1, Health Ministry calls urgent meeting on Monday to discuss new virus strain
The Union Health Ministry has called an urgent meeting of its Joint Monitoring Group on Monday to discuss the emergence of a mutated variant of the coronavirus in the UK, which has led to a surge in the infection rate there.
A number of European countries have banned flights from the UK as the British government warned that the potent new strain of the virus was "out of control" and imposed a stringent new stay-at-home lockdown from Sunday.
2, Defence, energy, development main focus in India-Vietnam summit
India and Vietnam are expected to sign agreements in defence, energy and development projects during a virtual summit on Monday.
The virtual meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Vietnamese counterpart, Nguyen Xuan Phuc, will cap a string of high-level exchanges between the two sides this year.
3, Farmer unions announce relay hunger strike today
Farmer unions announced a day-long relay hunger strike on Monday at all protest sites to press for the repeal of the Centre's new agri laws even as Union Home Minister Amit Shah said that Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar is likely to hold talks with the protesting groups in a day or two to discuss their demands.
4, Chhattisgarh Assembly Session To Begin Tomorrow
The winter session of the Chhattisgarh Assembly is set to begin today with the ruling Congress and opposition BJP expected to clash on issues like paddy procurement, farm distress, crime against women and the prevailing COVID-19 situation.
The session will continue till December 30 and have seven sittings.
