The Early Update (Dec 22, 2024)
1. Maharashtra Portfolio Allocation: Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis retained the Home department, while Deputy Chief Ministers Eknath Shinde and Ajit Pawar got the Urban Development and Finance departments respectively. 2. GST Council Meeting: The GST Council postponed the review of levies on life and health insurance policies, and granted more time to a ministerial group to suggest a roadmap for dealing with the GST Compensation Cess levies. 3. India-Kuwait Relations: Prime Minister Narendra Modi highlighted India's skill, technology, and manpower as essential for Kuwait's development. 4. Congress on Election Rules: The Congress party claimed that changes in election rules indicate an erosion of the electoral process's integrity. 5. Allu Arjun Controversy: Actor Allu Arjun dismissed allegations of character assassination following a discussion in the Telangana Legislative Assembly about his behavior after a woman's death at a cinema hall. 6. Jaipur-Ajmer Highway Accident: The death toll from a tanker-truck collision and fire on the Jaipur-Ajmer highway rose to 14. 7. Drug Abuse in Northeast India: Union Home Minister Amit Shah called for the eradication of drug abuse in Northeast India. 8. Mumbai Boat Accident: The body of a missing child was found, raising the death toll in the Mumbai ferry accident to 15. 9. German Christmas Market Attack: Seven Indians were injured in a car-ramming attack at a Christmas market in Germany. 10. Congress Campaign: The Congress party announced a campaign against Home Minister Amit Shah's remarks on Dr. Bhimrao Ambedkar. 11. India's Green Cover: India's forest and tree cover has reached 25% of the country's total geographical area. 12. Mohali Building Collapse: A woman died in a building collapse in Mohali, and rescue operations are ongoing. 13. Justice Madan Lokur's Appointment: Former Supreme Court judge Justice Madan Lokur was appointed Chairperson of the U.N. Internal Justice Council. 14. WhatsApp Lawsuit: A U.S. judge ruled in favor of WhatsApp in a lawsuit against Israel's NSO Group for hacking. 15. Canadian Politics: NDP leader Jagmeet Singh announced plans to introduce a motion to topple Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's government.