Explainers News - Page 14

Hamas to release all hostages today: What to expect and how will it unfold

It’s a moment that all of Israel and many around the world have waited for. Today (October 13), the hostages held by Hamas since the 2023 attacks will be released in what has been dubbed ‘Operation Returning Home’. US President Donald Trump will be in Israel for this significant moment. The Jewish nation, in exchange, will release 250 Palestinian prisoners and more than 1,700 detainees

History Today: How Chile pulled off the greatest mine rescue

Chile successfully pulled off the greatest mine rescue, bringing back 33 miners on October 13, 2010. They were stuck in the San Jose copper-gold mine near Copiapo in northern Chile. On this day in 1958, the most iconic bear, Paddington Bear, made its first appearance in the children’s book ‘A Bear Called Paddington’

FirstUp: Trump to meet hostages in Israel, Nobel Prize in Economics to be announced... The headlines for the day

Hamas is likely to release 20 hostages in exchange for 2,000 Palestinians. And US President Donald Trump is likely to greet them on their release. Meanwhile, the Nobel Prize in Economics will be announced in Stockholm, Sweden. The Starship, designed by SpaceX, will be launched for the 11th time from Texas

Do arguments between couples need midnight resolutions? Experts say maybe not

For the longest time, couples have been advised to resolve any arguments before going to bed. But now experts are suggesting that something like this has the opposite of the desired effect on the relationship. Here's what they are recommending

Are women more prone to depression?

A project led by Australia's Berghofer Medical Research Institute saw scientists review the DNA of almost 200,000 people with depression to discover shared genetic markers. This is what they found about depression when it comes to men, women and genetics

This Week in Explainers: Will Trump's Gaza plan end the Israel-Hamas war?

After much back and forth, Israel and Hamas have finally agreed to a peace plan in Gaza. All it took was two years, two different US administrations and President Donald Trump throwing his weight behind it. But what do we know about the details of the plan? And what happens next? All this and much more in our weekly wrap from around the world

History Today: How the White House got its name, courtesy Theodore Roosevelt

US President Theodore Roosevelt renamed the Executive Mansion as the White House on October 12, 1901. Though the building was affectionately referred to as the White House for much of the 19th century, Roosevelt’s decision made the title official. On this day in 1960, Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev brandished a shoe during a session at the United Nations

Why Qatar's training facility at a US military base is fuelling outrage

US and Qatar agreed to build a training facility for Qatari F-15QA troops at Mountain Home Air Force Base in Idaho, enhancing military cooperation while remaining under US control

Name game: How the world's longest middle name resulted in a court battle

Laurence Watkins from New Zealand holds the Guinness World Record for the world's longest name with 2,253 middle names. His full name, which in itself is six pages long and takes 20 minutes to pronounce, is inspired by cultures from the West Asia, Asia, Polynesia and Europe. Getting his name a legal nod became a full-fledged court fight, prompting changes in the national laws

How healthy is Donald Trump? What is his 'cardiac age'?

The 79-year-old US president was found to be in 'exceptional health' following a recent medical evaluation. White House physician Sean Barbabella said Trump's 'cardiac age' was found to be 14 years younger than his actual age and was 'exhibiting strong cardiovascular, pulmonary, neurological, and physical performance'

Was the Nobel Peace Prize leaked?

Just hours before Venezuela's Maria Corina Machado was declared the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize winner, her odds of winning suddenly shot up from 3.75 per cent to nearly 73 per cent overnight on popular betting platform, Polymarket. The sudden surge has now raised suspicions, whether there was a rare breach from the highly secretive committee that hands out the prize

This Week in Explainers: Why Tata Trusts dispute is not good news for the country

The rift between the trustees of the Tata Trusts came out in public this week. As the infighting escalated, top leaders of the billion-dollar conglomerate, including Tata Trusts Chairman Noel Tata and Tata Sons Chairman N Chandrasekaran, met Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman. But what is the fighting about? Here’s all this and more in our weekly roundup

History Today: When John Lennon released 'Imagine' calling for peace and unity

On October 11, 1971, John Lennon released 'Imagine', a song that transcended music to become a universal call for peace and unity. Rooted in Yoko Ono’s avant-garde influence and Lennon’s political awakening, the song evolved into one of the most powerful statements in modern history

How the Trump Gaza peace plan could benefit Israel and hurt Hamas in the long run

Israel and Hamas have agreed upon implementing the first phase of Trump’s 20-point peace plan. However, after the first phase of the ceasefire has been implemented, the Palestinian group will go back to having negligible bargaining power of its own. Also, the deal’s vague language offers Israel a great deal of manoeuvrability and political cover

Maria Machado is the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize winner. Here’s what she wins

Maria Machado, a Venezuelan politician and Opposition leader, has been awarded the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize. The Nobel committee said the 58-year-old was chosen for her untiring efforts to restore democracy and her commitment to human rights. But who is she? What does she win?

