Home Ministry sets up committee to probe Parliament security breach
The Ministry of Home Affairs constituted an inquiry committee headed by CRPF Director-General Anish Dayal Singh to probe the security breach in the Lok Sabha. “On request from the Lok Sabha Secretariat, the MHA has ordered an inquiry of the Parliament security breach incident. An inquiry committee has been set up under Shri Anish Dayal Singh, DG, CRPF, with members from other security agencies and experts,” an MHA spokesperson posted on X
The U.S. House authorized the impeachment inquiry into President Joe Biden, with every Republican rallying behind the politically charged process despite lingering concerns among some in the party that the investigation has yet to produce evidence of misconduct by the President. The 221-212 party-line vote put the entire House Republican conference on record in support of an impeachment process that can lead to the ultimate penalty for a President.
India welcomes Dubai consensus even as new flanks open
Amid the global consensus in Dubai to transition away from fossil fuels, India welcomed the agreement though new avenues of opposition may have opened that it will have to address in future climate negotiations. “We support the proposal of the Presidency on the COP decision document while reiterating the fundamental principles enshrined in the Paris Agreement to take action for global good in accordance with national circumstances,” Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav, who led the Indian delegation, said
Article 370 | Supreme Court’s order won’t affect our position on Ladakh, says China
The Supreme Court’s verdict on Article 370 will not impact the Chinese position on Ladakh, a spokesperson for the Chinese government said, arguing that the western part of the India- China border has “always belonged to China”. “China has never recognised the so-called Union Territory of Ladakh set up unilaterally and illegally by India. India’s domestic judicial verdict does not change the fact that the western section of the China-India border has always belonged to China,” Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Mao Ning said, in response to a question on the verdict.
Supreme Court urges Tamil Nadu Chief Minister, Governor to break the ice over hot tea
The Supreme Court urged Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin and Governor R.N. Ravi to break the ice over hot tea, saying the “business of the government and the business of governance” should not suffer from the ensuing deadlock over the clearance of 10 crucial Bills. The Tamil Nadu government informed a Bench headed by Chief Justice of India D.Y. Chandrachud that the Governor has invited the Chief Minister for tea. Mr. Stalin has accepted the invitation.
AI summit adopts New Delhi declaration on inclusiveness, collaboration
Following several hours of deliberations, representatives from 28 countries and the European Union adopted the ‘New Delhi Declaration’ of the Global Partnership on Artificial Intelligence (GPAI, pronounced g-pay). India is hosting the summit and will chair the GPAI grouping in 2024. The ministerial declaration affirms the countries’ commitment to “principles for responsible stewardship of trustworthy AI … rooted in democratic values and human rights … and promoting trustworthy, responsible, sustainable and human-centred use of AI.”
Among the handful of MPs who witnessed both the 2001 attack on the Parliament, ironically on December 13, and Wednesday’s security breach is Biju Janata Dal MP Bhartruhari Mahtab who said that while both exposed serious flaws in security, they were incidents of a different nature.
FM moves legislation to set up GST Appellate Tribunals ‘at the earliest’
Setting the stage to clear the final hurdle holding up the formation of the GST Appellate Tribunals, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman introduced amendments to the Central Goods and Services Tax Act of 2017 in the Lok Sabha to align its provisions with the Tribunal Reforms Act of 2021.
CJI to consider Moitra’s request for urgent listing of plea
Chief Justice of India D.Y. Chandrachud on Wednesday said he will look into a request by Trinamool Congress leader Mahua Moitra’s lawyers to urgently list a petition filed in the Supreme Court against her expulsion from Lok Sabha. The Trinamool Congress leader was expelled from the Lok Sabha on December 8 over cash-for-query allegations. Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi had moved a resolution which said her continuance as a Member of Parliament was “untenable” and her conduct was “unbecoming of an MP”.
Bhajan Lal Sharma to be sworn in as Rajasthan CM on December 15
Sanganer MLA Bhajan Lal Sharma, elected as the BJP Legislature Party leader, will be sworn in as the 14th Chief Minister of Rajasthan at a ceremony here on December 15. Deputy Chief Ministers Diya Kumari and Prem Chand Bairwa will also take the oath of office at the ceremony.
The Tamil Nadu government, which has decided to give cash relief of ₹6,000 each to families in Chennai and parts of three neighbouring districts that were hit by Cyclone Michaung, has released a government order indicating that it would adopt two modes of payment: cash payments and direct benefit transfer (DBT) through banks, to prospective beneficiaries.
Afghanistan excluded from COP28 as climate impacts hit home
Humanitarian concerns have been raised over Afghanistan being left out of United Nations climate negotiations for a third year in a row, as the country grapples with worsening drought and floods .Dozens of people were killed in Afghanistan, one of the world’s most vulnerable countries to climate change, after heavy rains triggered flash floods that swept across drought-stricken land earlier this year. But the country is absent from the COP28 climate summit in Dubai, having been left out of such U.N. talks since the Taliban took over Kabul in 2021.
IMF clears second tranche of $337 million for Sri Lanka
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has cleared the second tranche — of about $337 million — of the Extended Fund Facility (EFF) to Sri Lanka, based on the debt treatment plan drawn up by the crisis-battered island nation and its bilateral creditors. With the second tranche coming in, Sri Lanka has received about $670 million of the total $3 billion it hopes to receive from the Fund, to recover from last year’s historic financial crash that put citizens through acute shortages and long power cuts, while pushing the country into bankruptcy.
Didn’t know how to come back after World Cup final loss but now motivated for ultimate prize: Rohit
Rohit Sharma had no clue if he would ever get over the disappointment of the World Cup final defeat but the love and understanding of fans has now “motivated” him to make an earnest shot at another ultimate glory. While Rohit didn’t mention which ultimate glory he is talking about but it is fairly believable now that he is looking at leading India in next year’s T20 World Cup in the West Indies and USA.
