HIGHLIGHTS

Following are the top stories at 9 pm: NATION DEL69 VP-FARMERS Dialogue is way forward to resolve issues raised by farmers: Naidu New Delhi: Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu on Wednesday emphasised that dialogue was the way forward in resolving the issues raised by the protesting farmers. DEL34 PM-FARMERS-INSTALMENT Modi to release PM-KISAN instalment to 9 crore farmers on Dec 25 New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will release the next instalment of the financial benefits under the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN) on December 25 via video-conferencing, his office said on Wednesday.

DEL54 SHAH-JK Modi govt doing everything to restore grassroots democracy in J-K: Shah New Delhi: Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Wednesday hailed the recent conclusion of the District Development Council (DDC) elections in Jammu and Kashmir and said the Modi government is doing everything to restore the grassroots democracy in the union territory. DEL14 FARMERS-RAJNATH Modi govt committed to farmers' welfare, hope protesting farmers soon withdraw stir: Rajnath New Delhi: On the birth anniversary of former prime minister Charan Singh, known for espousing the cause of farmers, the government on Wednesday reiterated its commitment to their welfare and expressed hope that the farmers protesting against farm laws will soon withdraw their agitation. DEL76 DL-FARMERS-LD GOVT Ready for talks but govt should send concrete proposal instead of 'love letters', say protesting farmer unions New Delhi: Hardening their position, protesting farmer unions on Wednesday asked the government not to repeat the proposal of ''meaningless'' amendments that they have already rejected but come up with a ''concrete'' offer in writing for the resumption of talks.

DEL22 DEF-LADAKH-ARMYCHIEF Army chief Gen Naravane visits forward posts in eastern Ladakh; reviews situation amid Sino-India military standoff New Delhi: Army chief Gen MM Naravane on Wednesday visited various high-altitude forward areas in eastern Ladakh and reviewed India's overall military preparedness as the tense border standoff with China in the region prolonged for over seven months, the Army and official sources said. DEL80 HR-KHATTAR-FARMERS-LD BOOKED Attempt to murder case against 13 farmers for blocking Haryana CM's convoy Ambala: The Haryana Police booked 13 farmers on charges of attempt to murder and rioting on Wednesday, a day after a group of people protesting against the Centre’s farm laws allegedly blocked Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar's convoy and hurled sticks at it.

DEL52 JK-LD DDC POLLS Results of 278 DDC seats declared; PAGD gets 110, BJP 75 Srinagar/Jammu: The People's Alliance for Gupkar Declaration (PAGD) swept the maiden District Development Council (DDC) polls by winning 110 seats, while the BJP emerged as the single largest party by getting 75 seats after securing the largest vote share in Jammu and Kashmir, officials said on Wednesday. DEL63 BIZ-LDALL CAIRN-ARBITRATION Retro Tax Arbitration: India ordered to pay up to $1.4 bn to Cairn Energy New Delhi: India has been ordered to return up to USD 1.4 billion to Cairn Energy plc of UK after an international arbitration overturned tax demanded retrospectively - an award the government indicated it may challenge.

CAL7 OD-MISSILE India successfully test-fires medium range surface-to air missile off Odisha coast Balasore (Odisha): India on Wednesday successfully test-fired a medium range surface-to-air missile (MRSAM) from Odisha coast, defence sources said. LEGAL LGD7 SC-FARMERS-PROTEST Farm laws: Petitioner seeks to implead over 40 protesting farmer unions as party in SC New Delhi: One of the petitioners, who has approached the Supreme Court for direction to the authorities to remove farmers protesting at several border points of Delhi against three new farm laws, has sought to implead over 40 farmer unions as party in the pending case.

LGD6 DL-COURT-HERALD Herald case: Swamy delaying proceedings, Gandhis tells court New Delhi: Congress leaders Sonia and Rahul Gandhi Wednesday accused BJP MP Subramanian Swamy of delaying proceedings in the National Herald case, filed by him against them and others, by moving “totally vague'' application. LGD8 DL-HC-LD VIRUS Frame SOPs for post-COVID-19 complications in patients, HC tells AAP govt New Delhi: The Delhi High Court Wednesday directed the AAP government to frame standard operating procedures (SOPs) to deal with post COVID-19 complications relating to the lungs and other vital organs in those who have recovered from the coronavirus infection. FOREIGN FGN26: NEPAL-2NDLD POLITICS Kathmandu: Nepal's Supreme Court on Wednesday forwarded all writ petitions challenging Prime Minister K P Sharma Oli's move to abruptly dissolve the Parliament to a Constitutional bench, amid intensified struggle between the two warring factions of the Nepal Communist Party to wrest control of the ruling party.

FGN22: VIRUS-UK-RESTRICTIONS London: More parts of the UK could be placed under the strictest level of lockdown as ministers hold talks on Wednesday after the country registered 36,804 positive coronavirus cases, the largest daily number of infections recorded at any time during the pandemic. FGN25: AFGHAN-LD ATTACK Kabul: Separate bombing and shooting attacks in Afghanistan's capital left at least three people dead on Wednesday, including the head of an independent elections watchdog, officials said.