A look at the headlines right now:

  1. Serum Institute enters into deal with foreign firms to develop Covid-19 treatment for patients: Meanwhile, covaxin, the coronavirus vaccine being developed by Bharat Biotech in collaboration with the Indian Council of Medical Research, has been given the go-ahead for Phase 3 of clinical trials.
  2. BJP promises free coronavirus vaccination, 19 lakh jobs in its manifesto for Bihar polls: Opposition targeted BJP for its ‘free Covid vaccine’ promise in Bihar and called it shameless, blatant populism. However, soon after, Tamil Nadu and Madhya Pradesh say they will provide free coronavirus vaccine once it’s ready.
  3. Delhi violence-accused Umar Khalid tells court he is not being allowed to step out of his cell: He told the judge that when he complained to the jail superintendent, he was allowed to step out of his cell for 10 minutes only. Meanwhile, a Delhi court dismissed three bail pleas filed by suspended AAP councillor Tahir Hussain.
  4. Editors Guild, Press Club of India condemn sealing of offices of the ‘Kashmir Times’: Global press bodies told Modi to stop harassment of journalists and drop sedition cases against them.
  5. Lawyer files complaint against Kangana Ranaut for ‘malicious’ tweet about judiciary: The complainant said the actor had ‘no respect for varied communities of India, law of the land and authorised government bodies’.
  6. CBI interferes with cases being probed by state police, says Sanjay Raut on revoking general consent: Maharashtra Home Minister Anil Deshmukh said the CBI should not be used for political purposes.
  7. Centre restores all existing visas, barring electronic, tourist and medical categories: Meanwhile, Bihar Deputy CM Sushil Kumar Modi tested positive on Thursday, and doctors and paramedics from three hospitals protested in Delhi over pending salaries. China defended its R&D facilities after Brazil refuses to buy its vaccine, while a volunteer for AstraZeneca vaccine in Brazil died. But the trial is set to continue.
  8. Journalist Prashant Kanojia, arrested for allegedly sharing morphed post on Ram temple, gets bail: Kanojia was arrested in August and charged for promoting enmity between two or more communities.
  9. NCW chief files complaint with Twitter, claims account was hacked after controversial posts go viral: Rekha Sharma’s old tweets were dug out by users after her meeting with Maharashtra governor on Tuesday to discuss ‘rise in love jihad cases’.
  10. In Paris beheading case, France to prosecute two teenagers for pointing out teacher to killer: Anti-terror prosecutor Jean-Francois Ricard said the killer had paid the two teenagers to identify the teacher.