A look at the headlines right now:

  1. 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.
  2. 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.
  3. 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”.
  4. 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.
  5. 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.
  6. 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.
  7. 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.
  8. 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”.
  9. 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.
  10. 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.