Too smart to fail? Why the AI bubble might burst anyway

The value of the world's biggest tech firms has soared over the last year. OpenAI is now worth US$500 billion, compared with US$157 billion last October. Due to its concerns about these staggering valuation rises, the Bank of England has now warned of a possible rapid correction

Are more H1-B restrictions coming after the $100,000 visa fee?

After introducing the whopping $100,000 (around Rs 88 lakh) fee on H1B visas, US President Donald Trump is considering even stricter rules on how companies can use the visa and who qualifies for it. According to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), the new rules are meant to 'better protect US workers’

Why Trump plans to make Chinese flights to US longer and more expensive

The administration of US President Donald Trump has proposed banning Chinese planes from flying over Russia while making their way to the United States and going back. The US Department of Transportation (USDOT) announced the plan in a statement. But why is the Trump administration planning to make this move? What could be the fallout?

What is the T-Dome that Taiwan has announced to counter ‘enemy’ strikes?

Taiwan President Lai Ching-te has announced plans to build a ‘T-Dome system, similar to Israel’s Iron Dome. The proposed air defence system will help act as a counter to China’s increased military activities. But the wait for the T-Dome will be long

Why the diplomatic recognition of Taliban is tricky for India

As Afghanistan’s Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi met External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar today, India has announced that its technical mission in Kabul is being upgraded to a full-fledged embassy. Muttaqi, who arrived on Thursday for a week-long trip to India, held talks with the External Affairs Minister at Hyderabad House. But why is officially recognising the Taliban tricky for New Delhi?

Is the UK getting an Aadhaar-like digital ID for its citizens?

During his visit to India, UK PM Keir Starmer met Infosys co-founder Nandan Nilekani, who is also the chairman of the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI). Terming India’s Aadhaar a 'massive success', Starmer said the UK can learn from India's experience and can roll out its own digital ID scheme

Why Trump is unlikely to win Nobel Peace prize despite nominations from several countries

The Nobel Peace Prize is perhaps one of the most prestigious awards, and Donald Trump has his eyes on it. He has been nominated by countries such as Israel, Pakistan, Cambodia, Armenia and others. But despite the Gaza peace deal, it is unlikely the US president will win the honour he so desperately covets this year

How bad was the 7.6 earthquake that rocked the Philippines? Why is the country so vulnerable?

A powerful 7.6-magnitude earthquake hit the Mindanao region in southern Philippines on Friday (October 10) morning, prompting authorities to issue tsunami warnings. Several buildings were damaged, and children were evacuated from schools in Davao city. The tremors hit the country just days after another strong quake struck Bogo City in Cebu province, killing at least 74 people

Who is Letitia James, NY attorney general, indicted after legal clash with Trump?

New York Attorney General Letitia James was indicted on October 9. She successfully prosecuted Donald Trump in recent weeks. Now, James has been indicted on one count of bank fraud and a second one of making false statements to a financial institution

Haryana IPS death case: Did caste-based discrimination drive Y Puran Kumar to take his own life?

A Haryana-cadre IPS officer, Y Puran Kumar, died by suicide after allegedly suffering from years of 'caste-based discrimination, targeted mental harassment, public humiliation' by his seniors. The cop's wife, IAS officer Amneet P Kumar, accused the Director General of Police (DGP) Shatrujeet Kapur and Rohtak SP Narendra Bijarniya of driving her husband to take his own life through a 'well-planned conspiracy'. Both top cops have now been booked

Israel approves Trump Gaza deal: What happens to the hostages now? What next for Hamas?

Benjamin Netanyahu’s Cabinet has signed off on the first phase of Donald Trump’s Gaza peace plan. Now, a ceasefire is expected to kick in, and Hamas will release the hostages held, latest by Monday. But questions linger over the future of Gaza and whether the Palestinian militant group will lay down its weapons

If Trump wins the Nobel Peace prize, he won’t be the first controversial winner

The Donald Trump shadow looms large over the Nobel Peace Prize, which will be announced today (October 10). The US president claims he’s deserving of the honour for ending seven wars across the world. Many of the awardees have been criticised in the past, raising questions about the credibility of the prize

History Today: How 1933 United Airlines crash remains a mystery to be solved

One of the earliest US commercial aviation calamities took place on October 10, 1933, when a United Airlines Boeing 247 flight exploded mid-air, killing all seven people aboard. The aircraft was considered to be a technological marvel of the time. On this day in 1845, the United States Naval Academy (USNA) was officially established in Maryland's Annapolis

FirstUp: Nobel Peace prize to be announced, Trump to get routine yearly checkup… Headlines of the day

The Nobel Peace Prize will be announced in Oslo, Norway, today. Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump will be heading to Walter Reed National Military Medical Center to get his annual medical checkup. The check-up comes after his last physical examination six months ago. North Korea will celebrate the 80th anniversary of the Workers' Party of Korea

Gaza ceasefire deal: Will peace last? What happens next?

Though many are already celebrating the ceasefire deal in Gaza pushed by US President Donald Trump, questions remain. Can peace last? Will Israeli troops leave? Will Hamas give up its arms? Who will run Gaza? Let's take a closer look