Explainers News - Page 23
Why Modi’s UAE visit is short but most crucial on his 5-nation tour
Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s UAE visit comes amid soaring oil prices, a weakening rupee, and India’s first fuel price hike in four years. It focuses on long-term oil and LPG deals, strategic reserves, and rupee-dirham trade amid disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz
Why India has hiked petrol, diesel prices after PM Modi’s WFH, online classes appeal
Amid the West Asia crisis, petrol and diesel prices in India have increased by Rs 3. This move comes days after Prime Minister Modi appealed to citizens to save fuel, refrain from buying gold, and travelling abroad as a way to conserve foreign exchange
‘Visa Cartel has its own visa temple’: What’s Hyderabad’s ‘visa temple’ that a US senator has targeted over H1-B visas?
US Senator Eric Schmitt launched a broadside against Hyderabad’s Chilkur Balaji temple, known as the ‘Visa Temple’ or ‘Visa Balaji’, in his latest tirade against the H-1B visa programme. The senator said US workers should not have to compete against a system this ‘gamed’ that has a cartel and a temple
Milk, sugar, gold import duty hiked: Could petrol and diesel be next?
India has raised gold import duties, increased milk prices and banned sugar exports. While this has fuelled speculation about a possible petrol and diesel price hike, the Centre has said there is no immediate plan to do so
Doctors explain: PCOS has a new name. What this means for women battling the condition
PCOS (Polycystic Ovary Syndrome), a hormonal disorder that affects one in every eight women worldwide, will be renamed PMOS (Polyendocrine Metabolic Ovarian Syndrome). According to experts, the old name was scientifically misleading and ‘failed to capture the full-body nature of the condition’. The new name intends to change that
Meet Natalie Harp, Trump's aide behind his midnight social media posting spree
Natalie Harp, 34, is an executive assistant to US President Donald Trump. She is said to have put up some of Trump’s most controversial posts, including one that depicted former President Barack Obama and his wife Michelle as apes and an AI-generated image of Trump as Jesus Christ
Why is Trump mockingly called ‘Chuan Jianguo’, China's ‘nation builder’?
US President Donald Trump is in China on a high-stakes trip. Ahead of the visit, the mocking phrase ‘Chuan Jianguo’ began trending on Chinese social media. It means ‘Trump the national builder’. But how has the American leader helped make China great again?
Who is Wes Streeting, UK health secretary who has resigned to challenge Keir Starmer?
UK Health Secretary Wes Streeting has resigned and emerged as a potential challenger to Prime Minister Keir Starmer amid growing turmoil inside Labour. From his upbringing in poverty to his rise as a reformist politician, Streeting’s political journey, NHS reforms and leadership ambitions are now under the lens
Why ‘monster’ robot wolves are being deployed across farms and schools in Japan
Japan is witnessing a surge in demand for the 'Monster Wolf' robot as deadly bear attacks and wildlife sightings hit record levels. The animatronic wolf, equipped with flashing LED eyes and loud deterrent sounds, is now being used by farmers, schools and local authorities to keep bears away
How Pinky, Karachi’s ‘cocaine queen’, built a vast drug network, and was finally caught
Anmol, Karachi’s ‘cocaine queen’, also known as 'Pinky', has been arrested by the authorities. She is said to have built a vast network across several cities in Pakistan and even marketed her own brand of cocaine. This is her story
How VD Satheesan defeated KC Venugopal as Congress' pick for Kerala CM
The Congress has chosen VD Satheesan as the next Kerala chief minister, 10 days after the Assembly results were declared. The 61-year-old lawyer-turned-politician has bested KC Venugopal, who is seen close to Rahul Gandhi, and Ramesh Chennithala to bag the top post. What worked in his favour?
Trump-Xi Beijing Summit: What the two leaders agreed and disagreed upon
US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping held extensive talks in Beijing covering trade, Taiwan, the Iran war, energy security and technology cooperation. While both sides projected stability and economic cooperation, sharp differences over Taiwan highlighted the fragile state of US-China relations
Pats and praise: How Trump and Xi’s body language speaks louder than their words
What happens when the leaders of the two biggest superpowers meet? More often than not, their body language is a giveaway. We decode the handshakes, the smiles and more from the photographs and videos from Beijing, where US President Donald Trump held a bilateral with his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping
The story of the ‘Minab 168’ aircraft on which Iran’s Araghchi flew to Delhi for Brics meeting
Abbas Araghchi, Iran's foreign minister, who landed in India on Wednesday (May 13), disembarked from an aircraft named 'Minab168'. It is a reference to the 168 girls who were allegedly killed in a missile strike at a school in the Iranian city of Minab when the US-Iran war started in February
Explained: India’s ban on sugar exports and how it will make chocolates, desserts costlier
India has prohibited the export of raw, white and refined sugar until September 30, 2026, or until further orders. The government’s notification on Wednesday comes as the country’s sugar output is likely to fall below consumption for a second straight year. As India is the second largest exporter of the sweetener, the move is expected to make sugar costlier for the world
What is norovirus detected on cruise ship in France? How is it different from hantavirus?
