Death of businessman C J Roy prompts call for comprehensive probe amid alleged central agency pressure during tax raid.
A legislator has demanded a comprehensive probe into a businessman's death by suicide at his office during an Income Tax raid, seeking investigation of whether the deceased was subjected to coercive pressure by central investigative agencies as alleged by the family.

IGST refund reprocessing: new electronic role SCROLL_PC enables reprocessing of failed-after-success cases and updating bank details online.
A new electronic reprocessing role, SCROLL_PC, in ICES allows officers to retrieve PFMS-returned permanently cancelled IGST refund cases, view transmitted account details and PFMS error codes, and either set aside or reprocess cases. If account details are incorrect the officer invalidates them and updates corrected information in the CLK role; reprocessed SBs become ready for scrolling out, with temp PC and final PC scroll options added to CLK and Dbk_AC for retransmission.

GSTR-3B interest now offsets minimum Electronic Cash Ledger balance; auto-populated interest is minimum and non-editable downward.
Interest for delayed GSTR-3B filings from January 2026 will be computed on portal as (Net Tax Liability - Minimum Cash Balance in ECL from due date to date of debit) x (Days Delayed/365) x Applicable Interest Rate and auto-populated in Table 5.1 as a non-editable minimum amount; taxpayers must self-assess and increase it if necessary. The portal will auto-populate Tax Liability Breakup from prior-period supply documents, allow CGST/SGST ITC to be used for IGST after IGST ITC is exhausted, and collect interest for late final returns (GSTR-10) of cancelled taxpayers.

Budget numbers may shift after new GDP and CPI series are released, creating fiscal coordination and allocation concerns.
The sequencing of revised macroeconomic series after the Budget presentation creates material coordination concerns: the 2026/27 Budget will state fiscal items as percentages of GDP and implement the 16th Finance Commission recommendations, yet a rebased GDP series (2022/23 base) and a rebased CPI series (2024 base) are scheduled for release shortly after, risking misalignment of Budget ratios and price assumptions and potential need for swift post Budget adjustments affecting centre-state revenue shares.

Regional Rural Banks urged to expand rural social security coverage, diversify lending, boost digital services and strengthen grievance redressal.
The Secretary directed RRBs, NABARD and sponsor banks to sustain and improve performance by expanding social security scheme coverage in rural areas, diversifying loan portfolios, strengthening IT infrastructure and digital delivery of financial services, and enhancing grievance redressal mechanisms for rural and remote customers, while proactively identifying and preparing for forthcoming challenges.

Union Budget engagement lets about 30 students witness proceedings, meet officials, and discuss budget priorities and youth implications.
Union Minister for Finance and Corporate Affairs will engage with around thirty college students after the Union Budget presentation, with students witnessing the Budget from the Lok Sabha Gallery, visiting the Ministry of Finance at Kartavya Bhawan-1 to meet senior officials about ministry functions and policy formulation, and participating in an evening discussion on Budget priorities, its vision for the future, and implications for youth.

Adani defendants agree to accept SEC legal notice; will respond within 90 days while preserving jurisdictional defenses.
Defendants Gautam Adani and Sagar Adani agreed that US counsel will accept service of the SEC civil complaint, subject to court approval, allowing the SEC action to proceed. Defendants may move to dismiss or file responsive pleadings within 90 days, the SEC may oppose within 60 days, and defendants may reply within 45 days. Defendants expressly preserve all defenses, including those related to personal jurisdiction, and acceptance of service is not a submission to the court's jurisdiction.

Journalist Don Lemon charged with federal civil rights conspiracy for alleged disruption of a church service during an anti ICE protest.
Federal prosecutors charged a journalist and protest participants with civil rights conspiracy and interference for disrupting a church service where an ICE official is a pastor; defendants, including a journalist who says he was reporting, pleaded not guilty, were released on bond, and critics argue the charges criminalize newsgathering while authorities say enforcement protects worship rights.

Federal Reserve nomination could influence central bank independence, Senate confirmation, and future interest-rate decisions affecting markets.
The nomination of Kevin Warsh to lead the Federal Reserve raises concerns about central bank independence and highlights the legal-political role of Senate confirmation in shaping monetary policy. Warsh's prior Fed tenure and recent criticisms of current leadership, combined with his expressed support for lower rates, inform market expectations about the future direction of interest-rate decisions and the Fed's governance posture.

United Nations finances face collapse unless members pay dues or funding rules are reformed to address unpaid assessed contributions.
United Nations finances are imperiled by sharply increased outstanding dues and exhausted liquidity reserves; unless member states pay assessed contributions in full and on time or the UN reforms its funding rules, the organization may be unable to execute the 2026 regular budget. The Secretary-General urges immediate amendment of the rule requiring return of unspent funds to member states when assessed contributions remain unpaid, to prevent disbursing monies that were never collected.

