A look at the headlines right now:

  1. Sex with minor wife is rape, says Supreme Court: The court read down an exception to the law that protected a man from having sex with his underage wife.  
  2. Narendra Modi’s new Economic Advisory Council to hold its first meeting today: The panel was formed after the government’s GST and demonetisation drive drew widespread criticism and were blamed for India’s economic slowdown.  
  3. Child and adolescent obesity has increased ten-fold across the globe, says WHO report: India had more than half of the world’s underweight children in 2016.  
  4. Two Air Force personnel, two militants killed in Bandipora encounter: The incident occurred when security officials surrounded Paribal village in Hajin area after intelligence inputs said militants were hiding in the area. 
  5. No firecracker shops allowed in Maharashtra’s residential areas, says Bombay High Court: The bench rejected two petitions filed by firecracker associations in Mumbai.
  6. Catalonia signs and suspends declaration of independence, says it’s time for dialogue to ease tension: The Spanish deputy prime minister, however, dismissed the Catalan’s leader’s call for talks.  
  7. North Korean hackers stole US-South Korea war plans, says Seoul lawmaker: Rhee Cheol-hee said the hackers broke into the South’s military network in September 2016 and gained access to 235 GB of sensitive data.
  8. IMF reduces India’s GDP growth forecast to 6.7% for 2017-’18: The international organisation said demonetisation and the uncertainty around GST have slowed down the pace. 
  9. Doctors are not bound by the living will of a patient seeking euthanasia, Centre tells SC: The government also told the court that it had prepared a draft Bill on withdrawal of medical support to terminally-ill patients.
  10. Four men in police uniform allegedly rape schoolgirl in Odisha’s Koraput district: Villagers blocked National Highway-26 near Kunduli to demand the arrest of the accused.