A large number of people took to the streets as protests erupted in Iran after the country’s currency registered a historic low against the US dollar.Rallies were held in other major cities, including Isfahan in central Iran, Shiraz in the south and Mashhad in the northeast. In some parts of Tehran, police fired tear gas to disperse protesters.As the protests gathered pace, Iran’s Central Bank chief Mohammad Reza Farzin resigned.

Monday’s protests were the biggest since 2022, when the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Jina Amini in police custody triggered nationwide demonstrations. She was arrested by the country’s morality police for allegedly not wearing her hijab properly, the Associated Press reported.According to the report, traders shut their shops on Monday and asked others to do the same. The semi-official ILNA news agency said many businesses stopped trading, even though some kept their shops open.‘Listen to the legitimate demands’Meanwhile, President Masoud Pezeshkian called on his government to listen to protesters’ “legitimate demands”.“I have asked the interior minister to listen to the legitimate demands of the protesters by engaging in dialogue with their representatives so that the government can do everything in its power to resolve the problems and act responsibly,” Pezeshkian said, according to the official IRNA news agency.What’s fuelling the unrestThis comes after Iran’s rial plunged to 1.42 million to the dollar. On Monday, it traded at 1.38 million to the dollar.The rapid depreciation is compounding inflationary pressure, pushing up prices of food and other daily necessities and further straining household budgets — a trend that could worsen with a gasoline price change introduced in recent days.Reports in official Iranian media that the government plans to increase taxes in the Iranian New Year beginning March 21 have added to concerns.Iran’s currency was trading at 32,000 rials to the dollar at the time of the 2015 nuclear accord that lifted international sanctions in exchange for tight controls on the country’s nuclear programme. That deal unravelled after US President Donald Trump unilaterally withdrew the United States in 2018.Interestingly, merchants at the market played a crucial role in the 1979 Islamic Revolution that ousted the monarchy and brought Islamists to power.

Individuals who fail to complete the process may find their PAN rendered “inoperative” from January 1, 2026. (AI image)

PAN-Aadhaar link status update: December 31, 2025 is the deadline for linking your PAN card with your Aadhaar card – an important step if you don’t want your PAN card to become inoperative. The Income Tax Department has again appealed to PAN holders to complete the mandatory linking of PAN with Aadhaar. Taxpayers who miss this December 31, 2025 deadline face the risk of their PAN being rendered inoperative. With the cutoff date for PAN Aadhaar linking drawing closer, individuals who fail to complete the process may find their PAN rendered “inoperative” from January 1, 2026, according to an ET report. Such a situation can create hurdles in filing income tax returns, receiving refunds and carrying out routine financial transactions.

The Income Tax Department has warned that an inactive PAN cannot be used for key financial transactions or tax related purposes, underscoring the need to finish the process before the year ends.

PAN-Aadhaar Linking: How To Link Your PAN With Aadhaar Card

Taxpayers can complete the PAN Aadhaar linking by following these steps:

Once you submit the request to link PAN with Aadhaar and the payment, if applicable, is reflected, the verification generally moves quickly. The Income Tax Department forwards the details to UIDAI for validation. You can recheck the linkage status after a day or two to confirm that the process has been completed successfully, the ET report said.

Is your PAN linked to your Aadhaar? How To Verify

To check whether PAN and Aadhaar are already linked follow these steps:

How to checking PAN-Aadhaar link status via SMSYou can also confirm the linkage through a text message. Type UID PAN 12 digit Aadhaar number 10 digit PAN number and send it to 567678 or 56161. For instance: UID PAN 34512349891 CFIED1234JWhat to do if your PAN and Aadhaar card details do not matchIf discrepancies exist between PAN and Aadhaar records, you can take the following steps:

PAN-Aadhaar linking FAQs:

What if I miss the deadline for linking my PAN with Aadhaar Card?The Income Tax Department has made it clear that PAN card holders who do not complete the Aadhaar linkage by December 31, 2025 will find their PAN becoming inoperative. This means that the PAN card cannot be used for a range of financial and tax related purposes. This includes filing income tax returns and undertaking transactions where PAN details are mandatory.What is the penalty if PAN and Aadhaar are not linked?December 31, 2025, is the final date to link PAN with Aadhaar. Individuals who have not completed the process by now are required to pay a penalty of Rs 1,000 before proceeding with the linkage.That said, certain PAN holders have been granted relief from this charge. PAN cards issued after October 1, 2024, using an Aadhaar enrolment ID are exempt from the late fee. Such PAN holders can complete the PAN Aadhaar linking without any charge up to the deadline.The tax department has reiterated that Aadhaar linkage is compulsory for eligible PAN holders.“For existing PAN holders, who were allotted PAN on or before 01-07-2017 it is mandatory to link PAN with Aadhaar. The Link Aadhaar service is available to individual taxpayers (both registered and unregistered on e-Filing Portal),” the official income tax website reads.What does an inoperative PAN card mean?A PAN marked as inoperative can severely disrupt your financial and tax-related activities. In such cases, you will be unable to file income tax returns, and any refunds due will not be processed, according to the ET report. In addition, higher rates of TDS and TCS will apply. Carrying out key financial transactions, such as opening a bank account or investing in securities where quoting PAN is mandatory, may also become difficult, the report said.

In a devastating incident, the film industry mourns the loss of 26-year-old Nandini CM, a South Indian actress celebrated for her role in ‘Gauri.’ Her untimely death by suicide in Bengaluru has shocked her fans and colleagues. Discovered in her shared living space, a note indicating personal battles and emotional challenges was found.

TRIGGER WARNING: This article contains references to suicide.Nandini CM, a prominent face in the South industry, has passed away at the age of 26. She starred in shows and projects such as ‘Jeeva Hoovagide’, ‘Sangharsha’, and ‘Gauri. The actress was found in her PG accomodation with a suicide note.

More about the actress

Nandini was born in Karnataka’s Ballari district and completed most of her education near her home. She later moved to Bengaluru to pursue higher education in engineering. However, upon reaching the big city, acting became more appealing to her, and she started training for it formally in Rajarajeshwari Nagar.According to Moneycontrol, after her father’s passing, Nandini was offered a government job, which she ended up refusing. She became more serious about her acting career and gave all of her time to practicing the art.

What happened

Nandini CM passed away at the age of 26 by suicide on December 29. The Kannada and Tamil television star was a well-known face in the South and was known for her feature in ‘Gauri.’ As per Deccan Herald’s report, the actress breathed her last at her PG accommodation in Bengaluru. Her friend had called the PG owner to check on her after she had been unreachable. She shifted to that area in August earlier this year. News18 reported that a note was found at the premises, which mentioned issues with family, being asked to marry again and again, and emotional distress, amongst other matters. Kengeri police have registered a case of death by unnatural causes andan investigation into the matter is underway. DISCLAIMER: If you or someone you know is struggling with suicidal thoughts, anxiety, depression, or mental illness, please seek professional help immediately from a doctor, mental health expert, or NGO. Helplines are also available.

India is on track to conclude 2025 as one of its most significant years of economic performance, with key macroeconomic indicators reflecting strong growth, low inflation, expanded exports and improved labour market conditions, the government said in its year-end economic review. According to a press note released by the Press Information Bureau, India’s real Gross Domestic Product (GDP) expanded at 8.2 per cent in the second quarter of the financial year (FY) 2025-26, marking a six-quarter high and underscoring resilient domestic demand amidst a challenging global trade environment. This follows growth rates of 7.8 per cent in the first quarter and 7.4 per cent in the fourth quarter of FY 2024-25. The government highlighted that the real Gross Value Added (GVA), a measure of domestic production, grew by 8.1 per cent in Q2 of 2025-26, driven by buoyancy in both the industrial and services sectors. The sustained expansion signals a broad-based upturn in economic activity across key sectors. Inflation trends remained largely benign throughout the year, with the Consumer Price Index (CPI) inflation rate steadily softening from 4.26 per cent in January 2025 to 0.71 per cent in November 2025, offering the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) policy space to maintain a supportive monetary stance. Wholesale Price Index (WPI) inflation also moderated during the year, reinforcing the overall price stability environment. On employment, the latest labour force estimates revealed a notable improvement in job market conditions. In November 2025, the unemployment rate fell to 4.7 per cent, down from 5.2 per cent in October, the lowest level recorded since April 2025. The decline was broad-based, with both urban and rural segments contributing to the improvement. The overall labour force participation and worker participation rates also showed encouraging trends. Export performance strengthened over the course of 2025, with merchandise exports reaching USD 38.13 billion in November, up from USD 36.43 billion in January. Services exports, a key pillar of the external sector, also recorded solid growth, reflecting India’s expanding footprint in global value chains and rising demand for Indian software, business services and other globally tradable services. External sector resilience was further evidenced by robust foreign exchange reserves and improved current account dynamics. Remittances remained strong, helping to moderate the current account deficit alongside solid services export receipts. Government emphasised that the combination of strong domestic demand, structural reforms, supportive monetary conditions, and stable price levels has contributed to what they described as a “Goldilocks moment” for the Indian economy, characterised by both high growth and low inflation. With a GDP value surpassing USD 4.18 trillion, India is now the world’s fourth-largest economy and is projected to ascend further in global rankings in the coming years. Projections from both domestic and international institutions suggest continued expansion, underscoring India’s potential to sustain robust growth through 2026 and beyond. The government reiterated its commitment to structural reforms and policy measures designed to sustain economic momentum while broadening the base of inclusive growth.

Rupee on Tuesday rose 3 paise to 89.95 against the US dollar in early trade supported by a weaker greenback and strong industrial output data. However, foreign fund outflows, marginally higher crude oil prices and a weak start in domestic equities limited sharper gains, forex traders said.

At the interbank foreign exchange, the rupee opened at 89.98 and strengthened to 89.95 against the dollar, up from its previous close. Earlier on Monday, the local currency had depreciated 8 paise to settle at 89.98.“The RBI on Monday protected the top end of the curve while FPIs who sold equities also were dollar buyers, keeping bids on for the full day and taking it almost to 90 levels,” Anil Kumar Bhansali, Head of Treasury and Executive Director, Finrex Treasury Advisors LLP said, PTI reported.Bhansali pointed to strong Index of Industrial Production (IIP) data released on Monday. “The IIP came at a 25-month high of 6.7 per cent for November against expectation of 2.5 per cent and last month growth of 0.5 per cent. The growth during the year has been 3.30 per cent against 2.70 per cent in the last month,” he added.Indian equity benchmark indices, Nifty50 and BSE Sensex, opened in red on weak global cues. While Nifty50 went below 25,950, BSE Sensex was down over 120 points. At 9:19 AM, Nifty50 was trading at 25,902.85, down 39 points or 0.15%. BSE Sensex was at 84,567.40, down 128 points or 0.15%.Meanwhile, foreign institutional investors sold equities worth Rs 2,759.89 crore on Monday, according to exchange data, while the dollar index, which measures the greenback against a basket of six currencies, was marginally lower by 0.03 per cent at 98.01.

Stock market today (AI image)

Stock market today: Indian equity benchmark indices, Nifty50 and BSE Sensex, opened in red on Tuesday on weak global cues. While Nifty50 went below 25,950, BSE Sensex was down over 120 points. At 9:19 AM, Nifty50 was trading at 25,902.85, down 39 points or 0.15%. BSE Sensex was at 84,567.40, down 128 points or 0.15%.According to experts, the stock market is expected to remain range bound in the near term, with investors closely tracking macroeconomic cues and institutional fund flows for direction.Dr. VK Vijayakumar, Chief Investment Strategist, Geojit Investments Limited says, “The year-end trend, though weak, doesn’t indicate a directional change in the market. The advance-decline ratio was far in favour of declines and this led to decline in Nifty by 100 points yesterday. But it is important to note that this decline happened on thin volumes. A clear directional change will happen only early in the new year when large institutions are back in action.”“It would be better for investors to watch the market now and wait for new triggers and new directional moves. However, weakness in the market can be used to nibble at high quality large caps. The auto sales numbers expected in two days will give an indication of the sustainability of the consumption boom in the economy. This is significant from the economic growth perspective, too.”Global cues were mixed as Wall Street’s key indices ended lower on Monday, starting the final week of the year on a weak note. The decline was led by heavyweight technology stocks, which retreated after last week’s rally had pushed the S&P 500 to record highs.Asian markets on Tuesday mirrored the cautious sentiment, with a seven day rally in regional stocks coming to a pause as technology led losses in the US spilled over. Precious metals also showed volatility, with gold and silver fluctuating after slipping from fresh all time highs.In currency markets, the US dollar traded steady on Tuesday ahead of the Federal Reserve’s release of minutes from its December policy meeting. On the domestic front, foreign portfolio investors continued to pare their exposure, selling equities worth Rs 2,760 crore on Monday. Domestic institutional investors, however, provided support to the market, emerging as net buyers to the tune of Rs 2,643 crore.(Disclaimer: Recommendations and views on the stock market, other asset classes or personal finance management tips given by experts are their own. These opinions do not represent the views of The Times of India)