The big news: Opposition parties to meet on demonetisation today, and nine other top stories
In other headlines: Arun Jaitley said India needs lower tax rates, and Russia claimed rebels had tortured Aleppo’s civilians and left them in mass graves.
A look at the headlines right now:
- Three parties to skip Congress’ all-Opposition meeting against demonetisation on Tuesday: The CPI(M) has said it will not be present, while Nitish Kumar’s JDU and Sharad Pawar’s NCP have not confirmed their attendance.
- India needs lower taxes to be globally competitive, says Arun Jaitley: For seven decades, Indians have considered tax avoidance ‘commercial smartness’ because of the ‘extraordinarily high rates’, he said.
- Mass graves of civilians found in Aleppo, says Russian Defence Ministry: Dozens of bodies were unearthed mutilated and with missing body parts.
- Jet Airways flight skids off runway at Goa’s Dabolim airport: Some passengers are being treated for injuries sustained during the evacuation process.
- Centre considering ordinance banning possession of old currency notes over Rs 10,000 in value: The executive order is likely to carry a fine of Rs 50,000 or five times the amount of the money held by an individual, according to NDTV.
- India’s longest-range nuclear capable missile Agni-V test-launched off Odisha coast: The indigenous surface-to-surface missile has been developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation.
- Body of Russian military aircraft that crashed found in Black Sea: Earlier in the day, rescue teams recovered 11 bodies and 154 ‘fragments’ of bodies.
- Sensex ends 234 points lower, Nifty at 7,908 despite Arun Jaitley saying no capital markets tax: The fall was called a ‘knee-jerk reaction’ to Narendra Modi’s remark asking those earning from financial markets to make a ‘fair contribution’ to the country.
- ‘Actresses are not strippers’: Tamil filmmaker criticised for remarks on ‘glamorous heroines’: Tamannah and Nayanthara came down heavily on Kaththi Sandai director Suraj, who said audiences only want to watch actresses ‘sizzle’ on screen.
- Delhi Police arrest four accused of raping US national: They include a tour guide, driver, tourist bus helper and a hotel worker, said Deependra Pathak, joint commissioner of police (Southwest Delhi).