A look at the headlines right now:

  1. ‘Arvind Kejriwal lies and Manohar Lal Khattar thrashes,’ says Punjab CM: Meanwhile, a plea in SC sought the removal of the protesting farmers from Delhi borders; and the Editors Guild asked media houses not to label protesting farmers as ‘Khalistanis and anti-nationals’.
  2. BJP pips Owaisi’s AIMIM to second spot, TRS emerges single-largest party in Hyderabad civic polls: The Telangana Rashtra Samithi has won 56 seats so far, and none of the parties are placed to achieve the majority mark.
  3. Experts believe India will have a coronavirus vaccine in few weeks, says PM Modi at all-party meet: The prime minister said that frontline healthcare workers and those with co-morbidities would be given priority during the vaccination process.
  4. India summons Canadian envoy over Justin Trudeau’s ‘unacceptable’ comments: The foreign ministry said that the comments made by Trudeau and other Canadian ministers and members of Parliament, ‘legitimise extremist activism’.
  5. Stan Swamy files 3 new pleas seeking his bag, copy of hard disk and direction against jail transfer: Swamy’s lawyer on Friday confirmed to the court that he has received a straw, sipper and winter clothes.
  6. BJP suffers setback as ruling MVA coalition wins four of six seats in Maharashtra Legislative Council: BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis said they ‘miscalculated the combined power’ of the Maha Vikas Aghadi government.
  7. Over 50% total turnout recorded in third phase of Jammu and Kashmir’s DDC polls; candidate shot at in Anantnag: The highest turnout of 75.20% was recorded in Reasi, and the lowest of 10.87% was in Pulwama.  
  8. Former Jammu and Kashmir interlocutor Dineshwar Sharma dies at 66: At the time of his death, Sharma held the office of the Administrator of Union Territory Lakshadweep.
  9. RBI keeps repo rate unchanged at 4%, revises GDP growth forecast from -9.5% to -7.5%: The reverse repo rate was also unchanged at 3.35%.
  10. UN body reclassifies cannabis from list of ‘deadly, addictive’ opioids: Reports said that India is among the 27 countries who voted in favour of removing Cannabis from Schedule IV of the 1961 Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs.