A look at the biggest headlines right now:

  1. India bought Pegasus spyware from Israel in 2017, states a report from The New York Times: Opposition criticises Centre, says Modi government has committed treason.
  2. SBI suspends rule on recruiting pregnant women after facing criticism: The Delhi Commission for Women had asked the bank to withdraw the ‘discriminatory’ rule which said that pregnant women were ‘temporarily unfit’.
  3. Police officer shot dead by suspected militants in Jammu and Kashmir’s Anantnag district: Head Constable Ali Mohammad Ganie was killed near his home.
  4. Kerala High Court orders sexual assault case accused, actor Dileep, to submit his mobile phone by Monday: He is facing trial in a case related to alleged conspiracy of killing an officer investigating the 2017 sexual assault case against him.
  5. Covid-19 cases may be declining, but no country out of the woods yet, says WHO: The health body said that nations must focus on reducing transmission and increasing vaccine coverage.
  6. Schools and colleges in Karnataka to reopen from January 31, night curfew to be lifted: From Monday, hotels, restaurants and bars will be allowed to function with full capacity.
  7. India is a robust democracy, needs no certificate, says MEA after Hamid Ansari’s remarks: The former vice president had expressed concerns about the human rights situation in India during a virtual panel discussion on Wednesday.
  8. Tamil Nadu government not co-operating with inquiry in Thanjavur suicide case, alleges NCPCR: The child’s rights body said its team led by chairperson Priyank Kanoongo will visit Thanjavur on January 30 and 31.
  9. BJP accounted of 69.37% of total assets declared by national political parties in 2019-2020, says Association for Democratic Reforms report: The saffron party declared assets worth Rs 4,847.78 crore, followed by the Bahujan Samaj Party (Rs 698.33 crore) and the Congress (Rs 588.16 crore).
  10. India logs 2.35 lakh new Covid-19 cases, 613 deaths in past day: The positivity rate dropped to 13.39%.