Brazilian judge places convicted coup-plot participants under house arrest after a convicted former police commander fled and was returned.
A judge converted or imposed house arrest on ten convicted participants in a plot to keep a former president in power, replacing or supplementing prior cautionary measures like ankle monitors and nightly stay requirements, after a convicted former police commander fled, was extradited, and returned to face supervision.

Free trade agreements risk diluting apple import duties, threatening Kashmir's horticulture, growers and families.
Opposition argues that proposed free trade agreements with the EU, US and Chile risk diluting import duties on apples, repeating harm from the India-New Zealand FTA which cut a 25% duty and exposed Kashmir growers to unfair imports; the speaker urges the Jammu and Kashmir chief minister to take the issue up with the Government of India to protect horticulture livelihoods.

Hybrid ganja seized at Kochi airport; two arrested as suspected carriers for an organised drug racket, remand pending.
Customs air intelligence intercepted two passengers from Phuket at Kochi airport and seized 4.3 kg of hybrid ganja concealed in multiple packets, valued at over Rs 4 crore. The individuals were taken into custody and formally arrested as suspected carriers for an organised drug racket; authorities are investigating intended recipients and will produce the accused for remand proceedings.

Bengaluru airport fraudsters posing as Customs officials extort payments; do not pay and report via provided helplines.
Fraudsters posing as Customs officials at Kempegowda International Airport contact travellers via phone, social media or messaging apps, falsely claim detention, and demand immediate payment into personal accounts or digital wallets. Customs states officials never request payments through such channels and require payments only via authorised counters or online portals with receipts; routine procedures occur under CCTV. Victims are urged to report incidents by email or the cybercrime helpline and the department warns of legal action against fraudsters.

Foreign currency seizure at airport: passenger arrested for attempting to smuggle over Rs 50 lakh in concealed cash.
Customs officers at an international airport intercepted a passenger bound for Ras Al-Khaimah, examined checked baggage and conducted a personal search, and seized USD 40,000 and SAR 63,200 (approx. Rs 50.67 lakh) concealed in a trolley bag and trouser pocket, leading to the arrest of the passenger and seizure of the currencies under customs enforcement procedures.

Education under ideological control alleged to threaten institutional autonomy and academic freedom nationwide and require policy response.
Rahul Gandhi alleges BJP-RSS institutional takeover efforts at the Indian Statistical Institute, asserting bureaucratic and ideological interference in academic councils, syllabus, and research that threaten academic freedom and institutional autonomy and may lead to privatisation or asset disposals.

Smuggling of suspected ganja worth nearly six crore rupees foiled; man arrested, about 5.9 kg seized at airport.
Customs intercepted an arriving passenger from Kuala Lumpur, recovered twelve concealed polythene pouches in a trolley containing a green-coloured substance that diagnostic testing prima facie identified as ganja/marijuana, weighing 5,913.5 grams with an approximate value of Rs 5.91 crore, and arrested the passenger for alleged smuggling.

India UK free trade agreement in 2025 set to boost bilateral trade and deepen strategic cooperation.
The 2025 India UK Free Trade Agreement (CETA) and a concurrent 'Vision 2035' establish a legal framework to expand market access, investment facilitation and sectoral cooperation. UK analysis forecasts the FTA will boost bilateral trade by over 25 billion from current levels when enforced following customary Parliamentary ratification expected in the first half of 2026. Complementary domestic policy changes-on higher education campuses, immigration and residency rules, and taxation-interact with the FTA's economic effects and affect mobility and investment decisions.

Import of New Zealand apples could harm Kashmiri growers; call to impose taxes to protect the local apple industry.
The National Conference urged review of apple imports under the new trade agreement with New Zealand, warning past imports harmed local growers and demanding that no tax exemption be granted to imported apples and that a reasonable tax be imposed to protect Jammu and Kashmir's apple industry, which faces substantial recent losses and depends on the sector for livelihoods.

Apple imports from New Zealand subject to phased quota, concessional duty, higher minimum import price and seasonal window.
Market access for New Zealand apple imports under the FTA is governed by a phased quota with a 25% concessional duty (imports beyond the quota face a 50% duty), a seasonal window (April 1-August 31), and a higher Minimum Import Price of USD 1.25/kg ensuring a higher post-duty price. Concessional access is conditioned on implementation of the Apple Action Plan under the Agriculture Productivity Partnership and oversight by a Joint Agriculture Productivity Council, alongside technical cooperation through Centres of Excellence to protect domestic farmers and enhance productivity.

China-Pakistan defence and space cooperation includes likely PLA basing consideration, arms transfers, and expanded space agreements.
The Pentagon report states the PLA is planning additional overseas military facilities and has likely considered basing in Pakistan; it highlights Chinese equipment deliveries and co produced aircraft to Pakistan and other partners, and documents China's nearly 200 intergovernmental space cooperation agreements and promotion of the International Lunar Research Station while projecting growth in China's naval export market.

