Overview

• India’s two-rate GST reform took effect on September 22, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi calling it a “next-generation” measure as brands such as Colgate and Amul announced retail price cuts to pass through lower rates.
• The White House confirmed a one-time $100,000 fee for new H‑1B applications, while Indian IT firms said the immediate operational impact would be limited given a small share of employees on the visa.
• The United Kingdom, Australia and Canada formally recognized the State of Palestine in a coordinated move aimed at advancing a two-state solution, a decision Israel criticized as one-sided.
• Heavy rain triggered waterlogging and service disruptions in Kolkata, with the West Bengal government closing all government-run schools on September 24–25 and airlines reporting widespread cancellations and delays.
• Aviation oversight intensified as the Supreme Court sought responses from the Centre and the DGCA on an Air India crash probe citing pilot error, and security agencies investigated a reported mid-air cockpit-door attempt on an Air India Express Bengaluru–Varanasi flight.