A look at the headlines right now:

  1. PM Modi calls for four-day vaccination festival while states report coronavirus vaccine shortages: The prime minister rejected calls to start vaccinating younger people and said vaccinations needed to be prioritised according to available stock. India reported a record high of 1,26,789 new cases on Thursday. New Zealand temporarily suspended entry of travellers from India amid the surge. Meanwhile, over 79,000 children tested positive since March. The health ministry rejected request to vaccinate IIT, IIM students.
  2. Maoists release CRPF commando five days after Chhattisgarh encounter: Rakeshwar Singh Minhas had gone missing after an encounter between the security forces and the Maoists on April 3.
  3. UP court allows ASI to survey disputed site of Kashi Vishwanath Temple, Gyanvapi Mosque complex: A petitioner sought possession of the land on which the mosque stood, claiming Aurangzeb had pulled down a portion of the temple to build it.
  4. Indian authorities sat on evidence that millions of euros were paid to Rafale middleman, says Mediapart: Sushen Gupta, an accused in the VVIP chopper scam case, was paid several million euros over the 15 years leading up to the signing of the Rafale contract.
  5. CBI probe against Anil Deshmukh to continue, allegations against him are serious, rules SC: Meanwhile, BJP, Shiv Sena traded barbs after Sachin Vaze’s letter named Anil Deshmukh, Anil Parab in corruption allegations.
  6. In Sri Lanka, Mrs World Caroline Jurie arrested after chaos at beauty pageant: Jurie forcibly removed the crown of the 2021 Mrs Sri Lanka winner, claiming that she was not eligible for the title as she was divorced.
  7. Delhi HC judge recuses herself from hearing pleas against CCI probe in WhatsApp privacy policy case: On March 24, the Competition Commission of India ordered an investigation and said the new WhatsApp policy was exploitative.
  8. SC refuses to release Rohingya refugees detained in J&K, assures due procedure will be followed: A plea filed by a member of the Rohingya community said that they were illegally detained and jailed.
  9. As Modi is mocked for advice to students on tough exam questions, PM’s office, PIB delete tweet: Social media users and opposition parties ridiculed the prime minister’s advice to attempt difficult questions in an exam before the easy ones.
  10. Outrage after Pakistan PM Imran Khan links rise in rape cases with how women dress: Khan said that sexual violence was a result of ‘increasing obscenity’, adding that it was a product of Bollywood, Hollywood and the West.