Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman will present the Union Budget 2025 today, marking her 8th consecutive budget. Key expectations include tax relief for the middle class, corporate tax cuts, and increased infrastructure spending. The budget comes amid economic challenges, with India facing global uncertainties and potential US tariff changes under President Trump. Experts anticipate reforms in tariff structures, AI investments, and measures to boost domestic manufacturing. The fiscal deficit target for FY26 is projected at 4.5% of GDP. Sitharaman’s speech will begin at 11 AM, shaping India’s economic outlook.

Eight Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MLAs resigned after being denied tickets for the Delhi election. The legislators—Girish Soni, Rohit Mehraulia, Madan Lal, Rajesh Rishi, Naresh Yadav, Bhavna Gaur, Pawan Kumar Sharma, and BS Joon—cited lost faith in Arvind Kejriwal’s leadership. Some accused AAP of corruption, abandoning its founding principles, and neglecting marginalized communities. AAP dropped 20 incumbents and fielded turncoats from BJP and Congress. The Delhi election is on February 5, with results on February 8. The resignations raise questions about AAP’s internal stability before the polls.

A Learjet 55 crashed in Philadelphia after taking off from Northeast Philadelphia Airport, the FAA confirmed. The aircraft was en route to Springfield-Branson National Airport in Missouri when it went down, igniting multiple houses. Emergency responders rushed to the scene, battling intense flames. Authorities have not yet confirmed casualties, but deaths are feared. Eyewitnesses described a loud explosion before the fire spread. Investigations are underway to determine the cause of the crash. The FAA and NTSB will lead the probe, while officials work to assess damage and potential victims.

The US Congress has banned employees from installing DeepSeek, a Chinese chatbot, on official devices due to security risks. The House’s Chief Administrative Officer warned that “threat actors are already exploiting” DeepSeek to spread malware. The chatbot is under review and remains unauthorised for House use. Staffers are prohibited from using it on phones, computers, and tablets. This follows past AI restrictions, including limits on ChatGPT in 2023 and Microsoft Copilot in 2024. The decision highlights Congress’s struggle to balance AI advancements with cybersecurity, ensuring the integrity of its systems against potential foreign threats.

India’s capital markets thrived in FY25, driven by a surge in retail investors, record IPO listings, and corporate bond activity, according to the Economic Survey 2024-25. Retail investors grew from 49M in FY20 to 132M in December 2024, while demat accounts hit 185M. India led global IPO listings with a 30% share. Equity and debt markets raised ₹11.1T from April-December 2024. Mutual fund AuM rose 25.3% to ₹66.9T. Despite corporate bonds raising ₹7.3T, liquidity challenges persist. The report highlights regulatory reforms, digital infrastructure, and strong earnings as key drivers.

Coldplay’s Music of the Spheres World Tour has become the most-attended concert tour in history, surpassing Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour. The Guinness Book of World Records confirmed that Coldplay has sold 10.3M tickets across 175 shows since 2022. The tour, which will continue until September, is expected to exceed 12M attendees. Their Ahmedabad concert saw 134,000 fans, the largest stadium concert of the 21st century. Coldplay's strategy of booking massive venues and performing nearly 200 shows helped them surpass Swift, Ed Sheeran, and U2.

Water bills in England and Wales will rise by an average of £123 (26%) in 2025/26, Water UK confirmed. Southern Water customers face a 47% hike, while Thames Water's 16M users will see a 31% increase to £639. The regulator Ofwat approved the hikes to fund infrastructure upgrades, including sewage system improvements. Water UK pledged £4.1B in aid for low-income households. "We understand increasing bills is never welcome," said Water UK CEO David Henderson. Consumers also face rising energy bills and council tax. Ofwat urged struggling customers to seek support from suppliers.

Authorities have recovered 40 bodies after an American Airlines jet and a U.S. military Black Hawk helicopter collided mid-air over the Potomac River in Washington DC, killing all 67 people aboard. The aircraft crashed while the jet prepared to land at Reagan National Airport. Rescue efforts quickly turned to recovery as officials confirmed no survivors. The FAA is under scrutiny over staffing issues, while President Trump blamed diversity hiring, a claim widely criticized. Investigators are analyzing black boxes to determine what went wrong. Transportation officials plan an FAA overhaul to prevent future tragedies.

Railways pacer Himanshu Sangwan clean-bowled Virat Kohli for just 6 runs, cutting short his highly-anticipated Ranji Trophy return. Playing for Delhi after 13 years, Kohli lasted only 15 balls before Sangwan shattered his off-stump in the 28th over. The Arun Jaitley Stadium saw thousands of fans gather, only for many to leave disappointed. Sangwan, a 29-year-old Delhi-born pacer, has 77 first-class wickets and has represented Railways in all formats. Kohli had trained extensively before the match but struggled against deliveries outside off-stump, a weakness exposed once again. His early exit left fans and Delhi reeling.

The Rashtrapati Bhavan condemned Congress leader Sonia Gandhi’s remark calling President Droupadi Murmu a “poor thing,” stating it was “in poor taste” and “hurt the dignity” of the office. Gandhi’s comment, made after Murmu’s address to Parliament, sparked political outrage. BJP chief JP Nadda called it “elitist” and “anti-tribal,” while BJP MP Sambit Patra said it was “totally inappropriate.” The President’s office rejected claims she was tired, emphasizing her commitment to marginalized communities. The statement suggested Congress leaders misunderstood Indian linguistic nuances, making the comment “unfortunate and entirely avoidable.”