Indian students account for half of 327 recent visa revocation cases examined by a top US immigration lawyers' body, amid Donald Trump's war on campuses. The Trump administration is cracking down on foreign students over activism and antisemitism on American campuses.
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The agencies responsible have revoked thousands of student visas, and the analysis by the American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA) is only a fraction of the total cases.
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"50 per cent of these students were from India, followed by 14 per cent from China," said AILA in a brief titled 'The Scope of Immigration Enforcement Actions Against International Students,' published on Thursday (Apr 17).
"Other significant countries represented in this data include South Korea, Nepal, and Bangladesh," it added, based on its analysis of the 327 visa revocation cases.
<h2>The Trump administration's crackdown on foreign students</h2>
The picture given by the lawyers' body is not a complete one: it is only based on an analysis of recent legal pleas against such crackdowns.
For the past four months, the US State Department and the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) &nbsp;have been looking into the data on foreign students over their activism.
The process is largely automated, with some alleging that the screening is done using AI, or artificial intelligence.
This meant that even students without any link to campus protests, or even a criminal history, also end up at the wrong end of the crackdown.
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In March, Secretary of State Marco Rubio revealed that more than 300 student visas have been revoked.
He also announced the "Catch and Revoke" programme to screen student visa holders, even looking into their social media posts to find evidence of them supporting protests.
The main focus is on whether the students are supporting the Palestinians amid the Gaza war between Israel and the Hamas militant group.&nbsp;
Recent campus protests had evolved into antisemitism on some American campuses.&nbsp;
Apart from the protests or activism, hundreds of student visas were revoked over their run-ins with law.
This included cases where there was no conviction.
<h2>Trump administration is scrutinising SEVIS records</h2>
According to the lawyers' body, ICE has terminated 'thousands' of visas under the SEVIS records.
SEVIS &nbsp;or Student and Exchange Visitor Information System is a portal of the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS). It tracks information on international students and exchange programme visitors in the US.
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These administrative actions are unprecedented, with a wide-ranging, leading to a number of legal questions that will likely require litigation to resolve, AILA said.&nbsp;
According to an ICE release, visa status of 4,736 international students were terminated in the SEVIS system. Most of those affected held F1 visas.
<h2>Many recent graduates unable to work as visa status revoked</h2>
AILA's analysis was based on 327 reports of visa revocations and SEVIS terminations from attorneys, students, and university employees.&nbsp;
Out of these, 50 per cent were on Optional Practical Training (OPT), meaning they had graduated and were employed in the United States.&nbsp;
Now, they are unable to work.
The top states impacted by such visa revocations include&nbsp;Texas, California, New York, Michigan and Arizona.
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<h2>Congress asks Indian foreign minister to raise concern with US</h2>
 Senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh raised the issue in a post on X, asking India to intervene. "A press statement issued yesterday by the American Immigration Lawyers Association is cause for concern to us in India," Ramesh said, adding that there is "growing fear and apprehension" among the students.&nbsp;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
A press statement issued yesterday by the American Immigration Lawyers Association is cause for concern to us in India. Out of the 327 visa revocation cases of international students collected by the organisation so far, 50% are Indians. The reasons for revocation are random&hellip; <a href="https://t.co/dZfKJdiirR">pic.twitter.com/dZfKJdiirR</a>
&mdash; Jairam Ramesh (@Jairam_Ramesh) <a href="https://twitter.com/Jairam_Ramesh/status/1913070696860922024?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 18, 2025</a></blockquote>

<script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

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The reasons for revocation are random and unclear, he pointed out.&nbsp;
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"Will the External Affairs Minister [S Jaishankar] take note and raise the concern with his US counterpart [Marco Rubio]?," he asked in the post.

The DHS revoked thousands of student visas, and the analysis by the American Immigration Lawyers Association is only a fraction of the total World India News

Indian students account for half of 327 recent visa revocation cases examined by a top US immigration lawyers' body, amid Donald Trump's war on campuses. The Trump administration is cracking down on foreign students over activism and antisemitism on American campuses. The agencies responsible have revoked thousands of student visas, and the analysis by the American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA) is only a fraction of the total cases. Indian, other foreign students can't study in Harvard? Trump admin moves to end student visas | How many Indians in Harvard? "50 per cent of these students were from India, followed by 14 per cent from China," said AILA in a brief titled 'The Scope of Immigration Enforcement Actions Against International Students,' published on Thursday (Apr 17). "Other significant countries represented in this data include South Korea, Nepal, and Bangladesh," it added, based on its analysis of the 327 visa revocation cases. The Trump administration's crackdown on foreign students The picture given by the lawyers' body is not a complete one: it is only based on an analysis of recent legal pleas against such crackdowns. For the past four months, the US State Department and the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) have been looking into the data on foreign students over their activism. The process is largely automated, with some alleging that the screening is done using AI, or artificial intelligence. This meant that even students without any link to campus protests, or even a criminal history, also end up at the wrong end of the crackdown. Harvard research programs get "stop work orders" after $2.2 billion funding freeze In March, Secretary of State Marco Rubio revealed that more than 300 student visas have been revoked. He also announced the "Catch and Revoke" programme to screen student visa holders, even looking into their social media posts to find evidence of them supporting protests. The main focus is on whether the students are supporting the Palestinians amid the Gaza war between Israel and the Hamas militant group. Recent campus protests had evolved into antisemitism on some American campuses. Apart from the protests or activism, hundreds of student visas were revoked over their run-ins with law. This included cases where there was no conviction. Trump administration is scrutinising SEVIS records According to the lawyers' body, ICE has terminated 'thousands' of visas under the SEVIS records. SEVIS or Student and Exchange Visitor Information System is a portal of the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS). It tracks information on international students and exchange programme visitors in the US. 'Harvard is a JOKE': Trump slams Ivy League for hiring 'birdbrains' and 'Leftist dopes', warns to cut federal funds These administrative actions are unprecedented, with a wide-ranging, leading to a number of legal questions that will likely require litigation to resolve, AILA said. According to an ICE release, visa status of 4,736 international students were terminated in the SEVIS system. Most of those affected held F1 visas. Many recent graduates unable to work as visa status revoked AILA's analysis was based on 327 reports of visa revocations and SEVIS terminations from attorneys, students, and university employees. Out of these, 50 per cent were on Optional Practical Training (OPT), meaning they had graduated and were employed in the United States. Now, they are unable to work. The top states impacted by such visa revocations include Texas, California, New York, Michigan and Arizona. Who is Chinmay Deore, the Indian-origin student suing the Trump administration over possible deportation? Congress asks Indian foreign minister to raise concern with US Senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh raised the issue in a post on X, asking India to intervene. "A press statement issued yesterday by the American Immigration Lawyers Association is cause for concern to us in India," Ramesh said, adding that there is "growing fear and apprehension" among the students. A press statement issued yesterday by the American Immigration Lawyers Association is cause for concern to us in India. Out of the 327 visa revocation cases of international students collected by the organisation so far, 50% are Indians. The reasons for revocation are random… pic.twitter.com/dZfKJdiirR — Jairam Ramesh (@Jairam_Ramesh) April 18, 2025 The reasons for revocation are random and unclear, he pointed out. "Will the External Affairs Minister [S Jaishankar] take note and raise the concern with his US counterpart [Marco Rubio]?," he asked in the post.

'Growing fear': Indian students are half of 327 recent visa revocation cases in the US, and that's not even the full picture

