THE WEEKLY STEEP
Stages shimmer, feasts gather, and even discipline takes on new meaning. This week reminds us that tradition isn’t only remembered, it’s reimagined in every step, stitch, and story. Remember: What we renew together is what truly lasts.
WHAT’S BREWING
U.S.: Courts and commands set the week’s tone. Judges curbed Trump’s tariff powers, forces maneuvered abroad, and the Pentagon’s rebrand with a Space Force shift signaled a new defense posture at home.
RFK Jr. Hearing: Defended CDC firing and vaccine cuts; faced bipartisan criticism as public trust remains low. Read More
Pentagon, Space Force & Venezuela: Trump rebranded the Pentagon as the Department of War and approved relocating Space Force headquarters to Alabama. US-Venezuela tensions escalated with naval strikes and jet flyovers.
Tariffs & Japan Deal: Appeals court struck down most Trump tariffs; Supreme Court review pending. Same day, Trump signed US-Japan trade pact with $550B investment and new tariffs. Read More
Fed Probe: DOJ investigating Fed Governor Lisa Cook for mortgage fraud; Cook sues Trump over firing attempt. Read More
The Scene: The Television Academy honored PBS; Carnegie Mellon AI researchers Leena Mathur and Pranjal Aggarwal recognized; Musaafer, Houston’s Michelin-starred Indian restaurant opened in NYC; Giorgio Armani’s death at 91 marked the end of an era; and Powerball climbed to $1.7B.
South Asia: Faced deadly monsoon floods in India and strategic diplomatic balancing at the SCO summit, while Modi celebrated India's first homegrown semiconductor chip.
Strategic Balancing: At the SCO summit, India managed ties with Russia and China while trade with China rose 20% and Russian oil alliance deepened, testing its diplomatic and economic independence.
Monsoon Devastation: Northern India endured deadly floods and landslides, killing scores and displacing hundreds of thousands. Read More
Chip-Making Ambition: At Semicon India, Modi unveiled the nation’s first homegrown semiconductor chip. Read More
Global: Tensions rose as Xi hosted Putin and Kim Jong Un in Beijing, signaling defiance of the U.S.-led order, while a Paris summit shored up Ukraine’s defense and Israel’s Gaza offensive displaced thousands.
Russia-Ukraine Escalation: Putin warned any Western troops sent to Ukraine would be “legitimate targets,” even as dozens of nations gathered in Paris on Sept 5 to coordinate long-term defense guarantees.
Beijing’s Parade Diplomacy: At a Sept 3 military parade, Xi hosted Putin and Kim Jong Un in a show of alignment against the U.S.-led order. A hot mic also caught Xi and Putin speculating about humans living to 150 years.
MONEY MOVES
The September 5 jobs report showed just 22,000 new positions in August, with unemployment up to 4.3% and wage growth slowing to 3.7%, marking a clear labor market cooldown. Against this backdrop, tech drove markets higher, retail shifted on consumer pivots, and precious metals surged on policy uncertainty.
Tech: $GOOG ( ▼ 0.21% ) rallied with a $150B gain after an antitrust win preserving Chrome with new data-sharing requirements. $AAPL ( ▼ 0.64% ) iPhone 17 Air launch is set for September 9. $AVGO ( ▲ 0.04% ) outperformed on AI chip demand. $TSLA ( ▼ 1.93% ) released Master Plan 4 and proposed a $1T pay package.
Retail & Consumer: $LULU ( ▼ 0.05% ) dropped 20% as tariffs slashed guidance. $NKE ( ▼ 0.49% ) launched the “Why Do It?” campaign, reframing “Just Do It” for Gen-Z athletes. $GAP ( ▲ 1.11% ) is entering beauty and personal care this fall via Old Navy. $KHC ( ▲ 0.68% ) unveiled a corporate split. $KVUE ( ▲ 1.59% ) shares slid after RFK Jr. suggested a link between prenatal Tylenol use, autism risk, and folate deficiencies.
Commodities & Policy: Gold neared $3,600/oz and silver topped $40 amid safe-haven buying. India slashed GST on select goods to 5% and 18% to stimulate consumer spending.
Market data via Stocktwits. Consult a financial advisor before investing.
PLAY BY PLAY
Tennis: US Open: Women’s Final: Amanda Anisimova beat Naomi Osaka to set up a showdown with world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka on Saturday. Men’s Semis: Djokovic will face Alcaraz, while top seed Sinner meets Félix Auger-Aliassime.
Formula 1: The Italian Grand Prix revs up on Sept. 7 at Monza. Ferrari’s home race at the legendary “Temple of Speed.”
Women’s Basketball (WNBA): Star guard Caitlin Clark is out for the season due to a groin injury, a blow to the Indiana Fever playoff push.
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RAISING ROOTS
Back to School, Back to Stage
September fills not only classrooms but auditoriums, as South Asian dance teams turn campuses into stages of sequins, rhythm, and resilience. For Indian American students, these competitions are more than performance, they’re rites of passage, declarations of identity, and acts of community uplift. Read More
Discipline Without Drama
Parenting often means balancing what we learned growing up with what we hope to pass on. When children grow up with respect instead of fear, they don’t just behave better, they connect deeper, lead with confidence, and love harder. Read More
LIVING WELL
Clay and Harvest, Song and Feast
Ganesh Chaturthi welcomes Ganesha, remover of obstacles, while Onam celebrates King Mahabali’s return with feasts and floral carpets. Different in form yet united in spirit, both remind us that prosperity is shared and devotion is lived. Read More
May your season be clear of obstacles and full of abundance - The Weekly Chai
Saris, Sherwanis, and Streetwear
At NYFW (Sept 11-16), South Asia is center stage, Naeem Khan’s sequins, Bibhu Mohapatra’s sari folds, Prabal Gurung’s tailoring, and Rahul Mishra’s couture meditations. The city celebrates not difference, but delight. Read More
COSMIC CHAI: Weekly Horoscope (Sept 5-Sept 12)
The skies this week mix intensity with clarity. Reflective, revelatory, and a little dramatic. Think missing puzzle pieces suddenly sliding into place. Guidance: Use Sept 6-8 as a reset window, tidy your space, archive the old, drop the grudges. Lighten your load now, so you can step into the season with focus and fire. Full Horoscopes
Sept 5: Uranus Retrograde: Pause the hustle, let inner insights speak.
Sept 7: Pisces Lunar Eclipse: A chapter closes; relief arrives with release.
Sept 9-10: Organized genius strikes, edits click, plans align.
Sept 12: Creative Spark: Momentum returns, creativity flows with purpose.
EDITOR'S PICK: Class of 2025
Some stories of the year don’t come from headlines or runways, but from classrooms, courts, and late-night rehearsals. These students remind us that excellence isn’t only inherited, it’s built, practiced, and shared in community.
Ryan Agarwal (Stanford Basketball): A rising NCAA guard inspiring the next generation of South Asian athletes with his breakthrough presence on the court.
Reva Joshi / Om Shanti (University of Arizona): Captain leading her Bollywood-hip hop fusion team to national competitions.
Kalakaar A Cappella (Collective): Jeena 2025 champions blending ragas with pop and hip-hop, proving that fusion is a movement.
Smit Bajaj & Vishakh Sandwar (NYU): NFL Big Data Bowl winners using AI-driven models to reshape sports analytics.
UPCOMING WEEK
Sep 6: Ananta Chaturdashi (last day of Ganesh Chaturthi) + Read a Book Day
Sep 7: Grandparents’ Day + National Beer Lover’s Day
Sep 8: International Literacy Day
Sep 11: Patriot Day 🇺🇸
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