A look at the headlines right now:

  1. Lok Sabha passes changes to UAPA to allow government to declare individuals as terrorists: Congress MPs Sonia Gandhi, Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury and Shashi Tharoor walked out of the House as they wanted the bill to be sent to a select committee.  
  2. Two BJP leaders vote in favour of Congress-led Kamal Nath government’s bill: MLAs Narayan Tripathi and Sharad Kaul voted for an amendment to the criminal procedure code in the state.  
  3. BS Yeddyurappa says he is waiting for BJP’s central leadership to ask him to form government in Karnataka: Meanwhile, HD Kumaraswamy remained vague on future of coalition with Congress, said priority was to develop JD(S).   
  4. Hafiz Saeed remanded to 14 more days in judicial custody: The alleged mastermind of the 2008 Mumbai terror attack was arrested on terror financing charges.  
  5. Derek O’Brien narrates personal sexual abuse trauma as Rajya Sabha passes amendments to POCSO Act: The bill will now be sent to the Lok Sabha.  
  6. Activists, filmmakers urge PM Modi to stop lynchings, say ‘Jai Shri Ram’ has become a war cry: In a letter to the prime minister, they said criticising lynching incidents was not enough and that the offence should be made non-bailable.  
  7. India moves up five places to 52nd in the Global Innovation Index for 2019: Switzerland has retained the first position, while China is placed at No 14.  
  8. Centre reconstitutes panel to tackle sexual harassment at workplace, Amit Shah to head it: The other members are ministers Nirmala Sitharaman, Ramesh Pokhriyal ‘Nishank’ and Smriti Irani.  
  9. Maoist violence reduced by 43% in last five years, Centre tells Rajya Sabha: Union Minister of State for Home G Kishan Reddy said that Left Wing Extremism had been reported in only 60 districts in 2018.  
  10. Salman Rushdie and Margaret Atwood lead 2019 Booker Prize longlist: Rushdie was nominated for ‘Quichotte’, and Atwood for ‘The Testaments’.