Is the US administration of Donald Trump tired of trying to resolve the Russia-Ukraine war? Amid crunch talks in Paris and nearly three months of efforts by President Trump, the peace effort fatigue is beginning to show. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Friday (Apr 18) that the US should 'move on' in days, if the efforts are not fruitful, as it's not America's war.
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<h2>What did Marco Rubio say about the Ukraine war?</h2>
&ldquo;If it is not possible to end the war in Ukraine, we need to move on,&rdquo; Rubio said after winding up talks in Paris, where he and special US envoy on Russia and Ukraine Steve Witcoff met French President Emmanuel Macron, as well as European and Ukrainian leaders.
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&ldquo;We need to determine very quickly now, and I&rsquo;m talking about a matter of days, whether or not this is doable.&rdquo;
Without giving specifics, the US state department said the US peace plan got an encouraging reception during the Paris deliberations, adding that Rubio also dialled Russia's foreign minister, Sergey Lavrov, to apprise him of the talks.
Marco pointed out that he and Witcoff were in Paris to discuss specifics of what it might take to end the war, and whether indeed it can be ended.
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&ldquo;If it&rsquo;s not possible, if we&rsquo;re so far apart that this is not going to happen, then I think the president is probably at a point where he&rsquo;s going to say we&rsquo;re done,&rdquo; he said.
<h2>'We didn't start this war, need to see if it can be ended or...'</h2>
Repeating a point already made by Trump, Rubio said, &ldquo;It&rsquo;s not our war. We didn&rsquo;t start it."&nbsp;
The US, he said, has been helping Ukraine for the past three years, "and we want it to end, but it&rsquo;s not our war.&rdquo;&nbsp;
Noting that Trump spent 87 days repeatedly to bring the war to an end, Rubio said, "We are now reaching a point when we need to decide and determine whether this is even possible or not. Which is why we&rsquo;re engaging both sides.&rdquo;
<h2>Meanwhile, the Russia-Ukraine war drags on</h2>
Rubio's comments came even as the Ukraine Russia war continued unabated.
An overnight Russian missile attack killed at least one person in Ukraine's Kharkiv city.
On Saturday (Apr 12), Russia attacked the Ukrainian city of Sumy, killing at least&nbsp; 34 people.
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Trump appeared to justify the attack, the deadliest in recent days, saying &ldquo;I was told they [Russia] made a mistake.&rdquo;&nbsp;
<h2>Ukraine-US mineral deal is a silver lining, but not enough</h2>
After the infamous White House fracas involving Trump, US Vice President JD Vance and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in February, the US and Ukraine are expected to close a minerals deal.
&ldquo;We are happy to announce the signing, with our American partners, of a Memorandum of Intent, which paves the way for an Economic Partnership Agreement and the establishment of the Investment Fund for the Reconstruction of Ukraine,&rdquo; Ukrainian Economy Minister Yulia Svyrydenko said in a post on X.
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&ldquo;Ahead is the finalisation of the text of the agreement and its signing &mdash; and then, ratification by parliaments,&rdquo; Svyrydenko added.
But the minerals deal is only one aspect in efforts to end the war.
The larger issue remains the adamance of both Ukraine and Russia on making any concessions or ceding territory after three years of war.
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Rubio on Ukraine war: "We need to move on,” Rubio said after he and special US envoy on Russia and Ukraine Steve Witcoff held talks on the war. World

Is the US administration of Donald Trump tired of trying to resolve the Russia-Ukraine war? Amid crunch talks in Paris and nearly three months of efforts by President Trump, the peace effort fatigue is beginning to show. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Friday (Apr 18) that the US should 'move on' in days, if the efforts are not fruitful, as it's not America's war. What did Marco Rubio say about the Ukraine war? “If it is not possible to end the war in Ukraine, we need to move on,” Rubio said after winding up talks in Paris, where he and special US envoy on Russia and Ukraine Steve Witcoff met French President Emmanuel Macron, as well as European and Ukrainian leaders. What is Taurus missile? Russia warns Germany of ‘direct’ involvement over delivering weapon system to Ukraine “We need to determine very quickly now, and I’m talking about a matter of days, whether or not this is doable.” Without giving specifics, the US state department said the US peace plan got an encouraging reception during the Paris deliberations, adding that Rubio also dialled Russia's foreign minister, Sergey Lavrov, to apprise him of the talks. Marco pointed out that he and Witcoff were in Paris to discuss specifics of what it might take to end the war, and whether indeed it can be ended. Trump no longer holds Zelensky 'responsible' for Russia-Ukraine war as Kyiv and Washington sign 'Memorandum of Intent' “If it’s not possible, if we’re so far apart that this is not going to happen, then I think the president is probably at a point where he’s going to say we’re done,” he said. 'We didn't start this war, need to see if it can be ended or...' Repeating a point already made by Trump, Rubio said, “It’s not our war. We didn’t start it." The US, he said, has been helping Ukraine for the past three years, "and we want it to end, but it’s not our war.” Noting that Trump spent 87 days repeatedly to bring the war to an end, Rubio said, "We are now reaching a point when we need to decide and determine whether this is even possible or not. Which is why we’re engaging both sides.” Meanwhile, the Russia-Ukraine war drags on Rubio's comments came even as the Ukraine Russia war continued unabated. An overnight Russian missile attack killed at least one person in Ukraine's Kharkiv city. On Saturday (Apr 12), Russia attacked the Ukrainian city of Sumy, killing at least 34 people. Brutus at the G7? Trump blocks allies’ plan to condemn Russia over deadly Sumy strike Trump appeared to justify the attack, the deadliest in recent days, saying “I was told they [Russia] made a mistake.” Ukraine-US mineral deal is a silver lining, but not enough After the infamous White House fracas involving Trump, US Vice President JD Vance and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in February, the US and Ukraine are expected to close a minerals deal. “We are happy to announce the signing, with our American partners, of a Memorandum of Intent, which paves the way for an Economic Partnership Agreement and the establishment of the Investment Fund for the Reconstruction of Ukraine,” Ukrainian Economy Minister Yulia Svyrydenko said in a post on X. Trump-Meloni meet: EU tariff deal '100%' guaranteed; US-Ukraine minerals deal to be signed next Thursday “Ahead is the finalisation of the text of the agreement and its signing — and then, ratification by parliaments,” Svyrydenko added. But the minerals deal is only one aspect in efforts to end the war. The larger issue remains the adamance of both Ukraine and Russia on making any concessions or ceding territory after three years of war.

'Move on...not our war': Will US exit efforts to end Russia-Ukraine war? What Marco Rubio said as Trump gets frustrated

What is Pakistan two nation theory and is it a success or a failure? Pakistan Army Chief Gen Asim Munir's re-invocation of the two-nation theory in a recent speech was mostly about reminding overseas Pakistanis on the idea that led to the creation of the Muslim nation. But the theory is fraught with controversy, and its implementation is often linked with bloody events and ongoing debate.
Here is a look at the two-nation theory that birthed Pakistan and its aftermath in the past seven decades.
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<h2>What is the two-nation theory?</h2>
In its most simplified form, the two-nation theory at the dawn of the Independence of the Indian subcontinent from British colonial rule posited that Hindus and Muslims constitute two separate nations. Advocates and supporters of the two-nation theory argued that Hindus and Muslims happened to live side by side in the Indian subcontinent but are, in reality, different in many ways, and should be moved to two geographically separate regions in which they could live and thrive.
While&nbsp;Muhammad Ali Jinnah, the founding father of Pakistan, is prominently associated with the two-nation theory, it was not entirely his idea. Its origins are traced to the thoughts, words and speeches of various Muslim scholars, philosophers and politicians of the British era, such as Syed Ahmed Khan, Justice Abdur Rahim, and Muhammad Iqbal among others.&nbsp;
<h2>The seeds of two-nation theory</h2>
The seeds of this thought may have been germinated by the mistrust between sections of the Muslim and Hindu communities. It was fuelled by three sides mainly: the British colonial administrators who often used the 'divide and rule' policy; the Muslim elite classes who felt their powers would be lost once the British leave and the nation state of India is created; and some Hindu nationalist leaders who appeared to agree that Muslims are indeed a separate nation.
Vast sections of the Indian society at the time were opposed to the idea of a separate new state for Muslims. This included both Hindus and Muslims.&nbsp;
We should note here that, apart from experiments in Europe, the creation of nation states was in itself a very new idea in South Asia at the dawn of the 20th century, which was still under colonial rule.
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The idea of a singular nation, created from disparate princely states and territories, arose from the anti-colonial movements, which was the only way it could have happened at that historical juncture.&nbsp;
In the process of fighting for independence from the British colonialism, two strands of thought emerged: one that saw the entire Indian subcontinent as a nation with a composite culture of all its religious and ethnic varieties; and the other that sought freedom based on religion, the largest dividing factor for the population when one dismisses the further divisions along castes and subsects.
<h2>Who opposed and who advocated two-nation theory?</h2>
The two-nation theory was widely advocated by Jinnah and the All India Muslim League, but in real practice, it was applied mainly in the northwestern provinces of India and the Muslim region of Bengal (which was divided in 1905 by the British into Hindu 'West' and Muslim 'East' provinces). Most Muslims in the rest of what became India did not join the exodus of Muslims to the new nation of Pakistan during the 1947 Partition.&nbsp;
Mahatma Gandhi, the father of the Indian nation, was among the most prominent leaders who opposed the two-nation theory. Much of the opposition had to do with the origin story of Muslims in the Indian subcontinent.
Islam was both a religion of conquest and conversion in the region. It is still a heated debate whether the conversions were forced on the population by the Persian-Mughal invaders, or voluntarily adopted by segments of the population, particularly those in the lower rung of the Hindu caste system, in order to escape that social stratification.
Several Muslim organisations and groups were opposed to the idea of two nations, including All India Azad Muslim Conference and Deobandi Muslims. The Momin Conference and many non-ashraf Muslims opposed the two-nation theory.
Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan, the 'Frontier Gandhi', was initially against the idea.
The advocates of a composite culture created by centuries of interaction between the two religions - the so-called Ganga&ndash;Jamuni Tehzeeb - were opposed to the two-nation theory.&nbsp;
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British officials like Theodore Beck, the Quaker who played a key role in the creation of All India Muslim League in 1906, were supportive of the two-nation theory. India's last British Viceroy, Lord Mountbatten, was initially opposed to it but eventually agreed on the Partition of the subcontinent and the creation of Pakistan.
The bloody history of Partition, the largest forced migration of humans, was the first major test of the two-nation theory. Even the basic data on it is contested, so suffice it to say that up to 16 million people were rooted out of their homes, and up to 2 million may have died, as per some accounts. The deaths came from hunger, the ravages of nature, sheer exhaustion and also at the hands of fellow humans.
When India became a Republic, its Constitution enshrined its composite nationalism, religious pluralism and defined the nation as secular.
<h2>Aftermath of the two-nation theory: Sectarian rift, insurgencies, separatism and creation of Bangladesh</h2>
Pakistan's tryst with the two-nation theory has been fraught with problems. Broadly speaking, it had to do with sectarian divisions, separatism, and terrorism.
Out of Pakistan's four provinces, only Punjab and Sindh had relatively stable adherence to the two-nation theory, whereas Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (formerly North West Frontier Province) and Balochistan witnessed a number of insurgencies and terrorism.
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Shia-Sunni sectarian divide, and ideological differences on how an Islamic nation should be run, are at the core of violence and terrorism in the years since Pakistan's formation.
The birth of Bangladesh in 1971 was the first major test of the two-nation theory on the basis of religion.
While Bangladeshis in the erstwhile East Pakistan remained Muslim in their religious beliefs, they saw themselves as different from West Pakistan culturally and ethnically, and the Bangla language became the key point of contestation, as opposed to the Urdu language advocated from the government based in West Pakistan.&nbsp;
Other issues were ethnic divisions, sectarian violence, &nbsp;and the persecution of other Muslim groups like the Ahmadiya, besides minorities like Hindus and Christians.
<h2>Muslim against Muslim in a nation formed around Muslim identity</h2>
Thousands of Muslims, both Shia and Sunni, died in sectarian violence in the past decades, with their places of worship often being the targets of bombings. Many leaders of various sects of Islam were killed over the years.
Muslim against Muslim was the fundamental trait of sectarian violence, with several militant, fundamentalist, and extremist groups taking root in Pakistan, such as Lashkar-e-Jhangvi (LeJ), the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), the Islamic State, Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan and Sipah-e-Sahaba Pakistan (SSP), to name a few.
The Sindhi nationalist movements that rose in post-Independence years are largely muted at present.
While the separatist movement in Sindh, mainly from the Muttahida Qaumi Movement, has been largely suppressed by the Pakistan military, it's a different story in Balochistan.
The Baloch, many of whom identify more with the larger Balochistan region that includes parts of Iranian Balochistan (Sistan and Baluchestan Province), have organised one of the most tenacious separatist movements in Pakistan.
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The case of Gilgit-Baltistan is even more complicated. It's not a province of Pakistan, but an autonomous region with de facto provincial status, and many of its people want independence.
Perhaps the most vicious challenge to Pakistan's two-nation theory is taking place in KP province, as it got mixed with the ethnic affiliations of the Pashtuns with neighbouring Afghanistan.
It is the theatre of Pakistan's war on terror, where security forces are fighting TTP, Islamic State and al-Qaeda, among others.
<h2>So, are Pakistanis still proud of the two-nation theory?</h2>
Overall, the two-nation theory has not been a completely successful experiment for Pakistan.
However, ordinary citizens remain proud of their national identity.
Several polls in the past, including those by Pew Research Center and Chatham House, have shown that the majority of respondents identify themselves as Pakistanis first, meaning the idea of a nation based on religious identity is strongly felt among most Pakistanis.
To that extent, the two-nation theory is still relevant and surviving.<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/asim-munirs-hindu-muslim-pakistan-two-nation-theory-rant-motive-could-be-overseas-pakistani-money-amid-poverty-8972146"></a>

