Explainers News - Page 2

History Today: How Mahsa Amini’s death triggered historic protest by Iranian women

On September 16, 2022, Jina Mahsa Amini, a young woman from Iran, died while in the custody of the country’s ‘morality police’ over what they called ‘improper’ clothing. Her death led to massive outrage in the Islamic Republic and sparked protests across the country, which soon spread across the world

FirstUp: Trump to begin second state visit to the UK, India-US trade negotiations to resume... Today's headlines

US President Donald Trump, accompanied by his wife, Melania Trump, is set to begin his state visit to the United Kingdom. During the visit, the two countries are expected to announce agreements on technology and civil nuclear energy. Today, trade negotiations are set to take place between India and the United States of America following the arrival of US chief negotiator Brendan Lynch in New Delhi

Has the world had enough of Labubu dolls?

Shares of Pop Mart fell by as much as nine per cent on Monday, its steepest single-day drop since April. The stock eventually closed 6.5 per cent lower after JP Morgan downgraded the company’s rating from 'overweight' to 'neutral' and cut its target price by 25 per cent. But why is this happening? Has the world finally had enough of Labubu dolls?

Dozens of people have been fired in the US since Charlie Kirk's assassination. Here's why

Republicans, including elected officials and prominent online figures, are making lists of people they want fired for criticising Charlie Kirk in the aftermath of his killing. Dozens of people have been fired or suspended for social media posts responding to the death of Kirk, who was himself often accused of making racist and demeaning comments about women, Black people, and minorities, as well as displaying transphobia

How toxic fumes aboard planes are giving pilots and passengers brain, nerve injuries

A Wall Street Journal investigation has found that dozens of pilots, flight attendants and passengers have developed brain and nerve injuries strikingly similar to those seen in battered football players, after being exposed to toxic fumes leaking into aircraft cockpits and cabins. While regulators and manufacturers continue to downplay the threat, the growing number of medical cases tells a different story

How a 31-year-old Palestinian escaped from Gaza using a jet ski

Muhammad Abu Dakha is one of those people who managed to leave Gaza, as it continues to burn from the constant attacks by Israel. The Palestinian man went to Libya, where thousands of others from the region arrive in hopes of securing a spot on a boat to Europe. But Dakha had other plans: He used a jet ski to reach his destination

Indian Navy gets anti-submarine craft 'Androth': Why it is special

The ‘Androth’, an indigenously built shallow water craft, was delivered to the Indian Navy on Saturday. It was constructed by Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers (GRSE) in Kolkata. The development comes at a time when India is taking steps to become self-reliant in the field of defence manufacturing, and as China continues to make moves to expand its influence in the Indian Ocean Region

Trump's UK visit: Inside the country's largest security operation since King Charles' coronation

Britain is preparing for its largest security operation since King Charles III’s coronation as US President Donald Trump arrives for a state visit. With armed response vehicles, drones, snipers, and river patrols deployed, the two-day trip includes meetings with the royal family and UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, alongside planned protests across London and Windsor

What happens if you miss the income tax filing deadline?

The Income Tax Department has clarified that September 15 (Monday) is the final deadline to file your Income Tax Return (ITR), dismissing rumours of an extension to September 30. If you miss the date, don’t panic; you can still file your return later. But doing so comes with both financial penalties and procedural setbacks

How PM Modi's mother Heeraben inspired him

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has often spoken about how his mother, Heeraben, was a source of inspiration and strength throughout his life. Heeraben passed away in December 2022 at a hospital in Ahmedabad at the age of 100. Here’s how she inspired him

Practising Islam for 5 yrs, derecognising properties: Waqf Act provisions the SC has put on hold

The Supreme Court bench, comprising Chief Justice of India BR Gavai and Justice Augustine George Masih, today (September 15) refused to stay the Waqf (Amendment) Act, 2025. However, the bench, hearing a clutch of pleas challenging the validity of the Act, paused certain provisions of the law. But which parts of the law has the apex court halted and why?

Why Pakistanis are protesting against the big dam on the Indus

For over a week, residents in Upper Kohistan have blocked the Karakoram Highway, protesting delayed compensation for land seized for Pakistan’s Diamer-Bhasha Dam. While the dam promises clean energy and water storage, it has resulted in anger over displacement and environmental concerns

‘Hands off grandma’: How detention of 73-year-old Indian-origin woman in US has sparked anger

The sudden detention of Harjit Kaur, a 73-year-old woman of Indian origin who had gone for a routine check-in with US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (Ice), has led to protests and concern among her family. Kaur has lived in California’s East Bay for over 30 years and has no criminal record. Protesters held signs reading ‘Hands off our grandma’ and ‘Bring grandma home’

‘Won’t buy our corn’: Why US is desperate to sell corn and India is not keen

The US continues its jibes against India over trade. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick has said, ‘1.4 billion people won’t buy even one bushel of US corn’. But why is the grain a bone of contention?

Why is FBI's Kash Patel under fire over the Charlie Kirk case?

