Explainers

Light drizzles, particularly under cooler temperatures, can actually worsen pollution by encouraging fine particles to clump together, forming new aerosols that raise PM levels again.

EXPLAINERS

Electricity (Amendment) Bill, 2025: India’s attempt at third generation power reforms

The move is likely to see opposition from some states as they fear it would reduce their control over the power sector. The Ministry of Power, however, stated that government discoms will continue to operate alongside private licensees in a regulated, level-playing environment.

CITY

Cyclone alert: 'Montha' means a beautiful flower, but it’s no petal for millions in its path

Cyclone Montha explained: The cyclone's intensification has triggered large-scale emergency preparations along India’s eastern coastline.

BUSINESS

How much you really need to retire early — the math for 45, 50, and 55

Dreaming of an early exit from work? Here’s how to estimate your ideal corpus based on your age and lifestyle.

CITY

Cloud seeding delay explained: Why Delhi’s artificial rain is still on hold - the science and the wait behind clouds

The Delhi government’s cloud seeding project was first planned in July this year, but it has faced several delays.

EXPLAINERS

What is the impact of your income on your credit score? | Explainer

Your income might decide your lifestyle, but does it affect your credit score too? The answer isn’t as straightforward as you might think. Let’s break it down and understand how income plays a role — directly or indirectly — in shaping your creditworthiness.

EXPLAINERS

What is 4 per cent rule of withdrawal from corpus after retirement?

Understanding the 4 per cent rule can help retirees plan their finances for a secure and worry-free retirement.

CITY

What are green firecrackers? Decoding SC’s only permissible firework for Delhi-NCR

So, what sets these permitted firecrackers apart? Green crackers are scientifically developed to minimise their environmental and health impact.

CITY

Delhi GRAP explained: How the pollution plan is activated and what it means for you?

Why GRAP matters every winter in Delhi-NCR? Delhi’s air typically worsens during October and November due to a mix of factors. GRAP is meant to provide a structured, escalatory response as pollution levels climb — moving from Stage I (Poor) to Stage IV (Severe+) if required.

CITY

Haryana redefines Aravalis – Why most hills in Gurugram and Faridabad could disappear from Maps

Conservationists warn that a proposed change in their definition by the Haryana government could open large areas to real estate and mining, with serious ecological consequences.

CITY

Explained: How Navi Mumbai and Jewar airports will decongest Delhi and Mumbai hubs

Navi Mumbai airport inauguration: The long-delayed Navi Mumbai airport and the upcoming Noida-Jewar airport for Delhi are poised to fundamentally redraw India’s air route map.

CITY

Haryana IPS officer's death: 9-page suicide note and liquor contractor link - What pushed IG Y Puran Kumar to take extreme step?

According to Haryana Police officials, the alleged cause of IG Y Puran Kumar's suicide could be connected to a corruption case filed in Rohtak.

CITY

‘This hill was never ...’: What caused Himachal landslide that buried a moving bus, killing 18 in Bilaspur

Bilaspur landslide: The bus, operated by Santoshi Bus Service, was carrying between 30 to 35 passengers at the time. The sudden slide buried the vehicle under tons of mud and rocks.

CITY

Coldrif cough syrup deaths: Could Fomepizole, a hooch-poisoning drug, be a lifesaver?

What is Fomepizole antidote? The timely use of this drug, normally used to treat hooch poisoning, helped prevent further deaths and stabilised some of the affected children, the doctors said.

CITY

Inside cough syrup ‘factory of death’: Inspectors find boiling chemicals, leaking pipes where Coldrif was made

Batch SR-13 of Coldrif syrup, the one consumed by children in Chhindwara, was manufactured in May 2025 and was valid until April 2027. It circulated freely in the market for months before the alarm was raised.

CITY

Explained: Why Mumbai's monsoon is refusing to leave and will October stay rainy too?

Mumbai’ delayed monsoon withdrawal explained: While this year’s delay might seem unusual, scientists point out that such late withdrawals have become common for the city. In fact, Mumbai has seen delayed monsoon retreats for six consecutive years.

CITY

Darjeeling tragedy: Why India's landslide warning system remains a race against time

While the India Meteorological Department accurately predicted the recent heavy rain in Darjeeling, pinpointing the exact moment a landslide will occur remains a formidable scientific challenge.



CITY

Cuttack violence explained: What sparked unrest in Odisha town, and why 36-hour curfew and internet blackout?

Odisha's Cuttack communal violence news: The government on Sunday night also imposed prohibitory orders in 13 police station areas. Police Commissioner S Dev Datta Singh said the orders will be effective for 36 hours from 10 pm on Sunday.