Gen Asim Munir speech on Pakistan Hindu vs Muslim what is two nation theory, which posited that Hindus and Muslims constitute two separate nations. Trending | South Asia

What is Pakistan two nation theory and is it a success or a failure? Pakistan Army Chief Gen Asim Munir's re-invocation of the two-nation theory in a recent speech was mostly about reminding overseas Pakistanis on the idea that led to the creation of the Muslim nation. But the theory is fraught with controversy, and its implementation is often linked with bloody events and ongoing debate. Here is a look at the two-nation theory that birthed Pakistan and its aftermath in the past seven decades. What is the two-nation theory? In its most simplified form, the two-nation theory at the dawn of the Independence of the Indian subcontinent from British colonial rule posited that Hindus and Muslims constitute two separate nations. Advocates and supporters of the two-nation theory argued that Hindus and Muslims happened to live side by side in the Indian subcontinent but are, in reality, different in many ways, and should be moved to two geographically separate regions in which they could live and thrive. While Muhammad Ali Jinnah, the founding father of Pakistan, is prominently associated with the two-nation theory, it was not entirely his idea. Its origins are traced to the thoughts, words and speeches of various Muslim scholars, philosophers and politicians of the British era, such as Syed Ahmed Khan, Justice Abdur Rahim, and Muhammad Iqbal among others. The seeds of two-nation theory The seeds of this thought may have been germinated by the mistrust between sections of the Muslim and Hindu communities. It was fuelled by three sides mainly: the British colonial administrators who often used the 'divide and rule' policy; the Muslim elite classes who felt their powers would be lost once the British leave and the nation state of India is created; and some Hindu nationalist leaders who appeared to agree that Muslims are indeed a separate nation. Vast sections of the Indian society at the time were opposed to the idea of a separate new state for Muslims. This included both Hindus and Muslims. We should note here that, apart from experiments in Europe, the creation of nation states was in itself a very new idea in South Asia at the dawn of the 20th century, which was still under colonial rule. It's the money, honey: Pak Army chief Asim Munir's Hindu-Muslim, two-nation rant motive could be more overseas Pakistani funds amid debt The idea of a singular nation, created from disparate princely states and territories, arose from the anti-colonial movements, which was the only way it could have happened at that historical juncture. In the process of fighting for independence from the British colonialism, two strands of thought emerged: one that saw the entire Indian subcontinent as a nation with a composite culture of all its religious and ethnic varieties; and the other that sought freedom based on religion, the largest dividing factor for the population when one dismisses the further divisions along castes and subsects. Who opposed and who advocated two-nation theory? The two-nation theory was widely advocated by Jinnah and the All India Muslim League, but in real practice, it was applied mainly in the northwestern provinces of India and the Muslim region of Bengal (which was divided in 1905 by the British into Hindu 'West' and Muslim 'East' provinces). Most Muslims in the rest of what became India did not join the exodus of Muslims to the new nation of Pakistan during the 1947 Partition. Mahatma Gandhi, the father of the Indian nation, was among the most prominent leaders who opposed the two-nation theory. Much of the opposition had to do with the origin story of Muslims in the Indian subcontinent. Islam was both a religion of conquest and conversion in the region. It is still a heated debate whether the conversions were forced on the population by the Persian-Mughal invaders, or voluntarily adopted by segments of the population, particularly those in the lower rung of the Hindu caste system, in order to escape that social stratification. Several Muslim organisations and groups were opposed to the idea of two nations, including All India Azad Muslim Conference and Deobandi Muslims. The Momin Conference and many non-ashraf Muslims opposed the two-nation theory. Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan, the 'Frontier Gandhi', was initially against the idea. The advocates of a composite culture created by centuries of interaction between the two religions - the so-called Ganga–Jamuni Tehzeeb - were opposed to the two-nation theory. Pakistan army chief peddles two-nation theory, asserts India-Pakistan, Hindus-Pakistanis very different British officials like Theodore Beck, the Quaker who played a key role in the creation of All India Muslim League in 1906, were supportive of the two-nation theory. India's last British Viceroy, Lord Mountbatten, was initially opposed to it but eventually agreed on the Partition of the subcontinent and the creation of Pakistan. The bloody history of Partition, the largest forced migration of humans, was the first major test of the two-nation theory. Even the basic data on it is contested, so suffice it to say that up to 16 million people were rooted out of their homes, and up to 2 million may have died, as per some accounts. The deaths came from hunger, the ravages of nature, sheer exhaustion and also at the hands of fellow humans. When India became a Republic, its Constitution enshrined its composite nationalism, religious pluralism and defined the nation as secular. Aftermath of the two-nation theory: Sectarian rift, insurgencies, separatism and creation of Bangladesh Pakistan's tryst with the two-nation theory has been fraught with problems. Broadly speaking, it had to do with sectarian divisions, separatism, and terrorism. Out of Pakistan's four provinces, only Punjab and Sindh had relatively stable adherence to the two-nation theory, whereas Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (formerly North West Frontier Province) and Balochistan witnessed a number of insurgencies and terrorism. Bangladesh seeks apology from Pakistan for 1971 atrocities, wants Islamabad to pay $4.3 bn unpaid dues Shia-Sunni sectarian divide, and ideological differences on how an Islamic nation should be run, are at the core of violence and terrorism in the years since Pakistan's formation. The birth of Bangladesh in 1971 was the first major test of the two-nation theory on the basis of religion. While Bangladeshis in the erstwhile East Pakistan remained Muslim in their religious beliefs, they saw themselves as different from West Pakistan culturally and ethnically, and the Bangla language became the key point of contestation, as opposed to the Urdu language advocated from the government based in West Pakistan. Other issues were ethnic divisions, sectarian violence, and the persecution of other Muslim groups like the Ahmadiya, besides minorities like Hindus and Christians. Muslim against Muslim in a nation formed around Muslim identity Thousands of Muslims, both Shia and Sunni, died in sectarian violence in the past decades, with their places of worship often being the targets of bombings. Many leaders of various sects of Islam were killed over the years. Muslim against Muslim was the fundamental trait of sectarian violence, with several militant, fundamentalist, and extremist groups taking root in Pakistan, such as Lashkar-e-Jhangvi (LeJ), the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), the Islamic State, Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan and Sipah-e-Sahaba Pakistan (SSP), to name a few. The Sindhi nationalist movements that rose in post-Independence years are largely muted at present. While the separatist movement in Sindh, mainly from the Muttahida Qaumi Movement, has been largely suppressed by the Pakistan military, it's a different story in Balochistan. The Baloch, many of whom identify more with the larger Balochistan region that includes parts of Iranian Balochistan (Sistan and Baluchestan Province), have organised one of the most tenacious separatist movements in Pakistan. Exclusive: Breaking Jam-log — Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar all set to travel to Kabul and Dhaka The case of Gilgit-Baltistan is even more complicated. It's not a province of Pakistan, but an autonomous region with de facto provincial status, and many of its people want independence. Perhaps the most vicious challenge to Pakistan's two-nation theory is taking place in KP province, as it got mixed with the ethnic affiliations of the Pashtuns with neighbouring Afghanistan. It is the theatre of Pakistan's war on terror, where security forces are fighting TTP, Islamic State and al-Qaeda, among others. So, are Pakistanis still proud of the two-nation theory? Overall, the two-nation theory has not been a completely successful experiment for Pakistan. However, ordinary citizens remain proud of their national identity. Several polls in the past, including those by Pew Research Center and Chatham House, have shown that the majority of respondents identify themselves as Pakistanis first, meaning the idea of a nation based on religious identity is strongly felt among most Pakistanis. To that extent, the two-nation theory is still relevant and surviving.

