Egypt, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Turkey met in Islamabad in what analysts say is the formal opening of a new diplomatic formation that could reshape the post-war regional order. Their immediate goal is a ceasefire; their larger ambition is to ensure that neither Iran nor Israel emerges from this war in a dominant position. Pakistan's foreign minister then flew directly to Beijing and mooted a Chinese role as guarantor of any eventual agreement. Prem Panicker continues his must read daily blog on the Gulf War.
The purge in Washington does not pause the war. Strikes continue, Hormuz remains closed, and Brent crude is still dancing around $109 a barrel. For India, the command chaos in the Pentagon is another layer of uncertainty piled on five weeks of conflict that was already straining every buffer Delhi has.
The new labour Codes, notified by the central government in November 2025, have pushed up employee costs for private-sector banks and insurance companies, with these firms reporting higher operating expenses in the October-December quarter (Q3FY26) due to the statutory impact of the new labour Codes.
By all available indications, the White House drafted a face-saving note and handed it, ready-made, to Islamabad. Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif was supposed to then post it in the guise of a plea urging Trump to extend the deadline by two weeks 'to allow diplomacy to run its course'. Trump would then graciously accept Pakistan's 'request' and declare a ceasefire. Sharif dutifully posted the message on X. Except that he, or whoever was handling the account, forgot to delete the tell-tale first line visible in the edit history: 'Draft - Pakistan's PM Message on X'. Prem Panicker's must read blog on the Iran War.
According to police, the action was initiated after Pannun released a video message on social media in which he allegedly threatened to disturb peace and law and order in Delhi before the Republic Day celebrations on January 26.
The new rules allow for a staggered implementation road map, giving companies, data fiduciaries, data principals, and other stakeholders up to 18 months to comply with the administrative guidelines under the DPDP Act.
The Budget reframes healthcare as a strategic national capability, backing biopharma innovation, workforce expansion and technology-led governance to power India's next growth phase.
'In any aviation emergency, the first rule is aviate -- fly the aircraft.' 'The fact that the commander's voice is not on the recording simply means he was focused entirely on flying. It does not imply anything more than that.'
What we are watching is something different: A fog manufactured and maintained by the people who started the war, so that the question of why it was started never has to be answered, observes Prem Panicker in his must read blog on the war in the Middle East.
Real GDP growth surprised on the upside in 2025, but weaker nominal growth, trade uncertainty, and soft demand signal a bumpier road ahead.
'Weight loss drugs can be life changing but are not without risks,' says Dr Vishnu Radhakrishnan as he explains the truth behind Ozempic and Mounjaro.
Witnesses said the impact felt like an earthquake, while passengers were forced to break windows to escape, resulting in multiple injuries caused by cuts. Several passengers also reported smoke inside the trains and sought medical assistance, Euro News reported.
If the TVK joins the NDA, there is every likelihood of the AIADMK winning an absolute majority in the 234 seat assembly and wanting to form a stand-alone government. In turn, it could mean that the BJP especially and the TVK equally so, will want to restrict the AIADMK's seat share closer to the cut-off figure, if only to ensure that EPS won't get the absolute majority that he desires (if the NDA won, that is) and will have to settle for a coalition government, observes N Sathiya Moorthy.
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman's biggest challenge will be to find a new growth driver, particularly against the backdrop of a global economy ravaged by heightened uncertainty and fragmentation, financial markets on a precipice, and global commodity prices on a continued uptrend.
The Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) has launched an integrated audit across 32 states and Union Territories to assess the ease of doing business for the micro, small and medium enterprise (MSME) sector.
The US has replaced random H-1B selection with a wage-weighted lottery and a new $100,000 fee for applications, raising uncertainty for students and junior hires.
'It will increase the contribution to gratuity, which is something the employer has to give.'
For decades, the Siliguri Corridor was treated as a geographical vulnerability to be quietly managed. Today, it has emerged as a focal point of eastern geopolitics.
The services sector employs 188 million people but remains highly informal, trapping most workers in low-wage jobs without social protection.
Supply chains are evolving from operational backbones to strategic growth enablers for organisations, though they remain underleveraged and struggle for recognition at the executive level, a report by PwC India said. The survey highlighted that recent developments in the trade and tariff landscape represent both a stress test and a strategic inflection point for supply chains.
The Trump administration said it will conduct a "rigorous" re-examination of all Green Cards issued to immigrants from "every country of concern".
At an estimated 1.9 billion in losses and over 5,000 UK organisations affected, the Jaguar Land Rover cyberattack has been labelled the most economically damaging cyber incident in UK history, exposing the deep vulnerability of interconnected supply chains.
'10 million Indians are currently living with dementia, and the number is expected to double by 2036.'
'Our problem is not a budget deficit but a trust deficit. We need to trust our institutions and industries to innovate and lead. That is the way forward for India.'
The reduction in goods & services tax (GST) on individual life and health insurance premiums has been called a "landmark step" for making insurance affordable and inclusive. In a panel discussion at the Business Standard BFSI Insight Summit 2025, Anup Bagchi, managing director (MD) & chief executive officer (CEO) of ICICI Prudential Life Insurance; Mahesh Balasubramanian, MD & CEO of Kotak Life Insurance; Tarun Chugh, MD & CEO of Bajaj Life Insurance; and Ratnakar Patnaik, MD of Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC), listed what else the industry needs to reach more people.
'Instead of the government and telecom operators solving the mess of their own creation, they're telling us we need to give access to our phones perpetually.'
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and French President Emmanuel Macron discussed the Ukraine conflict and bilateral relations, reaffirming their commitment to global peace and stability.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh emphasizes the need for India to remain prepared for uncertainty, even during peacetime, and highlights the increasing importance of the defence sector as an economic driver.
Meta on Tuesday argued before appellate tribunal NCLAT that the CCI had provided no reasons for imposing a 5-year ban on the sharing of data between Meta and WhatsApp for advertisement purposes, as its counsel alleged "flawed approach" and "seven misses" by the fair trade regulator in its order.
'Both international cooperation and self-reliance will now acquire new purpose.'
Dr Sulbha Arora, clinical director and fertility specialist at Nova IVF Fertility, explains everything you need to know about egg freezing in India, including the process, the cost and the risks involved.
'Success isn't about a single brilliant idea; it's about the relentless execution, the ability to withstand the storms, and the unwavering belief in your mission, even when no one else sees it,' Madhu Lunawat, founder, The Wealth Company.
Social media feeds and immigration forums lit up with questions from workers and families who feared they might be stranded abroad, unable to return to their jobs or reunite with loved ones.
Manufacturers must resolve supply chain issues and accelerate the roll-out of advanced synthetic options for players worldwide.
Land ordinance has done away with consent and social impact assessment.
The contrast with the old Income-Tax Act is stark. The 1961 law ran into 512,000 words; the 2025 one pares that down to 259,000. Chapters have been cut from 47 to 23, while sections have reduced from 819 to 536. One of the clearest changes is terminological. The confusing twin concepts of 'assessment year' and 'previous year' have been scrapped.
The land pooling policy aims to kick-start a new wave of urbanisation in the predominantly rural state.
'BSE has facilitated nearly Rs 35 trillion in capital raising across multiple segments.'
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said the UK will recognise the state of Palestine at the UN General Assembly in September unless Israel moves towards a ceasefire in Gaza. He also called on Hamas to release hostages and disarm.
'The next decade will be even more transformative,' says Prime Minister Modi. 'We are moving from digital governance to global digital leadership.'
