A look at the headlines right now:

  1. Supreme Court says preliminary inquiry ‘not a must’ for complaints filed under the SC/ST Act: However, the top court refused to issue an interim stay on its March 20 order prohibiting the arrest of a public servant without investigation.   
  2. Over 100 dead, dozens injured as squalls, sandstorms hit parts of North India: Several houses collapsed, and many electricity poles and trees were uprooted in Rajasthan.   
  3. Siddaramaiah government is in sleep mode, says Modi in Ballari: He accused the Congress government of burdening Karnataka with debts, and not spending the funds that the Centre had allocated for the state’s development.    
  4. Retired judge files SC plea against Centre’s decision to reject KM Joseph’s elevation to top court: On Wednesday, the Supreme Court collegium had deferred its decision on reiterating Joseph’s appointment.   
  5. 27 killed as bus overturns, catches fire in Motihari district of Bihar: The vehicle, carrying 32 passengers, was headed to Delhi.   
  6. Trump admits his lawyer paid adult movie star before 2016 polls, but denies campaign money was used: The US president’s admission came after his legal aide Rudy Giuliani said that the president had personally repaid his attorney.
  7. ‘If government can’t earmark 3 hours, it should not give us awards’, say artistes on National Film Awards row: Nearly 70 recipients have reportedly skipped the ceremony at Vigyan Bhawan in New Delhi.     
  8. During MH370 search, two shipwrecks identified as 19th century merchant vessels: One of the ships probably sank due to an explosion on board, an official at the Western Australian Museum said.  
  9. ‘I will never make a personal attack on the PM, but I can ask him questions,’ says Rahul Gandhi: The Congress president, who addressed a rally in Bidar district, said Narendra Modi resortsed to character assassination when he was desperate.   
  10. Death of official in Kasauli caused by non-implementation of law, says Supreme Court: The court sought a status report on the inquiry into the killing, and scheduled the next hearing for May 9.