Explainers News - Page 12
This Week in Explainers: Why is Elon Musk jittery about India’s declining fertility?
Fewer babies are being born in India per woman. The decline in total fertility rate (TFR) to 1.9 births per woman, below the replacement level of 2.1, has caught the attention of Elon Musk. Here’s all this and much more in our weekly wrap
Did Pakistan overpromise and underdeliver on Iran-US peace deal?
Pakistan, in the early days of the Iran war, passed messages between Tehran and Washington. Its top officials, including Pakistani Army Chief Asim Munir, made repeated visits to Iran. However, as Donald Trump declares that the war has ended, Islamabad seems to be sidelined from the peace process
Who is Antonio Gracias, Indian-origin Musk loyalist, set to be a billionaire after the SpaceX IPO?
Antonio Gracias, the founder of Valor Equity Partners, who has spent more than two decades backing Elon Musk's ventures, is now set to make $68 billion (around Rs 6,468.16 crore) after the SpaceX IPO, according to reports. The 55-year-old has roots in India through his father, who immigrated to the US from Goa and later became a neurosurgeon in Detroit
Who is 'Vik' Bajaj, Indian-origin cofounder of Jeff Bezos-backed AI startup Project Prometheus?
Vikram ‘Vik’ Bajaj is the co-CEO and co-founder of the Jeff Bezos-backed AI startup Project Prometheus, which has raised $12 billion (Rs 1.14 lakh crore). Bajaj previously worked at Google with co-founder Sergey Brin, another tech titan
Will Mamata Banerjee lose the TMC symbol to rebel MPs?
Mamata Banerjee could soon face the battle for the Trinamool Congress’ symbol of Jora Ghas Phul – twin flowers on a single stem rising from grass. The rebel MPs led by Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar have staked a claim to the party’s symbol, asserting that their group is the ‘real’ TMC
SpaceX IPO makes Elon Musk a trillionaire. But how much is $1,000,000,000,000?
The SpaceX IPO has made Elon Musk the world's first trillionaire. While most of us know how much $1 million (Rs 9.5 crore) is, the sum of $1 trillion (Rs 95 lakh crore), or $1 million million, is mind-boggling. This is larger than the individual GDP of 170 nations and at par with the combined fortunes of Amazon's Jeff Bezos, Oracle's Larry Ellison, and Google's Larry Page and Sergey Brin
Is Iran war ending? Can Trump push for a peace deal before his 80th birthday?
After threatening to hit Iran ‘very hard tonight’, US President Donald Trump called off the planned military strikes and claimed that Tehran has ‘approved’ a draft agreement that would extend the ceasefire and a deal could be signed as soon as this weekend. However, the Iranian leadership has not exactly endorsed Trump’s claim
Trump's UFC spectacle: How a $60 million fight night is taking over White House
The White House is preparing for a never-before-seen UFC event on President Donald Trump's 80th birthday, featuring a temporary arena, massive security operations, over 125,000 expected attendees and a legal challenge. Here's everything to know about the $60 million fight night set on the South Lawn
What's Dr Sejal Pawar's 'cadaver joke' controversy that has landed her in trouble?
Dr Sejal Pawar's remark about a male cadaver during comedian Pranit More’s show has triggered backlash online. In that video, the young doctor can be heard talking about how medics joke about a man’s private parts while performing post-mortem examinations. According to reports, the Maharashtra Cyber police has registered a case against her
One year after the Air India crash, what still remains unanswered?
A year after Air India Flight AI171 crashed shortly after take-off from Ahmedabad, killing 260 people, investigators are still searching for answers. With the final report delayed, questions persist over the fuel-control switches, pilot actions, technical systems, and what caused India's deadliest aviation disaster in decades
What are Hellfire missiles that the US used to strike MT Jalveer manned by Indian crew?
On Thursday (June 11), the US military fired two AGM-114 Hellfire missiles into the engine room of the MT Jalveer, a Guinea-Bissau-flagged tanker, injuring all 20 Indian crew members aboard. Hellfire is a short-range air-to-surface missile, manufactured by Lockheed Martin. It was first fielded by the US army in 1984
SpaceX to debut blockbuster IPO. But can Indians invest?
SpaceX’s initial public offering (IPO) is set to list on Wall Street on Friday (June 12). The Elon Musk-led firm is planning to raise $75 billion (Rs 7.18 lakh crore) at a valuation of $1.75 trillion (Rs 167.60 lakh crore). The IPO could potentially turn Musk, the world’s richest man, into the first trillionaire
Why does PoK have its own Constitution, PM if Pakistan controls it?
Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) is once again in the spotlight. The region, which is witnessing protests, has its own president, prime minister, legislative Assembly, judicial system and police force, even though it is under Islamabad’s control. But why is this?
Opendoor fires all 250 Indian employees: What we know about the US firm and CEO Kaz Nejatian
Opendoor, a San Francisco-based real estate tech firm, is closing its India operations, laying off all 250 employees. CEO Kaz Nejatian made the announcement on the social media platform X. All the jobs will now go to the US
Sex parties and $100 million US bank fraud: Who is Mahender Makhijani, Indian-origin financier?
