has begun its retreat after longest-recorded delay, says weather department: The weather department added that conditions are favourable for the withdrawal of the monsoon from some more parts of northwest India over the next two days.
  9. In Haryana election rally, Amit Shah says all illegal migrants will be evicted before next General Elections: The Union home minister criticised the Congress’ stance on Article 370 and the shastra puja performed by Rajnath Singh on the Rafale jet in France.
  10. Nobel Prize in Chemistry awarded to US and Japanese researchers for developing lithium-ion batteries: Scientists John B Goodenough, M Stanley Whittingham and Akira Yoshino have won the prize, said the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences.