China, Pakistan propose peace plan for West Asia, seek end to hostilities

China and Pakistan on Tuesday put forward a five-point proposal to end the West Asia conflict, calling for the restoration of peace and stability in the Gulf region and safe pas-sage of ships through the Strait of Hormuz.

Japan deploys first long-range missiles, boosts strike capability

Japan's First long-range missile was deployed at a southwestern army camp, officials said Tuesday, as the country pushes to bolster its offensive capabilities.

The upgraded Type-12 land-to-ship missiles, developed and produced by Japan's Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, became operational at Camp Kengun in Kumamoto prefecture.

'Sanctioned' Russian tanker brings oil lifeline to blackout-hit Cuba

The Russian vessel Anatoly Kolodkin docked Tuesday at the Cuban port of Matanzas laden with 730,000 barrels of oil, marking the first time in three months that an oil tanker reached the island.

The administration of US President Donald Trump had allowed the shipment to proceed despite its ongoing energy blockade.

NASA begins Artemis II countdown

NASA Began the countdown Monday for humanity's first launch to the moon in 53 years.

The 32-story Space Launch System rocket is poised to blast off Wednesday evening with four astronauts. After a day in orbit around Earth, their Orion capsule will propel them to the moon and back.

Coming days decisive: US; will hit American firms from today: Iran

US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said on Tuesday the next few days in the war against Iran would be decisive and warned Tehran that the conflict would intensify if it did not make a deal. Iran's Revolutionary Guards hit back with a new threat, saying that they will target US companies in the region in retaliation for attacks on Iran from Wednesday, listing 18 groups including Microsoft, Google, Apple, Intel, IBM, Tesla and Boeing.

India may get first Iran crude since 2019 after tanker signals Gujarat port as its destination

An oil tanker carrying Iranian crude is signaling India as its destination, marking the first potential delivery of Tehran's crude to India since May 2019. Amid the raging West Asia war, the US, on March 21, suspended for a month the sanctions on Iranian crude already loaded on tankers in a bid to allow as many barrels of oil as possible to flow into the international market to improve the global oil supply situation and curb spiraling crude oil prices.

IMD's forecast: More heatwave days, minimum temperature to rise this summer

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecast "above-normal" number of heatwave days over "parts of east, central, northwest India and southeast Peninsula" in the period between April and June this year. However, the maximum temperatures are likely to be "normal to below-normal" over most parts, even as the minimum temperatures are set to be "above-normal".

Lavrov to visit Delhi mid May for BRICS meet

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov is planning to visit New Delhi on May 14 and 15 to participate in the meeting of foreign ministers of the BRICS countries, the visiting Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Andrey Rudenko told TASS news agency.

A task still lies ahead in former Red Corridor

For almost six decades, the Maoist insurrection has cast a shadow. Emerging from agrarian unrest in Naxalbari, West Bengal, the movement spread to parts of Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand and Odisha. Today, as the country appears close to a decisive end to the insurgency - Home Minister Amit Shah has said the Red Corridor has dwindled to two districts - the moment calls for a sober reckoning. The steady squeezing of the movement in the past two years - arrests, surrenders and killings of left-wing extremists (LWEs) - is no doubt a military defeat of Maoism.

India has rare opportunity to re-imagine neighbourhood policy. Trade is key

India objects to its massive trade deficit with China yet runs substantial surpluses with Bangladesh, Nepal, and Sri Lanka. Delhi finds it difficult to offer its neighbours the very market access it demands from Beijing.

India faces challenge in meeting 2030 maternal mortality goals, shows study

A recent study in The Lancet Obstetrics, Gynaecology, and Women's Health journal shows the challenge before India in meeting the Sustainable Development Goal of bringing down the Maternal Mortality Ratio (MMR) to below 70 deaths per 1 lakh live births by 2030.

RBI extends export realisation timeline amid persistent global disruptions, supply chain risks

In a response to the persistent geopolitical uncertainties and supply chain disruptions in West Asia, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) on Tuesday announced the continuation and expansion of key relief measures aimed at supporting exporters struggling to meet payment realisation deadlines.

US trade chief sees only limited role for WTO after failed meeting

The World Trade Organization will play only a limited role in global trade policy after a failed ministerial meeting in Cameroon, US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer said Monday, vowing to seek alternative arrangements s with like-minded countries.

Prepare for prolonged disruption to energy markets'

European Union governments should prepare for a prolonged disruption to energy markets as a result of the Iran war, the bloc's energy chief has told ministers.

In a letter to energy ministers, dated March 30 and seen by Reuters, EU Energy Commissioner Dan Jorgensen said governments were "encouraged to make timely preparations in anticipation of a potentially prolonged disruption".

EY: FY27 GDP growth may erode by 100 bps

India's real GDP growth for the next fiscal may erode by around 1 percentage point, while retail inflation could rise by about 1.5 percentage points from their baseline estimates if the West Asia conflict persists through the next fiscal, the EY Economy Watch report said. It said that several sectors, including employment-intensive sectors like textiles, paints, chemicals, fertilizers, cement and tires, could be directly impacted.

Iran war: Agrochemicals stress and inflation worry

Since the war broke out, landed prices of ammonia imported into India have shot up from $450-470 to $725-750 per tonne

Sulphur prices have gone from below $200 to $700-plus per tonne, and for imported DAP, from $640-650 to about $825.

Problems and precedent in the US seizing Kharg

Amid Repeated assertions by US President Donald Trump that he may send troops to seize control of Iran's key oil export terminal at Kharg Island, experts are divided about its chances of success, especially given the defiance of the Iranian regime. There is also a precedent, albeit one that ended in disaster.

Snake Island

Nearly four years ago, and still early into Russia's invasion of Ukraine, Snake Island, or Zmiinyi Island, was seen as a vital asset in the war. This rocky outcrop held by Ukraine was categorised as strategic in the control of the western Black Sea, similar to Kharg, which is a coral island.

How NASA will fly astronauts to the Moon and back for Artemis II

NASA'S Artemis II mission, carrying four astronauts on a flyby mission to the Moon, is all set to be launched on Wednesday. This will be the first time humans will get to the Moon's neighbourhood after the last Apollo mission in 1972. The Artemis II mission will not land on the Moon but circle it and return to Earth after a 10-day journey. A successor mission, planned for 2028, is scheduled to make a Moon landing with another set of four astronauts.

Telangana's gig workers law: The legislation, and how other states have fared

On Monday, the Telangana state Assembly passed the Telangana Platform-Based Gig Workers (Registration, Social Security and Welfare) Bill, 2026. The legislation, which seeks to regulate gig and platform work and ensure protection of such gig workers, is similar to those passed by four other states: Karnataka, Rajasthan, Jharkhand, and Bihar.