A look at the headlines right now:

  1. President Ram Nath Kovind signs bill providing upper caste reservations into law: The reservation will ‘enhance confidence of New India’, Narendra Modi said earlier in the day.
  2. Samajwadi Party and Bahujan Samaj Party to contest Lok Sabha elections together without Congress: The alliance will contest from 38 seats each and will leave two – the two held by Congress leaders Sonia and Rahul Gandhi. Mamata Banerjee was among politicians who welcomed the alliance, while the Congress and BJP were against it.
  3. No evidence of corruption against Alok Verma, says judge who supervised CVC inquiry: Former Supreme Court judge AK Patnaik said that the findings in the CVC inquiry report, on the basis of which Verma was removed, were not his.
  4. India has seen a lot of anger and division in the last five years, claims Rahul Gandhi: The Congress chief blamed the ‘mentality of the people in power’ for the growing divide in the country.
  5. Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Edappadi Palaniswami denies involvement in robbery at Jayalalithaa’s estate in 2017: The chief minister said stringent action will be taken against those who made a documentary alleging that he was in touch with one of the accused.
  6. UN human rights experts concerned about Uttar Pradesh encounters, call for investigation: The experts have sent detailed information to the Indian government about 15 such cases, but are reportedly yet to receive a response.
  7. Three Gujarat encounters of 17 were staged, says inquiry team; indicts nine officials: The panel headed by former Supreme Court Justice HS Bedi had submitted its final report to the top court in February 2018.
  8. NIA arrests man from Uttar Pradesh in connection with Islamic State terror module: The module was allegedly planning to carry out attacks targeting politicians and government buildings in New Delhi and other parts of North India.
  9. Four killed in explosion at a bakery in central Paris, over 30 injured: The police reportedly suspect the explosion was caused by a gas leak.
  10. Hardik Pandya, KL Rahul suspended with immediate effect after Koffee with Karan controversy, Pandya loses endorsement: The announcement came hours before the start of the first one-day international of a three-match series against Australia in Sydney.