Local Governance & Accountability: South Lanarkshire kicked off planning for the 2027 local elections, setting a timetable to wind down the current council and hand day-to-day decisions to the chief executive after March 10, 2027. Public Finance: Nepal reported government revenue up about 10% in the first month of FY 2083/84, with tax receipts rising and spending running at under 2% of annual allocation. Justice & Oversight: Sri Lanka’s Government Analyst Department says 70% of its reports relate to drugs, with priority given to remand-custody suspects to speed legal proceedings. Protest & Civil Service Pressure: Jharkhand’s recruitment-exam protest hit day 24 as students pressed for a CBI probe and cancellation of the JSSC-CGL exam ahead of another round of talks. Infrastructure Planning: New Zealand’s government will probe options for Auckland’s second harbour crossing via an independent detailed business case, including bridge/tunnel and a private upgrade proposal, plus a Meola Reef study. Tax & Enforcement: UK HMRC launched a new “enforcement blitz,” aiming for 30,000 interventions this year and urging the public to report suspected tax fraud. Energy & Industry: Uganda moved to revitalize its egg and baby food industry after a ministerial inspection of Pristine Foods, targeting local processing to cut imports. Procurement & Courts: Chainalysis sued the US government over a sole-source blockchain analytics contract awarded to TRM Labs, alleging bypassed competitive procurement rules. Public Integrity: Manila uncovered a “ghost pensioner” scheme where barangay officials allegedly collected elderly cash allowances for people already dead. Climate & Disaster Response: South Korea’s record rains killed one and injured three, prompting national fire mobilization and special disaster grants.