A look at the headlines right now:

  1. BJP and Janata Dal (United) announce equal seat sharing alliance in 2019 Lok Sabha elections in Bihar: Bharatiya Janata Party President Amit Shah said it would release details about the constituencies being allotted to alliance partners soon.
  2. Former Sri Lankan president Mahinda Rajapaksa sworn in as prime minister: President Maithripala Sirisena sacked Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe after withdrawing from the coalition government.  
  3. Congress protests across the country demanding CBI chief’s reinstatement, Rahul Gandhi courts arrest: The Supreme Court gave the vigilance body 14 days to finish inquiry into allegations against Alok Verma.
  4. At least eight killed in explosion at firecracker factory in Uttar Pradesh’s Badaun: Three others were wounded in the blast and their condition is said to be serious. 
  5. Activists Arun Ferreira, Vernon Gonsalves taken into custody after Pune court rejects bail plea in Bhima Koregaon case: The Bombay High Court granted activist Gautam Navlakha relief from arrest until November 1, but refused to grant the same to co-accused Anand Teltumbde.     
  6. Soldier dies after being injured in stone-pelting incident in Jammu and Kashmir’s Anantnag, says Army: Rajendra Singh was part of a team providing security to a Border Roads Organisation convoy.  
  7. At least 268 people have died of swine flu in state in 10 months, says Maharashtra health minister: Deepak Sawant said the state has set up guidelines to treat swine flu patients. 
  8. Kerala Police arrest 2,061 people for protests against women’s entry into Sabarimala temple, file 452 cases: The suspects are accused of attacking police officers, violating the Supreme Court order and vandalising government property.  
  9. Hafiz Saeed-led Jamaat-ud-Dawa, associate group no longer on the list of banned outfits in Pakistan: Saeed’s counsel told the Islamabad High Court that a presidential ordinance that put the groups under banned outfits had lapsed.  
  10. Pakistani lawyer Asma Jahangir wins United Nations Human Rights Prize posthumously: Tanzanian activist Rebeca Gyumi, Brazilian activist Joênia Wapichana and human rights organisation FrontLine Defenders were the other recipients.