A look at the headlines right now:

  1. Alok Verma removed as CBI director after selection committee’s meeting, say reports: The move was announced a day after Verma issued more transfer orders, and Rahul Gandhi asked why Narendra Modi was in a hurry to sack the director.
  2. Upper-caste quota bill challenged in Supreme Court by Youth for Equality: The anti-reservation organisation said economic criterion cannot be the sole basis for providing quotas.
  3. Homosexuality and adultery will not be allowed in Army, says General Bipin Rawat: He also said talks with the Taliban were necessary to protect Indian interests in Afghanistan.
  4. Ayodhya hearing adjourned after judge recuses himself, new bench to be constituted: Justice UU Lalit recused himself after a lawyer pointed out that he had appeared as counsel in another Ram temple case. 
  5. Curfew imposed in parts of Guwahati’s East Police district after protests against the Citizenship Bill: Assam speaker says ‘hasty passage’ of legislation has hurt people of the state, and sedition case filed against activist Akhil Gogoi and academic Hiren Gohain.
  6. Mamata Banerjee says West Bengal won’t pay for Ayushman Bharat, asks Centre to fund health scheme: She asked why the state was expected to contribute 40% to the programme for which Prime Minister Narendra Modi was allegedly taking all the credit.
  7. Vinod Rai recommends two-ODI bans for Hardik and Rahul for ‘crass’ comments on Koffee With Karan: However, Committee of Administrators member Diana Edulji has referred the matter to the BCCI’s legal department.
  8. A thirty-six-year-old woman claims she offered prayers at the Sabarimala hill shrine: The police and the state government have not yet confirmed her entry into the temple.
  9. NCW sends notice to Rahul Gandhi for ‘misogynistic, offensive’ remarks against Nirmala Sitharaman: The Congress president drew flak on Wednesday when he said Prime Minister Narendra Modi had asked ‘a woman to defend him’ on the Rafale debate in Parliament.
  10. China promises to purchase ‘substantial amount’ of US goods as three-day trade talks end: World markets dipped as there was no clarity on when the trade war between the two countries would end.