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 

A massive explosion has rocked Bandar Abbas, one of Iran’s key Gulf cities, leaving 1 dead and 14 injured as an eight-storey building suffers extensive damage to floors, vehicles and nearby shops. The mysterious blast comes amid rising tensions between Iran and the US, with Tehran pointing fingers at the United States, Israel, and Europe for allegedly “provoking” recent civil unrest. President Trump stated that Iran is now seeking a diplomatic deal under pressure while emphasizing that the US maintains a strong military presence in the Gulf as a warning signal. Meanwhile, the Iranian president has firmly rejected any negotiations over nuclear technology and missile defense capabilities, calling them non-negotiable. WATCH