Trinamool Congress MP Mahua Moitra has been voted out by the Lok Sabha for 'unethical conduct' in relation to the cash-for-query matter, on  Dec 8  noon. Moitra's 'expulsion' happened after the House held her guilty of sharing her credentials with others and accepting gifts from a businessman to extend favours. This move means she may lose her MP status.

Zoram People’s Movement (ZPM) stalwart Lalduhoma was on Dec 8  sworn in as the chief minister of Mizoram.

Eleven others from the five-year-old party took oath as ministers – seven as cabinet ministers and four as ministers of state. The state, which has 40 Assembly seats, can have a maximum of 12 ministers, including the CM.

The oath of office and secrecy was administered by Governor Hari Babu Kambhampati. Former chief ministers Zoramthanga and Lal Thanhawla, all elected members of Mizo National Front (MNF), BJP and Congress were among the dignitaries present.

This is the first non-Congress and non-MNF government in Mizoram since it attained statehood in February 1987 – 15 years after it was created as a Union Territory in 1972.

The cabinet ministers are K Sapdanga, Vanlalhlana, C Lalsawivunga, Lalthansanga, Dr Vanlalthlana, PC Vanlalruata and Lalrinpuii. F Rodingliana, B Lalchhanzova, Prof Lalnilawma and Lalnghinglova Hmar took oath as ministers of state.

Sapdanga, the deputy leader of the ZPM legislature party, is the new home minister. Lalrinpuii, who was allocated some key portfolios, including health and tourism, became the state’s first woman cabinet minister.

Soon after his swearing-in, Lalduhoma spelt out the priorities of his government for the next 100 days. The welfare of farmers will be on top.

The ZPM, floated ahead of 2018 elections with seven regional political parties, had bagged 27 seats. MNF was a distant second with ten seats, followed by BJP two and Congress one.

Character actor Junior Mehmood, known for his roles in Caravan, Haathi Mere Saathi, and Mera Naam Joker, died following a battle with cancer. The actor was 68.

Junior Mehmood, whose real name was Naeem Sayyed, began as a child artist with Mohabbat Zindagi Hai (1966), and Naunihal (1967).

He was given the name Junior Mehmood by late comedy icon Mehmood after they starred together in the 1968 film Suhag Raat.

Hunter Biden was indicted on nine tax charges in California on Dec 7  as a special counsel investigation into the business dealings of President Joe Biden's son intensifies against the backdrop of the looming 2024 election.

The new charges — three felonies and six misdemeanors — are in addition to federal firearms charges in Delaware alleging Hunter Biden broke laws against drug users having guns in 2018. They come after the implosion of a plea deal over the summer that would have spared him jail time.

If convicted, Hunter Biden could face up to 17 years in prison. 

Describing India as a strategic partner, the US has said it wants to deepen the relations with the country unabated on a range of issues but at the same time wants it to fully investigate the plot to assassinate a Sikh separatist in New York and hold accountable those responsible.

National Security spokesperson John Kirby's remarks came while responding to a question on the impact that the alleged plot would have on the bilateral relationship.

US federal prosecutors on November 29 charged Indian national Nikhil Gupta with working with an Indian government employee in the foiled plot to kill Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, a Sikh extremist, who is an American and Canadian citizen.

To maintain enough sugar availability in the domestic market in the election year, the government has directed not to use 'sugarcane juice and sugar syrup' for ethanol production in 2023-24. However, the government has allowed B molasses (second molasses) for ethanol production from December onward. India mixes ethanol with petrol to reduce its dependence on fossil fuels.

The government speculated that adverse weather conditions due to El Nino may impact sugarcane production. Traders and Commodity analysts speculate that in the current sugar season, there would be a 12 percent deficit in sugar production. In the last sugarcane crushing season 2022-23, the total sugarcane production was 33.1 million metric tonnes. It is estimated that this year the production will be 29.1 mmt. Last year, 4.4 mmt of sugar was diverted for ethanol while this year it was estimated as 4 mmt for diversion.

In October, the government further extended a curb on the export of all kinds of Sugar (raw sugar, white sugar, refined sugar, and organic sugar) beyond October 31, 2023.

The sugarcane crushing season starts from October 2023 to September 2024. The below-normal rainfall and record deficit monsoon in major sugar-producing regions like Maharashtra and Karnataka has impacted the Sugarcane crop which is known as water-guzzling.

India exported 61 lakh tonnes of sugar during the 2022-23 marketing year, as against a record 112 lakh tonnes in the previous year. The government has not yet allowed exports for this marketing year.

India will address the issue of the European Union's plan to impose a carbon tax on certain imported goods, Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal on Dec 8 said, adding that "I will retaliate" if required.

The CBAM (Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism) or carbon tax (a kind of import duty) will come into effect from January 1, 2026.

However, from October 1 this year, domestic companies from seven carbon-intensive sectors, including steel, cement, fertiliser, aluminium and hydrocarbon products, will have to share data with regard to carbon emissions with the EU.

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has revised the GDP growth forecast for FY24 upwards from 6.5% to 7%. This comes after the second quarter (July-September) FY24 GDP exceeded all forecasts.

The RBI governor Shaktikanta Das in his monetary policy statement said that economic activity exhibited buoyancy in Q2 aided by strong domestic demand, and that GDP posted a robust growth of 7.6 per cent in Q2 of FY24, driven by investment and government consumption.

As per RBI, the country’s economy will grow at 6.5% in Q3 and at 6% in Q4 of FY24. The growth momentum is likely to moderate in FY25 as RBI expects the real GDP to grow at 6.7% in Q1 and 6.5% in Q2 and 6.4% in Q3.