A look at the headlines right now:

  1. Second phase of voting concludes in Assam, Bengal amid chaos in Nandigram: As many as 77.21% of the voters polled in Assam, while 80.43% voting was recorded in West Bengal. Supporters of Trinamool Congress and Bharatiya Janata Party clashed at a booth in Nandigram in the presence of West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, who is contesting the seat against former aide Suvendu Adhikari.
  2. Pakistan defers decision to resume imports from India till abrogation of Article 370 is revoked: The decision was taken in a Cabinet meeting of the country, where Prime Minister Imran Khan was also present. On Wednesday, a top committee on commerce in Pakistan had given the green signal for importing sugar and cotton from India.
  3. As Bhubaneswar records hottest day in March, IMD says most of India to experience heatwaves early: Officials from the weather department said that several regions in east, central and northwest India were recording heatwaves much earlier than expected.
  4. Coronavirus vaccination drive to be carried out throughout April, including holidays, says Centre: The Centre directed all the states and Union Territories to make the necessary arrangements for inoculation.
  5. Actor Rajinikanth to receive Dadasaheb Phalke Award: Prime Minister Narendra Modi said it was a matter of immense joy that Rajinikanth was chosen for the award.
  6. NIA raids homes of activists in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana for alleged links to Maoists: The People’s Union for Civil Liberties said that the raids at homes of more than 25 activists and writers began on Wednesday afternoon and continued till the early hours of Thursday.
  7. DMK’s A Raja barred from campaigning for 48 hours after remarks against Tamil Nadu CM: The poll body said his remarks were obscene and “lowered the dignity of the motherhood of women”.
  8. Centre withdraws cut in interest rates on PPF, savings deposits, says order was issued by oversight: The Congress said that Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman did not have the “moral right” to continue as the finance minister.
  9. India condemns Myanmar violence at UN Security Council meeting; UN envoy warns of civil war: India’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations TS Tirumurti told the UN Security Council that the situation in Myanmar should be resolved peacefully and that the matter needs greater engagement.
  10. Karnataka HC allows inquiry into CM Yediyurappa in 2019 ‘Operation Lotus’ controversy: The Congress alleged that the collapse of its government in 2019 was orchestrated by the BJP, which used money and power to engineer defections.