A look at the headlines right now:

  1. Will shut Haryana malls, petrol pumps if January 4 talks with Centre fail, say farmers: Meanwhile, the agricultural minister said he cannot say whether the seventh round of talks will be the final one.
  2. India asks China to urgently help 39 sailors stranded on two ships for months: This came hours after the National Human Rights Commission took suo motu cognisance of the condition of the crew members.
  3. India-UK flight operations to resume from January 8, was suspended over new virus strain: The aviation minister said services will be restricted to 15 flights per week.
  4. GST collections hit all-time high of over Rs 1.15 lakh crore in December: The GST revenues have exceeded the Rs 1-lakh crore mark for three consecutive months.
  5. Harsh Vardhan reviews preparation for countrywide coronavirus vaccine dry run on January 2: The dry run will be conducted in at least three sites in all state capitals.
  6. Delhi records coldest New Year’s Day in 15 years at 1.1 degrees as cold wave persists in North India: On January 8, 2006, the Capital had registered a minimum temperature of 0.2 degrees Celsius.
  7. India registers over 20,000 new Covid-19 cases, Centre’s panel to decide on vaccine approval: Meanwhile, the country now has 29 total cases of the new virus strain.
  8. In Hathras gangrape case, district magistrate who allowed late-night cremation transferred: The Allahabad High Court had earlier criticised Laxkar and asked the state government if it was fair for him to continue on the post.
  9. Donald Trump extends immigration curbs, cites effect of Covid-19 on labour market: The president said the measures were needed to protect American workers amid the coronavirus pandemic, which has severely affected the economy.
  10. WHO grants ‘emergency validation’ to Pfizer-BioNTech’s coronavirus vaccine: The emergency listing paves the way for countries to expedite their regulatory approval process to ‘import and administer the vaccine’.