LIVE News Updates: Rajasthan CM urges people to celebrate New Year’s eve at home, avoid mass gatherings

Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot has urged people to celebrate New Year's eve at home and avoid bursting firecrackers and mass gatherings in view of the COVID-19 pandemic, officials said on Monday.

Congress leader Moti Lal Vohra passes away at Fortis Escort Hospital in Delhi at the age of 93

Comedian Bharti Singh and her husband Haarsh Limbachiyaa arrive at Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) office Mumbai, in connection with the seizure of ganja from their residence.

Considering the prevailing situation in the UK, Indian govt has decided that all flights originating from the UK to India shall be temporarily suspended till 11:59 pm, 31st December. This suspension to start w.e.f. 11.59 pm, 22nd December: Ministry of Civil Aviation

Sensex slides more than 1,516 points, currently trading at 45,444 points Nifty falls more than 490 points, currently trading at 13,270 points

As of now, no decision has been made regarding the flights to UK in view of the latest outbreak of COVID-19 cases in UK: Air India official

We'll go & meet those farmers' groups who're supporting the Centre on 3 Farm laws. We'll take information from them about how they're benefitting from Farm law & will learn the technology, which they're using to sell their crops: Rakesh Tikait, Spokesperson, Bhartiya Kisan Union

As per our review, our automated systems found an increased activity on Facebook page 'Kisan Ekta Morcha' and flagged it as spam, which violates our Community Standards. We restored the page in less than 3 hours when we became aware of the context: Facebook spokesperson

The vast majority of our work fighting spam is done automatically using recognizable patterns of problematic behaviour. For example, if an account is posting over & over in quick succession that’s a strong sign something is wrong: Facebook spokesperson

We also rely on our human review team to work on cases where human expertise is needed to understand the context of a particular situation: Facebook spokesperson

The government is alert. There is no need to panic: Union Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan on the discovery of the new strain of coronavirus in UK

Puducherry reports 14 new COVID-19 cases, 26 discharges and one death in the last 24 hours, according to Puducherry government. Active cases: 332 Death toll: 627

Maharashtra: Actor Arjun Rampal reaches NCB office in Mumbai to appear before the agency in a drug case

There will no alliance with Kazhagam parties in the forthcoming Assembly election (in Tamil Nadu): Makkal Needhi Maiam (MNM) chief Kamal Haasan in Chennai

Moradabad: Commuters say they're facing problems due to heavy fog reducing the visibility on city roads. "Drivers are unable to see the roads clearly. We're finding it tough to step outside in this extreme cold weather," says a commuter.

Kerala Cabinet has decided to convene a special Assembly session on December 23 before the scheduled budget session to discuss & reject the three controversial farm laws. Kerala stands in solidarity with the agitating farmers: State Finance Minister Thomas Isaac

Minimum temperature of minus 2 degrees Celsius recorded in Mount Abu, Rajasthan during the last 24 hours, says IMD

Today, cold wave conditions observed at isolated places over east Rajasthan, east Uttar Pradesh, Bihar & Odisha. As per our forecast, minimum temperatures increased by 1-2°C over most parts of Punjab, Haryana, west Uttar Pradesh & Rajasthan: IMD

India records 24,337 new COVID-19 cases, 25,709 recoveries, & 333 deaths in the last 24 hours, as per Health Ministry. Total cases: 1,00,55,560 Total recoveries: 96,06,111 Active cases: 3,03,639 Death toll: 1,45,810

Jharkhand's COVID-19 caseload rose to 1,13,025 as 172 more people tested positive for the infection, a health department official said on Monday.

Sensex drops 202.44 points to 46,758.25 in opening session; Nifty declines 66.75 points to 13,693.80

Delhi: PM Narendra Modi addresses India-Japan Samvad conference through video conferencing. "I would like thank the government of Japan for the constant support to India-Japan Samvad," he says.

A total of 16,20,98,329 samples tested for COVID-19 up to December 20. Of these, 9,00,134 samples were tested yesterday: Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR)

Bihar: Dense fog engulfs Muzzafarpur district; visuals from NH-28 near Bibiganj. "Earlier administration used to arrange bonfires during such cold weather. Now, they no longer make such arrangements, leaving us shivering in such harsh weather," says a local.

Delhi: As farmers' protest against Centre's three farm laws enters 26th day at Singhu border (Delhi-Haryana border), farmers say they'll sit on relay hunger strike from today "Everyday 11 farmers will sit on hunger strike for 24 hours," says Balwant Singh, Secretary, BKU Punjab

Magnitude 3.7 earthquake hit Jammu and Kashmir at 8:33 am today, according to National Center for Seismology

7.2 degrees Celsius temperature recorded in Safdarjung, Delhi at 5:30 am today. A gradual rise in minimum & maximum temperatures by 2-3 degrees Celsius is very likely over plains of Northwest & adjoining Central India including Delhi during next 48 hours: IMD

Odisha: Puri-Surat Express Train derailed after hitting an elephant between Hatibari and Maneswar railway stations of Sambalpur division at 2.04 am on Monday, says East Coast Railway.

Six wheels of the train engine derailed following the accident. Passengers on-board and loco pilots are safe: East Coast Railway