What is two-nation theory mentioned in Pakistan Gen Asim Munir's Hindu vs Muslim speech, and how successful is it? Origin, aftermath

Asim Munir's Hindu-Muslim two-nation theory speech and Pakistan economy: General Asim Munir, the Pakistani Army chief, reinvoked the two-nation theory to argue that India and Pakistan were two very different nations, as his people were different from Hindus in every aspect of life. His public remarks at the Overseas Pakistanis Convention in Islamabad on Wednesday (Apr 16) raised more than a few eyebrows. But what was he trying to do? More than what he said, what was the motive? Probably the idea is to rouse a pro-Pakistan sentiment, which he hopes to translate into more remittances and investments from the diaspora. What he didn't say is the reason for what he said: Pakistan's poverty.
But first, let's look at Asim Munir, full name Syed Asim Munir Ahmed Shah,&nbsp;said.
&nbsp;
<iframe width="600" height="auto" style="width: 100%; aspect-ratio: 4/3;" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" class="external-video publive-iframes-block" src="https://cdn.thepublive.com/wion/static/kaltura_player/wion_video_player_iframe.html?thumbnail=wion/media/post_attachments/files/2022/12/03/315528-1320355-lt-gen-asim-munir.jpg&amp;videourl=https://vodakm.zeenews.com/vod/WION/0312_WOYB_PAK_ARMY_6PM.mp4/index.m3u8&amp;duration=105&amp;tags=pakistan,Lt Gen Asim Munir,army chief pakistan,World News" title="Pakistan: New Army Chief reshuffles staff; General Asim Munir builds new team" id="PL_iframe_block-m9lbtlm7-982sygv3-jo5yas7j"></iframe>
<h2>What did the Pakistan Army Chief Gen Asim Munir say?</h2>
The crux of his speech was that the story of Pakistan should never be forgotten. It is in this context that he recollected the two-nation theory, which led to the formation of Pakistan, because Hindus and Muslims were different.
<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/pakistan-army-chief-peddles-two-nation-theory-asserts-india-pakistan-hindus-pakistanis-very-different-8971047">Pakistan army chief peddles two-nation theory, asserts India-Pakistan, Hindus-Pakistanis very different</a>
"My dear brothers and sisters and sons and daughters, please don&rsquo;t forget the story of Pakistan, and don&rsquo;t forget to narrate this story of Pakistan to your next generation, so that their bond with Pakistan never weakens, whether it is the third generation, or the fourth generation, or the fifth generation, they know what Pakistan is for them," said the Pakistan army chief.
"You have to narrate Pakistan&rsquo;s story to your children so that they don&rsquo;t forget it when our forefathers thought we were different from Hindus in every possible aspect of life," he added.
He stressed the cultural, religious, and ideological differences between Hindus and Muslims, which led to Pakistan's creation.&nbsp;
"Our religion is different, our customs are different, our traditions are different, our thoughts are different, our ambitions are different, that's where the foundation of the two-nation theory was laid," said Munir.
<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/imran-khan-criticises-military-in-an-open-letter-to-army-chief-gen-asim-munir-8704393">Imran Khan criticises military in an open letter to Army chief Gen Asim Munir</a>
"We [India and Pakistan] are two nations, we are not one nation," he emphasised, almost as if he was trying to justify the creation of Pakistan after the Partition of the Indian subcontinent, more than seven decades after it happened.
He also spoke about terrorism, particularly in Balochistan. Gen Munir vowed to eliminate Balochistan Liberation Army, Balochistan Liberation Front and Baloch Republican Army, saying: "We will beat the hell out of these terrorists very soon. You think these 1,500 terrorists, belonging to BLA, BLF and BRA, etc, can take away Balochistan from us?"
Even ten generations of terrorists cannot harm Balochistan and Pakistan, he added for good measure.
<h2>Why overseas Pakistanis are important: Pakistan's economic decline</h2>
The overseas Pakistanis are being wooed by the Pakistani establishment for only one reason: their remittances and investments.
It's a hidden national shame for Pakistan that it had to go with a begging bowl to countries like Saudi Arabia and institutions like the International Monetary Fund, World Bank and Asian Development Bank to overcome years of economic instability.
<a href="https://www.wionews.com/business-economy/pakistans-7-billion-imf-bailout-review-due-8760117">Pakistan's $7 billion IMF bailout review due</a>
It is in this context, perhaps, that General Asim Munir tried to appeal to the nationalist sentiments of the overseas Pakistanis.
<h2>Why is the Pakistani economy struggling?</h2>
The Pakistani economy has struggled in the past decades due to a deadly cocktail of factors: rapid population growth, political instability, poor economic policies and fiscal mismanagement. &nbsp;&nbsp; Pakistan's population has quadrupled in 50 years while its economy fell behind neighours in South Asia like India, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh.
Here is some perspective: Pakistan had a higher income per capita than its neighbours in the early 1970s, but by 2023, its income per capita was half of theirs.
<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/pakistan-govt-calls-imran-khan-liar-over-his-alleged-removal-of-gen-munir-as-isi-chief-594998">Pakistan govt calls Imran Khan 'liar' over his role in alleged removal of Gen Munir as ISI chief</a>
Investment has come down when compared to the rest of South Asia, affecting economic growth.&nbsp;
In fact, this is an area where Overseas Pakistanis could help.
&nbsp;&nbsp; The country&rsquo;s savings rate has been far below other South Asian nations, made worse by a large, young population. Pakistan has fewer people in the workforce relative to its total population, limiting savings and investment.
The Pakistani government is struggling to manage fiscal deficits, leading to a sharp increase in public debt. &nbsp;
By 2021&ndash;2022, Pakistan&rsquo;s budget deficit was 8 per cent of GDP, and its external current account deficit reached 5 per cent. &nbsp;&nbsp; Pakistan has relied on borrowing to finance needs, causing foreign exchange shortages, currency devaluation, and inflation.
<h2>Pakistan's economic crisis of 2021-2023</h2>
 Between 2021 and 2023, Pakistan faced severe financial instability. Its foreign exchange reserves fell drastically, and inflation surged up to 38 per cent and beyond. &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; In this period, the Pakistani rupee lost more than half its value against the dollar.
<h2>IMF loan intervention and policy reforms</h2>
 After months of negotiations for loans from the IMF, Pakistan agreed to do urgently needed economic reforms, including on taxes and external debt restructuring.
But tax reform, with the aim of increasing tax revenue, is easier said than done.
Tax collection is weak, especially from the agriculture and real estate sectors.&nbsp; And any further taxation would lead to public protests.
Pakistan continues to face high interest payments on its national debt and low investment.
A default on its sovereign debt could cause further problems, like a collapse or destabilisation of its banking system.
Restructuring of external debt - Pakistan's debtors include Saudi Arabia and China - could affect bilateral relations and hurt its chances of getting further international financing.
<h2>How the economic crisis worsened from 2018</h2>
By 2018-2019, Pakistan's public debt was 80 per cent of GDP and seven times the government&rsquo;s annual revenue. Interest payments on these debts consumed 40 per cent of the government&rsquo;s revenue by this period.
In 2021-2022, the budget deficit reached &nbsp;8 per cent of GDP. External current account deficit in the same period was near 5 per cent of GDP. &nbsp; &nbsp; Inflation jumped to 38 per cent in 2023.
More than 60 per cent of government revenue is spent on servicing debt interest.
Out of its external debt, 85 per cent is owed to bilateral and multilateral creditors like the IMF.
Foreign exchange reserves fell to two weeks&rsquo; worth of imports by June 2023. At $4 billion, they covered only 10 per cent of the $30 billion in financing needed for the upcoming year.
By mid-2024, public debt was 75 of GDP, out of which 40 per cent was in foreign currencies.
<h2>What the future holds for Pakistani economy: the IMF EFF Programme&nbsp;</h2>
Pakistan is participating in an IMF Extended Fund Facility (EFF) programme to help address its balance of payment crisis.
The programme aims at reforms that will reduce the budget deficit by 3 per cent of GDP over three years, largely through increased tax revenue.
Public spending needs to be curbed to remain just above 13 per cent of GDP.
Domestic debt restructuring could be a problem, as nearly 60 per cent of it is held by banks. Restructuring that debt could lead to collapse of the banking sector in worst case scenario.
Defaulting on foreign debt, on the other hand, could disrupt Pakistan's trade and harm relations with creditors like the World Bank and Asian Development Bank.
Investment is expected to average at around 15 per cent of GDP in the next five years, below the 16 per cent average since 1990.
<h2>Asim Munir's speech. Will it do any good for Pakistan's economy?</h2>
With his speech, the army chief was probably trying to appeal to hardcore nationalists and radical elements in Pakistan.
In the process, he essentially touched upon many political themes, which are not befitting of an army general.
His comments could affect Hindus in Pakistan, alienating an already suffering minority.
He raised the Kashmir issue again, trying to rouse nationalist sentiments in the minds of a bunch of overseas Pakistanis.
His mention of terrorism emanating from Balochistan is interesting, as it's also a result of poverty. The people of Balochistan, as well as in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, have been facing poverty and discrimination, and there have been several protests. The Baloch separatist movement can at least partially be attributed to this poverty.
So overall, Munir's speech was an attempt to re-sell the Pakistan story to the diaspora.
How much he can pull their money back into Pakistan remains to be seen.
But then, Pakistan is always ruled by proxy by the Army, whether it's in charge as dictators, or behind the scenes of elected governments.
Perhaps that's why Munir hopes the overseas Pakistanis would take him seriously.
&nbsp;

