Nirmala Sitharaman, delivers a wide-ranging economic reset focused on income tax restructuring, investment growth and sectoral reforms. The new framework expands tax slabs under the new regime, offering targeted relief for middle-class and upper-middle-income earners while maintaining continuity in both old and new tax structures. The 30&#37 tax bracket now applies only to income above ₹24 lakh, shifting significantly from the earlier ₹15 lakh threshold and delivering major relief to earners in the ₹15–₹24 lakh segment. Price relief is expected across essentials, healthcare imports, personal-use imported goods, energy inputs, education-linked sectors, and manufacturing components due to customs exemptions and duty relaxations. WATCH 

Washington is racing against the clock as the white house and senate leaders negotiate a last-minute deal to prevent a government shutdown. Senate democrats are threatening to block the spending bill unless new restrictions on ice operations are written directly into law. The talks center on splitting homeland security funding and forcing changes to immigration enforcement tactics after growing public backlash. With the deadline hours away and the house in recess, lawmakers face mounting pressure to compromise or trigger a partial shutdown.