| 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, Allow me to whisk you away to Scandinavia, where Gukesh D, just 18 and already the reigning world chess champion, is making waves at the Norway Chess tournament. Coming off a tough stretch of performances, Gukesh bounced back impressively, earning his first classical win over chess legend Magnus Carlsen and fellow Indian GM Arjun Erigaisi. After his third-place finish, his mentor, five-time world champion Viswanathan Anand, has revised his grade. “He deserved a D, but got a lot of answers correct somehow… So that’s a B,” Anand said, adding that he needs further improvement to catch up to seasoned giants such as Carlsen, Fabiano Caruana, and Hikaru Nakamura.
💡Spotlight US President Donald Trump has imposed tariffs ranging from 25% to 40% on 14 countries, including many ASEAN members, such as Japan, South Korea, Bangladesh, and Cambodia. However, India was not on the list. Later, Trump explained an India trade deal was “close.” Let us break it down: 📌 What is India playing at: New Delhi is pushing for an extended deadline on reciprocal tariffs while offering the US market access in non-sensitive sectors such as electronics and pharmaceuticals, keeping agriculture and dairy off-limits. 📌 ASEAN in the crosshairs: Trump’s move disproportionately hit ASEAN countries, which he likely sees as economic proxies for China. Cambodia and Laos face a massive 40% tariff, with Thailand and Indonesia not far behind. 📌 WTO rules According to India’s Global Trade and Research Initiative, Trump’s deals do not meet WTO standards. The US is not reciprocating tariff cuts; it is just rolling back previous penalties on shaky legal ground. 📌 Diplomatic dance: Even if a deal is signed, Indian exporters could still face a minimum 10% levy. With Trump’s unpredictability and recent threats against BRICS nations, New Delhi is walking a tightrope.
☕ Spill the Expresso Aamir already married to … In an exclusive with SCREEN, Aamir Khan confirmed that he is finally beginning work on his long-dreamt Mahabharat film series this August, which he says will not feature any big names. “For me, the characters are the stars,” Aamir said. The actor also opened up about his relationship with Gauri Spratt, saying, “We’re in a very committed space… in my heart, I’m already married to her.”
🚨 Must Read Life beyond home Until 1995, planets beyond our solar system belonged to science fiction. Today, thanks to Kepler and TESS, we have discovered over 5,000 exoplanets, some in the “habitable zone” where liquid water might exist. But does that mean life? Being in the right zone is not enough. Planetary mass, atmosphere, and geology all matter. Scientists, however, are optimistic. Life on Earth thrives in extreme places, hinting at possibilities beyond. With tools like the James Webb Space Telescope analysing alien atmospheres for biosignatures, we may be on the cusp of finding the first signs of life beyond Earth.
📚Book Nook Plath’s Fig tree In The Bell Jar, Sylvia Plath famously wrote of a fig tree where each fig symbolised a different future: love, success, travel, family. As her protagonist hesitates to choose, the figs rot and fall. Over 60 years later, this metaphor has found a new lease of life on social media, echoing Gen Z’s crisis of choice. With endless possibilities in career, relationships, and identity, many young people feel paralysed, unable to pick at all or feeling suffocated with the choices they make as melancholia shrouds them over the opportunities they let go. The Salt Path controversy Raynor Winn’s bestselling memoir, The Salt Path, is now under scrutiny, with a damning investigation by The Observer raising questions about the veracity of the claims. Once praised as a raw and inspirational account of homelessness and terminal illness, the book is now being accused of misrepresentation, fabrication, and omission. Have a good day, Cheers, Aishwarya Khosla
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