Asif Munir Hindu-Muslim speech: He probably hoped for more investments from the diaspora with his speech on how Pakistan was born. South Asia Business & Economy Trending

Asim Munir's Hindu-Muslim two-nation theory speech and Pakistan economy: General Asim Munir, the Pakistani Army chief, reinvoked the two-nation theory to argue that India and Pakistan were two very different nations, as his people were different from Hindus in every aspect of life. His public remarks at the Overseas Pakistanis Convention in Islamabad on Wednesday (Apr 16) raised more than a few eyebrows. But what was he trying to do? More than what he said, what was the motive? Probably the idea is to rouse a pro-Pakistan sentiment, which he hopes to translate into more remittances and investments from the diaspora. What he didn't say is the reason for what he said: Pakistan's poverty. But first, let's look at Asim Munir, full name Syed Asim Munir Ahmed Shah, said. What did the Pakistan Army Chief Gen Asim Munir say? The crux of his speech was that the story of Pakistan should never be forgotten. It is in this context that he recollected the two-nation theory, which led to the formation of Pakistan, because Hindus and Muslims were different. Pakistan army chief peddles two-nation theory, asserts India-Pakistan, Hindus-Pakistanis very different "My dear brothers and sisters and sons and daughters, please don’t forget the story of Pakistan, and don’t forget to narrate this story of Pakistan to your next generation, so that their bond with Pakistan never weakens, whether it is the third generation, or the fourth generation, or the fifth generation, they know what Pakistan is for them," said the Pakistan army chief. "You have to narrate Pakistan’s story to your children so that they don’t forget it when our forefathers thought we were different from Hindus in every possible aspect of life," he added. He stressed the cultural, religious, and ideological differences between Hindus and Muslims, which led to Pakistan's creation. "Our religion is different, our customs are different, our traditions are different, our thoughts are different, our ambitions are different, that's where the foundation of the two-nation theory was laid," said Munir. Imran Khan criticises military in an open letter to Army chief Gen Asim Munir "We [India and Pakistan] are two nations, we are not one nation," he emphasised, almost as if he was trying to justify the creation of Pakistan after the Partition of the Indian subcontinent, more than seven decades after it happened. He also spoke about terrorism, particularly in Balochistan. Gen Munir vowed to eliminate Balochistan Liberation Army, Balochistan Liberation Front and Baloch Republican Army, saying: "We will beat the hell out of these terrorists very soon. You think these 1,500 terrorists, belonging to BLA, BLF and BRA, etc, can take away Balochistan from us?" Even ten generations of terrorists cannot harm Balochistan and Pakistan, he added for good measure. Why overseas Pakistanis are important: Pakistan's economic decline The overseas Pakistanis are being wooed by the Pakistani establishment for only one reason: their remittances and investments. It's a hidden national shame for Pakistan that it had to go with a begging bowl to countries like Saudi Arabia and institutions like the International Monetary Fund, World Bank and Asian Development Bank to overcome years of economic instability. Pakistan's $7 billion IMF bailout review due It is in this context, perhaps, that General Asim Munir tried to appeal to the nationalist sentiments of the overseas Pakistanis. Why is the Pakistani economy struggling? The Pakistani economy has struggled in the past decades due to a deadly cocktail of factors: rapid population growth, political instability, poor economic policies and fiscal mismanagement. Pakistan's population has quadrupled in 50 years while its economy fell behind neighours in South Asia like India, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh. Here is some perspective: Pakistan had a higher income per capita than its neighbours in the early 1970s, but by 2023, its income per capita was half of theirs. Pakistan govt calls Imran Khan 'liar' over his role in alleged removal of Gen Munir as ISI chief Investment has come down when compared to the rest of South Asia, affecting economic growth. In fact, this is an area where Overseas Pakistanis could help. The country’s savings rate has been far below other South Asian nations, made worse by a large, young population. Pakistan has fewer people in the workforce relative to its total population, limiting savings and investment. The Pakistani government is struggling to manage fiscal deficits, leading to a sharp increase in public debt. By 2021–2022, Pakistan’s budget deficit was 8 per cent of GDP, and its external current account deficit reached 5 per cent. Pakistan has relied on borrowing to finance needs, causing foreign exchange shortages, currency devaluation, and inflation. Pakistan's economic crisis of 2021-2023 Between 2021 and 2023, Pakistan faced severe financial instability. Its foreign exchange reserves fell drastically, and inflation surged up to 38 per cent and beyond. In this period, the Pakistani rupee lost more than half its value against the dollar. IMF loan intervention and policy reforms After months of negotiations for loans from the IMF, Pakistan agreed to do urgently needed economic reforms, including on taxes and external debt restructuring. But tax reform, with the aim of increasing tax revenue, is easier said than done. Tax collection is weak, especially from the agriculture and real estate sectors. And any further taxation would lead to public protests. Pakistan continues to face high interest payments on its national debt and low investment. A default on its sovereign debt could cause further problems, like a collapse or destabilisation of its banking system. Restructuring of external debt - Pakistan's debtors include Saudi Arabia and China - could affect bilateral relations and hurt its chances of getting further international financing. How the economic crisis worsened from 2018 By 2018-2019, Pakistan's public debt was 80 per cent of GDP and seven times the government’s annual revenue. Interest payments on these debts consumed 40 per cent of the government’s revenue by this period. In 2021-2022, the budget deficit reached 8 per cent of GDP. External current account deficit in the same period was near 5 per cent of GDP. Inflation jumped to 38 per cent in 2023. More than 60 per cent of government revenue is spent on servicing debt interest. Out of its external debt, 85 per cent is owed to bilateral and multilateral creditors like the IMF. Foreign exchange reserves fell to two weeks’ worth of imports by June 2023. At $4 billion, they covered only 10 per cent of the $30 billion in financing needed for the upcoming year. By mid-2024, public debt was 75 of GDP, out of which 40 per cent was in foreign currencies. What the future holds for Pakistani economy: the IMF EFF Programme Pakistan is participating in an IMF Extended Fund Facility (EFF) programme to help address its balance of payment crisis. The programme aims at reforms that will reduce the budget deficit by 3 per cent of GDP over three years, largely through increased tax revenue. Public spending needs to be curbed to remain just above 13 per cent of GDP. Domestic debt restructuring could be a problem, as nearly 60 per cent of it is held by banks. Restructuring that debt could lead to collapse of the banking sector in worst case scenario. Defaulting on foreign debt, on the other hand, could disrupt Pakistan's trade and harm relations with creditors like the World Bank and Asian Development Bank. Investment is expected to average at around 15 per cent of GDP in the next five years, below the 16 per cent average since 1990. Asim Munir's speech. Will it do any good for Pakistan's economy? With his speech, the army chief was probably trying to appeal to hardcore nationalists and radical elements in Pakistan. In the process, he essentially touched upon many political themes, which are not befitting of an army general. His comments could affect Hindus in Pakistan, alienating an already suffering minority. He raised the Kashmir issue again, trying to rouse nationalist sentiments in the minds of a bunch of overseas Pakistanis. His mention of terrorism emanating from Balochistan is interesting, as it's also a result of poverty. The people of Balochistan, as well as in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, have been facing poverty and discrimination, and there have been several protests. The Baloch separatist movement can at least partially be attributed to this poverty. So overall, Munir's speech was an attempt to re-sell the Pakistan story to the diaspora. How much he can pull their money back into Pakistan remains to be seen. But then, Pakistan is always ruled by proxy by the Army, whether it's in charge as dictators, or behind the scenes of elected governments. Perhaps that's why Munir hopes the overseas Pakistanis would take him seriously.

