India US trade pact to begin with a joint statement leading to tariff cuts and no investment commitments.
A first-tranche bilateral trade arrangement will begin with a joint statement to be signed imminently and converted into an exhaustive legal agreement by mid March; the United States will issue an executive order reducing its tariffs on Indian goods to 18 percent and India will reciprocally cut tariffs on specified US goods upon signature. The first tranche contains no investment commitment and focuses on tariff adjustments and reciprocity rather than investment liberalisation.

State government's commitment to protecting democratic and fundamental rights amid electoral roll revision controversy and development plans.
The Governor affirmed the state government's commitment to protecting democratic and fundamental rights while addressing the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls - a process contested as risking large-scale voter exclusion yet defended as enhancing transparency and accuracy. The address also outlined economic policy priorities: six economic corridors and the forthcoming Tajpur port as measures to strengthen the marine ecosystem and generate employment, and noted partisan tensions in the assembly during the ceremonial exit.

Supreme Court actions: petition challenging Bihar elections and authorization for UPSC to flag DGP appointment delays.
A party has filed a petition in the Supreme Court challenging the Bihar Assembly elections and seeking fresh polls, constituting an election challenge. The Supreme Court also took note of delays by several states in submitting proposals for Director General of Police appointments and authorised the Union Public Service Commission to bring such failures to the Court's attention, establishing a mechanism for reporting and judicial oversight of state compliance with appointment procedures.

Investment fraud probe under PMLA targets promoters over alleged diversion of depositor funds and property investments.
A PMLA investigation was opened after FIRs alleged the Nedumparambil Credit Syndicate Group collected depositor funds on promises of high returns that were not repaid; searches were conducted and bank-account analysis allegedly shows diversion of funds to related entities, large cash withdrawals, and suspected investment of proceeds in immovable property.

Meridian Schools Hyderabad partnered with HOAG to deliver a five-chapter immersive leadership programme for students aged 11-17.
Meridian Schools Hyderabad entered a formal partnership with HOAG to implement the HOAG Leadership Lab across multiple campuses, delivering five mentor-led, two-day immersive chapters during the academic year to over 1,200 students aged 11-17, using experiential simulations and reflective practices to develop leadership, resilience, ethical judgment and future-ready skills within Meridian's holistic curriculum.

Pune Mundhwa land sale under probe; report pending, extension granted and no clean chit yet, while critics cite conflicts.
The Kharge led five member committee has not submitted its report on the Mundhwa land sale; an eight day extension was granted and no clean chit can be given pending formal submission. The probe focuses on alleged procedural lapses in registration-valuation, documentation and officials' roles-and on an alleged Rs 21 crore stamp duty exemption. The panel includes senior revenue and registration officials; activists allege delays and conflicts of interest. The government states action will follow after the report is formally received.

Dugarajapatnam port land acquisition: Rs 544.3 crore sanctioned to acquire 2,170.7 acres for port and cluster.
The government accorded administrative sanction of Rs 544.3 crore to acquire 2,170.7 acres for the Dugarajapatnam Green Field Port and Shipbuilding Cluster, with APMB to mobilise funds; RITES prepared the technical feasibility report. The land comprises 1,932 acres of patta land and habitation and 239 acres of government land across identified villages in Vakadu and Kota mandals.

Sabarimala gold loss: Unnikrishnan Potty granted statutory bail after charge sheet delay made him eligible.
Statutory bail was granted to Unnikrishnan Potty in the second Sabarimala gold loss case because the Special Investigation Team failed to file a charge sheet within 90 days of his arrest, making him eligible for statutory bail; Potty had earlier obtained statutory bail in a related gold loss case and will be released from custody.

Bhutan-Sikkim trade collaboration seeks institutional linkages and private sector engagement to boost cross-border MSME growth.
Discussions between the Bhutan Chamber of Commerce and Industry and Sikkim's Commerce and Industries Department focused on cross-border cooperation to enhance industrial development, investment in priority sectors, market linkages and MSME growth, with emphasis on institutional linkages, policy dialogue and private sector engagement to operationalise regional trade and knowledge partnerships.

Director Shadaab Mirza's Coolie Ki Diamond Dulhaniya hits 75 million views in 30 days, marking major digital success.
Shadaab Mirza's Coolie Ki Diamond Dulhaniya reached 75 million views in 30 days on Kuku TV, with a promotional reel exceeding 8 million views; production by Kusum Communications and Ritu Vaidya included a custom-built Mira Road railway station set and marked Mirza's channel directorial debut, followed by additional vertical shows and an OTT project.

