India bowl out Australia in 2nd Test, fresh COVID guidelines issued: Read top 5 news of the day

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India vs Australia, 2nd Test Day 4: Ind bowl out Aus, need 70 runs to win

(India's Umesh Yadav celebrates a dismissal during second Test match against Australia, ANI photo)

Fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah finally succeeded in getting the important breakthrough for India as he ended a 57-run partnership by dismissing Pat Cummins with a bouncer for 22. India bowled Australia for 200 in the second Test in Melbourne and need to score 70 runs to win the Test and level the series.

Govt calls for meet with farmers on Dec 30 

(Huge crowd of farmers and supporters during a protest against the farm laws at Tikri border, ANI photo)

The government 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 farm laws. The government's invite followed a proposal made by unions last week to hold the talks on agenda including modalities for the repeal of the three laws enacted in September.

MHA extends COVID-19 guidelines till Jan 2021

(Representation picture used for coronavirus)

The Centre said there has been a continuous decline in the number of active COVID-19 cases in the country but there is a need to maintain surveillance, containment and caution, keeping in view the surge in the number of cases globally and the emergence of a new variant of the virus in the United Kingdom. In a statement, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) said it has issued fresh guidelines for surveillance with regard to COVID-19 and these will remain in force till January 31, 2021.

Madhya Pradesh to take ordinance route to enforce anti-conversion law

(File photo of Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan) 

The BJP government in Madhya Pradesh will take the ordinance route to enforce from Tuesday (December 29) the proposed law on religious conversion that stipulates jail term of up to 10 years for violators, Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan said. The Madhya Pradesh Religious Freedom Bill, 2020, which provides for prison term of up to 10 years and fine of Rs 1 lakh for 'conversion through marriage or by any other forceful means', was approved by the Cabinet on Saturday.

Delhi, Punjab, Haryana in grip of cold wave, Orange alert issued

(Traffic moves during dense fog in a cold winter morning at Delhi- Gurugram Expressway, in Gurugram, ANI photo)

A cold wave is likely to grip parts of Delhi over the next four days as frosty winds from the Himalayas have started blowing towards the plains, IMD said. The weather agency said cold wave to severe cold wave conditions are likely in isolated pockets over Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh, Delhi and north Rajasthan during December 28-30. The department also issued an Orange colour-coded warning for these states.