Cuba faces deeper hardship as a US tariff threat targets countries supplying its oil, risking severe energy and humanitarian strain.
A presidential threat to impose tariffs on any country supplying oil to Cuba functions as a secondary economic coercion mechanism that could curtail fuel deliveries from Mexico, Russia and other third parties, aggravating Cuba's energy shortages and creating acute humanitarian consequences while prompting diplomatic and logistical responses from suppliers.

India-France partnership promotes joint arbitration and mediation panels and deeper institutional cooperation for cross-border dispute resolution.
The piece urges framing India-France dispute resolution as an anticipatory, principled architecture by creating joint arbitration and mediation panels trained in civil and common law, and by deepening institutional links between Indian arbitral centres and Paris institutions through shared procedural standards, joint training and co-administration. Domestically, the Arbitration Act, the Mediation Act and the Commercial Courts Act form an ecosystem for binding resolution, consensual settlement and oversight, supported by a pro-arbitration judicial posture that protects party autonomy.

India views Arab countries as strategic gateways to expand trade, investment and energy partnerships across global markets.
India positions Arab countries as strategic gateways for expanding economic outreach into Europe, Africa and Latin America, highlighting trade of about USD 240 billion and the region's role in meeting India's energy and fertiliser needs. The India-Arab Chamber will facilitate business matchmaking, policy dialogue and joint ventures across energy, agriculture, manufacturing, technology and infrastructure, while domestic budget priorities aim to strengthen workforce skills, manufacturing and MSMEs to support expanded regional partnerships.

Confident Group founder C J Roy shot himself during ongoing income-tax searches; police say investigation will assess abetment.
The founder and chairman shot himself at his office during ongoing Income Tax searches and questioning; police registered a case after a company director's complaint, forensic and ballistic teams inspected the scene, and investigators will question I-T officers and other witnesses to determine circumstances and whether the facts amount to abetment to suicide.

PRAGATI portal accelerates project delivery and real-time monitoring, coordinating Centre, states and ministries to fast-track infrastructure.
The Pro-Active Governance and Timely Implementation (PRAGATI) portal provides direct, real-time monitoring and coordination between the Centre, states and Union ministries to accelerate project execution, resolve public grievances, and ensure transparent, accountable oversight. In Haryana, PRAGATI tracks 112 major projects-57 commissioned and 55 under implementation-concentrating administrative oversight on high-value, capital-intensive infrastructure sectors such as roads, healthcare, railways and energy.

Air India crash probe examines technical, operational and human factors under the SHELL model; nothing has been ruled out.
The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau is conducting a comprehensive probe into the Air India AI171 crash, examining technical components and technical, operational, organisational and human factors under a theory-of-elimination using the SHELL model, and states that "nothing has been ruled out." The AAIB's preliminary findings recorded near-simultaneous fuel supply interruption to both engines and cockpit voice-recorded uncertainty about which pilot acted, while media reports, family requests for formal central investigation, and criticism over selective publication inform the procedural context.

Death of Alex Pretti: DOJ opened a federal civil rights probe, FBI now leading while videos raise questions.
A federal civil rights probe has been opened into Alex Pretti's death; the DOJ says it is examining all aspects. DHS shifted leadership to the FBI, with HSI supporting and CBP conducting a separate internal investigation, and it is unclear whether evidence will be shared with Minnesota state investigators. Multiple videos show Pretti holding a phone when officers tackled him and an officer removing a handgun from his waistband as another fired; the footage does not show him reaching for the gun, and he had a state concealed-carry permit.

India and South Korea reaffirm parliamentary dialogue to boost strategic partnership, trade, defence and cultural ties.
A Rajya Sabha delegation meeting with the Republic of Korea's parliamentary delegation reaffirmed the strategic partnership and stressed sustained parliamentary exchanges to advance cooperation in trade and investment, defence, culture and people to people relations, grounded in shared democratic commitments and historical linkages.

Online trading fraud of Rs 1.70 crore: three arrested for inducing investors and shutting platforms.
Three persons were arrested by the Economic Offences Wing for an alleged online trading fraud that induced investors through promotional meetings and online platforms, collecting about Rs 1.70 crore; the operators allegedly shut down websites and mobile applications and absconded, and further investigation into the scheme and fund flows is ongoing.

Urban governance: state pledges greater devolution to strengthen municipal powers, financing, and local service delivery.
Municipal representatives sought transfer of additional devolved subjects, a dedicated municipal financing window, and correction of administrative allocations that keep devolved functions with line departments; the state committed to pursue fuller implementation of the 74th Constitutional Amendment, strengthen recordkeeping, remedy encroachment risks at burial grounds, and coordinate inspections to support institutional functioning and local accountability.