The Union Cabinet on 1 December has given its approval to notify inclusion and or amendments in the Central List of Other Backward Classes (OBC) notified in respect of the eight states of Assam, Bihar, Himachal Pradesh, Jharkhand, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir and Uttarakhand.

On the recommendation of the National Commission for Backward Classes (NCBC), a total of 2479 entries for inclusion, including its synonyms, sub-castes.

India and the US on 1 December, inked a nearly Rs. 5,000 crore deal for 145 M777 ultra-light howitzers, which will be mostly deployed near the borders with China.

This is the first deal for artillery guns since the Bofors scandal in 1980s.

"India has today signed the Letter of Acceptance which formalises the contract between India and US for these guns," sources said.

The deal for 145 American ultra-light howitzers, costing about Rs. 5,000 crore was recently cleared by the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS).

An 80-metre-long, 2 feet by 2 feet tunnel was found by Border Security Force (BSF) near the international border near Chamliyal in Jammu that is assumed to have been used by the three suicide attackers who were killed in a firefight in Samba sector on 29 November. However, it could not be said where the tunnel originates in Pakistan.

BSF director general K K Sharma told media about the tunnel on 30 December and added that the terrorists appeared to have crawled through the tunnel.

The Reserve Bank of India on 30 November assured that the government is ready for pay day cash rush and there will be not be much problems in dispensing cash. According to media reports, the government are in process to print the new Rs 500-rupee note to meet the massive demand for cash till 7 December.

However, banks officials are reportedly saying bank branches are yet to receive the new Rs. 500 notes and Rs. 100 notes are still in short supply.