1.Trade Winds Shift: India’s services strength masks export concerns: Manas Chakravarty, MoneyControl

India’s merchandise trade deficit contracted sharply to $14.05 billion in February 2025, from $23 billion in January, but the fall was due entirely to lower imports. What’s more, the surplus on the services trade is estimated to be $18.48 billion in February, which means we had an overall trade surplus of $4.43 billion for the month. That’s assuming, of course, that the preliminary estimates for trade in services approximate the final figures.

Nevertheless, the lack of growth in merchandise exports is a concern. Although total exports increased compared to January, non-petroleum exports fell. In fact, if we take the last three months of exports, to smoothen out monthly fluctuations, then total exports were USD 111.2 billion, compared to USD 117.1 billion in the same period of FY24, a 5 percent fall. Clearly, the slowdown in global trade has affected India’s merchandise exports.

Thankfully, the picture is very different when it comes to services. These exports were at USD 35.03 billion in February, around 95 percent of merchandise exports. A year ago, in February 2024, services exports were 68.4 percent of merchandise exports. Simply put, it no longer makes sense to talk of merchandise exports alone when we consider the trade deficit.

2.India reportedly plans to sell and privatise six loss-making airports as the country’s aviation industry expands.

They will be bundled for sale with profitable airports as a deal sweetener to attract investors, Bloomberg reported. Sales of such government assets are central to India’s efforts to boost economic growth and revenue to make up for budget shortfalls. The country’s aviation market is the world’s third largest, and annual traffic is expected to double by 2030.

At same time, GMR group, the operators of Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport have sued the Delhi government in the Delhi High Court for allowing commercial flights from the Hindon airbase in Ghaziabad, UP. Reports suggest that the argument by Delhi International Airport Ltd (DIAL), Delhi International Airport Ltd (DIAL), has called this a breach of aviation rules, citing that they do not allow a new airport to operate within 150 km of an existing one unless there is clear passenger demand.

3.Ceasefire ends as Israel resumes Gaza Bombing

The Israel-Hamas ceasefire ended overnight, as Israel resumed airstrikes on the Gaza Strip following Hamas’ refusal to release Israeli hostages. The Israeli Defense Forces targeted mid-level Hamas commanders, members of Hamas’ politburo, and its infrastructure in multiple locations across Gaza, including Rafah, Khan Younis, and Gaza City. Over 300 fatalities have been reported, according to the Hamas-run health ministry.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office stated on X that the strikes followed the “repeated refusal to release our hostages and its rejection of all the proposals it received from US president’s envoy, Steve Witkoff, and from the mediators … Israel will, from now on, act against Hamas with increasing military strength.”

Israel believes there are about 24 living hostages and 35 dead hostages still in Gaza. Hamas issued a statement saying Netanyahu’s decision to resume “aggression” against the territory exposes the hostages “to an unknown fate.” The IDF says it will continue the airstrikes “as long as necessary,” and expand the operation beyond an aerial campaign if ordered to do so by the Israeli government.

The decision to restart hostilities comes with Netanyahu under political pressure over the ongoing hostage crisis and a corruption trial.

4.Alphabet spins off laser-based internet project from ‘moonshot’ hub

Google parent Alphabet will spin off its laser-based internet startup into an independent company. Known as Taara, the firm is anticipated to compete directly with SpaceX's Starlink as a means of providing high-quality internet access to hard-to-reach locations. 

Starlink, which currently serves an estimated 5 million users across 100 nations and territories, uses a network of thousands of satellites to connect users to high-speed broadband. Taara's approach relies on a land-based system of lasers beaming information back and forth to each other. While each approach has pros and cons—laser networks don't need to be launched into space but can be blocked if an object gets in the way—company engineers say they can transmit 20 gigabytes of information per second across more than 10 miles. 

Alphabet says the company will begin by focusing on helping established telecom firms extend existing networks.  

Meanwhile,Users on social media have discovered a controversial use case for Google’s new Gemini AI model: removing watermarks from images, including from images published by Getty Images and other well-known stock media outfits.

5.NASA’s stranded astronauts have begun their return to Earth

Two US astronauts stuck on the International Space Station for 286 days — roughly 278 days more than planned — began their journey home. Barry “Butch” Wilmore and Sunita Williams flew to the ISS in June, but problems with Boeing’s Starliner capsule which took them there meant they were unable to return. In their time in space they orbited the planet 4,576 times, traveling 121 million miles: They have now been recovered by a SpaceX Crew Dragon craft, and will splash down off Florida’s Gulf Coast early evening US Eastern time. Their nine-month space flight is a long one, CBS noted, but some way off the record: Frank Rubio remained on the ISS for 371 days in 2022-23.