It's the money, honey: Pak Army chief Asim Munir's Hindu-Muslim, two-nation rant motive could be more overseas Pakistani funds amid debt

Harvard student visa revocation move can affect Indians: Studying at Harvard, one of the most prestigious American universities, is a dream for many Indian students, but they could lose a chance to do so in the Ivy League institution. According to reports, the administration of President Donald Trump has warned that Harvard might lose the ability to host international students.
This comes amid an ongoing tussle between Harvard and Trump, who described it as a 'joke university' over its support of student activism and alleged antisemitism on campus.
&nbsp;
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<h2>Trump's war on universities</h2>
Trump has threatened universities with funding cuts over activism he deems antisemitic and 'terrorist'.&nbsp;A Trump executive order of January 28 had asked universities to monitor international students for suspected participation in crime or terrorism.
<h2>Department of Homeland Security wants to see Harvard records&nbsp;</h2>
The Department of Homeland Security or DHS has threatened to revoke Harvard's eligibility to host foreign students unless it opens up the records on disciplinary action against its students who engage in activism.
DHS now wants universities to have certification under the Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) if they are to host international students on student visas.
The records have to be given by April 30, failing which SEVP "will automatically withdraw the school's certification&rdquo; to host international students.
This was revealed in a letter sent on Wednesday (Apr 16), signed by Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem.
<h2>What information is DHS asking from Harvard? </h2>
In its letter, DHS asked Harvard to give information on:&nbsp; &gt; visa holders who are known threats to other students or university personnel
&gt; those who cause obstruction of the school&rsquo;s learning environment &gt; disciplinary actions against those who made threats to other students or populations or participated in protests.
<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/harvard-university-widener-library-has-a-strange-link-to-the-titanic-8966557">Harvard library donated by man who died on the Titanic has 92 kilometres of bookshelves</a>
The DHS accused Harvard of creating a hostile learning environment for Jewish students, in the wake of antisemitism incidents that followed Israel's war in Gaza against Hamas militant group.
"With a $53.2 billion endowment, Harvard can fund its own chaos - DHS won't," Noem said in the letter, alleging that there was an 'anti-American, pro-Hamas ideology' in the university.
"If Harvard cannot verify it is in full compliance with its reporting requirements, the university will lose the privilege of enrolling foreign students," Noem warned.
<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/harvard-research-programs-get-stop-work-orders-after-22b-funding-freeze-8966699">Harvard research programs get "stop work orders" after $2.2 billion funding freeze</a>
&ldquo;It is a privilege to have foreign students attend Harvard University, not a guarantee,&rdquo; said the DHS letter.
&ldquo;Harvard bending the knee to antisemitism &mdash; driven by its spineless leadership &mdash; fuels a cesspool of extremist riots and threatens our national security,&rdquo; Noem said in a press release.
<h2>US govt to freeze more than $2 billion in Harvard funding, DHS cuts grants</h2>
The DHS move comes amid threats that Harvard could lose federal funding worth $2.2 billion.&nbsp;
Just days ago, US government agencies threatened to pull Harvard&rsquo;s federal funding if it did not report foreign students who violated its code of conduct.
&nbsp;
<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/harvard-research-programs-get-stop-work-orders-after-22b-funding-freeze-8966699">Harvard research programs get "stop work orders" after $2.2 billion funding freeze</a>
DHS also cancelled Harvard grants worth 2.7 million dollars. These include $1.9 million Blue Campaign Program Evaluation and Violence Advisement grant and the other is $800,000 Implementation Science for Targeted Violence Prevention.
<h2>Harvard under pressure but stands firm</h2>
Already, Harvard had to revoke visas of 12 students and recent graduates.
&nbsp;A Harvard spokesperson said the university was aware of Noem's letter regarding grant cancellations and scrutiny of foreign student visas.
<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/harvard-is-a-joke-trump-slams-ivy-league-for-hiring-birdbrains-and-leftist-dopes-warns-to-cut-federal-funds-donald-trump-us-8968947">'Harvard is a JOKE': Trump slams Ivy League for hiring 'birdbrains' and 'Leftist dopes', warns to cut federal funds</a>
Sarah E Kennedy O&rsquo;Reilly said the university &ldquo;will not surrender its independence or relinquish its constitutional rights.&rdquo;
&ldquo;If federal action is taken against a member of our community, we expect it will be based on clear evidence, follow established legal procedures, and respect the constitutional rights afforded to all individuals,&rdquo; Kennedy O&rsquo;Reilly wrote in a statement.
<h2>Harvard's India connection</h2>
Every year, between 500 and 800 Indian students and scholars study at Harvard, according to&nbsp;the university's global support website.
Harvard has ongoing cooperation with Indian institutions, and Harvard students and scholars often travel to India. Harvard-linked institutions in India include the Lakshmi Mittal and Family South Asia Institute&rsquo;s regional office in New Delhi, the Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health&rsquo;s India Research Centre in Mumbai, and Harvard Business School&rsquo;s India Research Centre in Mumbai.
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Trump vs Harvard : Between 500 and 800 Indian students and scholars study at Harvard, according to the university's global support website.  World India News Trending

Harvard student visa revocation move can affect Indians: Studying at Harvard, one of the most prestigious American universities, is a dream for many Indian students, but they could lose a chance to do so in the Ivy League institution. According to reports, the administration of President Donald Trump has warned that Harvard might lose the ability to host international students. This comes amid an ongoing tussle between Harvard and Trump, who described it as a 'joke university' over its support of student activism and alleged antisemitism on campus. Trump's war on universities Trump has threatened universities with funding cuts over activism he deems antisemitic and 'terrorist'. A Trump executive order of January 28 had asked universities to monitor international students for suspected participation in crime or terrorism. Department of Homeland Security wants to see Harvard records The Department of Homeland Security or DHS has threatened to revoke Harvard's eligibility to host foreign students unless it opens up the records on disciplinary action against its students who engage in activism. DHS now wants universities to have certification under the Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) if they are to host international students on student visas. The records have to be given by April 30, failing which SEVP "will automatically withdraw the school's certification” to host international students. This was revealed in a letter sent on Wednesday (Apr 16), signed by Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem. What information is DHS asking from Harvard? In its letter, DHS asked Harvard to give information on: > visa holders who are known threats to other students or university personnel > those who cause obstruction of the school’s learning environment > disciplinary actions against those who made threats to other students or populations or participated in protests. Harvard library donated by man who died on the Titanic has 92 kilometres of bookshelves The DHS accused Harvard of creating a hostile learning environment for Jewish students, in the wake of antisemitism incidents that followed Israel's war in Gaza against Hamas militant group. "With a $53.2 billion endowment, Harvard can fund its own chaos - DHS won't," Noem said in the letter, alleging that there was an 'anti-American, pro-Hamas ideology' in the university. "If Harvard cannot verify it is in full compliance with its reporting requirements, the university will lose the privilege of enrolling foreign students," Noem warned. Harvard research programs get "stop work orders" after $2.2 billion funding freeze “It is a privilege to have foreign students attend Harvard University, not a guarantee,” said the DHS letter. “Harvard bending the knee to antisemitism — driven by its spineless leadership — fuels a cesspool of extremist riots and threatens our national security,” Noem said in a press release. US govt to freeze more than $2 billion in Harvard funding, DHS cuts grants The DHS move comes amid threats that Harvard could lose federal funding worth $2.2 billion. Just days ago, US government agencies threatened to pull Harvard’s federal funding if it did not report foreign students who violated its code of conduct. Harvard research programs get "stop work orders" after $2.2 billion funding freeze DHS also cancelled Harvard grants worth 2.7 million dollars. These include $1.9 million Blue Campaign Program Evaluation and Violence Advisement grant and the other is $800,000 Implementation Science for Targeted Violence Prevention. Harvard under pressure but stands firm Already, Harvard had to revoke visas of 12 students and recent graduates. A Harvard spokesperson said the university was aware of Noem's letter regarding grant cancellations and scrutiny of foreign student visas. 'Harvard is a JOKE': Trump slams Ivy League for hiring 'birdbrains' and 'Leftist dopes', warns to cut federal funds Sarah E Kennedy O’Reilly said the university “will not surrender its independence or relinquish its constitutional rights.” “If federal action is taken against a member of our community, we expect it will be based on clear evidence, follow established legal procedures, and respect the constitutional rights afforded to all individuals,” Kennedy O’Reilly wrote in a statement. Harvard's India connection Every year, between 500 and 800 Indian students and scholars study at Harvard, according to the university's global support website. Harvard has ongoing cooperation with Indian institutions, and Harvard students and scholars often travel to India. Harvard-linked institutions in India include the Lakshmi Mittal and Family South Asia Institute’s regional office in New Delhi, the Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health’s India Research Centre in Mumbai, and Harvard Business School’s India Research Centre in Mumbai.

