A look at the headlines right now:

  1. Rahul Gandhi calls Narendra Modi ‘insecure dictator’ over government order on monitoring of computers: Opposition leaders described the order as ‘worrisome’, ‘unconstitutional’ and ‘dangerous’.
  2. Calcutta High Court quashes single-bench order allowing BJP to hold public rallies in West Bengal: The TMC government had refused permission for the rallies citing intelligence reports that purportedly warned of possible communal violence. 
  3. Naseeruddin Shah defends comment on importance given to cows: The actor’s statement that the death of a cow is being given more importance than a human in India had triggered a debate on social media.
  4. All 22 accused in Sohrabuddin Sheikh encounter acquitted due to lack of evidence: CBI Judge SJ Sharma said the witnesses and the evidence collected in the case were not enough to prove conspiracy and murder.  
  5. Madras High Court restrains Vedanta from reopening Thoothukudi plant for a month: Protests had erupted after the National Green Tribunal last week set aside a Tamil Nadu government order to close the plant.  
  6. Delhi High Court orders immediate release of 1995 ‘tandoor’ murder case convict Sushil Sharma: The court was hearing Sharma’s petition seeking release after having spent over 20 years in jail.  
  7. Jharkhand court sentences eight convicts to life in Latehar lynching case: The court also ordered the convicts to pay Rs 25,000 each.  
  8. UN asks Twitter CEO to explain action against users sharing Kashmir-related content: Special Rapporteur David Kaye said India has expanded the scope of its censorship ‘at the expense of individual rights to freedom of expression’.  
  9. Publishers of Congress-linked National Herald newspaper told to vacate office building in two weeks: The Delhi High Court said if the newspaper failed to follow its order, action under Public Premise Act could be initiated.  
  10. New Delhi records coldest day in four years on Thursday as temperature dips to 4 degrees Celsius: The minimum temperature on Friday was 4.7 degrees Celsius, three degrees below normal.