A look at the headlines right now:

  1. Lalu Prasad Yadav, 14 others pronounced guilty in fodder scam: The CBI court acquitted another former Bihar chief minister, Jagannath Mishra, and six others accused in the case.
  2. At least 32 dead after bus falls into Banas river in Rajasthan: The police suspect that the driver lost control because of high speed and poor visibility in the morning.
  3. Protests held against Salman Khan’s ‘Tiger Zinda Hai’ for using derogatory term during promotions: The actor had used ‘bhangi’ to describe his dancing skills.
  4. Nearly 90 dead in mudslides and floods in Philippines triggered by tropical storm Tembin: Some reports said the mudslides completely wiped out a farming village of about 2,000 people, but officials have not confirmed this yet.
  5. ED files chargesheet against Lalu Yadav’s daughter Misa Bharti in money laundering case: Bharti and her husband Sailesh Kumar are being investigated for allegations that they acquired benami ownership of land at subsidised rates.
  6. New UN sanctions on North Korea includes a nearly 90% ban on refined products: The resolution also includes repatriating North Koreans, who work abroad to earn revenue for Kim Jong-un’s regime, within 24 months.
  7. ‘Every citizen has the right to celebrate festivals peacefully,’ says Allahabad High Court: The bench was hearing a petition filed by over 30 villagers, who claimed that the local administration was not letting them celebrate Christmas.
  8. One ex-CBI director says he does not understand 2G scam verdict, another claims he is ‘vindicated’: Former director AP Singh said that he thought the trial court’s attack was on the prosecution’s handling of the case, not the allegations in the matter.
  9. Andhra Pradesh bans New Year celebrations in temples, says it isn’t Hindu tradition: The state’s Hindu Dharma Parirakshana Trust said temples spent several lakh rupees of donations on floral decorations for January 1.
  10. Odisha CM Naveen Patnaik sacks Agriculture Minister Damodar Rout for casteist remarks: On December 17, Rout had claimed that tribals could not be seen begging in the state, but Brahmins could be spotted begging in some places.