Mahender Makhijani, who controls the California-based company Cantor Group V, was arrested on Wednesday (June 10) for allegedly defrauding Western Alliance Bancorp out of nearly $100 million (Rs 956.9 crore) by falsifying title policies. He is also accused of using sex and drug parties that he hosted to blackmail his underlings
6 Indian seafarers dead amid West Asia war: How many more are at risk?
Three Indian seafarers have died after a US strike targeted a tanker near Oman. This brings the total toll of Indian seafarers killed in the West Asia crisis to six. Caught in the crosshairs, we examine the critical role the Indian crew play in keeping global shipping running
Who is Nisarga Adhikary? Teen who exposed the CBSE OSM system lands IIT-Kanpur role
Nisarga Adhikary, a young cybersecurity researcher who came into the spotlight over his claims of security vulnerabilities in CBSE's digital system, has joined IIT Kanpur's cybersecurity innovation hub. Reacting to the development, IIT Kanpur Director Professor Manindra Agrawal described Adhikary as a 'talented young engineer with significant potential'
Neet vs Gaokao: How the Chinese embassy is mocking India’s exam fiasco
Every year, millions of Chinese students appear for the national university entrance exam — ‘Gaokao’, considered one of the toughest in the world. After China recently completed the tests, the Chinese embassy spokesperson in India compared the national exam with JEE and Neet, pointing out how the Asian country came together to ensure Gaokao was ‘conducted smoothly’
Hadi Alodid: The Sudanese man behind Belfast knife attack that triggered anti-immigrant protests
Hadi Alodid, a Sudanese man, has been charged with attempted murder after a knife attack in Belfast, Northern Ireland. The accused made his way from Sudan to Paris before flying to Dublin; he then travelled by bus to Belfast on February 10, 2023 and sought asylum
Does the US have any control over the Strait of Hormuz?
US President Donald Trump and Pete Hegseth claim the United States controls the Strait of Hormuz, while Iran insists the vital waterway is closed. Meanwhile, Trump says a secret US mission enabled over 100 million barrels of oil and more than 200 commercial ships to pass through Hormuz. Here is the truth
Extramarital affairs and blackmail: Inside Bill Gates’ Epstein testimony
Bill Gates has admitted that meeting Jeffrey Epstein was a 'grave error in judgment' during a lengthy congressional deposition. The Microsoft co-founder addressed his ties to the late sex offender, allegations of blackmail, philanthropic discussions, and lawmakers’ questions as Congress expands its investigation into the Epstein case
2 attacks in 3 days: How oil tankers carrying Indian crew have become US targets
Two commercial vessels carrying Indian crew members have come under attack off the coast of Oman within three days. The latest incident involved the tanker Settebello, where three Indian nationals remain missing, according to the MEA. The development came just two days after an earlier strike on the Marivex on Monday (June 8), in which all 24 Indian crew members were rescued safely
SpaceX, OpenAI and Anthropic are set to go public. Will it make AI companies more transparent?
At a time when everyone from the Pope to people from all walks of life worldwide are concerned about AI’s growing role in our lives, these stock exchange listings have the potential to finally bring some extra transparency to the inner workings of the AI giants
Sagrada Família nears completion: Why the world’s tallest church took 144 years to build
Work on Spain’s famed Sagrada Família began in 1882. Now, 144 years later, the basilica has finally reached its full structural height with the completion of the central Tower of Jesus Christ
Saayoni Ghosh, who backed Mamata for future PM, likely to join rebel TMC camp: Who is she?
Saayoni Ghosh, who recently went viral for her fiery election speeches, has reportedly extended support to the rebel TMC camp led by MP Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar. The young Jadavpur MP is a well-known Bengali film actor who took the political plunge and joined Mamata Banerjee's party ahead of the 2021 West Bengal Assembly polls
How Nasa's Artemis III will take humans closer to the surface of the Moon
Nasa’s original plan for Artemis III was to land humans on the Moon. However, that is no longer the case. The mission will now see astronauts venturing into low-Earth orbit (LEO) and performing a series of tests
PoK unrest: What is JAAC, the banned outfit at centre of Pakistan’s violent crackdown?
The Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC), an umbrella organisation representing civil society activists, trade bodies, students, lawyers and various socio-religious groups based in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK), has been banned recently under the anti-terror law. This, after the outfit called for a march to Muzaffarabad against the reservation of 12 seats for refugees in the upcoming PoK Assembly elections
Modi vs Nehru: Decoding how their leadership and communication strategies differ
Narendra Modi on Wednesday (June 10) surpassed Jawaharlal Nehru as India’s longest-serving prime minister. PM Modi’s leadership style has been described as decisive, action-oriented, and leader-centric. Nehru, on the other hand, was more of a consensus builder
What is going on in Northern Ireland? Homes, vehicles set on fire after knife attack
Anti-immigrant protests erupted across Northern Ireland after a Sudanese asylum seeker was charged over a brutal Belfast stabbing. Homes were torched, vehicles burned, and immigrant communities targeted as political leaders condemned the violence and warned against social media-fuelled unrest and racial hatred
How PM Modi has been a stabilising force in Asia and the world
As Narendra Modi becomes India's longest-serving democratically elected prime minister, his tenure stands out amid political upheaval across South Asia and major Western democracies. From Bangladesh and Pakistan to the US and UK, leadership churn contrasts sharply with India's decade-long continuity and governance stability