This Week in Explainers: What’s the dating scandal surrounding ‘Queen of Tears’ star Kim Soo-hyun?

Trade wars and terror dominated world headlines this week. As Donald Trump continues to unleash his policies, the world is on the edge. Now even the US is getting nervous – the stock market has taken a hit, wiping out as much as $1 trillion a day, and the buzz around recession continues to grow.

The flip-flop on tariffs continues. This week, the metal tariffs – 25 per cent on steel and aluminium imports into the US – took effect. At first, Trump planned to double tariffs on Canadian imports but later reverted it. The European Union has retaliated with tariffs on American goods, from boats to bourbon.

Amid growing uncertainty, Canada has got a new leader – Mark Carney. He was picked as the leader of the Liberal Party after Justin Trudeau resigned. The new PM has rejected Trump’s push to annex Canada and has vowed to improve relations with India.

There has been some progress between the US and Ukraine after a breakdown of ties following the Oval Office spat. Representatives of the two nations met in Jeddah and have proposed a ceasefire deal. US envoy Steve Witkoff met Vladimir Putin on Thursday evening with Trump saying the talks were “good and productive”. But uncertainty continues, as the Russian president and Zelenskyy continue to be at loggerheads.

Elsewhere, tension has gripped Syria as security forces clash with armed groups loyal to deposed president Bashar al-Assad. Hundreds have reportedly been killed in violence in the country’s coastal region, dominated by Alawites.

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A train hijack in Pakistan by Baloch rebels sent shockwaves across the world. The Balochistan Liberation Army, which claimed responsibility for the attack, killed 30 security personnel and took 214 passengers, as hostages.

In news that signals some normalcy, PM Narendra Modi visited Mauritius for a two-day state visit. He got a Bhojpuri welcome.

We talk about this and more in our weekly roundup of explainers from around the world.

1. A global trade war is looming. The US president has vowed to impose more tariffs after he imposed taxes on steel and aluminium entering the country. America’s allies are no longer sitting quietly. The European Union and Canada have retaliated with their own tariffs on US products. While the UK has held back, Prime Minister Keir Starmer has said “all options are open”.

Mexico is waiting and watching. India also keeping its cards close. Here’s where things stand.

2. Trump’s flip-flops on tariffs have caused panic in the US. Wall Street took a beating on Monday as stocks plunged; the sell-off wiping out $4 trillion from the S&P 500 peak last month. This came as Potus said that the economy is in a “period of transition”. Now there is growing concern that a recession is coming to the US. But are the worries valid?

3. The picture of Justin Trudeau’s last day in the office, carrying a chair with his tongue sticking out has gone viral. The man who has replaced him is not so quirky; in fact, he has been labelled as boring. Mark Carney, a central banker-turned-centrist politician, was picked as the head of the Liberal Party. He took oath as Canada’s PM on Friday. Here’s what we know about the premier, who once called Trump Voldemort.

4. A wave of violence gripped Syria’s Mediterranean coast, as security forces clashed with armed groups loyal to ousted president Bashar al-Assad. More than 1,300 civilians, mostly Alwaites were killed. This minority sect to which Assad belongs was once powerful in the country. Who are they?

5. A passenger train was attacked by militants from the Balochistan province on Tuesday (March 11). After a rescue operation that ended two days later, 33 militants and 31 others, including soldiers, civilians and railway workers, died. How did the attack unfold? What do we know about The Majeed Brigade of the Balochistan Liberation Army that led the hijacking?

6. Amid the chaos in the world, India is keeping its head down and carrying on business as usual. PM Narendra Modi visited Mauritius for two days, where he was the chief guest at the island nation’s national day on March 12. On his arrival, the Indian leader was welcomed with a traditional Bhojpuri musical art form, Geet-Gawai. What is Mauritius’ link to the language?

Memorable welcome in Mauritius. One of the highlights was the deep rooted cultural connect, seen in the Geet-Gawai performance. It’s commendable how the great Bhojpuri language thrives in the culture of Mauritius. pic.twitter.com/ou7YJMYoN8

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) March 11, 2025

7. Our last story is from South Korea. K-dramas are all the rage but behind all the mush are dark stories of exploitation and toxic work culture. Now one of the popular K-drama stars Kim Soo-hyun, known for his roles in “Queen of Tears” and “It’s Okay To Not Be Okay”, finds himself amid a big scandal.

Reports claim he was dating actress Kim Sae-ron, who died by suicide this year, when she was underage. While Kim Soo-hyun’s agency has admitted that the two were in a relationship they have denied allegations of underage dating. As the story continues to unfold, we look at the controversy.

That’s all from this week. If you want to read more such explainers, you can find them here.