GST 2.0 unveiled: Two-slab structure cleared, new rates will come into effect September 22

The Goods and Services Tax (GST) Council, in its 56th meeting which lasted over 10 hours Wednesday, cleared the next-generation reforms under the eight-year old indirect tax regime. This effectively paves the way for a broad two-slab structure of 5 per cent and 18 per cent with a demerit rate of 40 per cent rate only for super luxury, sin and demerit goods.

An EPIC exclusion

EC's refusal to accept the identity card it created, in SIR in Bihar, appears arbitrary and self-contradictory.

Making them play by the book

The National Sports Governance Act will ensure sports bodies do not function as fiefdoms, serve interests of sportspersons.

Plan for theatre commands

Theaterisation seeks to integrate resources of Army, Navy, Air Force into specific 'theatre' commands for operational deployment under a single, unified command structure in a specific geographical region.

U.S. ICE AGENCY GETS ACCESS TO SPYWARE 'GRAPHITE': WHAT IS IT?

The Trump administration has unfrozen a stalled Biden-era contract with Paragon Solutions, a spyware company founded in Israel, whose products have been allegedly used to facilitate the surveillance of activists and journalists in Europe.

Amid US visa troubles, Indians' spending on foreign studies hits seven-year low

Amid Tightening of policies for international students in the US and several other developed nations, Indians have drastically cut down on the money they are sending abroad for the education of their children, with latest data from the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) showing that the amount transferred in the first half of 2025 was the lowest in seven years.

Rupee under US tariff pressure: RBI holding back, say experts

Reeling Under the weight of the tariff shock, the rupee has hit record lows in recent days -having breached the 88 per dollar mark for the first time last week - and may remain stuck at these levels, with the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) showing little inclination to intervene aggressively to reclaim lost ground.

Analysts said the central bank appears reluctant to dip into its reserves to shield exporters amid deep global uncertainty.