A look at the headlines right now:

  1. National Security Act invoked against three people held for alleged cow slaughter in Bulandshahr: Hindutva organisations Bajrang Dal and Vishwa Hindu Parishad have put up posters that carry a photograph of local Bajrang Dal leader Yogesh Raj, who is accused of murdering a police inspector.
  2. Former student leaders Kanhaiya Kumar, Umar Khalid and others charged with sedition: Kumar said the filing of the charges before the Lok Sabha elections proves that it is a politically motivated move.
  3. M Nageswara Rao’s appointment as interim CBI chief challenged in Supreme Court: The petition, filed by NGO Common Cause, sought the quashing of the appointment order.
  4. Retail inflation declined to 2.19% in December – the lowest since June 2017, shows data: Wholesale price inflation eased to 3.80% in December, the lowest in eight months.
  5. SC issues notice to Centre on pleas against order allowing agencies to monitor computers: Two advocates had filed petitions seeking to quash the December 20 notification, calling it undemocratic.
  6. RJD will support SP-BSP alliance in Uttar Pradesh, says Tejashwi Yadav: Uttar Pradesh CM Adityanath claimed it will have no impact on Uttar Pradesh politics.
  7. Facebook asks moderators in India to track posts about Kashmir, deities, tricolour, says report: The moderators use 20 such markers to flag content for review, without users’ knowledge or without any input from authorities, The Indian Express reported.
  8. Writers pull out of lit fest to protest organisers’ silence on sexual harassment allegations against ex-director CP Surendran: Several women have accused the journalist of making sexually coloured remarks, suggestive comments and inappropriate touching.
  9. Trump bid to weaken Obamacare rules on contraception halted by judge: Women in 13 states as well as the District of Columbia will now continue to receive insurance coverage for birth control under Obama’s Affordable Care Act.
  10. Jadavpur University professor compares virgin girls to ‘sealed bottles’: Kanak Chandra Sarkar deleted the Facebook post but continued to defend it, citing the freedom of expression.