A look at the top headlines of the day:

  1. All women entitled to safe abortion, distinction based on marital status unconstitutional, says SC: The top court ruled that unmarried women who are pregnant from a consensual relationship are allowed to have abortions up to 24 weeks. The court also held that forceful pregnancy of a married woman can be treated as “marital rape” for the purpose of abortion.
  2. Ashok Gehlot pulls out of Congress presidential polls: The Rajasthan chief minister also took moral responsibility of the political crisis in the state. Till now, party leaders Digvijaya Singh and Shashi Tharoor have said they will contest the elections.
  3. Gautam Navlakha to be shifted to hospital, Supreme Court orders jail authorities: The court initially read an order allowing the activist to be put under house arrest, but revised it after Solicitor General Tushar Mehta opposed the judgement.
  4. Border situation moving towards being ‘normalised’, claims Chinese envoy to India: The countries have been locked in a standoff at the Line of Actual Control since their troops clashed in Galwan Valley in 2020.
  5. Canada cautions citizens against “terrorist attacks” in India, days after New Delhi’s advisory: Last week, India had asked its citizens to remain vigilant amid a “sharp increase in hate crimes and anti-India activities” in Canada.
  6. Personal Data Protection Bill to be introduced in Winter Session of Parliament, Centre informs SC: The Bill was withdrawn after the Joint Committee of Parliament had recommended 81 changes to it in August.
  7. Twitter withholds Popular Front of India’s account a day after government ban: The microblogging platform said the step was taken “in response to a legal demand”.
  8. Maharashtra allows CBI to prosecute Anil Deshmukh in corruption case: The former state home minister is currently under the custody of Enforcement Directorate on money laundering allegations.
  9. Nine missing after boat capsizes in Dhubri district of Assam: The boat was carrying district administrative officials and some residents to survey an erosion-hit area when it overturned.
  10. Six airbags mandatory in eight-seater cars from October 2023: The government had planned to make it compulsory this year itself, but deferred the decision due to supply constraints.