CITY

Sabarimala missing gold: What explains the disappearance from Kerala's richest temple?

The heart of the scandal lies in the "dwarapalaka" (guardian deity) idols at the temple's entrance. According to a report filed by the temple’s vigilance officer, the gold covering of these idols was removed and sent for re-plating in 2019.



INDIA

From Asha Bhosle to Bachchans: Indian celebrities moving to court to protect personality rights from AI

Justice Arif S Doctor of the Bombay High Court prohibited AI firm Mayk Inc, online retailers Amazon and Flipkart, and YouTube from using Bhosle's voice, images, and persona without her permission.

CITY

Earliest exit in 23 years: What made Delhi's 2025 monsoon season so unusual?

Delhi monsoon exit: The monsoon arrived in Delhi on June 29, resulting in a season lasting 88 days. This was the ninth shortest duration since 2001.



CITY

What’s spewing lava from India’s only active volcano? 2004 Andamans tsunami fault line holds the answer

This is not the first time the Barren Island volcano has erupted in recent history. Similar episodic eruptions were observed in 1991, 2004, and 2005.

INDIA

Karnataka's push on Almatti Dam height sets off Congress vs Congress fight with Telangana

The Telangana government is said to be exploring all legal options, including moving the Supreme Court, against the Karnataka government's proposal.

VIDEOS

Brain-Eating Amoeba Explained | Symptoms, Spread & How to Stay Safe | Everything You Must Know

Brain-Eating Amoeba Explained: How It Spreads, Symptoms & How to Stay Safe Everything You Need to Know Kerala is facing a serious health crisis as cases of Primary Amoebic Meningoencephalitis (PAM), caused by the brain-eating amoeba (Naegleria fowleri), surge. In 2025 alone, 69 infections and 19 deaths have been reported, a sharp increase from previous years. PAM is a rare but deadly infection where the amoeba enters the brain through the nose, often during swimming, diving, or bathing in untreated freshwater. Early symptoms include headache, fever, nausea, and vomiting, progressing rapidly to stiff neck, confusion, seizures, hallucinations, and coma. Death often occurs within 1–18 days due to severe brain swelling. Kerala’s health authorities have improved survival to around 24–30% using early diagnosis, miltefosine treatment, amphotericin B, and intensive supportive care. Prevention remains key: avoid untreated freshwater, use nose clips, boil water for nasal rinses, chlorinate swimming pools, and maintain hygiene. Awareness campaigns and hospital protocols are helping curb fatalities.

INDIA

RTE Act: Why Supreme Court has 'serious doubts' on blanket exemption to minority schools

A division bench of the Supreme Court recently said, "The right to education cannot be deprived of substance and rendered a right without fundamentals”, while questioning the exemption granted to minority institutions under the RTE Act and referring it to CJI BR Gavai for consideration of a larger bench.

CITY

Rajasthan anti-conversion bill explained: Severe penalties, 'ghar wapsi' exemptions and political reactions

The new legislation is dramatically harsher, escalating penalties and introducing sweeping new provisions that allow for the demolition of properties used in conversions and the permanent blacklisting of organisations.

CITY

India’s monsoon extremes explained: ‘Blockade’ over Iran played a dangerous role

This exemplifies how the unexpected interplay between global and regional weather patterns can lead to extreme localised weather.

CITY

Explained: Why Gurugram chokes after every heavy rain while Noida keeps moving

Gurugram’s poor drainage and unplanned development turn even moderate showers into a nightmare, while instances of major waterlogging or traffic standstill are far fewer in Noida.

INDIA

Bihar set to introduce digital Voter ID cards with security features: Here's how it will work

Once the ongoing revision of the electoral rolls is completed and published on September 30, the process of issuing these upgraded cards will begin.

EXPLAINERS

Boston Brahmins: Term for elites or caste? Row over Trump’s trade adviser Peter Navarro’s remark explained

The controversy over the term ‘Brahmin’ used by Navarro has taken a turn toward what it implies.

EXPLAINERS

Disaster Management Act invoked in Himachal Pradesh, says CM Sukhu: Here's what it means

The Himachal Pradesh Vidhan Sabha on August 28 passed a resolution urging the Central Government to declare the destruction caused by heavy rains across the state as a national disaster.

CITY

Gangotri glacier melting, rainfall surging: How will this reshape millions of lives downstream?

With the Hindu Kush Himalaya often referred to as the “water tower of Asia”, changes in the Gangotri system have implications that extend well beyond Uttarakhand.

