Five must-read stories—January 27

BJP leaders named ‘independent’ directors in top PSUs

Appointments cleared by the NDA’s Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) include those of at least 10 politicians affiliated with the ruling BJP as independent directors on the boards of top public sector companies, reports The Indian Express.

Cash withdrawal curbs may be lifted by February-end

With the cash crunch situation easing, Reserve Bank of India may do away with the weekly withdrawal limits from banks as well as ATMs by the end of next month, reports The Hindu.

MGNREGS to see record spending as demonetisation drives demand

Spending under the flagship Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS) could touch a record ₹58,000 crore in 2016-17. The spike in demand for work in the months of November and December captures the impact of demonetisation, reports Mint.

Russian envoy and great friend of India Alexander Kadakin dead

Alexander Kadakin, Russian ambassador to India and a great friend of the country, died on Thursday after a brief illness. He was 67. Kadakin was one of the longest serving envoys for any country here and spent a significant part of his life working to promote Russia's ties with India, reports The Times of India.

Tribe aims to block Trump's border wall on Arizona land

The Tohono O’odham Nation, a federally recognised tribe with a reservation that spans 75 miles of the US-Mexico border, announced on Thursday that it does not support US President Donald Trump’s proposed border wall and criticised the White House for signing an executive order without consulting it, reports The Guardian.