The Indian Express

The Indian Express

6/10/2025, 4:29:45 AM

☕ *Your Expresso is ready!* 📬 *Get this delivered straight to your inbox:* https://indianexpress.com/newsletters/ *Read this newsletter in a single page:* https://indianexpress.com/article/live-news/top-news-today-briefing-10057769/ Good morning, *🚨 Big Story* Last week, this edition spoke about the curious murder case in Meghalaya. On May 23, a newlywed couple, Raja and Sonam Raghuvanshi, went missing just a day into their honeymoon. On June 2, the police found Raja's body deep inside a gorge, while Sonam remained missing. *Plot twist:* A week later, the case has taken an unexpected turn. The police have arrested a 21-year-old Raj Kushwaha, suspected of conspiring with Sonam to kill her husband. Kushwaha was arrested in Indore, along with three other assailants hired to carry out the crime. Sonam, meanwhile, surrendered to the police in Uttar Pradesh. https://www.inexp.in/3JHJCf *Zoom in:* According to investigators, the Kushwaha and Sonam met at a plywood factory owned by Sonam’s family, where both once worked. The plan to kill Raja was ostensibly hatched just days after the wedding. While Sonam’s family remains in disbelief, Raja’s mother claims her daughter-in-law planned the honeymoon, took Rs 9 lakh from him, and convinced him to carry expensive jewellery. Police are now probing those allegations. https://www.inexp.in/aio7fY *The politics:* The case took on wider implications with Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad Sangma demanding an apology from those who tried to paint the Northeastern state in a bad light following the murder. In an interview with The Indian Express, Sangma asserted that Meghalaya remains a safe place for tourists. https://www.inexp.in/GiZEbD *⚡ Only in Express* *Countdown begins:* The launch of the Axiom-4 mission, set to carry Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla to space, was delayed by a day due to bad weather conditions. The lift-off is now set for Wednesday, 5.30 pm (IST). Shukla will be the first Indian to go to the International Space Station (ISS) and earn crucial experience for India's own Gaganyaan (human spaceflight) mission. https://www.inexp.in/uZg5eF Hence, the Axiom-4 mission carries significance for India's space ambitions. It will allow India to carry out experiments in space, tailored to its needs, such as effects of space on moong dal, micro algae and so on. Astrophysicist Somak Raychaudhury explains in detail. https://www.inexp.in/1-ySfl How did India get a seat on the Axiom mission? Closer collaboration with the US and the signing of the Artemis Accords paved the way. Know all about it. https://www.inexp.in/zxgjwF 🎧 For more on Shukla’s mission, tune in to today’s ‘3 Things’ podcast episode. https://www.inexp.in/YXNYI+ *📰 From the Front Page* *Push back:* Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has invoked a 1950 Act to allow district collectors to “push back” anyone they prima facie find to be foreigners into Bangladesh — without going through the state’s existing system of Foreigners Tribunals. https://www.inexp.in/0Uc9AK *‘Impeach’:* Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar is likely to form an inquiry panel to look into the hate speech allegations against Justice Shekhar Kumar Yadav of the Allahabad High Court. Opposition MPs have submitted a representation with 55 signatures to bring an impeachment motion against the judge to Dhankhar. https://www.inexp.in/69HxUW *Fast-track:* An 11.2 gigawatt hydropower project on the Siang river in Arunachal Pradesh is facing opposition from villagers, who are likely to be displaced. State-owned hydropower developer NHPC Ltd is working with stakeholders to “expedite” progress and finalise the project site, sources have told The Indian Express. https://www.inexp.in/jDHZsZ *📌 Must Read* *Capital Column:* Deputy Editor Liz Mathew speaks to BJP leaders on the party's prospects as the first year of Modi 3.0 comes to an end. While the BJP has been buoyed by state election victories and the passage of certain legislation, challenges remain, such as stagnant FDI, the indecisive ally, JD(U), and roadblocks to the party’s campaign in the South. https://www.inexp.in/Adi79c *T20 for the win:* Former foreign secretary, Nirupama Rao, makes a case for an India-led bloc to strengthen its fight against terrorism. Rao proposes a dedicated alliance of 20 countries, called T20 (Twenty Against Terrorism), that would help each other coordinate in real-time, share intelligence, build capacity and bring the Global South perspective to the forefront. https://www.inexp.in/ktnqsk *⏳ And Finally...* Sunday’s French Open final was a masterclass in grit and shot-making. Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner didn’t just play great tennis, they redefined the boundaries of the baseline game. My colleague Namit Kumar breaks it down brilliantly in his analysis: a gripping look at how the final became a lesson in the unsubtle art of never backing off. https://www.inexp.in/4qs2ZG That’s all for today, folks! Until tomorrow, Sonal Gupta

