A look at the headlines right now:

  1. NRC is not linked with National Population Register or detention centres, claims Amit Shah: Earlier in the day, the Cabinet approved updating National Population Register amid concerns about NRC.
  2. Cabinet approves post of chief of defence staff: The defence chief will be the military advisor to the Indian government.   
  3. IMF says India is facing significant economic slowdown, growth projections likely to be slashed: In its annual report, the directors of the world body urged the Narendra Modi government to take urgent policy actions to address the current downturn.   
  4. Varanasi DM dismisses child’s death in stampede during police assault, says ‘these things keep happening’: Eleven-year-old Saghir Ahmed was crushed to death in a stampede by people fleeing the police on December 20.   
  5. CBI books Jagdish Khattar, former Maruti Suzuki MD, for allegedly cheating PNB of Rs 110 crore: Carnation Auto India Private Limited, a company set up by Jagdish Khattar, took a loan of Rs 170 crore from Punjab National Bank in 2009.   
  6. Police bullet that killed 20-year-old in Uttar Pradesh’s Bijnor during Citizenship Amendment Act protests was fired ‘in self defence’, says official: The police admitted that a constable shot Mohammad Suleman during demonstrations in Bijnor district on Friday. 
  7. Plea against internet shutdown in parts of Delhi on December 19 during Citizenship Amendment Act protests dismissed: Voice, internet and SMS services were blocked for four hours in some parts of the city and over 1,200 protestors were detained. 
  8. US legislator Jaishankar refused to meet says India’s actions ‘wholly inappropriate’, criticises NRC: Pramila Jayapal said it was ‘a sign of weakness for any great democracy to refuse’ to engage with its critics.   
  9. Meerut police stop Rahul, Priyanka Gandhi from meeting victims’ families during Citizenship Amendment Act protests: Rahul Gandhi alleged that they were not shown any order that prevented them from entering the city.   
  10. Maharashtra won’t implement CAA or NRC, no detention centre in state, Uddhav Thackeray tells Muslims: The chief minister met two Muslim delegations and told them the community should not fear being asked to leave the state.