Venezuelan oil sector opened to privatisation by legislative amendment, pending the acting president's signature.
The National Assembly approved an amendment to the energy industry law opening the nation's oil sector to privatisation, displacing prior statutory state control and authorising private and foreign participation in oil operations; the amendment awaits the acting president's signature to take legal effect.

Drug trafficking crackdown reduces smuggling through NDPS prosecutions and asset actions; a separate scheme provides Rs 10 lakh cashless health cover.
Enforcement measures to curb cross-border narcotics in Punjab include arrests and prosecutions under the NDPS Act, recovery of drug proceeds, and, in some instances, demolition of properties or placement of government notices on assets alleged to be bought with illicit funds; these actions are presented as a mission-mode campaign to deter smugglers. Separately, the administration has implemented the Mukh Mantri Sehat Yojna, offering up to Rs 10 lakh of cashless medical coverage per family regardless of income, with access via a scheme health card or Aadhaar.

Odisha's economy posts NSDP growth, higher per capita income, stronger fiscal position and deeper financial inclusion.
Odisha's Net State Domestic Product rose to an estimated Rs 7.90 lakh crore in 2024-25 with growth accelerating to 13.04% and per capita NSDP up 12.33% to Rs 1,68,966; the state cites strengthened fiscal capacity, rising bank deposits (Rs 5.83 lakh crore), and continued emphasis on agriculture, crop diversification and farmer welfare-including top-three sunflower production-as foundations for investment in infrastructure, education, social welfare and further inclusive growth.

India-US talks focus on concluding a trade deal and coordinating critical mineral supply chains amid recent tariff disputes.
The ministerial discussion focused on advancing a proposed trade deal, coordinating on critical mineral supply chains, and strengthening defence cooperation while negotiating momentum continues despite recent unilateral tariff measures-a 50 percent tariff and a 25 percent punitive levy tied to energy purchases-which have posed obstacles to concluding the agreement.

Economic Survey framed welfare as fiscal risk while growth is portrayed as government driven, not consumption led.
The Economic Survey is criticised for labelling state welfare and cash transfers as threats to sovereign borrowing while portraying large central tax concessions as prudent, and for presenting growth as government-driven rather than consumption- or investment-led; the Survey's own references to tax breaks and emergency relief are read as evidence of stressed private consumption, and its attribution of currency and capital pressures to global factors is said to obscure domestic policy and credibility failures.

India Arab relations: second India Arab Foreign Ministers' Meeting to deepen cooperation across economy, energy, education and culture.
Second India Arab Foreign Ministers' Meeting, co chaired by India and the UAE, convenes ministers and senior officials from 22 Arab states and the Arab League secretary general to expand cooperation across economy, energy, education and culture. The meeting builds on the 2016 priorities and functions within the legal framework established by a 2002 agreement institutionalising India League of Arab States dialogue and a memorandum of cooperation creating the Arab India Cooperation Forum (2008, revised 2013); India holds observer status to the League.

Odisha and World Bank to deepen cooperation on infrastructure, skill development, and business friendly reforms to boost jobs.
The World Bank President and the Odisha Chief Minister agreed to strengthen cooperation through technical assistance, policy guidance, and public private partnerships to enhance infrastructure, improve social outcomes, and scale skill development initiatives, including support for upgrading training institutions like ITIs and the Central Tool Room and Training Centre, and acknowledged State reforms to attract investment.

Kerala unveils Elderly Budget funding retirement homes, subsidies, local volunteer services and an emergency helpline.
Kerala's Elderly Budget directs fiscal and programmatic responses to a growing senior population by allocating funds and mechanisms for elderly care. It finances subsidies (Rs 30 crore) for retirement homes with healthcare and community facilities and provides Rs 10 crore for local volunteer forces and an on call helpline to assist seniors living alone, tasking Local Self Government Institutions with scheme design and implementation.

Lai Autonomous District Council leader wins vote of confidence, securing majority for a post poll coalition administration.
C Lalsawmzuala, as Chief Executive Member of the 25-member Lai Autonomous District Council, won a vote of confidence in a floor test with 15 votes for and 9 against, confirming the United Legislature Party-a post-poll coalition between the Mizo National Front and the Congress-as the ruling grouping. This floor test resolved the administrative uncertainty that followed a fragmented election and a sequence of snapped and reconfigured alliances among the MNF, Congress, ZPM and independents.

UK-China talks yield visa-free travel and a feasibility study toward a bilateral services agreement for firms and investment.
The UK and China agreed to relax entry requirements to permit visa-free travel for short visits and to undertake a joint feasibility study on negotiating a potential bilateral services agreement aimed at enhancing UK services exports; parallel cooperation pacts address conformity assessment, exports, vocational training, health, quarantine, crime and migration matters to support deeper commercial and regulatory collaboration.

