The Delhi High Court has declined to entertain a petition by Pakistani national Sheena Naz, who sought a long-term visa to stay in India after marrying an Indian citizen.

Naz applied for the visa on April 23, 2025, a day after a terror attack in Pahalgam led the Indian government to suspend visa services for Pakistani nationals under Section 3(1) of the Foreigners Act, 1946.

The court emphasized that visa decisions, especially those involving national security, fall under the executive's domain and are not subject to judicial review unless constitutional or statutory rights are violated.

Consequently, Naz's petition was dismissed as withdrawn.

The Indian government has issued a new circular defining ‘proof of origin’ for imported goods, aiming to simplify trade processes and curb misuse of Free Trade Agreements (FTAs).

According to the circular of the Department of Revenue, proof of origin means a certificate or declaration issued in accordance with a trade agreement certifying that the goods fulfil the country of origin criteria.

The move aims to enhance transparency and ensure hassle-free customs clearance.

Industry bodies, like the Apparel Export Promotion Council (AEPC), have welcomed the change, calling it a step towards reducing uncertainty and preventing fraud in trade documentation.

Harvard University has filed a lawsuit against the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), challenging the Trump administration's freeze on $2.2 billion in federal research funding.

The suit claims the freeze violates First Amendment rights and federal law, including Title VI of the Civil Rights Act.

Harvard argues that the federal government is overreaching by trying to control the university’s internal operations, such as governance, hiring, and academic content.

The lawsuit highlights how the freeze threatens vital medical and scientific research and demands that the court lift the freeze, citing the harm to public health and education.

The Supreme Court issued notice in a habeas corpus plea filed by a Ghanaian father residing in Dubai seeking visitation rights for his minor son.

The Court  criticized a Dubai court's order restricting the child's travel as "atrocious" and a violation of human rights, likening it to "house arrest."

The bench questioned the jurisdiction of the Dubai court, noting that both parents are Christians married under the Foreign Marriage Act, 1969, and thus not governed by Shariah law.

The child's mother, a resident of Bengaluru, allegedly took the child to India, citing abuse, despite existing Dubai court orders granting the father access. The matter has been scheduled for further hearing on April 28, 2025.

The UK Supreme Court held that trans women do not fall under the definition of “woman” under Equality Act, 2010, and the terms “woman” and “sex” refer to biological women and biological sex at birth. 

The judgment came in response to a challenge against the Gender Representation on Public Boards (Scotland) Act, 2018, which aimed to include trans women in the 50% female representation quota for public authority boards. 

The court unanimously ruled that trans women with a Gender Recognition Certificate cannot be counted within the legal category of “women” for achieving gender representation targets.

The Court clarified that the ruling does not discourage the appointment of trans individuals to public boards. 

​The UK government has announced significant changes to its tax system affecting non-domiciled individuals, set to take effect from April 6, 2025.

The current remittance basis, where non-doms are taxed only on UK income and foreign income brought into the UK, will be replaced by a residence-based system.

Under the new rules, individuals who have been UK tax residents for more than four years will be taxed on their worldwide income and gains, aligning their tax obligations with those of other UK residents.

The Singapore Court of Appeal set aside an international arbitral award involving a government railway contract after finding that 47% of the award was plagiarised from unrelated Indian arbitration proceedings.

The award, partially authored by a tribunal chaired by former CJI Dipak Misra, was found to have copied and pasted large sections without context or party disclosure.

The Court held that the tribunal failed to conduct an independent evaluation of the dispute, resulting in a breach of natural justice and creating an appearance of bias. 

While the Court did not find bad faith, the award itself had to be set aside to safeguard the integrity and fairness of the arbitral process. 

The P&H High Court ordered the Customs Department to pay ₹50 lakh as compensation and refund the customs duty with 6% interest to an importer after a kiwi shipment spoiled due to delays.

This order was passed because the customs officials delayed releasing a shipment of kiwi fruits, weighing 89,420 kg, which eventually spoiled.

The Court noted that under Section 46 of the Customs Act, importers must file a Bill of Entry for goods, but despite doing so, unnecessary delays, especially in amending the Import General Manifest, caused harm. 

The Court held that such delay violated the importer’s rights and caused financial loss, for which the authorities were responsible.

The United States has announced a 26% tariff on Indian goods, effective April 9, 2025, under its reciprocal trade policy. The move impacts key export sectors like steel, textiles, and automobiles, though pharmaceuticals and energy are exempt.

The decision may be challenged under WTO rules, as India considers legal remedies for unfair trade practices.

Experts highlight the potential for disputes under international trade law. Meanwhile, the Indian government is in talks with the US to resolve the issue.

The tariff hike raises concerns about compliance with global trade agreements and its effect on bilateral relations.

Switzerland issued the first fine under the country’s nationwide face-covering ban after a woman in Zurich wore a burqa in public. The woman refused to pay the fine, which totalled 100 Swiss francs($110), which led to further legal proceedings.

The law bans face coverings in public, including burqas, niqabs, masks, and balaclavas. The ban was approved in a 2021  Swiss referendum with 51.2% support, led by the right-wing Swiss People’s Party.

Critics say it unfairly targets Muslims, though only a small minority wear face veils.

Fines start at 100 francs and can rise to 1,000 francs in court. Similar bans exist in Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Italy, and more.

The Israeli government has begun the process of removing Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara, passing a no-confidence motion against her.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was excluded due to a conflict of interest, while Baharav-Miara refused to attend, calling it an attack on judicial independence.

Justice Minister Yariv Levin criticized her, claiming she failed to represent the government’s interests. Opposition leader Yair Lapid called the move "illegal and corrupt," warning it threatens democracy.

This is the first time an Israeli Attorney General faces removal. The dismissal process could take months, requiring legal consultations. Critics fear it will weaken Israel’s system of checks and balances, increasing political tensions.

A British woman was reportedly attacked and sexually assaulted at a hotel in Delhi's Mahipalpur area. She first met one accused, Kailash, on social media and traveled from Goa to Delhi to meet him.

When she arrived, a hotel housekeeping staff member allegedly touched her inappropriately in the lift. Later, she was allegedly raped in her hotel room by Kailash, who struggled with English and used a translation app to communicate.

The police have arrested both accused and are reviewing CCTV footage.

The British High Commission has been informed, and an investigation is ongoing to determine the sequence of events.

A Los Angeles federal jury has ruled in favor of Disney, rejecting a copyright infringement lawsuit filed by screenwriter Buck Woodall, who claimed the 2016 film Moana was based on his screenplay "Bucky the Wave Warrior."

Woodall alleged that his work, featuring a young surfer and a tattooed demigod, was shared with a former Mandeville Films executive, who later joined Disney. However, the jury found no evidence that Disney had access to his screenplay.

Disney's lawyers argued that Moana was the original creation of John Musker and Ron Clements, renowned Disney directors. Woodall’s attorney expressed disappointment, stating they would review legal options.