A look at the top headlines of the day:

  1. Gujarat MLA Jignesh Mevani re-arrested in Assam just after getting bail: He was first arrested on April 20 for a tweet describing Prime Minister Narendra Modi as a Godse worshipper.
  2. US panel on religious freedom flags India as ‘country of particular concern’ for third time in a row: Other countries recommended for this designation by the USCIRF in its annual report are Pakistan, China, Iran, North Korea, Russia, Saudi Arabia among others.
  3. Bombay High Court rejects MP Navneet Rana, husband MLA’s plea to quash FIR against them: The Mumbai Police had arrested the couple for threatening to recite the Hanuman Chalisa in front Maharashta Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray’s home.
  4. ‘Very disturbing state of affairs,’ says Delhi HC about vandalism outside Arvind Kejriwal’s home: The judges directed the Delhi Police commissioner to fix the responsibility for the ‘serious lapse’.
  5. Interfaith couple gets court protection after MP administration demolishes Muslim man’s home: ‘People wanted the house to be razed,’ Sub Divisional Magistrate Balbir Raman said.
  6. South Delhi Municipal Corporation to carry out month-long demolition drive, says mayor: Mukesh Suryan does not have the power to order such actions.
  7. India’s Covid numbers double in a week as 12 states report surge in cases: Between April 18 and April 24, India reported 15,700 fresh Covid-19 cases, an increase of 95% compared to the previous week.
  8. Tamil Nadu Assembly adopts Bill allowing state to appoint university vice chancellors: While Paattali Makkal Katchi supported the legislation, other Opposition parties such as the BJP and the AIADMK staged a walkout.
  9. Centre orders blocking of 16 YouTube news channels for spreading disinformation: These channels had a cumulative viewership of over 68 crore, the government said in a statement.
  10. Nine Pakistani citizens held with heroin worth Rs 280 crore off Gujarat coast: In another seizure, an importer was arrested for carrying 205.6 kg of heroin worth Rs 1,439 crore at Kandla port in the state.