Sun Pharma investment in Assam: Rs 500 crore plant planned with phased implementation and environmental compliance commitments.
Sun Pharmaceutical will invest Rs 500 crore to establish drug formulation manufacturing facilities in Assam in two phases, addressing land, water, power, connectivity and skilled labour needs, anticipating direct employment for over 500 people and committing to sustainable manufacturing and compliance with environmental and regulatory standards.

Mass CPR training used 2,000+ mannequins to teach 5,000+ participants hands on life saving chest compressions.
Mass deployment of over 2,000 advanced CPR mannequins trained more than 5,000 participants in coordinated hands on chest compressions with certified instructors trained by the programme lead; equipment production and logistics were organised by the team to enable simultaneous, standardised mass training during an organised world record attempt with formal verification and professional event management.

Poll freebies by political parties may constitute undue electoral influence and prompt deregistration or symbolic sanctions.
The petition contests political parties promising or distributing irrational freebies from public funds before elections as undue electoral influence, and seeks directions to seize party symbols or deregister such parties or to have the legislature prohibit the practice. It also asks the Election Commission to add a condition to the Election Symbols Order precluding parties from promising or distributing irrational freebies prior to polls, and contends that such promises or distributions violate equality and public finance constitutional principles.

Sangeet Dwar platform centralizes public performance music licensing to simplify compliance and strengthen royalty flows to creators.
Sangeet Dwar establishes a unified digital one-window licensing platform for public music performances, consolidating permissions into a single online process for event organizers and venues to secure licenses for live and recorded music, thereby simplifying compliance and improving royalty flows to creators.

Dexian opens a strategic India office to expand talent, innovation, client-focused workforce solutions, and global opportunity.
Dexian opened a strategic India office to position India as a core hub for workforce solutions, technology services, and client-centric innovation; the move emphasizes empowering local talent and deepening client engagement. A consolidated leadership team across centralized recruiting, solutions and consulting, operations, HR, shared services, and GRC will execute strategy and ensure delivery excellence, operational resilience, and governance. The office represents a long-term commitment to career development, industry innovation, social and economic impact, and India's role in Dexian's global growth.

Gaza ceasefire sees continued strikes, stalled disarmament, and limited aid despite prisoner exchanges and partial crossings.
The document identifies persistent implementation failures in the ceasefire established by a US-proposed 20-point plan, noting that while hostage exchanges occurred, timelines slipped and key obligations-deployment of an international security force, disarmament, sustained humanitarian aid, customs clearance, full opening of the Rafah crossing, and reconstruction mechanisms-remain unfulfilled amid reciprocal accusations of violations and continuing armed incidents.

Taiwan-US relations remain rock solid amid US $11.1B arms package, Chinese warnings, and domestic budget disputes.
Taiwan's president declared Taiwan-US relations "rock solid" after a US-China call in which China warned the US to be cautious about supplying arms to Taiwan. The US proposed an $11.1 billion arms package for Taiwan that remains pending congressional approval; China responded with military drills around the island. Domestically, Taiwan's opposition controlled legislature has blocked the president's expanded defense budget proposals, creating internal political friction over increased defense spending.

Assistant professor charged for hiding UK nationality and OCI status while securing a government medical college post.
EOW filed a chargesheet after investigation found the accused applied as an in-service candidate declaring Indian citizenship and permanent residency while admitting to holding a British passport and Overseas Citizen status; seized service records and selection documents allegedly established that the concealment fraudulently secured a public appointment, causing wrongful gain to the accused and loss to the government, and her services were terminated in August 2022.

Missed-call campaign for underprivileged girls' immunization mobilizes public awareness nationwide and supports vaccine delivery and access.
G.A.U.R.I. is a nationwide missed-call awareness campaign by Novo Medi Sciences to promote the Right to Immunization for underprivileged girls, collecting missed calls and displaying live counts on a microsite. The awareness phase precedes a vaccination phase that will deliver NEXIPOX PLUS to thousands of underprivileged girls, with vaccines administered by qualified healthcare professionals following medical guidelines and community engagement to support informed uptake.

Lok Sabha deadlock: opposition protests block prime minister's scheduled speech on Motion of Thanks, causing adjournment.
A parliamentary impasse in the Lok Sabha arose when opposition members staged a protest during the scheduled discussion on the Motion of Thanks, approaching the prime minister's seat and prompting the presiding officer to adjourn proceedings for the day; the prime minister was absent and is now expected to speak in the Rajya Sabha while the timing of a resumed reply in the Lok Sabha remains uncertain due to anticipated continued protests and prior member suspensions.