A look at the headlines right now:

  1. Report lowering India’s status to ‘partly free’ under Modi is ‘misleading’, says Centre: India lost its status as ‘free’ in Freedom House’s 2021 report.
  2. In West Bengal elections, Mamata Banerjee to contest from Nandigram constituency: Nandigram is the stronghold of Suvendu Adhikari, one of the top leaders of the Trinamool Congress who switched sides to join the Bharatiya Janata Party.
  3. How was Delhi violence chargesheet leaked to media before we took cognisance? HC asks police: Justice Mukta Gupta asked the Delhi police commissioner to file an affidavit revealing the identity of the person responsible for leaking the information.
  4. In ‘Tandav’ row, SC stays arrest of Amazon Prime India head Aparna Purohit: The court also said the Centre’s new rules to regulate OTT platforms ‘lacked teeth’.
  5. ED summons Mehbooba Mufti for questioning in alleged money laundering case on March 15: The Peoples Democratic Party chief has been asked to appear at the ED headquarters in Delhi.
  6. For Assam polls, BJP releases list of 70 candidates, CM Sarbananda Sonowal to contest from Majuli: BJP has allotted 26 seats for Asom Gana Parishad and eight for United People’s Party Liberal. Meanwhile, AIADMK released first list of candidates for Tamil Nadu elections, CM to contest from Edappadi seat.
  7. In Kerala gold smuggling case, CM and three ministers were involved and received ‘kickbacks’, Customs tells HC: The Customs Department chief filed an affidavit in court, citing statements from prime accused Swapna Suresh.
  8. Owner of explosives-filled car abandoned near Mukesh Ambani’s home found dead: Mansukh Hiren’s body was recovered from a creek near Mumbai on Friday.
  9. Farmers’ protest is India’s ‘internal issue’, says UK ahead of debate in its Parliament on March 8: British MPs will will debate on press freedom and safety of protesters in India after an online petition became eligible for the discussion.
  10. Oil prices rise as OPEC keeps output unchanged, Saudi asks India to use ‘cheap’ stock bought in 2020: India had on Thursday urged OPEC and its allies to fulfill their promise of stabilising crude oil markets by increasing output.