A look at the headlines right now:
- Jaish-e-Mohammed operational commander among three militants killed in gun fight in Pulwama: India on Monday suspended the Srinagar-Muzaffarabad bus service and cross-LoC trade, while Pakistan recalled its India envoy for consultations. Navjot Singh Sidhu told the BJP it had released Jaish chief Masood Azhar 20 years ago, while Amit Shah claimed the BJP government has a zero tolerance policy for terrorism and Mamata Banerjee accused the Centre of wanting to act against Pakistan only when elections are close.
- BJP and Shiv Sena announce alliance for Lok Sabha and Assembly polls: The announcement comes months after the Uddhav Thackeray-led party ruled out an alliance with the BJP.
- India closes arguments for day 1 in Kulbhushan Jadhav case at ICJ, seeks naval officer’s release: India’s counsel Harish Salve said that Pakistan has ignored 13 reminders on allowing consular access to Jadhav.
- RBI decides to pay Centre interim dividend of Rs 28,000 crore: Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, who attended the meeting, outlined the government’s policies over the last four years.
- Supreme Court sets aside NGT order allowing Thoothukudi Sterlite plant to reopen: The top court said the Tamil Nadu government and Vedanta, which owns the plant, to approach the Madras High Court.
- Delhi HC dismisses plea filed by Manipur student leader booked for sedition: The judge observed that prima facie it appears that Veewon Thokchom’s social media post was an attempt to ‘incite disaffection towards the government’.
- Former Maldives President Abdulla Yameen detained in money laundering case: Government prosecutors told the court in Male that the former president attempted to bribe a witness to change or retract a statement.
- Kamal Haasan calls for plebiscite in Kashmir, later claims his words were taken out of context: The actor and politician also referred to Pakistan-occupied Kashmir as ‘Azad Kashmir’ while speaking at an event in Chennai.
- Journalists such as Barkha Dutt and Abhisar Sharma allege online harassment: Some journalists and others such as Prashant Bhushan complained of receiving abusive messages as they offered to help Kashmiris who were being targeted.
- Pakistan will be a very important country in the future, says Saudi crown prince on Islamabad visit: Mohammad bin Salman and Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan signed seven agreements worth $20 billion.
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