Explainers News - Page 30

How trade, tariffs and oil are at the centre of S Jaishankar’s visit to Russia

India’s External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar is on a two-day visit to Russia, which comes as US President Donald Trump has levied a 25 per cent tariff on New Delhi for importing Russian crude. However, oil isn’t the only focus of the visit. The Indian leader highlighted the trade deficit in Moscow and called for an early conclusion of the India-Eurasian Economic Union Free Trade Agreement

History Today: When the Mona Lisa vanished and shocked the art world

On August 21, 1911, the world’s most famous painting — the Mona Lisa — was stolen from the Louvre. The heist transformed Leonardo da Vinci’s portrait into an icon of modern culture

FirstUp: Jaishankar-Lavrov bilateral in Moscow, Wang Yi in Pakistan, and other news 

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar will hold bilateral talks with his Russian counterpart in Moscow today. Meanwhile, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi will be in Pakistan to attend the sixth China-Pakistan Strategic Dialogue. In India, the Opposition candidate for the vice presidential election, Sudershan Reddy, will file his nomination

Want to become a US citizen? Donald Trump wants you to have ‘good moral character’. But what does that mean?

Want to become a citizen of the United States? Having a ‘good moral character’ has long been considered one of the criteria for citizenship. However, now the administration of US President Donald Trump has expanded on the definition. But what has changed? What do experts think?

Why a Gujarat Class 10 student was stabbed to death by his junior

A Class 10 student in Gujarat's Ahmedabad was stabbed to death allegedly by his junior after an altercation outside their school on Tuesday (August 19). After the boy succumbed to his injuries, parents and some Hindu groups launched massive protests in front of the school with the mob reportedly ransacking the building and even assaulting school staff

Why Microsoft workers have taken over company’s main campus in Washington

Dozens of current and former Microsoft employees congregated at the tech firm's campus in Washington on Tuesday afternoon to protest against the company’s contracts with Israel. The employees, who were also joined by locals, are part of the No Azure for Apartheid group, which itself is part of the No Tech for Apartheid movement

Why India wants to ban online real-money games like fantasy sports, lotteries

The Centre introduced the Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Bill, 2025, in the Lok Sabha on Wednesday. The proposed legislation seeks to ban online games played with money and impose stricter penalties on celebrity promoters. On the other hand, the government wants to promote e-sports and online social games

Meet Bhanu Attri, the first-ever Hindu chaplain of the British Royal Navy

Bhanu Attri, a 39-year-old from Himachal Pradesh, has become the Royal Navy's first Hindu and non-Christian chaplain. Attri, who grew up in Himachal Pradesh before moving to the UK, will be offering spiritual support to fellow naval officers based on the tenets of Hinduism

Chilling with ‘Taliban bros’: How influencers promoting Afghanistan tourism is dangerous

‘I was treated like a queen’; ‘it’s beautiful’... This is how influencers from Western countries are describing Afghanistan. In recent times, a growing number of social-media personalities from countries such as the US, the UK, Germany and Australia are travelling to the Taliban-led nation, gushing over its beauty and praising the hospitality there. But this could be misleading and dangerous

Why Ukraine may get to join the EU but not Nato right now

Ukraine’s push for European Union membership is advancing despite Hungary’s resistance, but Nato accession remains off the table. Instead, Western leaders are exploring 'Article 5-style' security guarantees to protect Kyiv without triggering a direct clash with Russia

Who is Kairan Quazi, the 16-year-old prodigy leaving Elon Musk’s SpaceX?

Kairan Quazi, a teenage prodigy of Bangladeshi origin, became an engineer at Elon Musk’s SpaceX at 14. Now 16, he has announced that he will be joining Citadel Securities in New York as a global trading infrastructure engineer. He is considered one of the youngest university graduates in the United States

Who is Rajesh Bhai Sakriya? The man from Gujarat who attacked Delhi CM Rekha Gupta

Delhi CM Rekha Gupta was attacked during a public grievance hearing at her residence on Wednesday morning. The man, identified as Rajesh Bhai Khimji Bhai Sakriya, allegedly handed over a paper to the CM, shouted, slapped, pulled her hair, and abused her. According to his mother, the 41-year-old is a dog lover and was upset with the Supreme Court ruling on the removal of stray dogs in Delhi-NCR

Explained: Centre's 3 Bills on removal of PM, CMs and other ministers facing criminal charges

Union Home Minister Amit Shah is expected to introduce three bills in the Lok Sabha on Wednesday (August 20), seeking the removal of the prime minister, chief ministers and ministers at the Central and state levels arrested and detained for at least 30 days on serious charges. The opposition has objected to the proposed laws. But why?

Dad as negotiator? Why Gen Z is now bringing parents to job interviews

A survey by Resume Templates revealed that 77 per cent of US-based Gen Z candidates have brought a parent to a job interview. Among them, 27 per cent said their parents spoke about salary or perks, and some even introduced themselves to recruiters. Experts suggest this trend reflects Gen Z’s lack of work experience and limited professional networks, which were further affected by the pandemic

Why Putin-Zelenskyy meet won’t happen soon and peace is a distant dream

An Alaska summit, followed up by a White House summit. There’s been a flurry of activity on the Russia-Ukraine war, with Volodymyr Zelenskyy even agreeing to a meeting with Vladimir Putin. But is the Russian leader ready to end the conflict?

