The big news: Maharashtra reports huge spike with over 18,000 Covid cases, and 9 other top stories

A look at the top headlines right now:

Mumbai registers 10,860 new cases, 34.37% higher than Tuesday: A total of 834 patients were hospitalised on Tuesday, out of whom 52 needed oxygen support. Delhi announces weekend curfew, reports 5,481 new coronavirus cases, positivity rate rises to 8.37%: Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal tested positive for Covid-19; meanwhile, Punjab imposed night curfew, and shut schools, colleges till January 15.Supreme Court agrees to hear pleas on OBC, EWS quota tomorrow: This is the second time in as many days that the Centre mentioned the case for an early listing. Main accused in ‘Bulli Bai’ app case detained in Uttarakhand, student arrested in Mumbai: A Bandra court sent 21-year old engineering student Vishal Kumar to police custody till January 10. Driven by Omicron, global cases rise by more than one crore in a week: The number was almost double the previous highest weekly rise in cases of 57 lakh recorded in April. Delhi HC dismisses Future Group pleas on termination of Amazon arbitration proceedings: The Singapore-based tribunal has been hearing Amazon’s petition against the Future Group in connection with the deal between the two companies signed in 2019. Closing schools would ‘spell disaster for children’, says Right to Education group: The National Coalition on the Education Emergency said evidence suggest children are least vulnerable to Covid-19 and the fatalities are negligible….

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