San Francisco state and city leaders announced a proposed legislative change Monday aimed at expanding the use of court-ordered assisted outpatient treatment as part of an effort to confront the city’s ongoing mental health crisis. The announcement was made during a morning press conference outside San Francisco City Hall, where officials described the proposal as a significant shift in how treatment for severe mental illness is handled in California. Mayor Daniel Lurie joined mem

The Internal Revenue Service has announced that the 2026 tax filing season will officially begin on Monday, Jan. 26, giving taxpayers the green light to submit their 2025 individual income tax returns. The agency expects to process approximately 164 million returns during the upcoming season, with the vast majority filed electronically. Officials say new tax law provisions could lower tax liabilities for some filers and potentially increase refund amounts, while operational changes may alter

President Donald Trump’s recently announced agreements with pharmaceutical companies are expected to have a limited effect on what most Americans pay for prescription drugs, according to health policy experts who say the scope and structure of the deals leave many patients unaffected. Since Sept. 30, the Trump administration has reached agreements with 14 drugmakers in exchange for relie

India has ushered in a new phase of insurance regulation with Parliament clearing the Sabka Bima Sabki Raksha (Amendment of Insurance Laws) Bill, 2025, a move that comes at a time when trust between insurers and policyholders is increasingly strained. For millions of Indians, insurance is ultimately judged not by policy documents or premium receipts but by the ease and fairness of claim settlement. Delays, repeated document requests, late-stage exclusions, and opaque rejections have long plag

The Union government has sought additional information from social media platform X regarding the steps taken to address obscene and sexually explicit content linked to its artificial intelligence tool, Grok, and the measures planned to prevent similar incidents in the future, according to sources familiar with the matter. The request follows a detailed response submitted by the platform, which officials have assessed as insufficient in addressing key regulatory concerns. Sources in

Property owners in central Ohio will see notable changes to property tax payment schedules beginning in 2026, as officials in Franklin County revise due dates and Delaware County advances the start of its billing cycle. County leaders emphasized that the adjustments are designed to improve administrative efficiency and provide taxpayers with more time to prepare payments, without altering the total amounts owed or disrupting existing payment plans.

Chicago’s newly approved budget is now in effect, introducing a series of tax changes that will be rolled out in stages throughout the year. While some measures began immediately on Jan. 1, others are scheduled to take effect in the coming weeks and months, gradually reshaping costs for consumers and businesses across the city. Among the changes that began with the start of the new year is an increase in the checkout bag tax. Shoppers now pay 15 cents per grocery bag, up from the

Illinois is set to enter 2026 with sweeping changes to state policy as more than 200 new laws take effect at the start of the year, touching nearly every aspect of daily life. The legislation approved by lawmakers spans healthcare access, workplace protections, public safety, education standards, insurance coverage and the growing role of artificial intelligence, marking one of the most expansive legislative updates in recent years. Several of the most consequential measures focus o