A look at the headlines right now:

  1. 27 PSU bank officials suspended, six transferred for violating RBI guidelines: The Finance Ministry said they were carrying out irregular transactions.
  2. Tax officers’ discretionary powers may be abolished, says NITI Aayog’s Arvind Panagariya: The senior economist also defended Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s move of demonetising high-value banknotes.  
  3. Gujarat cadre IPS officer Rakesh Asthana to take over  as interim CBI chief: He is believed to have close ties with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Bharatiya Janata Party President Amit Shah.
  4. SC rejects petition to make national anthem mandatory in courts: The apex court bench reportedly said that its earlier directive to cinema halls should not be stretched. 
  5. Acid attack victims, Parkinson’s patients will be included in amended Disabilities Bill: The proposed changes to the 1995 Act include the right to free education for children and a hike in reservations for government jobs.
  6. Army releases letters that refute TMC’s claims of not being informed about troop deployment: The documents, which were signed and received by the authorities concerned, reveal that the Kolkata Police was aware of the exercise.
  7. 2016 World Champion Nico Rosberg retires from Formula 1: He made the announcement on Facebook, saying it would be effective immediately.
  8. Authorities suspend licence of airline, replace Bolivian aviation management following Colombia plane crash: The pilot was warned about low fuel reserves before take-off, local news agencies claimed.
  9. PMO did not give permission to use Narendra Modi’s picture in Reliance Jio ads: MoS for Information and Broadcasting RS Rathore said the government was, however, aware of the use of the prime minister’s photographs by the company.  
  10. Donald Trump names General James ‘Mad Dog’ Mattis his defence secretary: The US president-elect said the former marine was the closest the country had to famed World War II commander General George Patton.