Highlights

DEL41FARMERS-GOVT MEETING Farmers stir Govt invites 40 unions for next round of talks on Dec 30 New Delhi The government on Monday invited 40 protesting farmer unions for the next round of talks on December 30 on all relevant issues to find a logical solution to the current impasse over the three new farm laws.DEL8 VIRUS-LD CASES COVID-19 Over 20,000 new infections reported in single-day New Delhi Indias COVID-19 caseload rose to 1,02,07,871 with 20,021 infections being reported in a day, while recoveries have surged to 97.82 lakh, according to Union Health Ministry data updated on Monday.

Following are the top stories at 5 pm: NATION DEL21 PM-2NDLD METRO PM inaugurates first-ever driverless train on Delhi Metro's Magenta Line New Delhi: Inaugurating India's first-ever driverless train operations on the Delhi Metro’s Magenta Line on Monday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said his government unlike its predecessors has taken growing urbanisation as an opportunity and asserted that metro train services will be extended to 25 cities by 2025 from the current 18. DEL31 PM-DELHI National capital should embody glory of today's India: PM New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday said Delhi being the national capital of the country should reflect the grandeur of 21st-century India and the government is making efforts to modernize the city's old infrastructure.

DEL38 FARMERS-TOMAR 'Wall of lies' to fall soon; hopeful of early solution to impasses over farm laws: Tomar New Delhi: Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar on Monday said a ''wall of lies'' has been spread in a ''planned manner'' among farmers against the new farm laws, but it will not last long and protesting peasants will soon realise the truth. DEL41FARMERS-GOVT MEETING Farmers' stir: Govt invites 40 unions for next round of talks on Dec 30 New Delhi: The government on Monday invited 40 protesting farmer unions for the next round of talks on December 30 on all relevant issues to find a ''logical solution'' to the current impasse over the three new farm laws.

DEL8 VIRUS-LD CASES COVID-19: Over 20,000 new infections reported in single-day New Delhi: India's COVID-19 caseload rose to 1,02,07,871 with 20,021 infections being reported in a day, while recoveries have surged to 97.82 lakh, according to Union Health Ministry data updated on Monday. DEL34 BIZ-NITI-AGRI REFORMS False narratives about new farm laws hurting farmers' interests: Niti Aayog Vice Chairman New Delhi: False narratives about the new farm laws are doing significant harm to the interest of farmers as well as the economy in general, Niti Aayog Vice Chairman Rajiv Kumar said on Monday and expressed his disappointment at some economists changing their stance on the new legislations. By Bijay Kumar Singh DEL39 RAJNATH-SUPERPOWER We want to make India a superpower: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh New Delhi: India has the potential to become a superpower and it needs significant achievements in the fields of education, health and industry to make the cut, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said on Monday as he mentioned the country's glorious history including major discoveries by ancient scientists like Aryabhata ahead of their western counterparts.

DEL18 CONG-FOUNDATION Sonia Gandhi, Rahul skip Congress Foundation Day event New Delhi: Congress President Sonia Gandhi and former party chief Rahul Gandhi on Monday gave the party's 136th Foundation Day event a miss with senior party leader A K Antony unfurling the flag at the AICC headquarters here. BOM2 MH-HAZARE Anna Hazare threatens to launch his ''last protest'' for farmers Pune: Social activist Anna Hazare has threatened to go on a hunger strike if his demands on issues concerning farmers are not met by the Union government by the end of January next year, and said it would be his ''last protest''.

LEGAL LGD1 SC-JUDICIARY-PIL Plea in SC seeks direction to Centre, states to double number of judges in HCs, courts New Delhi: A plea was filed on Monday in the Supreme Court seeking a direction to the Centre, states and Union Territories to take steps to double the number of judges in high courts and subordinate courts, and implement a judicial charter on disposal of cases in a three-year time period. LGD2 SC-ADVOCATE Right of being represented through lawyer is part of due process clause, says SC New Delhi: Right of being represented through a lawyer is part of “due process clause”, the Supreme Court has said while setting aside the Allahabad High Court order which had dismissed an appeal filed by a man in a 1987 murder case noting that his counsel had not appeared during the hearing. DL-HC-ARBITRATION-LALIT MODI Bina Modi's plea against son Lalit's Singapore arbitration proceedings maintainable: Delhi HC New Delhi: The Delhi High Court has held that it has the jurisdiction to decide a plea by late industrialist KK Modi's wife challenging her son Lalit Modi's move to initiate arbitration proceedings in Singapore over property dispute of the family.

FOREIGN FGN15 US-TRUMP-TIBET Trump signs Tibet policy to preempt Chinese move on Dalai Lama's succession Washington: US President Donald Trump has signed into law a bill which calls for establishing a US consulate in Tibet and building an international coalition to ensure that the next Dalai Lama is appointed solely by the Tibetan Buddhist community without China's interference. FGN14 US-GANDHI-KING Trump signs into law Gandhi-King Scholarly Exchange Initiative Washington: US President Donald Trump has signed into law the Gandhi-King Scholarly Exchange Initiative that among other things paves the way for establishing an educational forum between America and India to study the work and legacies of Mahatma Gandhi and Martin Luther King Jr.