| Greetings from India! You're reading Meanwhile, Back Home, our daily newsletter specially curated for our overseas readers. While you were asleep, it was a whirlwind of a day here in India. We've got the top highlights lined up for you.
Dear reader, Back home, Nimbus is doing the rounds, and no, it is not Harry Potter on a broomstick. NB.1.8.1, nicknamed ‘Nimbus’ for its swift spread, is the latest Covid-19 variant. Dubbed the ‘razor blade throat’ Covid, it’s causing alarm due to one unusually painful symptom: a sore throat so severe, patients compare it to swallowing shards. While WHO currently lists Nimbus as a “variant under monitoring,” India has reported a rise in cases. So far, it’s not more dangerous than earlier strains—but its rapid transmission and discomforting symptoms mean it’s time to mask up and stay informed.
💡Spotlight The US has finally reopened its doors to international students, but it is no longer a stamp-and-go. A new policy now requires visa applicants to open their social media accounts to government scrutiny, raising alarm bells across student communities. What you should know: 📌 Publicly visible profiles Applicants must make their social media accounts publicly visible for review. Declining could be interpreted as concealment, potentially costing you your visa. Consular officers have been instructed to flag posts perceived as “hostile” to US values, institutions, or culture, even if they are just political opinions. 📌 Top schools at a disadvantage Priority for interview slots will now go to students applying to schools with fewer international students. This disproportionately affects top universities such as Harvard, where over 25% of students are from abroad. 📌 Rising anxiety Applicants from countries such as India, China, and Mexico are frantically tracking visa slot updates, facing longer wait times and steeper scrutiny in what many now call the most invasive visa process. Earlier this year, students with minor legal records—including traffic violations—faced abrupt deportation orders. The rules may have eased slightly, but fear of sudden revocation lingers. 📌 Harvard in crosshairs The Ivy League giant has already been criticised for allegedly permitting “antisemitic” speech, sparking calls for stricter foreign student caps. 📌 Pressure campaign The US is now pressuring 36 countries to upgrade their internal screening systems, under threat of being added to the travel ban list if they don’t comply within 60 days.
☕ Spill the Expresso Sachin’s first call When the India-England Test series was renamed the Tendulkar-Anderson Trophy, can you guess whom cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar called first? It was the Pataudi family. Determined to honour the legacy of cricketer Mansoor Ali Khan Pataudi, Sachin batted for the Pataudi Medal of Excellence, awarded to the series-winning captain. “Leadership defined Pataudi saab,” said Tendulkar, who personally reached out to Jay Shah, President of the International Cricket Council (ICC), and also engaged with the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB).
🚨 Must Read Trump meets Asim Munir MP Shashi Tharoor, known for his history, recently took it upon himself to brush up Washington’s memory. Reacting to Donald Trump’s lunch with Pakistan Army Chief Asim Munir, Tharoor reminded everyone of the “Osama episode”—bin Laden’s hideout near a Pakistani military base. “Surely the US hasn’t forgotten that?” he quipped, hoping Munir was served some “food for thought” along with fine dining. Also Read: The Munir-Trump tango has risks for both the US and Pakistan, Manoj Joshi writes
📚Book Nook Revisit Salman Rushdie just turned 78, but his pen shows no signs of slowing. From the mythic Victory City to the raw memoir Knife, he’s delivered five remarkable works since 2017. Each book explores identity, trauma, and truth, proving that the Midnight’s Children author remains one of literature’s most fearless voices. Checkout Rahul Gandhi also turned 55 today. He has come a long way, from being perceived as a reluctant heir to a moral challenger. These five books, ranging from political biography to ideological critique, trace this evolution. Together, they map how one of India’s most scrutinised leaders is slowly rewriting his role in the nation’s democratic imagination. That’s all for now. Until next time, Aishwarya Khosla
🎉 Welcome to MyExpress on Indian Express! 🎉 Imagine a homepage that’s as unique as you are! With MyExpress, you get to curate your very own personalised news hub, tailored to your tastes and interests. Love sports, but can't resist a good political drama? Maybe you're into tech news, but still enjoy the occasional Bollywood buzz? No worries! Just register on the site, pick your favourite sections, and watch as your personalised MyExpress page fills up with all the news that matters most to you. It's like having your very own express lane to the stories you love—no traffic jams, no detours. So why wait? Start personalising your news journey with MyExpress, and let the headlines come to you! 🚀📰 Check it out here and make your news truly yours! If you like this newsletter, read more Indian Express newsletters here. | 
No comments:
Post a Comment