Iran attacks West Asian nations after U.S. strikes

The U.S. attacked Iran early on Sun-day over an Iranian strike on a container ship in the Strait of Hormuz that left one Indian sailor mis-sing. Iran responded with attacks on several coun-tries in West Asia, includ-ing Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, Jordan, and Oman.

Taliban seek deeper farm ties with India

The Taliban administration of Afghanistan has ex-pressed desire to enhance agricultural cooperation with India, covering areas such as agricultural trade, infrastructure development, and irrigation, the External Affairs Ministry said on Sunday.

Oil conundrum

India's energy imports from Russia seem driven by confusion, not strategy

Union Ministry of Commerce and Industry (MCI) data on India's May crude imports show that receipts from Russia had reached the presanction levels of more than 40%, which is also the highest in two years. Though India has defended this as commercially prudent, its yuan-based payments give China an edge to internationalise its currency at India's expense, even if it has no bearing on the domestic strength of the Indian rupee due to strict capital controls. Oil import concentration from a single source, and paying a premium, is risky for India, which has long pursued a diversified energy stra-tegy. Moreover, sourcing fuel from the Gulf spot market amid evolving sanctions has its own risks.

The making of Israel's retreat into isolation

The primary justification for the creation of Israel was that Europeans of Jewish origin persecuted and ghettoised, deserve their own state where they can live like other "normal" nations. For much of its history, Israel sought to escape the isolation that marked Jewish existence in Europe before the creation of the Jewish state. One of its goals was to transform Israel from a besieged regional outlier into an increasingly accepted member of the West Asian political order, a goal made very difficult if not impossible because of the expulsion of almost two-thirds of the Palestinian population from the territory that became Israel.

Insular incentive

Ethanol-blended fuel should not be forced on consumers irrationally

The Indian government's policy to continue producing E20 petrol at a cost higher than that of pure petrol when oil prices dip under $70 a barrel to "compensate farmers adequately" is a deceptively well-formulated pro-position. Most feedstock for the fuel-blending programme is from sugarcane, one of India's most water- and fertilizer-intensive crops, mainly grown in water-stressed Maharashtra and Karna-taka. Whether the policy's net economic benefit remains positive will depend on the gains from lower crude imports, environmental improvements, and higher rural incomes outweighing these additional costs.

A.P. and the next El Niño challenge

Much before El Niño formed over the Pac-ific Ocean, Andhra Pradesh got a bitter taste of what was to come. In May, the State experienced oppressive heat, unending warm nights, and intense heatwaves. Cities and towns wore a deserted look as daytime temperatures remained above 44 degrees Celsius for nine consecutive days, with the season's highest touching 48.3 degrees Celsius. In addition to bringing back unpleasant memories of the previous El Niño events in the State, the record-breaking temperatures heralded a dis-turbing weather pattern, marked by scanty rainfall and more heatwaves. Even on July 12, the India Meteorological Department (IMD), Amarava-ti, issued heatwave alerts for the State.

Why has China banned helium exports?

The export ban follows an extended period of supply strained by Russia's export restrictions where the Prime Minister needs to sign off on shipments through 2027 - and supply risks tied to heightened tensions in West Asia.

Helium is an important coolant in the semiconductor fabricating industry, where it removes heat from silicon wafers.

The helium supply chain as a whole is cost-intensive because purification, storage, and transport are each expensive and technically sophisticated.

ISRO successfully carries out tests of Gaganyaan systems

The Indian Space Re-Organisa-search tion on Sunday said it had successfully carried out three major tests of the Gaganyaan crew module systems. The first test pertained to ensuring an upright po-sition of the crew module after splashdown in the sea, considered one of the most important crew safe-ty requirements. To do this, a stored cold-gas-based uprighting system was developed and tested.

CJI stresses need for women-centric infrastructure in judicial buildings

Chief Justice of India Surya Kant on Sunday said judi-cial infrastructure was no longer a luxury but a "very big necessity", and called for mandatory facilities for women advocates, includ-ing separate Bar rooms and adjoining childcare facili-ties, in all new court complexes.

Centre brings new scheme tor to regularise PF Trusts

The EPFO has invited ap-plications from exempted Provident Fund Trusts to regularise their status un-der provisions of the Fi-nance Act, 2026, the Income Tax Act, 2025, and the Code on Social Securi-ty. The Amnesty Scheme, 2026, provides a one-time opportunity for the Trusts recognised under the In-come Tax Act, 1961 to regu-larise their status.

EU and 14 countries reaffirm ruling on South China Sea

The United States, the United Kingdom and a dozen countries reasserted on other Western and Asian Sunday that China's expan-sive claims in the South China Sea are illegal based on a 2016 arbitration ruling. A joint statement issued by the 14 nations said they rejected "destabilising" ac-tions in the disputed wa-ters that threaten regional stability. The 27-nation Eu-ropean Union released a separate statement, reaffirming the ruling as a "landmark decision in the peaceful settlement of disputes."

Fading research hubs are stalling Kerala's leap into the bio-economy

Kerala has long taken pride in its literacy, scientific temper, and environmental consciousness. Home to the biodiverse Western Ghats and centuries of traditional knowledge, it should have emerged as India's leading hub for biological research and the bioeconomy. But instead, many of its premier biological research institutions are today on the decline.

Eärendil-1: bright or blight?

On July 9, the U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) authorised a company named Reflect Orbital to launch and operate a test satellite designed to deploy a large mirror in orbit around the earth, despite the controversy and debate surrounding its aims. Eärendil-1- named for a character in the Tolkien fantasy epic The Silmarillion -will be a single satellite in a non-geostationary orbit fit with a "deployable, highly specular thin-film reflector".