Over two decades, major UK recruitment firms, including Hays, Capita, and Petrofac, have been linked to tax avoidance schemes affecting agency workers and contractors, even in government roles. These workers were often paid through third-party umbrella companies that misrepresented loans as salaries to evade income tax. Many workers, unaware of these schemes, now face substantial tax bills from HMRC, leading to financial distress and, tragically, ten suicides. Recruitment agencies, while not directly managing payroll, connected workers to these umbrella companies. The government plans to tighten laws, holding recruiters accountable for taxes collected by these agencies. This scandal has severely impacted numerous lives, with some workers pushed to the brink of bankruptcy.

Ravichandran Ashwin believes Varun Chakravarthy should have been named ‘Player of the Tournament’ in the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 instead of New Zealand’s Rachin Ravindra. Ashwin praised Chakravarthy’s impact, calling him India’s “X-factor” in their title-winning campaign. “If Varun wasn’t there, this game would’ve been different,” Ashwin said on his YouTube channel. Chakravarthy, a late addition to the squad, emerged as the second-highest wicket-taker. Ashwin also lauded India’s bowlers for restricting New Zealand to 251/7 in the final, highlighting India’s victory despite Jasprit Bumrah’s absence.

Former Reserve Bank of India (RBI) Deputy Governor Viral Acharya believes Donald Trump’s tariffs on Indian goods may benefit India by pushing the government to lower trade barriers. Acharya told Bloomberg that increased competition would force Indian firms to raise standards, leading to better jobs and a stronger manufacturing base. He emphasized that strategic partnerships with foreign companies could drive innovation and knowledge transfer. Acharya suggested phased tariff reductions to ensure a predictable policy environment. Trump’s reciprocal tariff plan, set for April 2, 2025, could significantly impact Indian exports.

The Trump administration has launched CBP Home, an app allowing undocumented immigrants in the US to "self deport." Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said it offers a chance to leave voluntarily and return legally in the future. The administration has also introduced a regulation requiring undocumented individuals to register by April 11 or face fines or jail time. CBP Home replaces Biden's CBP One app, which allowed migrants to request legal entry. Trump has vowed record deportations, shutting down CBP One immediately after taking office, leaving many migrants stranded.

A cargo ship and oil tanker collided in the North Sea off East Yorkshire, leaving one crew member missing. The Stena Immaculate, carrying jet fuel, and the Solong cargo ship, transporting sodium cyanide, caught fire after the crash. The Coastguard rescued 36 people, with one hospitalized, before halting the search for the missing crew member. Authorities imposed a five-mile exclusion zone. The UK government is monitoring the situation as investigations continue. Experts suggest poor visibility and possible autopilot use contributed to the crash. Environmental concerns are rising due to leaked jet fuel.

The Sensex dropped nearly 400 points, while Nifty fell over 100 points as US markets recorded their worst single-day fall since 2022. The Dow Jones fell 2.08%, and the Nasdaq plunged 4%, triggered by fears of a US recession and trade war concerns. Major Indian IT stocks saw sharp declines, with Infosys dropping 3.09% and Wipro falling 2.21%. Experts warn of continued volatility but advise investors to focus on quality stocks. The decline in the dollar index, however, could benefit emerging markets like India.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio sees potential in Ukraine’s partial ceasefire proposal ahead of key talks in Saudi Arabia. Kyiv plans to propose an aerial and naval truce with Russia, though Moscow has rejected such moves before. Rubio, joined by US officials, said Ukraine must show commitment to diplomacy to resume paused US military aid. President Volodymyr Zelensky met Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman but won’t formally participate. The negotiations come amid rising pressure from Donald Trump for Kyiv to accept a ceasefire. The US may also discuss a minerals deal with Ukraine during the talks.

NASA astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore, originally on a 10-day ISS mission, are set to return on March 16 after being stranded for 10 months. Their Boeing Starliner spacecraft malfunctioned, forcing NASA to declare it unsafe for reentry. They will return aboard SpaceX’s Crew-9 mission, which was extended to accommodate them. Crew-9 will undock after Crew-10 launches on March 12. Delays could push their return to March 17 or 18. Williams and Wilmore have been on ISS since June 2024, making their stay one of the longest unintended space missions.

The ICC confirmed no Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) representatives attended the Champions Trophy closing ceremony in Dubai, despite Pakistan being the host nation. Fans noticed only Indian officials—Jay Shah, Roger Binny, and Devajit Saikia—were present. An ICC spokesperson stated PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi was unavailable, and no office bearer was present to represent Pakistan. Reports suggest PCB CEO Faisal Hasnain was in Dubai but wasn’t invited. The PCB is set to contact the ICC over the miscommunication. India clinched the trophy after defeating New Zealand, with Rohit Sharma named Player of the Match.

A cargo ship crashed into a US-chartered tanker carrying jet fuel in the North Sea, near Hull, UK. The collision caused a fire and a fuel leak. One crew member from the cargo ship is missing, while others have been rescued. The tanker, Stena Immaculate, was carrying 220,000 barrels of jet fuel. The cargo ship, Solong, had 15 containers of toxic sodium cyanide. UK authorities are investigating the accident. Experts warn of environmental risks. All vessel traffic in the Humber estuary is suspended as emergency teams work to control the situation.