The big news: BJP takes early lead as counting starts for UP civic polls, and 9 other top stories
Other headlines: Eight people have been killed as Cyclone Ockhi battered Kerala and Tamil Nadu, and three militants opened fire at a Peshawar institute.
A look at the headlines right now:
- Counting under way for Uttar Pradesh civic body election: The Bharatiya Janata Party’s mayoral candidates were leading in 10 seats in the morning.
- Cyclone Ockhi kills eight in Tamil Nadu and Kerala, schools in seven districts shut on Friday: Fishermen have been asked to not venture into the sea even as 90 of them are still missing.
- Three militants open fire at Peshawar institute, several injuries reported: Another attack in Pakistan’s South Waziristan area killed five pro-government fighters.
- We are shiv bhakts but do not want to use religion for politics, says Rahul Gandhi: The Congress vice president also blamed the Bharatiya Janata Party for the controversy over his visit to Gujarat’s Somnath Temple earlier this week.
- Is creating a row the new way to sell films, parliamentary panel asks Bhansali: It questioned the director about screening ‘Padmavati’ before certification while censor board chief Prasoon Joshi said a board of historians was reviewing it.
- CBI clears accused in Kothkai rape and murder case of killing accomplice in jail: The injuries on Suraj Singh’s body were from a blunt, hard cylindrical object like a lathi, the CBI’s chargesheet said.
- Delhi’s lieutenant governor cannot arbitrate on the validity of state government’s decisions, says SC: The top court said the lieutenant governor could approach the president of India if he disagreed with a decision.
- Argentina Navy calls off mission to rescue 44 crew members on board its missing submarine: However, the hunt for a wreck on the seabed will continue.
- In 2016, maximum crimes against children took place in Uttar Pradesh, show NCRB data: Till 2015, the state was behind Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh when it came to crimes against children.
- United States Secretary of State Rex Tillerson to be forced out in a few months, say reports: The White House, however, only issued a statement that ‘there are no personnel announcements at this time’.