Land-for-job scam: charges framed against Lalu Prasad and others for allegedly exchanging public jobs for land parcels.
Charges were framed against Lalu Prasad Yadav, family members and others on findings of a prima facie overarching criminal conspiracy alleging use of public employment as a bargaining chip to obtain immovable property; the prosecution alleges abuse of official discretion by railway managers, involvement of close associates, use of false documents by substitutes, and benami property transactions constituting criminal misconduct and conspiracy.

India's economic strategy advances self-reliance and supply-chain resilience amid rising protectionism and shifting trade dynamics.
India advances a policy of Atmanirbharta focused on building domestic capacity in critical goods and technologies to reduce strategic dependence, sustain growth and enable an autonomous foreign policy. Facing geopolitical rivalry, protectionism and weakening multilateral institutions, India adopts supply chain diversification measures-including reshoring and friend shoring-and prioritises strategic alliances while maintaining support for a cooperative, rules based global order to secure national economic and strategic objectives.

Sluggish hiring: only 50,000 jobs added in December amid tariff uncertainty, AI adoption, and sectoral losses.
December's report showed only 50,000 jobs added and unemployment at 4.4 percent, reflecting subdued hiring in 2025 amid employer reluctance, tariff-related uncertainty, inflation, and the spread of artificial intelligence. Revisions to prior months altered the employment picture. Gains were concentrated in Health Care and Leisure and Hospitality, while Manufacturing, Construction and Retail lost jobs. The labor market is characterized as ''low-hire, low-fire,'' with low layoffs but fewer openings; higher productivity and demographic shifts also reduce the need for strong job creation. Fed views remain split on policy responses.

Joint rally: leaders denounce imported candidates and unopposed elections, and protest tree cutting for a sadhugram.
Shiv Sena (UBT) and MNS leaders held a joint rally alleging the ruling party is importing "tainted" candidates and inducing or intimidating opponents so many candidates are elected unopposed, thereby denying voters the opportunity to vote. They also criticised a municipal proposal to cut trees in Tapovan for a 'sadhugram' tied to the Kumbh Mela and accused the state assembly Speaker of breaching the model code of conduct and interfering with nominations and CCTV evidence.

Jharkhand cabinet approves session dates, Nari Adalat rollout, dairy plant relocation and Rs 5 lakh insurance advance.
The state cabinet set the legislative session dates and approved executive measures including extension of the Jharkhand State Law Commission for two years; restructuring academic and non academic posts at two state universities; implementation of the Nari Adalat scheme under Mission Shakti; relocation and timeline extension for a 50,000 litres per day dairy plant to Titirbila to be executed by the Jharkhand Milk Federation; and an amendment to the State Employees' Health Insurance Scheme permitting an advance of Rs 5 lakh to insured persons.

MGNREGA protections threatened as Congress launches nationwide protests and one-day fasts to oppose VB-GRAM-G dilution.
The organisers contend that the proposed VB GRAM G Act removes the legal guarantee of employment, centralises decisionmaking, weakens gram sabhas and panchayats, raises the states' funding share to 40%, and introduces budget caps, seasonal work restrictions and dilution of wage safeguards; in response, they have launched a staged agitation beginning with one day fasts and escalating through panchayat outreach, sit ins, dharnas and state level protests to defend MGNREGA's original demand driven design and direct payments.

Kisan Credit Card interest subvention: state adds 1% top-up for compliant crop loans up to Rs 3 lakh, with Rs 5 crore budgeted.
An MoU provides an additional 1 per cent interest subvention under a state scheme for Kisan Credit Card crop production loans up to Rs 3 lakh from commercial banks, regional rural banks and cooperative banks, conditional on timely repayment; the state has budgeted Rs 5 crore for FY 2025-26.

I-PAC raids: ED seeks CBI probe into alleged forcible removal of digital devices and documents by CM.
The ED alleges the Chief Minister, with state police assistance, forcibly removed digital devices, electronic storage media and key documents from ED custody during PMLA searches at an I PAC director's residence and office, obstructing and frustrating the search; it seeks CBI registration of FIRs, an independent probe into senior state actors, and immediate seizure, sealing, forensic preservation and restoration of the allegedly removed material.

Delhi budget revisions boost capital spending and increase allocations for education, transport, urban development and legacy liabilities.
The Delhi government obtained Assembly approval for supplementary 2025-26 revised estimates that increase capital expenditure and reallocate funds to raise the education share and augment allocations for transport, housing and urban development, municipal bodies, metropolitan transit, power subsidies, legacy liabilities, unauthorised colony development, and completion of priority infrastructure projects.

Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana now mandates facial-recognition enrolment and a Poshan Tracker due list to secure benefits.
PMMVY requires mandatory biometric verification for new enrolments using the Facial Recognition System (FRS) on the Poshan Tracker with Aadhaar FaceRD as backup; 23.60 lakh beneficiaries enrolled via FRS across more than 740 districts. A Poshan Tracker-derived "Due List" (from July 1, 2025) transferred to the PMMVY portal at Anganwadi level has enabled enrolment of 15.81 lakh beneficiaries, representing over 75% of enrolments via this mechanism. An integrated Grievance Redressal System and helpline 1515 address complaints, resolving over 85% of long-pending grievances with an average 19-day resolution time.

Illegal sand transportation subject to ED raids probing money laundering linked to alleged royalty evasion.
The central agency is probing alleged money laundering connected to a 2022 illegal sand transportation and sale scheme in Nagpur district, where local police had registered offences for royalty evasion and unauthorised transport. Coordinated early morning searches by multiple investigative teams targeted residences and business premises of traders previously summoned in the investigation; the searches form part of continued inquiry under central anti money laundering laws, and no seizures were publicly disclosed.

Alleged obstruction during raid: calls to charge a political leader for snatching documents and obstructing investigation.
Opposition leaders allege that a Chief Minister entered premises during a money laundering search, removed physical and electronic evidence, intimidated investigators, and later led actions viewed as shielding implicated individuals; they contend these acts amount to obstruction of investigation and tampering with evidence, and call for criminal designation and accountability under penal provisions for interfering with lawful search and seizure.

C-Mitra virtual help desk assists cyber fraud victims to lodge FIRs remotely and streamline complaint drafting.
C-Mitra enables cyber fraud victims within the Hyderabad Police Commissionerate to report via the 1930 helpline or the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal, after which virtual officers use Artificial Intelligence to draft a complaint. The victim must print, sign, and deliver a hard copy to the Cyber Mitra Help Desk or station drop box; upon receipt the police will register the FIR. Physical signatures are currently mandatory, with a digital signature option under consideration.

New airlines' launch plans may be delayed by aircraft shortages and long delivery backlogs despite approvals.
Limited aircraft availability and multi year manufacturer backlogs mean newly approved domestic airlines cannot commence operations immediately despite government NOCs; even if orders are placed now deliveries may take around six years, and tariff changes will have limited impact because aerospace parts are exempted.

India aviation needs established, high-capital carriers; warnings against fly-by-night operators amid new approvals and pilot duty concerns.
Praful Patel warns that, although new airlines face no formal entry restrictions, aviation is capital-intensive and requires established, well-capitalised players rather than transient "fly-by-night" operators; he cites recent approval of three carriers for 2026 and links operational disruptions to pilot shortages and compliance with Flight Duty Time Limitation (FDTL) rules, arguing market-entry and licensing should account for operator viability and financial sustainability.

Federal immigration enforcement operations sparked deadly shootings, widespread protests, and disputes over jurisdiction for criminal investigations.
Federal immigration enforcement operations in Minneapolis and Portland led to officer-involved shootings, public protests, and disputes over Investigative Jurisdiction after the FBI and U.S. Justice Department declined to cooperate with the Minnesota investigative agency, raising concerns about access to evidence, transparency, and accountability in federal inquiries.

Chief minister's conduct during a federal probe criticised amid allegations of removing evidence and protecting party strategy.
The allegation concerns a chief minister allegedly removing documents and electronic devices from a political consultancy's premises during a search in a money laundering probe, raising issues of removal of potential evidence and the expected duty to cooperate with constitutional institutions. The chief minister denies illegality, asserting actions were taken as party chairperson and that the search targeted party strategy, creating a factual dispute about intent, evidence preservation, and investigatory integrity.

Venezuelan economy faces severe inflation while US plans to monetise oil assets and invite American investment.
US policy emphasizes opening and monetising Venezuela's oil sector to attract American investment and to allocate some proceeds to the population; this raises legal questions about control and disposition of oil assets and revenues during a transition, and highlights the need for regulatory mechanisms and oversight to ensure proceeds address the country's acute economic emergency marked by hyperinflation and currency collapse.

US job data, Fed rate path and presidential mortgage-bond directive move markets amid tariff ruling uncertainty.
A mixed US employment report affects the Federal Reserve's near-term interest-rate path, where subdued hiring could bolster arguments for rate reductions but mixed signals may delay cuts. A presidential instruction to purchase USD 200 billion in mortgage-backed securities operates as an executive directive intended to lower mortgage rates and influence housing finance markets. A pending high-court decision on tariffs and recent seizures of oil tankers under sanctions add trade-policy and sanctions-enforcement risks that influence market and commodity-price dynamics.

EU-Mercosur trade deal gains Italy's support, enabling signature with farmer safeguards, food safety alignment, and an import emergency brake
Italy backed the EU-Mercosur free trade agreement contingent on protections for domestic agriculture, including an emergency import brake if imports undercut EU prices by 5% or more, mirroring of EU food safety regulations in Mercosur, and increased inspections of agrifood imports; the political accord clears the way for signature and requires European Parliament ratification, while critics cite limited GDP benefits and environmental risks.