A look at the headlines right now:

  1. Adityanath’s government likely to announce a Ram statue in Ayodhya on Diwali: BJP General Secretary Ram Madhav said that RSS and religious leaders were pressing for an ordinance on the Ram temple construction.
  2. Prohibitory orders imposed in four areas near Sabarimala temple ahead of its reopening: Officials said a significantly larger number of police personnel will be deployed to the site to avoid any incidents of violence.  
  3. Zika strains in Jaipur do not have mutations linked to fetal microcephaly, says health ministry: The government said 159 Zika cases have been confirmed in Rajasthan so far.  
  4. Concerned over politicisation of human rights as foreign policy tool, India says at UN: India’s Deputy Permanent Representative to the UN said the work of the Human Rights Council is getting more contentious.
  5. Some Opposition leaders are ‘lying machines who fire off lies like AK-47’, says Narendra Modi: While the BJP is working to change India’s destiny, Opposition parties are joining hands to protect their dynasties, the prime minister claimed.
  6. North Korea warns of resuming its nuclear weapons policy if US fails to lift sanctions: Pyongyang said it was considering resuming “pyongjin”, its policy of advancing its nuclear weapons programme and economic development.
  7. Delhi BJP leader files criminal defamation complaint against Shashi Tharoor for ‘Shivling’ remark: The Congress legislator called the case frivolous and hoped the court would dismiss it.  
  8. MJ Akbar’s latest accuser stands by her rape claims after he said it was a ‘consensual relationship’: Journalist Pallavi Gogoi criticised the BJP leader for failing to ‘take responsibility for his abuse’ of her and other women.
  9. Defence analyst Abhijit Iyer-Mitra submits affidavit to Odisha Assembly committee: The panel will submit its report to Speaker Pradip Kumar Amat in the next Assembly session, said its Chairperson Narasingha Mishra.
  10. Lawyer of woman acquitted in blasphemy case flees Pakistan: The demonstrations against Asia Bibi’s acquittal were called off late on Friday after the protestors reached an agreement with the government.