A look at the headlines right now:

  1. Centre, farmers to discuss MSP, repeal of farm laws during next meeting on January 4: The agricultural minister said the government has arrived at consensus on 2 matters with farmers after sixth round of talks. Meanwhile, Congress, SAD urged protesting farmers to hold direct talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The BJP-JJP coalition lost four key mayoral seats in municipal elections amid farmers’ protest.
  2. Shaheen Bagh shooter Kapil Gujjar expelled from BJP hours after joining party: Gujjar had fired two or three times in the air as protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act were underway.
  3. India extends suspension of international flights till January 31, UK flight ban to January 7 amid coronavirus crisis: The country has so far recorded 20 cases of the new virus strain detected in the United Kingdom.
  4. Three suspected militants killed in Srinagar gunfight, families claim they were innocent: The families of the three alleged militants disputed the official claim and staged a protest against the killings.
  5. India, China have failed to arrive at ‘meaningful solution’ to border tensions, says Rajnath Singh: The defence minister also spoke about the law against ‘love jihad’, and said he personally did not support religious conversions for marriage.
  6. UK approves Oxford-AstraZeneca’s coronavirus vaccine for use, roll out to begin on January 4: Meanwhile, an expert panel to meet again on Friday to decide on emergency vaccine use approval.
  7. Trinamool Congress MPs in West Bengal write to president, seek removal of Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar: They accused Dhankhar of acting against the state government at the behest of the BJP .
  8. Home ministry declares Nagaland ‘disturbed area’ for six more months under AFSPA: The state has been under AFSPA for almost six decades now.
  9. Temperature touches zero degrees Celsius in parts of Haryana, Rajasthan: Haryana’s Hisar recorded zero degrees Celsius, and Narnaul registered 0.3 degrees.
  10. Delhi panel suggests lowering drinking age from 25 to 21 years, reducing dry days: If the recommendations are approved, the dry days would be on Independence Day (August 15), Republic Day (January 26) and Gandhi Jayanti (October 2).