I have branches, but no fruit, trunk or leaves. What am I?

Decode below three cipher riddles:

26 L of the A
7 D of the W
1000 Y in a M

I am a five-letter word and comprises two different vowels and three same consonants. I am so strong that I can spoil your entire work.

Can you find out who am I?

We are a group of eight brothers. We consider the weak, yet we protect the king in every battle. If we move ahead, we never turn back. Who are we?

A tourist visits a small town for his research. While in the town, he decides to get a haircut. Since the town is quite small, there are only two barbers in the town � one on the North Street and one on the South Street. The barbershop on the North Street is a mess and the barber has a weird and pathetic haircut. While the barbershop at the South Street is pretty tidy and the barber as well has an impressive haircut.

Which barbershop will the tourist visit for his haircut and why?

Two friends were stuck in a cottage. They had nothing to do and thus they started playing cards. Suddenly the power went off and Friend 1 inverted the position of 15 cards in the normal deck of 52 cards and shuffled it. Now he asked Friend 2 to divide the cards into two piles (need not be equal) with equal number of cards facing up. The room was quite dark and Friend 2 could not see the cards. He thinks for a while and then divides the cards in two piles.

On checking, the count of cards facing up is same in both the piles. How could Friend 2 have done it ?

One day, Birbal got late for a function and Akbar was highly disappointed.
Please forgive me Jahanpanah. I arrived late because my child was crying and I had to calm him down, explained Birbal.
Does it take this long to placate a child? questioned the emperor. I feel that you have no idea about how to raise a child. I order you to act like a child and I will act like your father to show you how you should have dealt with your child. Come on! Ask me all that he asked from you.
Father, I want a cow, said Birbal.
The emperor quickly ordered one of the servants to bring a cow to the kingdom.
I want to drink its milk, now, now, now! said Birbal, imitating the voice of his child.
Akbar asked his servants to milk the cow and give to Birbal.
The servants quickly milked the cow and offered the milk to Birbal. He sipped in a little and then gave the bowl to the emperor.
As Birbal put up the next demand that was put up by his child a few hours ago, the emperor was stunned and left the room.
What did Birbal say?

I got a bee but no honey.
got an eye but am still blind.
got a sea but no water.
got a tea but no coffee.
got a why but no answer.

What Am I?

John is found dead in a bare field. Nobody killed John,
John did not commit suicide.

Inspector Jacob found a bag just a few meters away from John which could save his life. What was in the bag?

Name one eight-letter word with 'kst' in the middle, 'in' the beginning, 'and' at the end.?