A look at the headlines right now:

  1. UK’s fast-spreading coronavirus variant not seen in India yet, says Centre: It also issued SOP for UK fliers, separate isolation for those with new virus strain. The WHO, meanwhile, said that the new strain is not out of control, may be present in many countries. BioNTech said it can adapt its coronavirus vaccine in six weeks to tackle the new variant.
  2. In Jammu and Kashmir DDC elections, Farooq Abdullah’s Gupkar Alliance takes big lead over BJP: Under NIA custody, Gupkar Alliance candidate Waheed Parra won his first election. However, BJP’s Aijaz Hussain won from Khonmoh-II in party’s first success in Kashmir.
  3. After 28 years, court finds priest, nun guilty of murder in Sister Abhaya case: She was found dead in a well in the St Pius X Convent in Kottayam on March 27, 1992, at the age of 18.
  4. Air pollution killed 16.7 lakh Indians, led to 1.4% GDP loss in 2019, shows Lancet study: Delhi had the highest per-capita economic loss due to air pollution, followed by Haryana last year.
  5. Politics can wait, but India’s development cannot, says PM Modi at Aligarh Muslim University event: At the centenary year celebrations, the prime minister said Indians, irrespective of their religion, will get equal opportunities to fulfill their dreams.
  6. Cricketer Suresh Raina, 33 others charged for violating coronavirus norms at Mumbai pub: The Dragonfly Pub near the Mumbai airport was open beyond the permissible time limit.
  7. ‘Will BJP leaders quit if they fail to win 200 seats,’ asks Prashant Kishor: On Monday, the Trinamool Congress’ poll strategist had said he would quit Twitter if BJP crosses ‘double digits’ in terms of number of seats in West Bengal.
  8. Former bureaucrats criticise Centre for building new Parliament amid pandemic: The former officers said the since the beginning, the ambitious Central Vista project was marked by ‘executive highhandedness rarely witnessed before’.
  9. Possession of skin of dead cattle not an offence, says Bombay HC: The court was hearing a plea seeking quashing of an FIR in which a van driver was charged under the anti-cow slaughter law for carrying skins of cow species.
  10. In Madhya Pradesh, Congress ‘elects’ BJP leader to general secretary post: Harshit Singhai had quit the Congress in March, when several party MLAs and workers left with Jyotiraditya Scindia to join the BJP.