The big news: Bills on hold as demonetisation debate takes over Rajya Sabha, and 9 other top stories
Sartaj Aziz said his December visit to India could ‘defuse the tension’, and Sushma Swaraj said she has been undergoing dialysis for kidney failure.
A look at the headlines right now:
- What law allows you to stop us from withdrawing our own money, Congress asks Centre in Rajya Sabha: Party leader Anand Sharma accused the government of creating financial anarchy in the country with its demonetisation decision.
- Sartaj Aziz to visit India in December, hints at improving ties between New Delhi, Islamabad: The trip by the Pakistani Prime Minister foreign affairs advisor will be the first by a senior official since the Uri militant attack.
- Sushma Swaraj admitted to Delhi’s AIIMS for kidney failure: The 64-year-old external affairs minister said she was on dialysis and was undergoing tests for a kidney transplant.
- Donald Trump urged to set aside appointment of Stephen Bannon as senior White House staff: Lawmakers said the president-elect’s selection of his campaign chairman as his chief strategist ’sends the wrong message’ to harassers of minority communities.
- Najeeb Jung lifts ban on construction, pushes trucks’ entry to the city to midnight: The lieutenant governor reviewed the air quality in the Capital, which has improved significantly after it deteriorated during Diwali.
- RBI deputy governor reasserts March 2017 deadline for banks to clean up balance sheets: In October, the bank had said it would deal with non-performing assets in a pragmatic manner.
- ‘I can now continue my fight,’ says Rahul Gandhi after getting bail in RSS defamation case: The Bhiwandi Court in Maharashtra granted him relief on a personal surety and scheduled the next hearing for January 30.
- Five killed as Syrian government, Russian forces launch new assault on rebels in Aleppo: The US condemned the renewed campaign to capture the city and said airstrikes on civilian targets constituted a violation of international law.
- Two lawyers arrested for raping 13-year-old domestic help in Hyderabad: The minor, who is reportedly pregnant, was rescued by children’s rights activists.
- Punjab denotifies land meant for Sutlej-Yamuna canal, will return plots to ‘original owners’: In a move defying the Supreme Court, the Cabinet made the decision ‘in public interest’ after consulting experts on the subject.