| Good morning, Early this morning, a flight carrying 110 students evacuated from Iran to Armenia arrived in Delhi. The flight is the first such amid India’s ‘Operation Sindhu’, launched to rescue stranded Indian nationals from Iran amid fears of a broader conflict with Israel. We have more on the Iran-Israel conflict, but first, here is an important update from Trumpland.
🚨 Big Story In an unprecedented meeting, US President Donald Trump hosted Pakistan's army chief, Asim Munir, for lunch at the White House on Wednesday. This was the first time a US President had invited the head of the Pakistan army, widely considered a de facto leader in the country, to the White House without the presence of civilian officials. Two views: The meeting came shortly after Prime Minister Narendra Modi had a call with Trump, where he asserted that India and Pakistan had agreed to a ceasefire without US intervention. Modi underlined that there had been no discussions on an India-US trade deal during these talks, rejecting Trump's earlier claims. Modi also stated that India “does not and will never accept mediation”. The Prime Minister, who was in Canada for the G7 Summit, also declined an invitation from Trump to visit the US due to prior commitments. Hours later, Trump repeated his claim that he stopped the war between India and Pakistan. He credited Munir for being “extremely influential” in preventing it from the Pakistan side, and Modi from the Indian side. He, however, also said, “Well, I stopped the war…. I love Pakistan.” The bonhomie: Pakistan, on its part, has acknowledged Trump's role in mediating a ceasefire, with Munir going as far as recommending the US President for the Nobel Peace Prize. Pakistan benefits from good ties with Trump, having recently struck a cryptocurrency deal with a Trump-backed private firm to mitigate its financial woes. Trump said he was "honoured" to meet Munir after their lunch. This marks a significant step in US-Pakistan ties, which had suffered under the previous Joe Biden and Trump administrations as they put their weight behind India to counter China. However, as Trump mulls joining Israel's campaign against Iran, the US military may want to use Pakistan's airspace and bases for mounting attacks on Iran. Notably, Pakistan has publicly supported Iran, condemning Israel's actions. Unconfirmed: So far, Trump has not revealed his plans for Iran. He told reporters yesterday, “I have ideas as to what to do. I like to make a final decision one second before it’s due because things change.” “I may or may not do it”.
⚡Only in Express Express in England: We are just a day away from the start of the England vs India Test series. National sports editor Sandeep Dwivedi would be our man on the ground, bringing you all the action from this high-stakes tournament. With legends Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma retired, the young Shubman Gill will don the captain’s hat. Gill might be the right man for the job, writes Dwivedi. “The English shores aren’t new for Shubman. He has been there and even done it too.” Dwivedi also caught up with Suleman 'Solly' Adam in Leeds. The 80-year-old came to England as a teenager, with just three pounds on him, after a tough childhood, marred by the trauma of the Partition. The wheel of fortune would slowly turn. Today, Solly is known as a benefactor to Indian cricketers, having hosted at least 400 cricketers, including Sachin Tendulkar, Sunil Gavaskar, and Dilip Vengsarkar, at his Yorkshire home.
📰 From the Front Page Challenge: In the aftermath of the Air India crash, officials have been struggling with yet another challenge: to identify the minors among badly charred remains. When DNA sampling is insufficient, investigators rely on teeth to identify bodies. However, in the case of minors, who mostly have milk teeth, even this can be difficult. Dethroned: IIT Delhi has emerged as the highest-ranked Indian institute in the QS World University Rankings 2026, trumping IIT Bombay, which reigned supreme in the past six editions of these rankings. However, no Indian institution made it among the top 100 in the world.
📌 Must Read Playing with fire: As we approach a climate emergency, nuclear energy promises a low-emission, highly reliable alternative. However, amid its newfound relevance, it has also gained notoriety. As Israel targets Iran's nuclear sites, columnist Syed Akbaruddin writes why atomic facilities must be protected, in war and peace. The math: The government is revising the "base year" for calculating the Gross Domestic Product (GDP), which gives a picture of an economy's size. The base year refers to the year that works as the starting point for calculations, and at present, it is 2011-12. The new base year will be 2022-23. Why does this matter, and how does it impact India's global standing? Udit Misra explains.
⏳ And Finally... As missiles lit up the distant sky, music spilled from a rooftop bar in Beirut. A saxophonist, Alain Otayek, stood atop the DJ console and played with unflinching glory. On the ground, the impact was devastating, with lives lost in both Iran and Israel. The Lebanese musician’s performance, now a viral video, divided the Internet. Some called it callous, but for Otayek, it was an act of resilience. On Instagram later, he said, “I play for no side but the human spirit. Because music, music always stays.” I write about music in the time of bombs. 🎧 Before you go, tune in to today’s ‘3 Things’ podcast episode, where we delve into the thaw in India-Canada ties, the copyright case between YouTuber Mohak Mangal and news agency ANI, and India's rescue efforts in Tehran. That’s all for today, folks! Until tomorrow, Sonal Gupta |
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