WORLD

Electronics to rare earth: How India Inc may get a boost from better ties with China

Officials and industry sources point to potential gains in fertilisers, rare earth minerals, electronics manufacturing, and foreign direct investment, even as India faces tariff pressures from the US.

INDIA

Should India lower age of consent to 16? Inside the heated debate and global practices

Indira Jaising as amicus curiae has argued out that blanket criminalisation of consensual relationships between adolescents aged 16-18 often results in the misuse of law, particularly in cases of elopement or inter-caste relationships.

INDIA

Explained: Justice Pancholi’s elevation to SC, Justice Nagarathna’s dissent, and the Collegium controversy

Justice Nagarathna cautioned that “advancing Justice Pancholi despite the concerns would be counter-productive to the administration of justice and would place at risk ‘whatever credibility the collegium system still holds’.”

INDIA

Mysuru Dasara row: Who is Banu Mushtaq and why is there a row over her opening the festival

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah had recently announced that Banu Mushtaq would inaugurate the Nada Habba (state festival) Dasara celebrations in Mysuru, which traditionally begin with rituals at the Chamundi Hill temple.

INDIA

130th Amendment may make India first democracy with automatic ouster of PM, CMs: How other countries handle it

Currently, the Constitution of India does not bar a prime minister, chief minister or Minister from holding office while in jail.

EXPLAINERS

ITR filing rules if you worked abroad and paid taxes overseas

Your residential status in India for the financial year and whether the income was earned, received, or accrued in the country or outside determine if you are liable to pay tax in India and file returns

CITY

Complex realities of Himalayan disasters: Why cloudbursts shouldn’t be the blanket explanation

Dharali and Kishtwar disasters: While Doppler radars can track extreme rainfall, they cannot anticipate a glacial dam breach or a slope collapse.

CITY

Bengaluru's great split: How a new law aims to fix city’s broken governance

The Greater Bengaluru Governance (Amendment) Bill, 2025, finalises a plan to break the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) into five smaller, autonomous municipal corporations.

CITY

Delhi's humidity mystery explained: What's behind the second most humid monsoon in 53 years?

The primary driver of this unusual humidity has been the monsoon's behaviour. The lingering moisture on days with little to no rain is what creates the peak of discomfort.

INDIA

Winners, welfare and risks: How Indian lotteries really work

Lotteries are run by nine states: Arunachal Pradesh, Goa, Kerala, Maharashtra, Mizoram, Nagaland, Punjab, Sikkim, and West Bengal

CITY

Dharmasthala mass burial claims: What was found, what wasn’t and why forensics now hold the key

While the initial rounds of digging across 17 designated sites yielded minimal skeletal remains, bones and fragments were ultimately found at a few locations, including the sixth and eleventh sites.

CITY

Scientists say massive ice structures behind Dharali disaster - What are hanging glaciers?

IISc has been modelling which sections of these glaciers are most likely to detach, noting that hanging glaciers start melting earlier than other types because of their exposure to warmer conditions.

EXPLAINERS

How Aadhaar is emerging as a soft target for insurance fraud

Multiple police investigations conducted in several parts of the country over the past week have reportedly uncovered organised scam networks manipulating Aadhaar data to make bogus claims

CITY

Supreme Court stray dog order: Is Delhi facing an impossible task? Logistical hurdles explained

With no permanent dog shelters and only around 20 Animal Birth Control centres run by the MCD in partnership with NGOs, the capital’s holding capacity is grossly inadequate.

CITY

Why Mumbai's pigeon-feeding ban has sparked protests and a legal battle

Mumbai Kabutarkhanas: On August 6, hundreds of protesters, primarily from Jain community, tore down tarpaulin sheets erected by the BMC at Dadar’s historic kabutarkhana.

CITY

How powerful Dharali flood altered Bhagirathi river's course - ISRO images show massive changes

Alterations in the channel can increase water speed, shift how sediment is carried, and weaken riverbanks many kilometres away. These changes could threaten bridges, alter floodplains and create new erosion-prone areas.

CITY

Why Uttarkashi's deadly floods are a man-made disaster - Experts explain

Uttarkashi flash floods in Dharali village: The recent devastation has been compounded by unregulated development, particularly the proliferation of hotels and homestays encroaching on river channels.

EXPLAINERS

What is Sona Comstar succession dispute: Rani Kapur seeks UK probe in Sunjay Kapur’s death amid Rs 30,000 crore family feud

"The events leading to Sunjay's death are very alarming," a family source informed ANI, further stating that the UK authorities have been urged to take immediate action.