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India. Byrnihat, a small but heavily industrialised town in Meghalaya, tops the list, according to the World Air Quality Report 2024 by Swiss air technology firm IQAir. Delhi, already infamous for its hazardous air, retains its place as the most polluted capital city on the planet. India, while improving slightly, is still among the worst-hit nations. Ranking as the world’s fifth most polluted country in 2024—down from third place in 2023—the nation recorded an average PM2.5 concentration of 50.6 micrograms per cubic metre, still ten times higher than World Health Organization (WHO) safety limits.

Subscribe to enjoy similar stories. New Delhi: Guidelines to make unsolicited calls and spam SMSes illegal have been kept in abeyance for now by the country’s top consumer watchdog.

Indian Revenue Service (IRS) officer, made headlines for allegedly demanding Rs 25 crore from Bollywood actor Shah Rukh Khan's family by threatening to implicate his son Aryan Khan in the Cordelia cruise drug bust case during his tenure in the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) Mumbai in 2021. The principal CAT bench comprising Justice Ranjit More and member Rajinder Kashyap found procedural lapses and potential bias in the transfer decision issued by the Department of Revenue, Ministry of Finance. The tribunal said while government officers had an all-India service liability, transfer policies must be implemented in a fair, transparent, and just manner.

Indian banks are in talks with the international financing messaging system SWIFT on migrating to the new instant and real-time gross settlement system under ISO 20022, effective from November 25. So far, only four Indian banks have partially transitioned to the new system, said two bank executives aware of the deliberations. “The matter was discussed at a meeting last month, and it was decided to discuss the issue with officials from SWIFT (Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunication) for a smooth transition and, if possible, an extension of the deadline,” said one of the executives, who did not wish to be identified. SWIFT has also suggested expediting the process of migration to the new mechanism, according to the executive.

Sebi on Monday extended the deadline by a month to March-end for reporting differential rights issues by Alternative Investment Funds (AIFs). A one-time reporting requirement was set for AIFs that filed their Private Placement Memorandum (PPM) with SEBI on or after March 1, 2020, and issued differential rights outside the standard guidelines. This report was initially due by February 28, 2025. Following the requests for more time from the AIF industry, the deadline has been extended to March 31, 2025, the Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi) said in a circular.

Subscribe to enjoy similar stories. President Trump has paused new investigations into foreign bribery after criticizing the law against it, but two former officials of a New Jersey professional services company are about to go on trial under the statute anyway. An executive order in early February put a halt to initiating any investigations or enforcement actions under the U.S.

liver fat by 30%, according to the Asian Pacific Association for the Study of the Liver (APASL). The expert body has released its first clinical guideline for managing metabolic-dysfunction associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD), emphasizing the role of exercise in improving liver health.

Subscribe to enjoy similar stories. Leading financial services firm Motilal Oswal Financial Services will bar its clients from taking intraday short-selling position on stocks that are not part of the futures and options (F&O) segment from Monday. Motilal Oswal Financial Services, with 10.3 lakh clients at the end of January, is the first large brokerage to undertake such a move at a time when the markets have been battered for five straight months.

Markets regulator Sebi on Friday modified its guidelines and issued necessary clarifications on nomination facilities in the securities market in a bid to make the process of transmission and nomination easier for demat accounts and mutual fund (MF) folios. In its circular, Sebi said that if one or more joint account holders pass away, the assets will be transferred to the surviving holder(s) without the need for additional KYC unless it was requested earlier and not provided. The surviving holder(s) can update their contact details and add or change their nominee(s) at any time.

Bombay high court has refused to direct the transfer of Reserve Bank of India bonds to the mother and wife of a man who has renounced the world and become a Jain sadhu. «This court, in its writ jurisdiction under Article 226, will not enter the arena of disputed claims between the parties,» said Justices Revati Mohite Dere and Neela Gokhale, asking them to seek civil remedy before an appropriate forum. In their petition, the 77-year-old mother and 48-year-old wife of the sadhu said M was the karta of a Hindu Undivided Family. «Renouncing worldly affairs amounts to civil death of M and as such all his properties would devolve upon his other legal heirs, namely the petitioners.» M's son and daughter have also taken sanyas. He holds bonds worth about Rs 56 lakh and the date of maturity is Sept 18, 2026. As per RBI guidelines, the bonds are not transferable except in the case of natural death.

MUMBAI: The Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi) is set to shake up the mutual fund space with a bold new category—specialized investment funds (SIFs). 

CDSCO) is looking at a revamp of the process of granting of No Objection Certificates (NOCs) for the export of unapproved drugs, a move that is aimed at reducing pressure on manpower and boosting regulatory efficiency.

Subscribe to enjoy similar stories. MUMBAI : The Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) is in the process of creating guidelines to regulate cell and gene therapies and upgrading the framework to regulate biosimilars, as the Indian industry moves towards innovations in the space, Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) Rajeev Raghuvanshi said on Thursday. Raghuvanshi, who was speaking on the sidelines of the Indian Pharmaceutical Alliance’s (IPA) Global Pharmaceutical Quality Summit 2025, said that while the country's top drug regulator had been focusing on operational efficiency, it's also looking closely at newer areas.

Uber, is launching a ride-sharing service in India, starting with Assam, where people with private cars will be able to operate rides through the app.

Class X Board examinations under the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) will have the option to choose between two exam sessions—one in February and another in May. Students can also appear for both exams if they wish. Additionally, they may skip specific subjects in the second attempt if satisfied with their scores from the first attempt.

The Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (Irdai) has capped annual health insurance premium hikes for senior citizens at 10%, offering much-needed relief to an age group often hit hardest by unpredictable price surges. 

Adverse tax assessments by tax authorities often result in additional tax liabilities, commonly known as «tax demand.» Under the Income-tax Act (IT Act), taxpayers must pay the tax demand within 30 days of receiving the demand notice. While they have the right to challenge an adverse order before a higher forum, the complexity of managing the tax demand remains an independent challenge—one that requires urgent attention.

16th Finance Commission pitching for Panchayats to raise their Own Source Revenue (OSR) to gain financial autonomy, the Centre recently instituted a study to build a viable financial model for the same and has asked states to fix gaps red flagged in the report, ET has learnt.

equity stakes in unlisted overseas companies are often at a loss on how to go about auditing the foreign entities, thanks to their bankers taking differing views.

Subscribe to enjoy similar stories. NEW DELHI : The Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) has emphasized the obligation to deduct tax at source (TDS) by employers and others making various payments, reiterating the legislative changes introduced in the past few years on penalty provisions.

Gold has always been a symbol of wealth and security, but for modern investors, the shine now comes in digital form. Exchange-traded funds (ETFs) tracking gold have gained significant traction in India, offering investors an alternative to physical gold.