Unveiling the Secrets: A Journey into the Unknown

Centre Acts Strongly Post-Pahalgam Terror Attack Following the Pahalgam terror attack that killed 26 people, the Centre banned 16 Pakistani YouTube channels — including major ones like Dawn News, Samaa TV, ARY News, and Geo News — for spreading provocative and misleading content against India and its security forces. Together, these channels had over 63 million subscribers. Viewers now see a notice citing national security when trying to access them. The government also expressed strong objections to BBC India after it referred to the terrorists as "militants" in its reporting. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) conveyed concerns to BBC's channel head and will monitor BBC, AP, and Reuters' coverage closely. Meanwhile, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), with the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C), blocked several Pakistani URLs scamming Indians under the pretext of collecting war funds. Ministries and agencies have been directed to strengthen cyber defen...

 Virginia Giuffre, who accused Jeffrey Epstein of trafficking her to Prince Andrew and of sexual abuse, has died by suicide at the age of 41. Her family confirmed her passing in a statement released Friday, stating she died at her farm in Western Australia, where she had lived for several years. "Virginia lost her life to suicide after enduring a lifetime of sexual abuse and trafficking," her family said, according to The Guardian . "It is with completely broken hearts that we share that Virginia passed away last night." Remembered by her family as a "fierce warrior" in the fight against sexual abuse and trafficking, Giuffre was recognized worldwide for her bravery in confronting powerful figures tied to Epstein’s network. She was described as "the light that lifted so many survivors." Despite the many hardships she faced, her family said, "she shone so bright. She will be missed beyond measure." Virginia Giuffre, an American citizen,...

 The World Food Programme (WFP) announced on Friday that it has exhausted all its food supplies in Gaza due to the continued closure of border crossings into the territory. Meanwhile, Gaza authorities reported that Israeli airstrikes had killed at least 78 people within the past 24 hours. "The WFP has completely run out of food stocks for families in Gaza," the agency said in a statement, noting that it delivered its final supplies to community kitchens on Friday. "These kitchens are expected to run out of food entirely in the coming days," the statement added. The WFP said that no humanitarian or commercial goods have entered Gaza for over seven weeks, as all major crossing points remain closed, marking the longest closure the region has ever experienced. Israel, which has previously denied claims of a hunger crisis in Gaza, accuses Hamas militants of misusing aid—an accusation Hamas denies—and insists on maintaining the blockade to prevent supplies from reaching...

 Chinese manufacturers are increasingly turning to TikTok and other social media platforms to market luxury goods directly to American consumers. Their message is clear: skip the big brands and buy similar products straight from the source — at a fraction of the price. In these videos, sellers promote items like leggings, handbags, and sandals that closely resemble high-end products from well-known brands such as Lululemon, Hermès, and Birkenstock. They often claim — sometimes misleadingly — that their products are made in the same factories as those premium brands. American influencers are amplifying the trend, endorsing these factories and boosting downloads of Chinese shopping apps like DHGate and Taobao. For price-conscious consumers bracing for potential price hikes due to proposed tariffs under former President Donald Trump, the appeal is strong. The trend is exploding on platforms like TikTok and Instagram, where these videos are racking up millions of views and thousands...

 Amid mounting pressure from Washington to demonstrate a commitment to peace in Ukraine, Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday proposed bilateral negotiations with Kyiv for the first time in years. He also expressed openness to additional ceasefires following a one-day truce for Easter. Putin noted that hostilities had resumed after his unexpected 30-hour ceasefire, which he had declared unilaterally on Saturday. Both Russia and Ukraine blamed each other for breaching the truce, which Kyiv had largely dismissed from the beginning as a publicity stunt. The United States said it would support an extension of the ceasefire. Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy urged that it be prolonged into a 30-day truce aimed at safeguarding civilian areas. U.S. President Donald Trump, who has pledged to bring a swift end to the three-year conflict, has shifted American policy away from its strong backing of Ukraine, leaning instead toward acknowledging Russia’s narrative of th...

