Author: Sharad Natani
In a major step toward modernising India’s digital identity ecosystem, the Centre has approved sweeping changes to Aadhaar regulations, formally introducing facial authentication and strengthening citizen control over personal data under the Digital Personal Data Protection (DPDP) framework. The updated rules are expected to significantly expand Aadhaar’s usability while placing stronger safeguards around privacy, consent, and transparency. According to reports by PTI and Moneycontrol, the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) is preparing to implement these reforms through a redesigned Aadhaar application in the coming months. Facial Authentication Gets Official Backing One of the most transformative changes is the formal…
The United States military has intensified its controversial maritime crackdown on suspected drug trafficking, launching fresh airstrikes in the eastern Pacific that killed eight people on Monday. The attacks targeted three boats identified by US officials as operating along major narcotics smuggling routes in international waters. According to the US Southern Command, the vessels were allegedly linked to “designated terrorist organizations” involved in transnational drug networks. With these latest strikes, the death toll from the campaign—initiated during the Trump administration in September—has climbed to at least 95, making it one of the most lethal US-led maritime operations in recent years.…
Global healthcare giant Johnson & Johnson (J&J) has suffered a fresh legal setback after a California jury ordered the company to pay $40 million (approximately Rs 332 crore) to two women who linked long-term use of its talc-based baby powder to ovarian cancer. The verdict, delivered by the Los Angeles Superior Court, found that Johnson & Johnson failed to warn consumers about known cancer risks, despite being allegedly aware of potential dangers for decades. Jury Finds Company Negligent The jury awarded $18 million (Rs 150 crore) to Monica Kent and $22 million (₹182 crore) to Deborah Schultz and her husband,…
For millions of taxpayers across India, the long wait for income tax refunds has become a growing concern this year. Even individuals who filed their Income Tax Returns (ITRs) correctly and on time are still checking the portal repeatedly, wondering why their refunds are stuck. Tax experts say this delay is not due to a single issue but a combination of systemic changes and procedural checks introduced by the Income Tax Department. Automation and Data Matching Tighten the Net One of the biggest reasons behind the delay is enhanced automation in the income tax system. This year, returns are being…
Elon Musk has entered uncharted territory in global wealth rankings. The world’s richest entrepreneur has seen his personal fortune surge past $600 billion, reaching an estimated $638 billion, after a sharp revaluation of his private space company, SpaceX, according to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index. The dramatic rise follows a recent insider share sale that values SpaceX at nearly $800 billion, making it the most valuable private company in the world—a distinction no unlisted firm has ever held at such scale. The transaction has fundamentally reshaped Musk’s wealth profile, placing SpaceX firmly at the centre of his financial empire. SpaceX Emerges…
In a landmark shift that could redefine India’s clean energy future, the Union Cabinet has approved the Sustainable Harnessing and Advancement of Nuclear Energy for Transforming India (SHANTI) Bill, 2025, paving the way for private sector participation in India’s civil nuclear power programme for the first time in decades. The Bill is expected to be tabled in Parliament during the final week of the Winter Session. The proposed legislation aligns with the Modi government’s long-term vision of achieving 100 GW of nuclear power capacity by 2047, a critical pillar of India’s strategy to meet rising energy demand while reducing carbon…