The big news: Assam publishes first draft of National Register of Citizens, and 9 other top stories
Other headlines: Five jawans were killed in a militant attack in Pulwama, and dense fog forced a suspension of operations at Delhi airport.
A look at the headlines right now:
- Assam government publishes first draft of National Register of Citizens, verifies 1.9 crore people: The list was a key election promise of the BJP before it won the state elections in 2016.
- Five jawans killed after suspected JeM militants attack CRPF camp in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pulwama: Another soldier died after Pakistan allegedly violated the ceasefire in Nowshera sector.
- Delhi airport suspends operations due to dense fog, passengers left stranded: Five domestic and seven international flights were delayed and one was cancelled.
- Rajinikanth confirms his entry into politics, says the last year brought shame to Tamil Nadu: While Twitter users cheered the actor’s decision, BJP leader Subramanian Swamy said that he will move to another state if his party allies with Rajinikanth.
- Triple talaq case petitioner Ishrat Jahan joins BJP: She was one of the five women who challenged the practice before the Supreme Court.
- BMC seals 30 restaurants in Mumbai on Day 2 of demolition drive after Kamala Mills fire: The civic body inspected 615 hotels and restaurants and took action against 355 of them.
- ‘Nuclear button is always on my desk,’ says Kim Jong-un in his New Year message: The North Korean leader suggested he would continue to accelerate his weapons programme and warned the US that ‘this was not blackmail’.
- Gujarat Deputy CM Nitin Patel agrees to take charge after phone call with Amit Shah: The BJP national president told Patel, who was unhappy about not getting three important portfolios, that he would be allotted suitable departments.
- Two anti-government protestors killed and dozens detained in Iran, authorities warn of ‘iron fist’: The government denied the involvement of the police in the two deaths, and blamed Sunni groups and ‘foreign agents’ instead.
- WhatsApp goes offline for an hour across the world on New Year’s Eve: In India – its largest market – the app was down soon after midnight.