This Week in Explainers: The tale of illegal Indian immigrants in the US and broken dreams

It’s been a week of geopolitical upheavals, courtesy of the Donald. As promised, he imposed tariffs on Canada, Mexico and China only to pause the duties imposed on his neighbours after talks with Justin Trudeau and Claudia Sheinbaum.

After Greenland and Canada, Trump has a new expansionist target: Gaza. After meeting Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, the US president said that he wants to “take over” the enclave. We try to decode what Potus is thinking.

Meanwhile, the crackdown on illegal immigrants continues. Earlier, this week 104 Indians were deported from the US on a military aircraft. Their mistreatment on the flight back has not gone down well with New Delhi. The journey to the US and back was filled with hardships, leaving a mental toll. We have been tracking this story extensively.

Elon Musk tightens his influence on the US government. Trump and he have plans to dismantle USAID. Musk and his Doge team also had access to treasury payments, now blocked by a US judge. It’s all murky business.

Another shocking story comes from Sweden. The country witnessed its deadliest mass shooting on Tuesday (February 4), when a 35-year-old local went on a rampage in a school in the city of Orebo, killing 10 people and injuring six others. In Sweden, school shootings are very rare and about five per cent of the population legally owns a firearm.

From the mass shooting to deportations, we take a deep dive into news that grabbed our attention in our weekly roundup from around the world.

1. After Colombia and Brazil, America turned its attention to illegal migrants from India. Hundred and four Indians, who entered the US without legal documentation, were put on a flight to Punjab. Thirty of them were from the northern state and 33 were from Gujarat. Many of them sold their land, jewellery and cattle and paid travel agents between Rs 30 lakh to Rs 1 crore to get to the “land of opportunities”.

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However, they were hoodwinked. Their journey to the US was nightmarish, taking the “dunki” routes. Some were flown to Brazil, instead of the US and claim that they were forced to cross borders illegally. Others found themselves in Latin America, then were put on a boat and forced to walk 40 to 50 kilometres. This story talks about their harrowing experience.

2. The flight carrying Indian immigrants landed in Punjab’s Amritsar on Wednesday. They were handcuffed and ferried back on C-17, a US military plane. This aircraft is typically used in war zones and disaster relief.

America usually uses commercial charter planes for deportations. The military flights cost a bomb. A 10-hour journey to Guatemala is likely to cost at least $4,675 [Rs. 4.07 lakh] per migrant. The longer flight to India would far exceed that. So why is Trump spending so much on deportees? We explain.

3. Donald Trump’s expansionist plans continue to become bigger. His eyes are now on Gaza. He left the world stunned when he suggested that the US would “take over” the enclave and resettle its population. The US president in a press conference with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that he wants to transform Gaza into the “Riveria of the Middle East”. But is this even possible?

4. With Trump in office, there are growing fears of trade wars. Potus announced tariffs on Canada, Mexico and China earlier in the week. However, after negotiations, he had a change of heart. The tariffs on his neighbouring nations have been paused for 30 days. Here’s what happened.

5. Elon Musk’s Doge (Department of Government Efficiency) has left the world curious. What does it do? Who is in it? The team gained access to the federal payments system, which managed trillions of dollars. While it is now blocked, Doge continues to be in the limelight. The team reportedly comprises six men, aged 19 to 24. One of them is 21-year-old Indian-American Akash Bobba. Here’s what we know about the engineer and other “Muskovites”.

7. Sweden grabbed headlines for an unusual reason – a rare mass shooting at a school. Ten people were killed and six were injured after a gunman opened fire at a campus in the city of Orebro. The shooter, who also died, was reportedly a local identified as Rickard Andersson. But why did the 35-year-old carry out the attack? Who was he?

8. It’s award season. The Grammys were held last Sunday (February 2). Beyoncé made history by becoming the first Black woman to take home the award for Best Country Album. However, traditional country music fans were not pleased. Here’s why.

That’s all from us. These are our top recommendations for the week. Hope you are hooked. If you are looking for the latest in global news, this page is for you.