The Indian Express

6/10/2025, 3:48:06 AM

*Why chess scares Taliban* The Taliban has banned chess in Afghanistan. Declared haram, the game is now a punishable offence. We spoke to members of the Afghan chess community — players who once competed on global stages, now forced into silence. Women cannot go to school or play sport. Now, even a game that teaches strategy is outlawed. Watch what the players told us — and what this ban means for chess in Afghanistan. https://www.instagram.com/reel/DKtJ2Dei9IK/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=MWg4dXVtNXp2b2owbQ==

The Indian Express

6/11/2025, 4:12:14 AM

☕ *Your Expresso is ready!* 📬 *Get this delivered straight to your inbox:* https://indianexpress.com/newsletters/ *Read this newsletter in a single page:* https://indianexpress.com/article/live-news/top-news-today-briefing-10059825/ Good morning, Chai, snacks and political bonhomie flowed on Tuesday evening as members of the multiparty delegations, back from their world tour, gathered to discuss their visits with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. No member, regardless of political affiliation, was left behind as Modi went from table to table, engaging and gathering feedback from leaders of different teams. Sources told The Indian Express that the PM listened intently when senior Congress leader Shashi Tharoor spoke at length about his experience. Seven such delegations were tasked with bringing India’s fight against terrorism to the global stage after Operation Sindoor. There was a unanimous consensus on the success of these visits. My colleagues Deeptiman Tiwary and Jatin Anand have more details. https://www.inexp.in/MOosCK On that note, let’s get to today’s edition. *🚨 Big Story* The 90-day pause period on the US's sweeping reciprocal tariffs is set to end in less than a month. India is in the process of brokering a trade deal with the Trump administration to buy concessions. Both sides have discussed tariffs on their respective goods of interest. On Tuesday, US negotiators concluded a nearly week-long visit in New Delhi, wrapping up another round of talks. *Update:* External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, on an official visit to Belgium and France, told French daily Le Figaro that India hoped to reach an agreement before July 9, when the tariff suspension ends. He added that India saw the US as “acting in line with its immediate self-interest”, and that he “would do the same with them”. https://www.inexp.in/YongQc *Opportunity:* As America turns inwards and becomes unpredictable, India may do well to capitalise on its ties with the European Union. Contributing editor C Raja Mohan underscores the importance of an EU-India alliance in enhancing the prospects of a multipolar world amid growing bipolar domination by the US and China. https://www.inexp.in/mYPSzK During his time in Brussels, Jaishankar asserted that even though India and the EU may not always share identical perspectives, there was an opportunity to forge deeper ties. This came after the First Strategic Dialogue between Jaishankar and EU High Representative Kaja Kallas. https://www.inexp.in/0zE-oZ *Progress:* India and the EU made significant progress in their trade talks, a week after the former announced a trade deal with the UK in May. A status report released by the EU revealed that five of the 23 chapters covered in the bilateral talks have been wrapped up. India's deal with the UK is significant amid these negotiations, given that London and Brussels are competitors in several product categories such as spirits, medical equipment and cars. https://www.inexp.in/Sp-doV *⚡ Only in Express* When the Ram Temple in Ayodhya was consecrated, it put a long-standing, divisive issue in the country to bed. However, emboldened by the Supreme Court's verdict, many such claims for temples in different places have cropped up. In an interview with The Indian Express, Nripendra Misra, the Ayodhya Ram temple’s officer-architect-in-chief, advocates for "limits" on correcting historical wrongs. He says, "We cannot seek justice for the past. It has to be forgotten." https://www.inexp.in/O9Aa+2 *📰 From the Front Page* *New heights:* On May 9, Lieutenant Commander Yashaswi Solankee became the first woman officer to be appointed as an Aide-de-Camp (ADC) to the President of India. She spoke to The Indian Express about how she has prepared to take on the role. https://www.inexp.in/IZVi+X *Water wars:* India's Indus Waters Treaty with Pakistan restricted hydroelectric projects in the Indus river basin from including any significant water storage capacity. Now that the treaty is in abeyance, the government plans to increase the storage capacity for hydro projects, which are still in the initial stages. https://www.inexp.in/DTY9Od *📌 Must Read* *Sonam’s story:* Growing up in the narrow bylanes of Indore's Kushwah Nagar, Sonam Raghuvanshi dreamed of an MBA degree, expanding her father's plywood business, and breaking out of the regimented life set by her family. Today, she stands accused of conspiring to murder her husband, Raja Raghuvanshi. My colleague Anand Mohan J profiles the 'sanskari bahu'- turned-murder accused. https://www.inexp.in/4-hZ9F *Space travel:* The highly anticipated launch of the Axiom-4 mission, which will carry Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla to the International Space Station (ISS), has been delayed again due to a technical snag. The crew was set to lift off this evening. SpaceX has yet to announce the next launch date. But what does it take to get the astronauts to the ISS, and what will their journey look like? We explain. https://www.inexp.in/Du55wH Also read: The story of Rakesh Sharma, the first Indian to go to space https://www.inexp.in/LFvsKs *⏳ And Finally...* Artificial intelligence (AI) 'reasoning' may not be all it's cracked up to be. The AI industry may be grossly overstating its models' capabilities. Folks at Apple put models like OpenAI o3-mini, DeepSeek-R1 and Claude-3.7-Sonnet (thinking) to test. They found that these models are prone to "overthinking" and “fail to find correct solutions” beyond a certain complexity threshold. Their findings have been published in a new research paper outlining these inefficiencies and scalability limitations. https://www.inexp.in/lQMoe6 🎧 Before you go, don’t forget to tune in to the latest ‘3 Things’ podcast episode. Today’s lineup: India awaits census, Ahmedabad’s ‘vanished lakes’, and an impeachment motion against a High Court judge. https://www.inexp.in/X77tna That’s all for today, folks! Until tomorrow, Sonal Gupta

