Maharashtra portfolios: Fadnavis keeps Home, Shinde Urban Development; Ajit gets Finance
Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis retained Home department and law and judiciary department, while Deputy Chief Ministers Eknath Shinde and Ajit Pawar got Urban Development department and finance department respectively, in the portfolio allocation among the cabinet ministers in Maharashtra. Tiding over their internal differences, the Mahayuti partners finally announced the cabinet portfolio allocation on the last day of the winter session of Maharashtra legislative Assembly.
GST Council puts off review of levy on life, health insurance
The much-anticipated review of the Goods and Services Tax (GST) levies on life and health insurance policies was put off by the GST Council, the apex body in charge of the indirect tax regime, at its 55th meeting on Saturday, as some members sought more discussions on the matter before taking a final call. The Council, chaired by Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, which met in Jaisalmer, also decided to grant more time to a ministerial group tasked with suggesting a roadmap for dealing with the GST Compensation Cess levies on several items that are scheduled for a March 2026 sunset.
India has skill, technology and manpower that ‘New’ Kuwait needs: PM Modi
Noting that Kuwait wants to become a dynamic economy and India aims to be a developed country by 2047, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Saturday (December 21, 2024) that India has the skill, technology, innovation and manpower that ‘New’ Kuwait needs. Addressing the community program ‘Hala Modi’ in Kuwait, Mr. Modi said the relationship that was built by culture and commerce is scaling new heights today.
Change in Conduct of Election Rules indicates erosion of electoral process integrity, alleges Congress
The Congress claimed that a change in rules regarding the conduct of elections is “a vindication of our assertions regarding the rapidly eroding integrity of the electoral process managed by the Election Commission of India (ECI)”. Congress communication chief Jairam Ramesh, in a post on X, tagged a media report that claimed that the Union Law Ministry, in consultation with the ECI, effected a change in the rules after the Punjab and Haryana High Court asked the ECI to supply all information including video and CCTV footage pertaining to a particular booth in the recent Haryana Assembly polls to the petitioner.
Attempt at character assassination, says Allu Arjun after Telangana Assembly discusses Pushpa 2 stampede
Hours after a discussion in the Telangana Legislative Assembly about the behaviour of actor Allu Arjun in the aftermath of a woman’s death at Sandhya 70 MM cinema hall, the actor dismissed it as “character assassination” without naming anyone or the forum. Speaking in a press conference, Mr. Arjun, flanked by his father and a lawyer, gave his side of the story, and termed the death of the woman and the injury to the child an accident. The stampede at the cinema resulted in the death of a 35-year-old woman; her eight-year-old son is battling for life in a hospital.
Jaipur-Ajmer highway truck fire: Death toll rises to 14; Sachin Pilot meets victims at SMS hospitals
The death toll in the deadly tanker-truck collision and massive fire on Bhankrota on the Jaipur-Ajmer highway increased to 14, with three more persons succumbing to burn injuries. Five of the deceased are yet to be identified as their bodies were charred beyond recognition. The mishap occurred early on Friday morning when a tanker carrying liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) was making a U-turn on the highway and hit a truck coming from the opposite direction.
Northeast India must get rid of drug abuse blot, says Amit Shah at 72nd Plenary of the NEC
Union Home Minister Amit Shah called for the complete eradication of drugs and narcotic substances in northeast India and urged the state governments to take an adequate approach to tackle the menace. He said international borders are being used to smuggle in the drugs which are yet to be contained. He said the region which is witnessing development in all spheres under a peaceful environment has to clean it from its ‘kalank’ (blot) of drug abuse.
Mumbai boat accident: Body of missing boy found off Mumbai coast; toll rises to 15
The body of a missing child in the Mumbai ferry accident case was found within Mumbai harbour around 12.00 p.m. by the Navy. The body has been taken to J. J. Hospital and the death toll is increased to 15, as per Colaba police. (Snehal Inputs) Naval boats have found the body of Johan Mohammad Nisar Ahmed Pathan, taking the toll in the December 18 tragedy to 15.
Seven Indians among around 200 injured in German Christmas market attack
Seven Indians have been injured inthe deadly car-ramming attack in the eastern German city of Magdeburg and the Indian embassy in Berlin is providing them all possible assistance, official sources said. A 50-year-old man drove his car into crowds at a Christmas market on Friday evening in Saxony-Anhalt state’s Magdeburg, leaving at least five people, including a nine-year-old, dead and nearly 200 injured, according to German authorities. Three out of seven injured Indians have been discharged from hospital, the Indian government sources said.
Congress steps up campaign over Amit Shah’s remarks on Dr. Ambedkar
Stepping up its campaign against Home Minister Amit Shah for his comment that it has become a “fashion” to take Dr. Bhimrao Ambedkar’s name, the Congress announced a plan to hold countrywide press conferences and Ambedkar samman (respect) marches in the next few days. Congress Members of Parliament, members of the party’s working committee, and senior party leaders will hold 150 press conferences in their constituencies and home districts on Sunday and Monday.
25% of India’s total area under green cover: Government report
India’s forest and tree cover has reached a quarter of the country’s total geographical area, according to the India State of Forest Report (ISFR) 2023, released by the Government of India on Saturday. The increase of 25.17% breaks down to 21.76% of forest cover (7.15 lakh sq. km) and 3.41% of tree cover (1,289 sq. km).
Himachal woman dies in Mohali building collapse, rescue effort on, building owners booked
Rescue operations were underway after a multistorey building collapsed in the Sohana village of Punjab’s Mohali district, officials said. A 20-year-old woman, hailing from Himachal Pradesh, died after she was pulled out of the debris, officials said. Police have booked building owners — Parwinder Singh and Gagandeep Singh, Mohali Senior Superintendent of Police Deepak Pareek said.
Former Supreme Court judge Justice Madan Lokur appointed chairperson of U.N. Internal Justice Council
Former Supreme Court judge Justice Madan B. Lokur was appointed Chairperson of the United Nations Internal Justice Council for a term ending on November 12, 2028. In a communication to Justice Lokur, U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres said the retired judge would head the council which also comprises other distinguished jurists.
U.S. judge finds Israel’s NSO Group liable for hacking in WhatsApp lawsuit
A U.S. judge ruled on Friday in favour of Meta Platforms’ WhatsApp in a lawsuit accusing Israel’s NSO Group of exploiting a bug in the messaging app to install spy software allowing unauthorised surveillance. U.S. District Judge Phyllis Hamilton in Oakland, California, granted a motion by WhatsApp and found NSO liable for hacking and breach of contract. The case will now proceed to a trial only on the issue of damages, Hamilton said. NSO Group did not immediately respond to an emailed request for comment.
Key ally vows to topple Canadian PM Trudeau in fresh blow to his government
The future of Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s leadership appeared increasingly uncertain after New Democratic Party (NDP) leader Jagmeet Singh, a key ally, said he would introduce a motion to topple the minority Liberal government. Mr. Singh, whose party has been helping keep Trudeau in office, announced in an open letter posted on social media that he would declare a loss of confidence in the Trudeau-led Liberal government next year, a move that would trigger an early election if other opposition parties support his move.
Published – December 22, 2024 07:08 am IST