FBI Director Kash Patel is under the lens for his handling of the Charlie Kirk assassination case. From a premature announcement about an arrest to disputes with local authorities, Patel’s actions have resulted in controversy ahead of key congressional hearings

Finance ministry deputy secretary killed after BMW rams into his bike: Here’s what happened

Navjot Singh, deputy secretary in the Ministry of Finance, died after a BMW hit his motorcycle near Delhi Cantt. His wife, Sandeep Kaur, is critically injured. The couple’s son has alleged that the woman driver, Gaganpreet, took his parents to a hospital nearly 20 km away instead of a nearby medical facility, causing a delay that may have cost his father’s life

After Poland, Russian drones enter Romania: Is Putin testing Nato?

Back-to-back Russian drone incursions — first in Poland, then Romania — have escalated tensions on Nato’s eastern border. Romania scrambled F-16s as a Russian drone crossed its airspace during strikes on Ukraine, days after Poland shot down drones with Nato support

Why Tyler Robinson’s trans ‘partner’ is in spotlight after Charlie Kirk’s killing

Tyler Robinson, who is accused of killing conservative activist Charlie Kirk, was living with Lance Twiggs, his transgender ‘partner’, who is transitioning from male to female. Utah Governor Spencer Cox said Robinson was in a relationship with Twiggs. Notably, Twiggs helped in Robinson’s arrest by providing authorities with texts in which Tyler talked about hiding the gun used to kill Kirk, who had anti-LGBTQ views

Is anti-immigrant sentiment growing in UK? What London protests indicate

It was billed as ‘Britain’s largest free speech festival’, but remarks at the ‘Unite the Kingdom’ rally on Saturday carried largely anti-immigrant and anti-Muslim sentiments. Led by far-right activist Tommy Robinson, thousands of protesters chanted slogans such as ‘we want our country back’ and ‘send them home’. Later, the demonstrations turned violent with some of the supporters viciously attacking the police present at the site, injuring 26 of them

History Today: How Doordarshan's launch revolutionised broadcasting in India

Doordarshan was launched in India on September 15, 1959 and remained iconic for generations. The modest beginning featured a small transmitter and black-and-white broadcasts that reached only a handful of households. On this day in 1955, Vladimir Nabokov's controversial novel 'Lolita' was published in Paris by Olympia Press. It went on to become one of the greatest literary controversies of the 20th century

FirstUp: Last day to file I-T returns, PM Modi in Bengal, Bihar... Today’s big stories

Today (September 15) is the last day to file Income Tax Returns. After his visit to the Northeast, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be in West Bengal and Bihar today. Argentinian President Javier Milei will undertake a two-day visit to Paraguay. China is likely to release its data for retail sales, industrial production and unemployment figures for August

Is your house heating up and making you miserable? Paint it white

White surfaces reflect sunlight rather than absorb it, and studies show that painting roofs white or adding some other type of reflective coating can reduce the internal temperatures

How ChatGPT is becoming everyone’s BFF and why that’s dangerous

An increasing number of people, adults and children alike, are making bots their besties: choosing AI-powered chatbots over humans. Is this a green flag or a red flag?

This Week in Explainers: How recovering from Gen-Z protests is a Himalayan task for Nepal

Days after the Gen-Z protests that burned down Nepal’s parliament and led to the resignation of its prime minister, the country is trying to get its act together. The losses are expected to be massive; trade and tourism are taking a hit. In our weekly wrap, we talk about the Nepal unrest, Charlie Kirk’s assassination and more

How Tanzania’s ‘hero rats’ are saving lives by sniffing out landmines, tuberculosis

‘Hero rats’ in Africa’s Tanzania are playing an unusual but crucial role as they help to detect landmines and identify tuberculosis. Using their sharp sense of smell, the rats find TB infections that were earlier labelled as negative. Since 2003, they have been used to locate landmines and, in recent years, have also been trained to search for people trapped after earthquakes

History Today: When the first man-made object landed on the Moon in 1959

On September 14, 1959, the Soviet Union’s Luna 2 spacecraft became the first man-made object to reach the Moon. The mission, a major milestone for humanity, also was an inflection point in the space race between the US and the USSR

Why Mossad was not on board with Israel’s strike on Hamas in Qatar

Mossad reportedly refused to use its agents on the ground to assassinate Hamas leaders in Qatar. The head of the Israeli external intelligence agency is said to have rejected the plan, leaving PM Benjamin Netanyahu with the alternative option to order an airstrike in Doha. But why was the spy agency not in favour of the attack, which has been widely condemned across the world?

Giorgio Armani will: Who will get the inheritance? What happens to his fashion empire?

Italian designer Giorgio Armani, who passed away last week at the age of 91, has mentioned gradually selling off the luxury fashion brand that he built 50 years ago. The will states that priority should be given to French luxury giant LVMH, French cosmetics group L’Oréal, and Italian eyewear company EssilorLuxottica. This has come as a surprise to many in the industry

‘Bella Ciao’: What do engravings on bullet casings of Charlie Kirk shooting suspect mean?

After Maga activist Charlie Kirk was shot dead allegedly by 22-year-old Tyler Robinson at a university in Utah this week, police found a bolt-action rifle left in a wooded area near the campus. Bullet casings in the rifle were engraved with anti-fascist and taunting messages, according to Utah Governor Spencer Cox. What did they say?

This Week in Explainers: Will your food orders via Zomato, Swiggy cost more?

As the GST reforms come into effect from September 22, food delivery through Zomato or Swiggy could cost more than ordering directly from restaurants and food outlets. This comes as these companies will have to pay 18 per cent GST on behalf of delivery workers. Here’s all this and more in our weekly wrap