E-methanol plant at Kandla Port announced by Assam Petro and Deendayal Port to supply green marine fuel.
A public sector producer and the port authority signed an MoU to build a 150 TPD e-methanol plant at Kandla with investment over Rs 1,200 crore; the port will supply pipeline connectivity, storage and fuel handling infrastructure while the producer will establish and operate the green methanol facility within the port area to create an integrated value chain for green marine fuels.

Economic Survey projects 6.8-7.2% growth for 2026-27, attributing higher medium term potential to policy reforms and domestic demand.
The Economic Survey 2025-26 projects 6.8-7.2% GDP growth for FY 2026-27, driven by consumption and investment, and finds that cumulative policy reforms have raised India's medium term growth potential closer to 7%, while noting global volatility and trade risks as factors that temper the outlook.

Namo Bharat RRTS expansion to 2,900 km aims to boost regional connectivity and TOD-based development.
Nearly 2,900 km of prospective Namo Bharat RRTS corridors have been identified to strengthen regional connectivity and develop mega regions, with proposed stretches including Bengaluru Mysuru Tumakuru Hosur and Chennai Vellore Villupuram Chengalpattu. The Survey states that modest, predictable central support could unlock economic multipliers, highlights Delhi Meerut's construction impact of around 166 lakh mandays (2019-2025) and projects ongoing operational employment effects. It emphasises integration with Transit-Oriented Development via statutory TOD implementation-master plans for Meerut and Ghaziabad have notified TOD zones and planned greenfield townships-to promote higher density mixed use development, decentralisation of employment, reduced vehicle trips and carbon emissions, and replicable digital management systems for future projects.

Helmet Adda campus initiative encourages helmet use for two-wheeler riders to boost safety and compliance.
The college and a road safety NGO launched the "Helmet Adda," a campus hub housing 20 helmets to increase helmet use among two-wheeler riders, functioning as a behavioral nudge to improve safety compliance and normalize responsible mobility, with road safety authorities endorsing such campus-led measures as life protecting practices beyond enforcement.

Ajit Pawar crash site cordoned and policed for investigation to preserve wreckage and control public access.
A chartered aircraft crash near the Baramati airstrip that killed Ajit Pawar and others has led the AAIB to begin a probe and the wreckage to be cordoned off. Police have been deployed within a 500 metre radius and additional personnel posted at the airstrip to prevent tampering, preserve evidence and enforce controlled access while forensic and aviation experts process the site.

Rupee weakens to near 92 as foreign outflows, geopolitical uncertainty and rising crude oil pressure the currency.
The rupee weakened to near 92 per US dollar due to foreign portfolio outflows, geopolitical uncertainty and higher crude oil prices; elevated dollar strength and US bond yields, combined with importer demand and hedging, intensified selling, while the central bank can smooth volatility but is unlikely to aggressively defend a specific level absent disorderly conditions.

AI Economic Council to calibrate adoption, align sectoral needs, and protect labour while promoting frugal AI solutions.
The Economic Survey recommends an AI Economic Council to calibrate AI adoption, embedding labour realities and social stability into policy and developing a decade-long roadmap with private firms that specifies affected job profiles, geographies of displacement, and the scale of automation versus augmentation, while prioritising sector-specific, frugal AI solutions operating on local hardware and open interoperable systems over large frontier model build-outs.

CBI trains new recruits to use AI as an investigative aid while emphasising human judgment and practical digital evidence handling.
CBI leadership directed that Artificial Intelligence should be used as an investigative aid to accelerate probes and manage large volumes of digital data while preserving human judgment; training continues in the field. The TRACE laboratory provides hands-on, scenario-based instruction in digital evidence handling and cyber forensics covering the full lifecycle from seizure to court presentation to build practical investigative capacity.

Consumer Price Index update: new CPI series adds airfares, OTT subscriptions and e commerce prices with base 2024.
CPI 2024 revises the base year to 2024, adopts COICOP 2018 subclass classification, and updates weights from HCES 2023-24. The basket expands to 358 weighted items and market coverage increases, including 12 online marketplaces. Methodological reforms add administrative and e commerce data, technology assisted price collection, a house rent index, and granular dissemination. Airfares and streaming subscription prices are included (airfare collection at 21 day domestic and 60 day international advance purchase windows). Employer provided accommodation and free social transfers are excluded; electricity is captured in four slabs.

Border enforcement in Minnesota will focus on jail transfers and targeted operations, contingent on local cooperation and zero tolerance for assaults.
Federal immigration enforcement in Minnesota will be reduced only after cooperation from state and local officials; local jails are urged to notify ICE and transfer removable detainees to ICE custody while still jailed to enable safer, jail-based removals and reduce street-level enforcement, while operations will focus on targeted strategic enforcement prioritizing public safety threats and maintaining zero tolerance for assaults or interference with officers.