A look at the headlines right now:

  1. Defence Ministry approves purchase of weapons including rifles, machine guns worth Rs 15,935 crore: The Defence Acquisition Council cleared the purchase of 5,719 sniper rifles for the Army and the Indian Air Force  
  2. Pakistan is still not taking action against militant groups, says US intel chief: Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats said Islamabad was avoiding to cooperate with America to take counter terrorism steps.
  3. YSR Congress MPs threaten to resign if Andhra Pradesh is not granted special category status: Party chief YS Jaganmohan Reddy said Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu had traded the special status for securing a ‘special economic package’.  
  4. Israel Police recommends bribery and fraud charges against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu: The police said they found sufficient evidence in a 14-month-long investigation into two cases.  
  5. Transwoman writes to President Kovind, seeks mercy killing after Air India allegedly refused her job: Shanavi Ponnusamy said that the airline told her its recruitment policy did not have a category for transgender people.  
  6. Aadhaar card may serve as an opportunity for those with no identity proof, says SC judge: Senior advocate Kapil Sibal, however, disagreed and said the Aadhaar Act’s intent is not to give anyone the benefit of an identity.  
  7. Court frames terror charges against Indian Mujahideen’s Yasin Bhatkal: Five cases had been filed in connection with the explosions that took place in Karol Bagh, Greater Kailash 1 and Barakhamba Road in Delhi in September 2008.
  8. UK court upholds arrest warrant against WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange again: England and Wales Chief Magistrate Emma Arbuthnot said he must have the courage to face the consequences of his choices.  
  9. Punjab technical education minister tosses a coin to decide lecturers’ appointments: Charanjit Singh Channa, however, said he did nothing wrong as the teachers were appointed on merit and in a transparent manner.  
  10. Only bikes with pollution clearance will be allowed during Amit Shah’s rally, Haryana tells NGT: One lakh motorcycles are expected from all over the state during the rally on February 15.