A look at the headlines right now:

  1. President Ram Nath Kovind backs farm laws in Republic Day address, says they were ‘long awaited’: He added that every Indian saluted the farmers for making the country self-sufficient in terms of food grains.
  2. India, China agree on ‘early disengagement of frontline troops’ in ninth round of military talks: The defence ministry statement on the talks came hours after the Army confirmed fresh clashes between the two countries in Sikkim.
  3. As row erupts over Netaji portrait in Rashtrapati Bhavan, biopic maker says it’s not actor Prosenjit: The government said that the whole debate was “fake and based on poor research”.
  4. Ahead of Republic Day tractor rally, farmers say they will march to Parliament on Budget day: January 26 will mark the completion of two months of the protest at Delhi’s borders.
  5. SC seeks Centre’s response on plea seeking to set up media tribunal to regulate hate speech: The petition said that media, particularly the electronic medium, had become like “an unruly horse which needs to be tamed”.
  6. ‘Jai Shri Ram’ chanted to heckle Mamata Banerjee, says TMC; BJP accuses her of appeasing minorities: A BJP MLA from Uttar Pradesh said Banerjee hailed from a “demoness culture”.
  7. SC gives Centre two weeks to decide on Beant Singh assassination convict’s mercy plea: Balwant Singh Rajoana had moved the Supreme Court last year about the delay in processing his mercy petition.
  8. ‘Such people must not be spared,’ says Madhya Pradesh on Munawar Faruqui bail plea: The comedian had been arrested from a cafe in Indore city on January 1 for allegedly hurting religious sentiments during a programme.
  9. Undertrial Pune activist Kanchan Nanaware, who was booked under UAPA, dies in custody: She was jailed for alleged Maoist links, and had been awaiting trial for six years.
  10. Nepal Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli removed from party, says rival faction: The development came after the prime minister’s move to dissolve the Lower House of Parliament.