Peace talks fail; US will blockade Strait of Hormuz: Trump 

Donald US President Trump said on Sunday the US Navy would start blockading the Strait of Hormuz, raising the stakes after marathon talks with Iran failed to reach a deal to end the war, jeopardising a fragile two-week ceasefire.

Deadlock, but with silver lining: Key takeaways from the US-Iran talks

US Vice President JD Vance's 'mission impossible' hit a wall in Islamabad on Sunday, as US and Iran failed to reach an agreement after 21 hours of talks. Vance, before leaving Islamabad, said, "They have chosen not to accept our terms."

Courts reluctant to remove arbitrators who are ex-judges: Justice Nagarathna

Flagging A gap in India's dispute resolution framework, Supreme Court judge Justice B V Nagarathna said that courts are often hesitant to remove arbitrators accused of misconduct because many of them happen to be retired judges and chief justices.

CJI: Biggest challenge is limited access to justice, not lack of laws

Chief Justice of India Surya Kant on Sunday said the greatest challenge facing the country's legal system is not a dearth of laws, but rather the limited access that ordinary citizens have to them.

Emphasising the urgent need to bridge the gap between legal rights and their practical availability, the CJI noted while India possesses a robust framework of rights and policies, these benefits often fail to reach the needy due to distance, delay, and implementation gaps.

Amid war's lengthening shadows, the need to reform fertiliser policy

India's import dependence for chemical fertilisers (including their feedstocks) is to the tune of 70 per cent. Take the case of urea. India consumes roughly 40 million tonnes (MT) of urea, of which about 10MT is imported. But even what is produced at home is dependent on imported gas to the tune of almost 85 percent. In the 40 days of the war, global urea prices were up by almost 65 per cent, from $482/tonne at the end of February to $795/tonne in the first week of April.

India-UK FTA to come into force by mid-May

The Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CETA) between India and the UK is likely to come into force from the second week of May, as the ratification process and completion of other legal requirements have entered the final stage, as per an official.

The agreement, signed in July 2025, has been vetted by the both houses of UK's Parliament in March.

WHY KEVIN KELLY

Kevin Kelly, Ireland's Ambassador to India, has been in Delhi for about two years and has witnessed from here major geopolitical developments, including the West Asia war and Russia-Ukraine conflict. Representing a country whose foreign policy draws on shared antiimperialist values, he offers a nuanced perspective on the shifting global dynamics. Having previously served as Ireland's ambassador to the Netherlands, Uganda and Rwanda, he has also held key roles in Europe, working on trade negotiations and multilateral diplomacy.

'India follows a policy of strategic autonomy and multi-alignment, that doesn't mean it is politically neutral'

Ireland's Ambassador to India, Kevin Kelly, on values-based diplomacy, the West Asia crisis and Ireland's deepening engagement with India across trade and education. The session was moderated by Shubhajit Roy, Diplomatic Editor.

Why Iran energy shock hasn't spread to food, yet

There are two routes through which food prices can potentially harden in the months ahead

The first is cost push. The second route is diversion of crops for biofuel.

Oak trees felling case: Their ecological importance for Himalayas

The Uttarakhand High Court recently stayed the felling of oak trees in Mussoorie for a civic construction project following a PIL petition. The episode brought into focus these trees and why they matter to the region's ecology.

Oak belongs to the genus Quercus in the Fagaceae family and holds immense social and ecological importance in the Indian Himalayan regions.

These species provide ecosystem services such as conservation of soil, water, native flora and fauna, and serve as a lifeline for local communities. They assist watershed protection by promoting the recharge of springs.

Oak forests host moss-like plants, orchids, and other flowering plants, creating layered microhabitats. Data shows high species richness across Himalayan districts with oak cover.