A look at the headlines right now:

  1. Opposition parties stage nationwide protests against demonetisation, services hit in a few states: The Congress, which is leading the agitation, clarified that this was not a ‘Bharat bandh’.
  2. Khalistan leader Harminder Singh Mintoo arrested by Delhi Police a day after fleeing from Nabha jail: The insurgent group leader had escaped with four others after armed men clad in police uniforms broke into the Patiala prison on Sunday.
  3. Four minors detained for raping 6-year-old girl in Pimpri-Chinchwad slum: The girl has been taken to hospital and is being given counselling, police said.   
  4. Earthquake of 5.5 magnitude hits Nepal, no casualties reported: This is believed to be an aftershock from the quake that tore the country apart in April 2015.
  5. Conservative leader Francois Fillon wins French presidential primary: The 62-year-old is seeking to cut the state’s costs on welfare programmes, and likes to race cars.
  6. Demonetisation a ‘surgical strike’ by on black money, has hit terror funding, says Manohar Parrikar: The defence minister claimed that the move had prevented criminal and militant groups from carrying out their operations.
  7. In first words on demonetisation, Urjit Patel says RBI trying to ease pain of citizens who have been hurt: Nearly three weeks after the move was announced, the central bank’s governor told PTI they were monitoring the situation on a daily basis.
  8. PV Sindhu loses Hong Kong Open final to Taiwan’s Tai Tzu-Ying: India’s Sameer Verma lost in the men’s final, to NG Ka Long Angus.
  9. After Free Basics, Facebook tests ‘Express Wi-Fi’ in India: The social media giant says it is trying to provide an affordable internet service in the rural parts of the country.
  10. IRCTC adds third gender as an option in its ticket forms: The move is in accordance with a Supreme Court order calling for the rights of the transgender community to be protected