The Indian Express

6/10/2025, 6:04:55 AM

*Do you drink your sunscreen or put it on?* 🧴🥤 The latest trend in skincare is drinkable sunscreen—a liquid supplement packed with antioxidants and plant extracts, said to protect your skin from the inside out. But dermatologists warn — it’s not a substitute for your regular SPF. While ingredients like Polypodium leucotomos show promise, research is still evolving—and protection takes time to build. Click on the 🔗 below to read in detail https://www.instagram.com/p/DKtZlujRjLC/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=cTRpMjN3bTN2YzZx

The Indian Express

6/9/2025, 10:39:23 AM

Bihar CM Nitish Kumar launches Patna edition of The Indian Express, the 11th edition of the daily published from centres across India. The launch of the #Patna edition is taking place in the month that marks 50 years of an inglorious chapter in Indian democracy — the imposition of Emergency in 1975. And it was The Indian Express, under Ramnath Goenka, which took the lead in opposing the suspension of fundamental rights, the muzzling of the Press and the excesses of the authorities. It published a blank editorial to protest the removal of content by censors.

The Indian Express

6/11/2025, 3:36:21 AM

#BusinessAsUsual — 11.06.25 #TodaysPaper #IndianExpress Follow The Indian Express on Instagram for crisp news cards and visual explainers👇🏽 https://www.instagram.com/indianexpress/

The Indian Express

6/11/2025, 7:11:34 AM

*Fresh Take* | 🪄 Harry Potter is set for a comeback with HBO's new TV series. But does the magic still hold for the generation that grew up with the books and the films? ✍️ Aishwarya Khosla revisits her childhood favourite. https://indianexpress.com/article/fresh-take/revisiting-harry-potter-as-an-adult-10059896/

The Indian Express

6/11/2025, 4:17:16 AM

Express Opinion — "I am that woman who refuses to serve my male relatives before I serve myself. I am that woman who will not solely bear the burden of keeping the family healthy and happy. I am that woman who was told to eat less and speak less by a well-meaning aunt who will never be caught telling her nephews the same thing. Yes, I am that unpleasant woman. And, finally, I am proud to be one at 50," writes Gauri Bhatia The writer is a Delhi-based freelance journalist who has worked with major Indian publications for over 25 years. Read in detail👇🏽 https://www.instagram.com/p/DKvyfqAR3LK/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=MTZjYXlpeWx2NXdoeg==

The Indian Express

6/10/2025, 3:08:28 AM

#BusinessAsUsual — 10.06.25 #TodaysPaper #IndianExpress Follow The Indian Express on Instagram for crisp news cards and visual explainers👇🏽 https://www.instagram.com/indianexpress/

The Indian Express

6/9/2025, 9:39:43 AM

The Meghalaya police today (June 9) said that 24-year-old Sonam Raghuvanshi is being considered one of the prime suspects in the murder of her newlywed husband Raja Raghuvanshi, along with 21-year-old Raj Kushwaha, who was arrested from Indore in a raid last night. A total of 4 people have been arrested in the case so far, while a Meghalaya police team is on its way to Uttar Pradesh’s Ghazipur to arrest Sonam. https://indianexpress.com/article/india/meghalaya-honeymoon-murder-raj-kushwaha-prime-accused-sonam-relationship-10056390/?ref=socialmedia