This Week in Explainers: Every breakup hurts, even Musk and Trump will feel the pain

He was ‘First Buddy” until a few months ago. Then the cracks began to show. Now days after officially exiting the White House, Elon Musk has turned nemesis. The Trump-Musk feud is out in the open. On Thursday (June 5), the two most powerful men in the United States got into a war of words, trading insults and threats.

“Elon and I had a relationship, I don’t know if we will anymore,” the US president said. It looks like it’s over… for now. So what went wrong between the two? And what next? We have a look.

Musk is not the only one Trump has left miffed this week. He has ruffled the feathers of several world leaders after he signed a proclamation on Wednesday banning the citizens of 12 countries from entering the United States, citing national security risks. These include seven African countries, three from Asia and West Asia and three from Latin America.

Moving on from the chaos that is America, the Russia-Ukraine war took a surprising turn. The Volodymyr Zelenskyyy-led nation launched its most complex attack against the enemy since the war began. During Operation Spider Web, Ukraine covertly smuggled drones into Russia and destroyed warplanes worth hundreds and billions of dollars. It was not just aircraft that were hit, it was also a big blow to the Kremlin .

Not all conflicts are fought on the battlefield today. The US has accused two Chinese nationals of smuggling a fungus into the country that American officials describe as a “dangerous biological pathogen”. It has put the spotlight on agroterrorism. Wonder what that is.

All this and more in our weekly roundup, where we look beyond the big headlines from around the world.

1. The Elon Musk and Donald Trump relationship has imploded with a public feud. The US president was ok with criticism of his “One Big Beautiful Bill” but that changed quickly on Thursday. From saying “yes” to a call for Trump’s impeachment to linking him to the Epstein files, the tech billionaire was savage in his attacks. Potus was not one to keep mum and suggested Musk went “crazy” over EV changes in the bill and also threatened to cut his government contacts. Here’s how the spat unfolded .

2. The war of words between Musk and Trump is out in the open. There is no going back. And it’s probably not over yet. The fight between America’s two most powerful men is likely to have consequences. Here’s how the two could hurt each other .

3. The other big story from the US was Donald Trump’s travel ban. Citizens from 12 countries will not be allowed into America and seven more countries face partial restrictions. Many of the nations are failed states or in the control of repressive regimes. From Afghanistan to Iran, we take a look at the nations on the list and how Trump’s new order compares to that of the “Muslim ban” during his first term.

4. The US and China have been at loggerheads. Now the FBI has accused two Chinese nationals, Yunqing Jian and Zunyong Liu, of smuggling a deadly fungus into the US. They have been charged with conspiracy, smuggling goods, false statements, and visa fraud. What is Fusarium graminearum , the pathogen that the two tried to smuggle? Does it amount to agroterrorism? We explain.

5. It has been Ukraine’s week in many ways. Its audacious drone attack on Russia stunned the world. Operation Spider Web targeted four Russian airbases and destroyed warplanes, including strategic bombers. Kyiv launched the strikes from wooden containers carried on trucks from Russian soil. How did Volodymyr Zelenskyy and his men pull off their most daring operation yet? We bring you the inside details .

6. The Hajj pilgrimage is underway in Mecca. But this year has been different with several restrictions in place. Saudi Arabia has stopped more than 2.7 lakh Muslims from entering Mecca. Here’s why .

7. Bangladesh’s Muhammad Yunus has 99 problems, but his top priority remains social media. Even as the country finds itself in political and economic turmoil, the interim adviser is busy calling out Indian publications and columnists on X. What’s going on?

8. In a heartbreaking story from Australia, an Indian-origin man slipped into a coma with critical brain injuries. Gaurav Kundi was violently arrested by the police; one of the cops drove his knee into the 42-year-old victim’s neck. The incident brings back memories of the death of George Floyd in the US. But what did Kundi do? This story takes a look .

That’s our reading list for this Sunday. If you are curious about world news, you can come back to this page for more .