6.Harvard Expands Free Tuition

Harvard University announced yesterday it would make tuition free for all students from households making up to $200K, and cover the full cost of attendance—including room, board, and associated expenses—for students from households earning under $100K. The move makes the school the latest to try to expand access to middle- and lower-income candidates, following MIT, the University of Pennsylvania, and others.  

School officials estimate that more than 85% of families in the US will receive some form of assistance, with support tapering off as household income reaches $400K. Support is likely to be drawn from the university's endowment—the world's largest at around $50B. Admission still remains intensely competitive at the school, with an acceptance rate near 3.5% in 2024.

7.Alphabet agrees to buy cyber security group Wiz for $32bn

Google parent Alphabet has agreed to buy cyber security start-up Wiz for $32bn, sealing the search engine’s record acquisition less than a year after initial takeover talks between the companies collapsed.

The all-cash deal was announced on Tuesday just days after the companies revived talks that foundered last year amid fears the transaction could be blocked by antitrust regulators.

As part of the deal, Alphabet has agreed to pay employees of Wiz, which was founded in 2020 by alumni of Israel’s elite cyber intelligence unit 8200, a $1bn retention bonus, according to people familiar with the matter.

Alphabet chief executive Sundar Pichai is betting that the acquisition will drive growth at its cloud business, which competes with Amazon’s AWS, Microsoft’s Azure and Oracle.

8.Why You Need a Warmup: David Epstein

What do you think of when you hear the word “warmup”? If you’re like me, probably athletes limbering up before competition. But perhaps we should think of it more broadly.

Last week, I read an intriguing study that applied the idea of a warmup in less obvious arena: pediatric anesthesia.

In the paper, Jena and his colleagues cite other research on the benefits of warming up. They refer to obvious areas, like sports and musical performance, but also to work that found that a brief warmup on a simulator improved surgical performance. It reminded me of another (small) study I read, which found that a three-minute warmup on a pretty simple cognitive task (basically matching figures), improved subsequent performance on a much more difficult cognitive task.

9.How Elon Musk’s ties to China could warp American policy

Elon Musk has opinions on how a lot of the world’s countries should be run.

He has weighed in on elections in Germany on behalf of a far-right party, sparred with the government of his native South Africa, and called for the removal of the president of Ukraine, not to mention the two-month siege he has waged against America’s federal bureaucracy.

But one country tends to get a pass from the world’s richest man. He is, in his own words, “kind of pro-China.” The self-proclaimed “free-speech absolutist” has not applied that position to China’s draconian censorship regime, and Musk has defended the Chinese government’s positions on a range of other issues.

From a business perspective, this makes sense. China is vital to Musk’s car company Tesla as both a producer of vehicles and as a consumer market. Musk is also hardly unusual among major global tech CEOs in defending China.

As the US and China appear to be hurtling headlong into a trade war, and even as Trump seeks a meeting with China’s Xi Jinping in hopes of hammering out a new trade deal, Musk’s ties to China — and the potential leverage they could offer Beijing in future negotiations — are getting more notice in both countries.

10.Magnesium mania: Understanding the hype behind the wellness trend

In the past few years, magnesium has evolved from a humble mineral into a wellness industry sensation. On TikTok, influencers tout its sleep-enhancing properties. High-end supplements—some priced at over ₹ 4000 a bottle—promise everything from improved mood to faster metabolism. Beauty brands infuse it into bath salts and face creams, claiming it can soothe stress and rejuvenate skin. But how much of this is rooted in science, and how much is just savvy marketing?

For stress and anxiety: Research indicates that magnesium may help lower cortisol levels and promote relaxation—particularly in individuals who are deficient. But for those already meeting their daily magnesium needs, the effects are likely negligible.

For sleep: Magnesium supports melatonin production and helps relax muscles, which can aid sleep, especially in people with deficiencies. However, it is no substitute for good sleep hygiene.

For skin health: While some wellness brands claim magnesium improves skin, scientific evidence remains scarce. Its role in reducing stress-related breakouts may be its only real connection to skincare.

While magnesium is undeniably essential, its rise to wellness superstardom demands a closer look.