December 20: Top news at noon  

China returns underwater drone to US after Trump spat

China has returned an underwater drone to the US, five days after it was seized from the disputed South China Sea waters leading to a major spat between President-elect Donald Trump and the Communist giant. The drone operated by a US survey vessel in the South China Sea (SCS) was seized by a Chinese navy ship which reportedly declined to hand it over despite request from the American ship. "After friendly consultations between the Chinese and US sides, the handover work for the US underwater drone was smoothly completed in relevant waters in the South China Sea at midday on December 20," a brief Chinese Ministry statement said without providing details.

Jawan injured in mine blast along LoC

An army jawan was injured in a mine blast along the LoC in Poonch district of Jammu and Kashmir. A stone rolled down a foot track and fell on a mine resulting in a blast along the LoC in Mendhar sector of the district last evening, an army officer said today.

Note ban: Cash-strapped people protest in Muzaffarnagar, Shamli districts, vandalise banks

Facing shortage of cash after demonetisation, a group of angered customers pelted stones at the SBI branch in Kakroli village in Muzaffarnagar district, Uttar Pradesh, police said today. The branch manager Chander Mohan lodged a complaint alleging that some persons pelted stones at the bank last evening and damaged property while they were protesting against the shortage of cash at the bank, SHO Anand Mishra said.
Police has registered a case against unidentified persons in this connection, he said.

In a similar incident at Fatehpur village in Shamli district, about 40 km from here, customers vandalised the branch of UP Gramin Bank yesterday after they were unable to get cash, police said.

Donald Trump wins Electoral College vote
Donald Trump today won the Electoral College vote to secure his election as the US' 45th president, easily staving off a long-shot bid by opponents to turn Republican electors against him. The Electoral College affirmed Trump as the president about six weeks after his stunning victory over Hillary Clinton, pushing him past the 270-vote threshold for election. Trump received 304 electoral votes to Hillary Clinton's 227. Seven "faithless" electors voted for other candidates, costing Trump two votes and Clinton four.

Chennai: I-T dept seizes ₹10 crores cash, 6 kg gold jewellery

Based on a tip-off, the Income Tax department has seized ₹10 crore cash, all in demonetised notes of ₹1,000 and ₹500, and 6 kg gold jewellery after searches were conducted against a trader dealing in imitation jewellery located in Periamet area of Chennai. The trader is now being questioned about the source of the huge cash haul.