Explainers News - Page 26

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

Who is Erika Kirk, widow of slain Trump ally and Maga activist Charlie Kirk?

Erika Kirk, the grieving widow of Maga activist Charlie Kirk, in a tearful goodbye, vowed that her husband’s ‘voice will remain’. Her first public remarks since Charlie was shot dead at a university in Utah on Wednesday came during a livestream. Who is the former beauty queen who has warned ‘evil-doers’ that her cries will ‘echo around the world like a battle cry’?

History Today: What are the Oslo Accords that Israel and Palestine signed in 1993?

Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin and Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO) Chairman Yasser Arafat signed the famous Oslo Peace Treaty on September 13, 1993. The signing occurred in the presence of then-US President Bill Clinton at the White House. On this day, in 2004, Oprah Winfrey gave away nearly 300 new cars to the audience present at 'The Oprah Winfrey Show'

Why PM Modi's first visit to Manipur since unrest matters

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to visit Manipur today (13 September). This will be his first visit to the state since ethnic violence broke out in 2023, leaving over 250 dead and thousands displaced. The PM is expected to unveil projects worth Rs 8,500 crore and meet victims of the violence

Who is Tyler Robinson, 22-year-old from Utah, who killed Charlie Kirk?

FBI officials at a press conference on Thursday said Tyler Robinson, a 22-year-old college student from Utah, has been identified as the suspect in the killing of Charlie Kirk, the 31-year-old conservative and staunch ally of US President Donald Trump. Robinson spoke negatively about the victim, a family member told investigators. He had become more political in recent years

Nepal: When Sushila Karki's husband hijacked plane carrying Indian actor Mala Sinha

Nepal’s former Supreme Court Chief Justice Sushila Karki will lead the interim government in the Himalayan nation. As her legal career and personal life come into focus, we take a look at her husband, Durga Prasad Subedi, who carried out Nepal’s first hijacking in 1973. Here’s what happened

How the masks you disposed of during Covid are now becoming an environmental disaster

Masks were critical in fighting Covid-19, but billions of them are now causing an environmental crisis. Studies show discarded masks are releasing microplastics and toxic chemicals like bisphenol B into land and water, threatening ecosystems, wildlife and human health. Experts warn that urgent policies and sustainable alternatives are needed to prevent lasting damage

Charlie Kirk killing: How relaxed are Utah’s gun laws?

Investigations are underway after a right-wing activist and Trump ally, Charlie Kirk, was shot dead while giving a speech at Utah Valley University. Now, experts say that the gun laws in the state made it easier for the suspect to carry the firearm around freely

Ghaziabad woman dead, pilgrims attacked in bus… How Nepal’s Gen-Z protests turned into a living hell for Indian tourists

A 55-year-old woman from Ghaziabad died as protesters in Nepal set fire to a hotel. A bus carrying pilgrims from Andhra Pradesh was attacked by miscreants in Kathmandu… These are just a few instances of how the unrest triggered by Gen-Z protests in the Himalayan nation turned holidays into ordeals for tourists