 A gurdwara and a Hindu temple in Surrey, Canada, were reportedly vandalized on Saturday by individuals linked to pro-Khalistan activism. The incidents coincided with the appearance of anti-India and anti-Hindu slogans during the Khalsa Parade held later that day in Surrey. During the parade, 'wanted' posters featuring Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah, and External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar were displayed, sparking widespread criticism. Prior to the event, hate graffiti was discovered at the Ross Street Gurdwara in Vancouver and Lakshmi Mandir in Surrey. Both cases are currently under investigation by local law enforcement. The Ross Street Gurdwara, known for promoting Sikh-Hindu unity and distancing itself from Khalistani ideologies, condemned the vandalism. The Khalsa Diwan Society, which manages the Vancouver gurdwara, attributed the act to a small group of Sikh separatists pushing the Khalistan agenda. In a statement, the society said: ...

Some robots completed the race while others struggled from the beginning. Twenty-One Humanoid Robots Join Runners at Beijing Half-Marathon.  In a groundbreaking event, 21 humanoid robots participated alongside thousands of human runners in the Yizhuang Half-Marathon in Beijing on Saturday. It marked the first time robots have competed in a 21-kilometer race with humans. The robots, developed by Chinese companies such as DroidUP and Noetix Robotics, came in various shapes and sizes—some standing under 120 cm (3.9 feet), while others reached up to 1.8 meters (5.9 feet). One manufacturer even highlighted its robot's human-like appearance, featuring feminine characteristics, the ability to smile, and even wink. Several companies conducted weeks of testing to prepare their robots for the event. Beijing officials likened the marathon more to a motorsport competition, due to the heavy involvement of engineering and navigation teams. “The robots are performing impressively and appear ve...

 It’s every person for themselves,” said Fallon Albrecht as she navigated her bicycle through a hectic downtown Amsterdam intersection on Thursday morning—one so notoriously busy it once had its own livestream. Like many of the cyclists surrounding her, the 39-year-old chose not to wear a helmet during the rush hour commute, despite both the potential risks and a national campaign in the Netherlands aimed at shifting public perception on helmet use. “I don’t wear one because of my bun,” she explained, pointing to the neatly tied knot of hair atop her head. Government data shows that the Netherlands has more bicycles than people. Yet, helmets remain uncommon and have sparked an ongoing debate—balancing the importance of road safety with the country’s strong cultural attachment to cycling as a way of life. Annual data released Thursday by the Dutch Central Bureau for Statistics revealed that cyclists accounted for the highest number of road fatalities in the Netherlands last year,...

Russia on Thursday lifted its long-standing ban on the Taliban, which it had classified as a terrorist organization for over 20 years. This decision marks a significant step toward potentially normalizing relations with Afghanistan's current leadership. Although no country has officially recognized the Taliban government that took control of Afghanistan in August 2021 following the U.S. (United States) led withdrawal, Russia has been steadily engaging with the group. President Vladimir Putin stated last year that the Taliban had become an ally in the fight against terrorism. The Taliban was designated a terrorist group by Russia in 2003, but on Thursday, the Russian Supreme Court officially removed the ban, effective immediately, according to state media.

Fears over genetic issues as data shows Dutch sperm donors fathered over 25 each In the Netherlands, some men have unknowingly fathered dozens of children through sperm donation — with at least one individual linked to as many as 125 offspring. These striking findings come from a newly established national registry aimed at tracking sperm donors in the country. Preliminary data released this week revealed 85 so-called "mass donors," each with more than 25 children attributed to them. The data indicates that children conceived through artificial insemination may have far more half-siblings than previously estimated by the Dutch government. This raises concerns about potential inbreeding and genetic disorders as these individuals grow up, form relationships, and start families of their own. In a letter to the Dutch Parliament on Monday, Vincent Karremans, the Minister for Youth, Prevention, and Sport, attributed the situation to inadequate oversight and poor record-keeping a...

Think Tax Evasion Is New? A 1,900-Year-Old Roman Papyrus Says Otherwise. This wasn’t the biggest tax fraud case in history — or in ancient Roman history — but it was still a serious one. The people involved were accused of forging documents, cheating the government out of taxes, and faking the sale of slaves. In ancient Rome, dodging taxes was a big deal. Punishments could include huge fines, being kicked out of your homeland forever, forced labor in harsh places like salt mines, or even being thrown to wild animals in front of a crowd. The details of this case were found in an old papyrus scroll that had been sitting around for years before someone finally studied it. It contains notes from a prosecutor and rough records from a court hearing. It looks like the scam involved faking paperwork and illegally freeing or selling slaves — all so the scammers could avoid paying taxes in the Roman provinces of Judea and Arabia (which today would be part of Israel and Jordan). The two main cu...