The Trump administration is considering requiring all foreign students applying to study in the United States to undergo social media vetting, according to a report in Politico. In preparation for such required vetting, the administration is ordering US embassies and consular sections to pause scheduling new interviews for such student visa applicants. The report noted that if the administration goes ahead with the plan, it could severely slow down the processing of student visas and hurt many universities who rely heavily on foreign students to boost their financial coffers. This move comes days after the Trump administration ordered the Department of Homeland Security to terminate Harvard University's Student and Exchange Visitor Programme (SEVP) certification, a move that meant Harvard could no longer enroll foreign students.
Israel launched missile strikes against Tehran during early hours on Friday (local time), ABC News reported citing a senior United States official.
India on Sunday said it is seriously concerned over escalating hostilities between Israel and Iran, and called for immediate de-escalation of the situation.
The IDF attacks Hamas strongholds as more and more Palestinian civilians die in Israeli strikes.
Chief of Staff of the Iranian Armed Forces, Sardar Bagheri, has said that the military operation against Israel has 'concluded' from Tehran's side, while issuing warning that if the United States helps Israel in their possible next actions, their bases will 'not have any security', and will be dealt with, according to CNN.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke with President Donald Trump and set the record straight that India had paused strikes on Pakistan during Operation Sindoor following a request from Islamabad and not due to mediation or offer of a trade deal by the United States.
India on Thursday said it expects the United States to consider visa applications of Indian students on merit amid growing concerns over the Trump administration halting new student visa interviews.
"We saw missiles in the sky and heard bombs in our neighbourhood... We were petrified," said MBBS student Mir Khalif, his voice still trembling with fear, as he stepped out of the Delhi airport after being evacuated from war-hit Iran under Operation Sindhu.
'The fight against terrorism will continue. We have set a new normal and the new normal is that we will follow an offensive strategy. Wherever terrorists are, we have to kill those terrorists and we have to destroy their infrastructure. So it is still not over but as we speak the ceasefire is still intact'
According to Misri's statement, Modi said he could not accept the invitation due to a pre-existing schedule, and invited Trump to visit India for the Quad Summit, likely later this year.
Trade links with Israel have strengthened in the past few years, even as the value of goods exchanged with Iran has diminished. Iran accounted for $3.9 billion worth of India's exports in the four quarters ending December 2019, compared to $3.6 billion to Israel. However, India's exports to Iran dropped to $1.2 billion as of December 2023, on a rolling four-quarter basis, while exports to Israel grew to $6.1 billion in the same period.
The United States, Canada and the United Nations have condemned the Iranian air attack on Israel, with President Joe Biden reaffirming America's 'ironclad commitment' to the Jewish nation and vowing to convene a meeting of the G-7 leaders on Sunday to develop a coordinated response to the brazen assault.
'I hear that there are some 10,000 Indians stuck in Iran, including nearly 4,000 students from Kashmir. But, I do not know any of them. Here I am all by myself and the embassy has asked me not to venture out far from my hotel. People here are going about their daily lives despite the bombings'
The Indian Embassy in Israel issued an advisory on Tuesday, urging its nationals to move to safer areas in the country, a day after a missile fired from Lebanon killed one Indian and injured two others.
'There is no independently verified imagery or battlefield evidence to support Pakistan's claim.'
The Israeli government on Sunday approved the appointment of Reuven Azar as the new Ambassador to India.
While Air India cancelled six international flights due to aviation regulator DGCA subjecting its Dreamliner fleet to enhanced checks, the Ahmedabad-London Gatwick one was cancelled due to unavailability of aircraft, the airline said.
'I am not an aspiration-oriented politician.' 'This is the time to redefine politics.' 'Politics of power is not real politics.'
'Such unpredictability is motivating families to seek destinations with a more stable educational system.'
The MSC Aries was last seen on Friday, sailing towards the Strait of Hormuz off the coast of Dubai, according to The Times of Israel.
Israel's military has accelerated and widened its operations in southern Gaza where it believes Hamas's senior leaders are hiding. More than 800 Palestinians have been killed since Saturday, December 2, 2023.
