*☕ 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-10003870/ 🚨 *Big Story* The guns may have fallen silent, but the war of narratives between India and Pakistan rages on. Yesterday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi landed at Adampur, the frontline air base in Punjab. Addressing the assembled personnel, he lauded the Indian Armed Forces for delivering an unambiguous message to the Pakistan Army: "There is no place where terrorists can hide." But the message didn't stop at words. An intact S-400 mobile surface-to-air missile system was towering behind him. This was a silent but powerful rebuttal to Rawalpindi’s earlier claim of having destroyed the system in a strike. https://www.inexp.in/IS9oe2 Also read: Amrita Nayak Dutta explains in depth how India’s air defence systems work, forming a four-layered impenetrable shield to counter attacks. https://www.inexp.in/SKVLcQ Another front has opened in this battle of optics, with US President Donald Trump claiming credit for “mediating” between India and Pakistan, offering “lots of trade” with both countries. He claims to have stopped a “nuclear” fight and has offered to work for a “solution for Kashmir”. New Delhi isn’t exactly pleased with Trump’s intervention. In a detailed statement, the Ministry of External Affairs rebutted his claims, asserting that the Indian armed forces compelled Pakistan to reach out for a pause. As both countries iron out a trade deal, India must walk the tightrope regarding Trump. Notably, the US is also keen on increasing defence sales to India. https://www.inexp.in/aHMzlF ⚡ *Only in Express* While India and Pakistan were duelling it out, Russia and China inched closer, declaring themselves "friends of steel". Even the US put its issues with China to bed, at least in part. Now, Trump is headed to the Gulf. The powers that be are realigning and reshaping alliances. In his weekly column, C Raja Mohan insists that the world beyond Pakistan demands greater Indian attention. Read on. https://www.inexp.in/2hWYJN 📰 *From the Front Page* *On alert:* The Delhi Police is set to increase the security cover for External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar following the ministry's request. It will also review security cover for Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri and at least 25 leaders from the BJP. https://www.inexp.in/5Yfz9H *Target struck:* Official sources have disclosed additional details of Pakistan's losses in India's precision strikes at over a dozen military bases. They destroyed nearly 20 per cent of the Pakistan Air Force's infrastructure, including PAF fighter aircraft, and killed over 50 individuals. https://www.inexp.in/9CD-qI 📌 *Must Read* *Takeover:* Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation (SMBC)'s acquisition of Yes Bank is only the second instance of a foreign bank taking over an Indian bank in recent times. The move is being closely watched as it marks a shift in the Reserve Bank of India (RBI)'s stance towards foreign involvement in Indian banks. It could catalyse significant change in the industry's landscape. The SMBC is expected to increase its stake in Yes Bank, potentially by up to 51 per cent, which would require the RBI's approval. Know more about the deal and its implications. https://www.inexp.in/RzlMU6 *Etymology:* In India, caste is seen as an ancient Hindu social system based on the concepts of varna (class), karma (action), and dharma (duty), as described in the legal text Manusmriti. The system is uniquely Indian. Interestingly, though, the word that came to define it, "caste", is a Portuguese import. Its origins lie in the Spanish language. Read my colleague Nikita Mohta's research piece on how ‘caste’ came to be linked to Indian tradition. https://www.inexp.in/Qf2YXM ⌛ *And Finally…* Science as a subject evolved from humanity's quest to understand the world. However, the framework that governs the universe at its smallest scales long eluded the common person's grasp. Classical physics did not understand the subatomic level, a world where probabilities rule. Then came the quantum age. A viral video of a physics professor explains that no one understands quantum mechanics, not even the celebrated physicist Richard Feynman. Intrigued? Read all about the greatest debate of mankind in Shravan Hanasoge's column, Thinking Matter. https://www.inexp.in/iFVHM2 🎧 Before you go, don’t forget to tune in to the latest episode of the ‘3 Things’ podcast. Today’s lineup: Justice Yashwant Varma's cash-at-home row, the BJP's Tiranga Yatra and Virat Kohli's legacy. https://www.inexp.in/xXP1hS That’s all for today, folks! Until tomorrow, Sonal Gupta