Here are some of the top stories from International Business Times, India to start your day:
1. Demonetisation: Banks to exchange old notes for only senior citizens on Saturday
Banks will exchange old currency notes of Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 with the new ones for only senior citizens on Saturday and will remain closed on Sunday. The limit for exchanging old notes for the new ones is Rs 2,000. Read more here.
2. Indian rupee falls to hit 9-month low; foreign investors turn net sellers on stock markets
The Indian rupee is a on freefall, almost in tandem with the demonetisation decision announced on November 8 2016. On Friday, the domestic currency plunged 32 paise to close at 68.14 to the US dollar, almost a nine-month low, amid strong possibility of interest rate hike by the US Federal Reserve. Read more here.
3. Volkswagen to lay off 30,000 people in 5 years
German automaker Volkswagen and its labour unions have agreed to lay off 30,000 people over the next five years at its VW brand. The aim of cutting the jobs is part of a plan to boost profitability and to provide funding for electric and self-driven cars post the disastrous carbon-emission scandal. Read more here.
4. Demonetisation debate: Rajya Sabha Opposition leader Ghulam Nabi Azad refuses to apologise for Uri remark
Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad on Friday refused to apologise for his remarks comparing soldiers who were killed in the Uri attacks to the number of people who died across the country due to demonetisation. Read more here.
5. Delhi Smog: 'Builders can't deny wages to labourers if work stops due to air pollution,' orders NGT
The National Green Tribunal (NGT) on Thursday ordered that builders cannot deny wages to labourers if "work is stopped for causing air pollution" and that they would have to "bear the burden of all consequences" of air pollution.