'...rectification has to happen then and there, and that takes additional time.'
The war between Israel and the militant Palestinian group Hamas raged for a fifth day on Wednesday, October 11, 2023, as Israeli warplanes hammered neighbourhood after neighbourhood in the Gaza Strip, reducing buildings to rubble and sending people scrambling to find safety.
India's voting pattern in the United Nations with regard to the Israel-Palestine conflict is lately marked by a calibrated distancing from Israel, observes Ambassador M K Bhadrakumar.
India on Friday asked its citizens not to travel to Iran and Israel amid increasing fears that Tehran may launch an attack on Israeli soil in retaliation to a strike on the Iranian consulate in Syria 11 days ago.
The Indian Army has released a booklet on Operation Sindoor, which was launched to avenge the April 22 ghastly Pahalgam attack in which Pakistan-backed terrorists brutally killed 26 civilians, mostly tourists, and left many injured.
President Donald Trump signed an executive order withdrawing the US from the UN Human Rights Council and prohibiting any future funding for the UN agency for Palestinian refugees. Trump also directed the US to review its participation in UNESCO, citing concerns about anti-Semitism and anti-Israel sentiment within the organizations. The executive order argues that the UNHRC, UNESCO, and UNRWA have drifted from their missions and act contrary to US interests. Trump previously halted funds for UNRWA during his first term, and President Joe Biden put a block on US funds for UNRWA in January 2024 over allegations that staff for the agency participated in Hamas's October 7, 2023, attack against Israel.
According to IDF, "Hamas and Islamic Jihad terrorists who belonged to the Nukhba Forces were operating in the compound."
'There's a lot of sense in what Prime Minister Modi did, but the Indian government has to be really prepared for a really sharp escalation spiral.'
Following the conflict, Israel has banned the entry of Palestinian workers. The departure of several thousand other foreign workers, the Israeli construction industry has been facing a deep crisis.
Hindenburg Research, the forensic financial firm that challenged the Adani Group, took its name from the infamous airship that burst into flames upon arriving in New Jersey in 1937. And the counter to its damning report against the conglomerate was dubbed 'Operation Zeppelin,' named after the German dirigible airships used for reconnaissance and bombing during the First World War.
In a statement released on Friday, the United Nations Atomic Watchdog said it is monitoring the situation very closely.
Sacked Italy manager Luciano Spalletti bowed out with a victory after his side laboured to an uninspired 2-0 home win over Moldova in their World Cup qualification match on Monday.
United States President Donald Trump said on Friday that he was not sure what would happen on Saturday at noon, a reference to the deadline he put in place earlier this week, saying 'let all hell break out' if Hamas does not release hostages still being held in Gaza by noon on Saturday.
China supplied more than $20 billion worth of arms to Pakistan. These include 20 J-10CE and JF-17 Block III fighter aircraft, Wing Loong drones, frigates, submarines, Hongqi HQ-9P surface-to-air missiles, 240 PL-15E air-to-air missiles, LY-80 air defence systems, ZDK early warning aircraft and other weapons.
The Trump administration's decision follows Harvard University President Alan M Garber's statement that the school would not follow the administration's demands despite the possibility of the Ivy League school losing federal funding.
With the Middle East tensions flaring up, Air India has temporarily suspended its Tel Aviv flights and airlines have charted alternative flight paths to avoid the Iranian airspace.
Israelis and Palestinians rejoiced as they reunited with loved ones after the hostages-prisoners swap deal between Hamas and Israel.
According to a police officer, four-five men reached Owaisi's 34 Ashoka Road residence located in Central Delhi and pasted three posters at the entry gate and wall of the house about 9 pm.
In a post on X, Zelenskyy said, 'Good meeting. We discussed a lot one-on-one. Hoping for results on everything we covered. Protecting lives of our people. Full and unconditional ceasefire. Reliable and lasting peace that will prevent another war from breaking out. Very symbolic meeting that has potential to become historic, if we achieve joint results. Thank you POTUS.'
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