Indian professional services to expand abroad through binding FTA commitments, MRAs, skills upgrades and recognition-ready regulations.
The Department of Commerce convened a Chintan Shivir to prioritise legally binding commitments in trade agreements and domestic reforms to unlock markets for Indian professionals, emphasising skills upgrades, recognition-ready regulatory frameworks, institutional mechanisms like professional chapters and certification, and enhanced use and assessment of Mutual Recognition Agreements (MRAs) and Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) to support mobility and digitally delivered services.

Hainan customs operations and expanded visa waivers aim to boost tourism cooperation and streamline duty-free travel.
Island-wide special customs operations in the Hainan Free Trade Port, combined with visa-free access for 86 countries and expanded visa-waiver arrangements for cruise passengers and tour groups, are intended to simplify entry, spending and movement for international visitors and to position the island as a platform for joint tourism cooperation and investment; cited effects include broader international payment options, removal of a tax-refund process for duty-free purchases, and a reported rise in international flight bookings to Haikou of over 40 percent.

Border arrests of unauthorized drivers operating semitrucks with state commercial licenses amid safety-driven enforcement actions.
Border Patrol agents in the El Centro Sector detained numerous noncitizens operating semitrucks with state-issued commercial driver's licenses, including 30 Indian nationals among 49 arrests during late-November to mid-December enforcement. A subsequent two-day interagency operation, Operation Highway Sentinel, targeted trucking companies and resulted in further arrests of unauthorized drivers; authorities stated the initiative aimed to enforce immigration law violations and remove unauthorized commercial drivers in response to recent fatal highway crashes involving drivers lacking authorized status.

India-US trade talks aim to resolve 50% tariffs and restore deeper market access for Indian exporters.
India is negotiating a Bilateral Trade Agreement (BTA) with the United States to restore deeper market access for exporters and address a 50% US tariff on Indian goods. The first tranche aims to pave the way toward a broader pact to raise bilateral trade to USD 500 billion by 2030. The US seeks duty concessions on certain agricultural and industrial goods; India opposes concessions in agricultural and dairy sectors to protect farmers and MSMEs. Resolution of tariffs is framed as key to finalising the initial phase of the BTA and supporting export performance.

China challenges India's solar and IT support measures at the WTO as discriminatory and tied to local content requirements.
China requested WTO consultations challenging India's tariff treatment and measures contingent on use of domestic over imported goods for solar and IT products, alleging discrimination and non-compliance with GATT 1994, the Agreement on Subsidies and Countervailing Measures, and the Agreement on Trade-Related Investment Measures, and targeting eligibility and disbursement conditions under the Production Linked Incentive Scheme for high-efficiency solar PV modules, including minimum local value-addition requirements.

SMT CEO appointed Co-Chair of FICCI Medical Devices Committee; SMT also filed a draft prospectus for a proposed IPO.
Appointment of SMT's CEO as Co-Chair of the FICCI Medical Devices Committee positions the company to engage in stakeholder consultations and influence sectoral priorities such as regulatory reform, import substitution, R&D promotion and trade policy. SMT also discloses that it has filed a draft red herring prospectus with securities regulators and exchanges for a proposed IPO, subject to approvals and market conditions, and cautions investors to consult the prospectus and its "Risk Factors" section.

New Zealand duty concessions for apples, kiwifruit and honey tied to delivery of agricultural productivity action plans via TRQs.
Duty concessions for apples, kiwifruit and Manuka honey are conditional on delivery of agricultural productivity action plans monitored by a Joint Agriculture Productivity Council; market access is managed via tariff rate quotas with a minimum import price, staged quota increases and reduced duties within quota and higher duties beyond quota to protect domestic producers.

Hydroponic weed seizure at Mumbai airport: 48 kg recovered, eight arrests; contraband hidden in bottles and tins from Bangkok, Muscat.
Customs, acting on profiling and intelligence between December 18 and 22, intercepted passengers from Bangkok and Muscat at the international airport and seized approximately 48.048 kg of suspected hydroponic weed and amphetamines concealed in shampoo bottles and tin boxes; eight passengers were arrested. Additional seizures included 283 gm of diamond jewellery, 6.6 kg of polished semi-precious stones, and recovered foreign currency.

Mark Wiseman named Canada's ambassador to the United States to lead USMCA review negotiations effort.
Mark Wiseman has been appointed Canada's ambassador to the United States, to assume the post on February 15 and serve as a core member of Canada's negotiating team for the 2026 review of the US-Mexico-Canada trade pact, replacing the outgoing ambassador and tasked with advancing Canadian economic interests in bilateral trade discussions.