Indian, other foreign students can't study in Harvard? Trump admin moves to end student visas | How many Indians in Harvard?

Puerto Rico has gone dark as millions in the US territory were affected by a power outage amid the Easter holiday weekend. This is the second time this year that the whole island suffered such a massive power outage, the first one being on New Year's Eve. This is leading to anger against Puerto Rico Governor Jenniffer Gonz&aacute;lez as well as power generation and distribution companies Luma and Genera PR.
Many Puerto Ricans took to streets to protest frequent power cuts. Gonzalez was away when the outage happened, and faced criticism for being 'missing in action.'
<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/donald-trump-comes-under-fire-after-comedian-at-his-rally-calls-puerto-rico-island-of-garbage-771401">Trump comes under fire after comedian calls Puerto Rico 'island of garbage' at his rally</a>
Luma Energy, the distribution company, said it might take up to three days to restore power fully. It blamed the outage on a fault that led to safety protocols kicking in. 
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<h2>Panic on the streets after Puerto Rico loses power again</h2>
Only a handful of power plants were back in action by late Wednesday (Apr 16). According to officials, only 7 per cent of the 1.6 million customers got power back.
There were protests and traffic jams on Puerto Rico&rsquo;s roads.
<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/puerto-rico-is-not-voting-in-us-presidential-elections-but-has-trump-and-harris-on-ballot-heres-why-773612">Puerto Rico is not voting in US presidential elections but has Trump and Harris on ballot. Here's why</a>
Residents panicked to buy emergency generators.
Many lined up at&nbsp;gas stations for fuel.&nbsp;In the capital of San Juan trains were stopped, with passengers seen walking their way out.
<h2>Puerto Rico residents are annoyed&nbsp; at blackout ahead of Easter festivities</h2>
The mostly Catholic island was particularly outraged as the blackout hit when people were preparing for the Easter weekend and Good Friday festivities.&nbsp;
<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/puerto-rico-suffers-island-wide-power-blackout-on-hours-before-new-year-celebration-8582543">Puerto Rico suffers island-wide power blackout hours before New Year</a>
Many Puerto Ricans took to social media, asking the government to end contracts with power generation and discom firms Luma Energy and Genera PR.
<h2>The power may not be restored till Thursday</h2>
More than 1.1 million out of the 1.5 million electricity customers were without power, said Luma Energy..
Governor Gonz&aacute;lez said her agencies were &ldquo;working diligently&rdquo; to resolve the problem.
Authorities traced the problem to a transmission line fault that may have led to the shutdown of power as part of a safety protocol.
<h2>Not the first time: The New Year's Eve blackout of Puerto Rico</h2>
Puerto Rico has faced frequent power blackouts in recent times.
<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/will-shut-off-electricity-completely-ontarios-doug-ford-warns-us-after-trump-doubles-tariffs-8844381">'Will shut off electricity completely': Ontario&rsquo;s Doug Ford warns US after Trump doubles tariffs</a>
The last worst one hit on New Year's Eve this year.&nbsp; That time also, more than 1 million people were without power.
Electricity crews worked through the night and day to restore power, which had been gone for more than 12 hours. Initially, nearly half of LUMA customers, or some 700,000, got power back.
Apart from homes, several hospitals, and essential amenity facilities like water, were affected
Puerto Rico has been facing power grid issues since 2017, when Hurricane Maria hit the island and knocked off much of its power lines.
<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/puerto-rico-suffers-island-wide-power-blackout-on-hours-before-new-year-celebration-8582543"></a> 
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Puerto Rico power outage: Electricity crews worked through the night and day to restore power, which had been gone for more than 12 hours. World

Puerto Rico has gone dark as millions in the US territory were affected by a power outage amid the Easter holiday weekend. This is the second time this year that the whole island suffered such a massive power outage, the first one being on New Year's Eve. This is leading to anger against Puerto Rico Governor Jenniffer González as well as power generation and distribution companies Luma and Genera PR. Many Puerto Ricans took to streets to protest frequent power cuts. Gonzalez was away when the outage happened, and faced criticism for being 'missing in action.' Trump comes under fire after comedian calls Puerto Rico 'island of garbage' at his rally Luma Energy, the distribution company, said it might take up to three days to restore power fully. It blamed the outage on a fault that led to safety protocols kicking in. Panic on the streets after Puerto Rico loses power again Only a handful of power plants were back in action by late Wednesday (Apr 16). According to officials, only 7 per cent of the 1.6 million customers got power back. There were protests and traffic jams on Puerto Rico’s roads. Puerto Rico is not voting in US presidential elections but has Trump and Harris on ballot. Here's why Residents panicked to buy emergency generators. Many lined up at gas stations for fuel. In the capital of San Juan trains were stopped, with passengers seen walking their way out. Puerto Rico residents are annoyed at blackout ahead of Easter festivities The mostly Catholic island was particularly outraged as the blackout hit when people were preparing for the Easter weekend and Good Friday festivities. Puerto Rico suffers island-wide power blackout hours before New Year Many Puerto Ricans took to social media, asking the government to end contracts with power generation and discom firms Luma Energy and Genera PR. The power may not be restored till Thursday More than 1.1 million out of the 1.5 million electricity customers were without power, said Luma Energy.. Governor González said her agencies were “working diligently” to resolve the problem. Authorities traced the problem to a transmission line fault that may have led to the shutdown of power as part of a safety protocol. Not the first time: The New Year's Eve blackout of Puerto Rico Puerto Rico has faced frequent power blackouts in recent times. 'Will shut off electricity completely': Ontario’s Doug Ford warns US after Trump doubles tariffs The last worst one hit on New Year's Eve this year. That time also, more than 1 million people were without power. Electricity crews worked through the night and day to restore power, which had been gone for more than 12 hours. Initially, nearly half of LUMA customers, or some 700,000, got power back. Apart from homes, several hospitals, and essential amenity facilities like water, were affected Puerto Rico has been facing power grid issues since 2017, when Hurricane Maria hit the island and knocked off much of its power lines.

Millions hit by Puerto Rico power outage as US territory's governor, power companies slammed for second blackout of the year

Chinmay Deore from India was among four international students who had sued the Donald Trump administration over possible deportation from the US.&nbsp;In a lawsuit filed by the Michigan unit of American Civil Liberties Union or ACLU, Deore along with Xiangyun Bu and Qiuyi Yang from China and Yogesh Joshi from Nepal alleged that they faced unlawful termination of their student immigration status, exposing them to risk of deportation.
The suit named as defendants the officials of Department of Homeland Security including DHS chief Kristi Noem, acting ICE Director Todd Lyons, and ICE Detroit Field Office Director Robert Lynch.
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<h2>Chinmay Deore case: What does the lawsuit say?</h2>
In a release on April 10, the ACLU Michigan said it has sued the US administration for 'illegally stripping the immigration status of international students attending public universities throughout the state'.
It requested an emergency injunction on behalf of the students who were attending university under the &nbsp;F-1 student visa. Their F-1 statues was 'unlawfully and abruptly terminated by the Trump administration for no valid reason and without notice,' alleged the lawsuit, asking the court to reinstate their status so that they can complete their studies and avoid detention and deportation.
<h2>Trump's war on universities and international students</h2>
The lawsuits come as Donald Trump is waging an ideological and financial war on universities in the US, with sudden revocations of student visas, and deporting or arresting students for their activism.
<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/how-long-do-we-have-to-answer-trump-lashes-out-at-reporter-over-deportation-of-el-salvador-man-8965433">&lsquo;How long do we have to answer?&rsquo; Trump lashes out at reporter over deportation of El Salvador man | WATCH</a>
Hundreds of students across the US had their visas revoked in recent weeks, including in at least six public universities in Michigan, said the ACLU release.
<h2>What the ACLU lawsuit said on Chinmay</h2>
Chinmay and other plaintiffs had their student immigration status in the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS) terminated abruptly and unlawfully &ldquo;without sufficient notice and explanation,&rdquo; it said.
The SEVIS database tracks information about non-immigrant students and exchange scholars in the US.
<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/trump-puts-over-6000-immigrants-in-death-file-to-push-self-deportation-8950842">Trump puts over 6,000 immigrants in 'death file' to push self-deportation</a>
"None of them has been charged with, let alone convicted of, any crime in the US. None has violated any immigration law. Nor have they been active in on-campus protests regarding any political issue," the lawsuit said.
"DHS did not provide the students or their schools any meaningful explanation for terminating their F-1 student status," the complaint said.
<h2>Who Is Chinmay Deore?</h2>
Chinmay Deore is a 21-year old undergraduate computer science student from India.
He came to the US in 2004 on a H4 visa, which is issued to dependents on H1 visas. He returned to India in &nbsp;2014 before going back to the US.&nbsp;
<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/leave-us-get-money-in-return-trumps-offer-to-immigrants-opting-to-self-deport-says-focus-is-on-deporting-murderers-8969478">'Leave US, get money in return': Trump's offer to immigrants opting to self deport, says focus is on deporting 'murderers'</a>
Deore attended high school in Michigan, and was studying at Wayne State University since August 2021.
At the time of enrolling for the course, Deore, who stays with his family in Canton, was still in H4 visa.&nbsp;He applied and successfully changed his status to F1 student visa in May 2022.&nbsp;
Deore, who was expecting to graduate next month, has never been charged or convicted of a crime in the US, except for minor speeding and parking offences, for which he paid penalties.&nbsp;
<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/deportation-of-indian-student-with-less-than-30-days-for-graduation-temporarily-blocked-by-us-judge-8967167">Deportation of Indian student with less than 30 days for graduation temporarily blocked by US judge</a>
He was also not active in any campus protests on political issues, as per the lawsuit.
Earlier this month, he was told by the university that his F1 student status has been terminated.
"Our record shows that your SEVIS has been terminated this morning- TERMINATION REASON: OTHERWISE FAILING TO MAINTAIN STATUS - Individual identified in criminal records check and/or has had their VISA revoked. SEVIS record has been terminated," &nbsp;said the email, as per court documents.
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Chinmay Deore case: ACLU Michigan sued Trump administration for 'illegally stripping the immigration status of international students. World India news Trending

