A look at the headlines right now:

  1. Rahul Gandhi challenges Narendra Modi to one-on-one debate on Rafale deal: The Congress president claimed that the prime minister had ‘changed the contract and made a new contract to help his friend Anil Ambani’.   
  2. Strike begins in Kerala to protest against entry of two women to Sabarimala temple: The Bharatiya Janata Party has called for a two-day protest in the state, while the United Democratic Front is observing a ‘black day’.
  3. Lok Sabha speaker suspends 24 AIADMK members for obstructing House proceedings: The legislators were protesting in the Lower House against the construction of a dam over the Cauvery river.   
  4. VHP asks Modi not to wait for SC judgement, introduce ordinance on Ram temple immediately: The Hindutva organisation said there is very little chance the Supreme Court will pass a verdict on the matter on Friday.   
  5. Consensual sex between live-in partners is not rape if the man fails to marry woman, says SC: The top court rejected a first information report filed by a Maharashtra-based nurse against a doctor, who had been in a live-in relationship.
  6. Madras High Court asks Income Tax Department to share data of Jayalalithaa’s assets: A petition claimed that there was a discrepancy between the deceased’s actual and declared assets.   
  7. Bangladeshi journalist arrested for allegedly publishing false information on national poll results: While Hedait Hossain Molla of Dhaka Tribune has been sent on three-day remand, Manab Zamin’s reporter Rashidul Islam is said to be on the run.
  8. Cabinet approves setting up of high-level committee to implement Clause 6 of Assam Accord: The clause mandates the Centre to enact measures to preserve and promote cultural, social, linguistic identity and heritage of the state’s indigenous groups.   
  9. Sachin Tendulkar’s childhood coach Ramakant Achrekar dies at 87: Apart from Tendulkar, former India players Ajit Agarkar, Chandrakant Pandit, Vinod Kambli and Pravin Amre also trained under him.   
  10. At least six killed in Denmark train accident, efforts to rescue passengers hindered by storm: Banedanmark, which maintains and controls rail network traffic, said the train was heading towards Copenhagen.