A look at the headlines right now:

  1. Two killed in protests in Assam against Citizenship Act as situation spirals out of control: The Citizenship Amendment Bill received President Ram Nath Kovind’s assent, and Assam Police beat up staffers of a TV news channel in its Guwahati office. Meanwhile, singer Papon cancelled his concert in Delhi.
  2. In Maharashtra, Shiv Sena gets home ministry, NCP allocated finance, and Congress revenue and PWD: The Uddhav Thackeray government is likely to expand the Cabinet after the winter session of the Assembly that will run from December 16 to December 21.
  3. Amit Shah meets Tripura leaders as protests against Citizenship Act continue; ‘no retreat’, responds one: Kirit Pradyot Deb Barman, the head of the Tripura royal family, said he had told the home minister that the amendments would be challenged in Supreme Court.
  4. Lotus on passports for security measures, will be used in rotation with other national symbols, says MEA: An Opposition MP had brought it up in Parliament on Wednesday, alleging it was ‘further saffronisation’ by the BJP government.
  5. Heavy rain lashes parts of Delhi-NCR, many flights diverted or delayed: The overall air quality index in Delhi was still in the ‘severe’ category at 418.
  6. Bangladesh home minister cancels India visit amid anti-Citizenship Act protests: Asaduzzaman Khan’s decision came hours after his Cabinet colleague, Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen, pulled out of his three-day visit to India.  
  7. 2012 gangrape convict’s review plea that cited Vedas and Gandhi to be heard by SC next week: The Supreme Court had rejected the review pleas of three other death row convicts in July 2018.
  8. All 18 review petitions challenging Ayodhya verdict rejected by Supreme Court: The petitions were heard by a five-judge bench headed by Chief Justice of India SA Bobde.
  9. Retail inflation rises to three-year high of 5.54% in November: This is only the second time since July 2018 when the Reserve Bank of India’s medium-term inflation target of 4% has been breached.
  10. US accuses Pakistan of misusing F-16 jets, stops short of mentioning post-Balakot dogfight, says report: The letter was sent by a US State Department official to the Pakistan Air Force chief in August, months after the February 27 aerial skirmish.