A look at the headlines right now:

  1. Expert panel recommends Bharat Biotech, Serum Institute vaccines to drug regulator: The final call on the efficacy of a vaccine will be taken by the Drugs Controller General of India. Union Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan said that the coronavirus vaccine will be provided free to 3 crore frontline workers, including medical staff. Meanwhile, India began a dry run in all states to assess the readiness for the Covid-19 vaccination roll-out programme. 
  2. Sourav Ganguly stable, to be monitored for 24 hours after undergoing angioplasty: The 48-year-old reportedly complained of uneasiness while working out and was hospitalised in Kolkata. 
  3. Covid-19 vaccine doesn’t belong to any party, says Omar Abdullah after Akhilesh Yadav rejects vaccination: The Samajwadi Party chief said that he would not get inoculated against the coronavirus as the “BJP’s vaccine cannot be trusted.” 
  4. Comedian Munawar Faruqui arrested for allegedly making derogatory comments about Hindu deities: The comedian was allegedly roughed up by the members of a Hindutva group, who forcefully took Faruqui to the Tukoganj police station along with the organisers.  
  5. Solution will come up during January 4 talks with farmers, says Union minister: Meanwhile, farmers said that they would hold a tractor rally in Delhi on Republic Day. 
  6. Centre issues guidelines for UK passengers after flights set to resume from January 8: The health ministry said the arrivals would be subjected to self-paid RT-PCR tests and have to declare their travel history of the past 14 days. 
  7. Hindus can never be ‘anti-India’, are patriotic by nature, says Mohan Bhagwat: The RSS chief said that it was their intrinsic nature to be patriotic.
  8. Former Union minister Buta Singh dies at 86, tributes pour in: The former governor of Bihar was in a coma from October after he suffered a brain haemorrhage.
  9. SEBI fines Reliance Industries, Mukesh Ambani Rs 40 crore for ‘manipulative trades’ in 2007: The case is related to the sale and purchase of Reliance Petroleum shares in future and cash segments in November 2007. 
  10. Eight civilians injured in grenade attack on security forces in Tral town of Pulwama: The area was cordoned off and the security forces launched a search operation to arrest the assailants.