After India, China’s Wang Yi heads to Pakistan. Why New Delhi should be wary

China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi, after high-stakes boundary talks in New Delhi, has landed in Islamabad for the sixth China-Pakistan Strategic Dialogue. His visit highlights Beijing’s careful balancing act: extending dialogue with India while reaffirming its all-weather alliance with Pakistan

How a rare $25 million pink diamond was stolen in Dubai and recovered within 8 hours

An 'exceptionally' rare pink diamond worth $25 million was stolen in Dubai by a group of Asian thieves posing as wealthy buyers. The European trader, who owned the diamond, was lured to a villa where the gang nabbed the 21-carat gem and fled. However, Dubai Police tracked and arrested three robbers within eight hours, recovering the jewel

Why the Oval Office map of Ukraine matters

A map displayed in the Oval Office during Donald Trump’s meeting with Volodymyr Zelenskyy has become a flashpoint in the peace talks around the war in Ukraine. While the White House version suggested Russia controls nearly 20 per cent of Ukraine, Zelenskyy insisted the true figure was closer to one per cent

Zelenskyy gave Trump a golf club from wounded Ukrainian soldier: Who is Kostiantyn Kartavtsev?

On Monday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy met his American counterpart, Donald Trump, at the Oval Office for a fresh round of talks. But it was what the Ukrainian leader gifted Trump that caught everyone’s eye — a golf club

Mumbai monorail scare: How over 700 passengers were rescued from 2 stranded trains amid heavy rain

Two monorail trains broke down in Mumbai on Tuesday evening amid heavy rain, leaving over 700 passengers stuck. Videos from the scene showed rescuers breaking windows to enter the coaches and helping people onto ladders to bring them down safely. A few passengers who felt suffocated were taken to the hospital in ambulances

Border deal, direct flights to China and more… The big positives out of Wang Yi’s India visit

India and China have made ‘steady progress’ in their ties, said PM Narendra Modi after meeting with China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi. As the Chinese official ends his visit to the nation, there have been quite a few positives: Both countries have decided to work on the settlement of the boundary question. Also, Beijing has lifted curbs on exports of rare earths and fertilisers

History Today: When the Soviet Union invaded Czechoslovakia

Troops from the Soviet Union, along with other members of the Warsaw Pact, invaded Czechoslovakia on August 20, 1968. This came as a result of the Prague Spring, a liberal uprising that planned to introduce reforms like greater freedom of the press, speech, and travel in the region. On this day in 1944, former Indian Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi was born into India’s most prominent political family

FirstUp: Nirmala Sitharaman to attend key meet on GST reforms and other top news

Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman will attend a meeting of a state ministerial panel today to present the Centre’s proposal for major GST changes. The panel will take up the Centre’s proposal to simplify the GST structure. Meanwhile, Maharashtra Governor CP Radhakrishnan will file his nomination as the Vice Presidential candidate of the BJP-led NDA

Some of us dream in colour. Others in black and white. Here's why

no I have just pulled out There seem to be age differences in colour dreaming. Older people report far less colour in their dreams than younger people. The prevailing explanation for this is based on the media they experienced while young. If the photographs, movies and television you saw as a child were all in black and white, then you are more likely to report more black-and-white dreams than colour dreams

The Bengal Files: Who was Gopal Patha at the centre of the controversial film on Calcutta killings of 1946?

Vivek Agnihotri’s film ‘The Bengal Files’ has sparked controversy with the launch of its trailer on August 16 in Kolkata abruptly cancelled, and an FIR and legal notice against the director. The film revolves around the 1946 Great Calcutta Killings and the Noakhali riots. What happened then, and what was Gopal Patha's role in the incident?

Why US security guarantees to Ukraine aren’t enough to end the war

At the crucial White House summit, attended by Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelenskyy and European leaders, Donald Trump indicated that the US would provide security guarantees to Ukraine. While this is a good development in the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war, it’s necessary to see exactly what this would look like on the ground. Here’s why

'Trump Slump': How tariffs & immigration crackdown are impacting tourism in Las Vegas

Tourism in Las Vegas is down this summer, with a significant 11 per cent drop in international visitors compared to last year. Locals blame harsh tariffs and tough immigration policies for the dip. The Casino city also battles skyrocketing prices at high-end resorts and restaurants, which is 'squeezes out the low-end tourists'

Who is B Sudershan Reddy, the Opposition's VP candidate? What are his chances of winning?

The Opposition India bloc has chosen ex-Supreme Court judge Sudershan Reddy as its candidate for the vice-presidential election. Reddy will go up against National Democratic Alliance pick CP Radhakrishnan, who is the governor of Maharashtra. But what do we know about Reddy? What are his chances of winning?

Is Indian Railways introducing luggage limits like airports?

Indian Railways plans to implement a strict baggage policy similar to airports. Passengers will be asked to pass their luggage through electronic weighing machines at railway stations, and those carrying more than the allowed limit will face penalties. The policy will be initially rolled out at multiple major stations, including Prayagraj and Kanpur in Uttar Pradesh

Will Zelenskyy win an election if Ukraine voted today?

More than three years into Russia’s invasion, Ukraine’s elections remain frozen under martial law. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy enjoys higher approval than any predecessor, but protests over anti-corruption reforms, falling trust levels, and continued wartime governance have complicated his standing. However, during talks at the White House yesterday, the Ukrainian leader said he is open to elections once peace is restored in his country