A look at the headlines right now:

  1. India registers first six cases of new coronavirus strain after travellers from UK test positive: The Centre said genome sequencing will be done in India for symptomatic international fliers. Meanwhile, civil aviation minister said UK flight ban may be extended for a short period.
  2. Rajinikanth says he won’t enter politics, cites health complications: His announcement drew wide reactions, with Congress MP Karti Chidambaram calling it ‘much ado about nothing’.
  3. Talks must be about repealing agricultural laws, farmers tell Centre ahead of meeting on Wednesday: Meanwhile, NCP chief Sharad Pawar said agriculture sector can’t be run sitting in Delhi. Thousands also marched to Raj Bhawan in Patna, and were baton-charged by police.
  4. Arnab Goswami paid former BARC CEO to boost Republic TV’s TRPs, say Mumbai Police: Police cited Partho Dasgupta’s confession that Goswami met him at least three times in separate hotels in Mumbai, and ‘made payments worth lakhs in cash’.
  5. Madhya Pradesh government approves ordinance against forceful religious conversions: The government decided to pass an ordinance after a three-day Assembly session was cancelled due to coronavirus cases in Assembly officials and MLAs.
  6. Land of Tagore would not let hate politics triumph over secularism, says Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee: The chief minister took a swipe at the BJP, saying that those who don’t respect Gandhi, Tagore are talking of building ‘Sonar Bangla’.
  7. ‘I eat cattle meat, who are you to ask,’ says Siddaramaiah after Karnataka clears cow slaughter bill: He said other Congress leaders were wary of taking a stand against the anti-cow slaughter bill because they were afraid of the backlash.
  8. Two expelled Assam Congress MLAs join BJP ahead of polls, call former party ‘directionless’: The two exits have reduced Congress’ strength to 20 MLAs in the 126-member state Assembly.
  9. Indian economy could be ‘most resilient’ in south and southwest Asia in long term, says UN report: The report, however, flagged a sharp dip in imports and a decline in domestic spending in the country in 2020.
  10. Renowned French fashion designer Pierre Cardin dies at 98: He was known for making fashion brands accessible to masses.