A 92-year-old man died, and 49 people fell ill from gastrointestinal sickness on board a cruise ship in Bordeaux. Health authorities have confirmed norovirus, which is transmitted from person to person or through the environment. This comes days after a similar outbreak on the Caribbean Princess cruise ship and hantavirus scare on MV Hondius, sailing in the Atlantic Ocean
Did the CIA seize MKUltra files on controversial ‘mind control’ experiment from Tulsi Gabbard’s office?
Tulsi Gabbard, Trump’s intelligence chief, is at the centre of a new storm. Reports emerged that officials from the CIA raided her office and ‘seized’ 40 boxes of classified files on the assassination of John F Kennedy and MKUltra, the top-secret mind control programme that the agency ran amid the Cold War. However, Gabbard’s office, the DNI, has denied these claims
From Elon Musk to Jensen Huang, what CEOs with Trump on China visit are eyeing
US President Donald Trump’s China visit has brought together some of America’s biggest CEOs, including Elon Musk, Tim Cook and Jensen Huang. From AI chips and Tesla approvals to Boeing aircraft deals and Wall Street ambitions, the summit may be a one-off chance to get close to Chinese leadership and bag some deals
Why Taiwan is nervous as Trump and Xi sit down for talks in Beijing
Donald Trump and Xi Jinping have begun their highly anticipated talks in China. The two leaders are likely to discuss many issues such as trade, technology and the Iran war. Taiwan watches on from afar with concern. Will the US president toe the line, or will he grant concessions to Beijing on the matter to secure a deal?
China's Xi to host Trump at Temple of Heaven. What is this Unesco world heritage site?
As part of the itinerary, Donald Trump will visit the Temple of Heaven along with Chinese President Xi Jinping. The Temple of Heaven, or Tiantan Park, is a religious complex dating to the 15th century, symbolising the relationship between earth and heaven
How did Prateek Yadav die? What the autopsy report reveals
Prateek Yadav, the son of Mulayam Singh Yadav, died on Wednesday (May 13) due to a massive blockage in the blood vessels of the lungs, leading to a collapse of the heart and respiratory system, the autopsy report has revealed. Days before his death, the 38-year-old also had sustained injuries to his chest, under his right arm, right forearm, right elbow joint, over the elbow and left wrist
Why was Australia’s Trump Tower project scrapped so quickly?
Australia’s first proposed Trump Tower project on the Gold Coast has collapsed just months after its launch, with the Trump Organization and developer Altus Property Group publicly blaming each other
Donald Trump in China: Why a 'Nixon meets Mao' moment likely isn't on the cards
Donald Trump may harbour hopes that his Chinese visit could have similar historical significance to those moments half a century ago when Richard Nixon met Mao Zedong. It will, after all, be the first face-to-face meeting of US and Chinese leaders in Beijing since Trump’s own visit nearly a decade ago in 2017. But this likely isn't the case
Trump’s China visit: Is an informal 'G2' bloc in the offing?
While US President Donald Trump has repeatedly referred to the 'G2' concept over the years and has seemingly placed the United States and China on equal footing in interviews, experts are not optimistic. They say this concept fundamentally misreads China’s point of view towards global affairs
Could India face a cooking oil shortage? How much does the country import?
PM Narendra Modi has urged citizens to reduce the use of imported oils – both crude and edible. India is among the world’s largest importers of edible oil, depending on shipments for nearly 60 per cent of its total needs
China draws 4 red lines for Donald Trump's visit: What are they?
US President Donald Trump has landed in China. But ahead of his visit, Beijing had outlined four ‘red lines’ for Washington – Taiwan, democracy and human rights, paths and political system, and China’s right to development – that it says must not be challenged. Will Trump adhere to them?
Why Trump-Xi’s summit will be closely watched by India
During his China visit, US President Donald Trump is set to hold a high-stakes meeting with his counterpart, Xi Jinping. India will be paying close attention to this summit, as it has vested interests. There’s a big concern that a weaker Trump may grant Beijing concessions that could impact New Delhi not only economically but also geopolitically
In 1877, a super El Niño killed millions. How deadly will it be this year?
Scientists have warned that a super El Niño is slowly approaching, reviving fears of 1877. A similar weather phenomenon had occurred 150 years ago, killing tens of millions across the world
Fact-check: Did Indira Gandhi urge citizens to stop buying gold in 1967?
A purported newspaper clipping of the then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi calling on citizens to halt gold purchases in June 1967 has gone viral. The claim emerged on social media after PM Narendra Modi’s recent appeal to stop buying the precious metal for a year. But is the viral photo real?
‘It’s coming big’: Is India on the brink of seeing a huge energy crisis?
PM Narendra Modi has urged Indians to save fuel and defer purchasing gold for a year. The government has also increased customs duties on gold and silver. There’s also speculation that fuel prices will rise in the next few days. What does all this mean?