Chinmay Deore from India was among four international students who had sued the Donald Trump administration over possible deportation from the US. In a lawsuit filed by the Michigan unit of American Civil Liberties Union or ACLU, Deore along with Xiangyun Bu and Qiuyi Yang from China and Yogesh Joshi from Nepal alleged that they faced unlawful termination of their student immigration status, exposing them to risk of deportation. The suit named as defendants the officials of Department of Homeland Security including DHS chief Kristi Noem, acting ICE Director Todd Lyons, and ICE Detroit Field Office Director Robert Lynch. Chinmay Deore case: What does the lawsuit say? In a release on April 10, the ACLU Michigan said it has sued the US administration for 'illegally stripping the immigration status of international students attending public universities throughout the state'. It requested an emergency injunction on behalf of the students who were attending university under the F-1 student visa. Their F-1 statues was 'unlawfully and abruptly terminated by the Trump administration for no valid reason and without notice,' alleged the lawsuit, asking the court to reinstate their status so that they can complete their studies and avoid detention and deportation. Trump's war on universities and international students The lawsuits come as Donald Trump is waging an ideological and financial war on universities in the US, with sudden revocations of student visas, and deporting or arresting students for their activism. ‘How long do we have to answer?’ Trump lashes out at reporter over deportation of El Salvador man | WATCH Hundreds of students across the US had their visas revoked in recent weeks, including in at least six public universities in Michigan, said the ACLU release. What the ACLU lawsuit said on Chinmay Chinmay and other plaintiffs had their student immigration status in the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS) terminated abruptly and unlawfully “without sufficient notice and explanation,” it said. The SEVIS database tracks information about non-immigrant students and exchange scholars in the US. Trump puts over 6,000 immigrants in 'death file' to push self-deportation "None of them has been charged with, let alone convicted of, any crime in the US. None has violated any immigration law. Nor have they been active in on-campus protests regarding any political issue," the lawsuit said. "DHS did not provide the students or their schools any meaningful explanation for terminating their F-1 student status," the complaint said. Who Is Chinmay Deore? Chinmay Deore is a 21-year old undergraduate computer science student from India. He came to the US in 2004 on a H4 visa, which is issued to dependents on H1 visas. He returned to India in 2014 before going back to the US. 'Leave US, get money in return': Trump's offer to immigrants opting to self deport, says focus is on deporting 'murderers' Deore attended high school in Michigan, and was studying at Wayne State University since August 2021. At the time of enrolling for the course, Deore, who stays with his family in Canton, was still in H4 visa. He applied and successfully changed his status to F1 student visa in May 2022. Deore, who was expecting to graduate next month, has never been charged or convicted of a crime in the US, except for minor speeding and parking offences, for which he paid penalties. Deportation of Indian student with less than 30 days for graduation temporarily blocked by US judge He was also not active in any campus protests on political issues, as per the lawsuit. Earlier this month, he was told by the university that his F1 student status has been terminated. "Our record shows that your SEVIS has been terminated this morning- TERMINATION REASON: OTHERWISE FAILING TO MAINTAIN STATUS - Individual identified in criminal records check and/or has had their VISA revoked. SEVIS record has been terminated," said the email, as per court documents.

Who is Chinmay Deore, the Indian-origin student suing the Trump administration over possible deportation?

Myanmar earthquake - junta exploiting aid and aftermath: In March, Myanmar military junta's chief Gen Min Aung Hlaing announced that elections will be held in the country on or before January 2026. Just days later, on March 28, a magnitude 7.7 earthquake hit Myanmar, killing at least 36,000 people. Now, there are allegations that the junta is weaponising the earthquake aftermath in several ways: allowing relief and aid only to areas under its control and blocking it from rebel-held areas; bombarding rebel positions in spite of announcing a post-quake ceasefire, and giving reconstruction contracts to kith and kin.
<h2>Myanmar rebel government claims junta blocking aid&nbsp;</h2>
The so-called National Unity Government, which consists of loyalists of the former democratic leader&nbsp;Aung San Suu Kyi , claimed that the junta is employing various tactics to obstruct humanitarian aid from reaching 'liberated areas'.&nbsp;Kyaw Zaw, spokesperson for the NUG President&rsquo;s Office, claimed: &ldquo;Relief supplies directed to Naypyitaw and Mandalay were merely used for public relations purposes and did not reach those in dire need.&rdquo;
<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/pm-modi-holds-bilateral-talks-with-myanmar-junta-leader-at-the-sidelines-of-bimstec-summit-8924035">In a first, PM Modi meets Myanmar junta leader on sidelines of BIMSTEC Summit</a>
Just days after the earthquake, the BBC had reported that during the 72-hour 'golden window' period that's crucial for saving those stuck under rubble, rescue workers were not given access to some of the worst-hit areas by the military. These areas were rebel-held, according to reports.
This, after junta chief Min Aung Hlaing himself invited 'any country, organisation' to aid Myanmar after the devastating quake.
<h2>Airstrikes on rebels continued after quake despite ceasefire</h2>
According to observers and United Nations officials, the junta continued with airstrikes and shelling on rebel-held areas hit by the quake.
<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/myanmar-earthquake-caused-by-supershear-rupture-8925402">'Like a supersonic jet': Myanmar earthquake caused by 'supershear' rupture</a>
&nbsp;
Since the quake, there were reportedly more than 120 air raids, which the UN Human Rights Office described as a potential violation of international humanitarian law.
NUG claimed that at least 100 civilians were killed in such airstrikes since the quake hit on March 28.
<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/myanmar-suffers-strongest-aftershock-since-tragic-march-earthquake-55-magnitude-quake-strikes-near-mandalay-8956848">Myanmar suffers strongest aftershock since tragic March earthquake; 5.5 magnitude quake strikes near Mandalay</a>
&nbsp;
&ldquo;When the sole focus should be on ensuring humanitarian aid gets to disaster zones, the military is instead launching attacks. We call on the military authorities to remove any and all obstacles to the delivery of humanitarian assistance and to cease military operations,&rdquo; UN Human Rights Office spokeswoman Ravina Shamdasani said in a statement.
<h2>Aid workers 'intimidated, extorted'</h2>
Media outlets run by those opposed to the junta are reporting alleged intimidation and extortion of aid workers at junta check points, besides blocking of aid from areas like Sagaing and other rebel-held regions.
 According to these reports, a Red Cross Society of China convoy was fired at.
<h2>Military trying an image makeover amid quake?</h2>
Critics of the junta are alleging that the military is trying to polish its image amid quake relief.
There is even a tussle on how exactly to name the quake: the military terms it &lsquo;Mandalay Earthquake&rsquo; while the NUG calls it Sagaing Earthquake,&rsquo; named after the epicentre.
&nbsp;
<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/indian-army-uses-robo-mules-nano-drones-for-relief-in-earthquake-hit-myanmar-video-8949852">Indian Army uses Robo Mules, Nano Drones for relief in earthquake hit Myanmar - Video</a>
Military officials are being photographed visiting quake-hit areas, monitoring relief and distributing aid, which is being derided as a public relations stunt to bloster the junta's image ahead of the elections.
<h2> Quake reconstruction contracts for the junta chief's son?</h2>
Min Aung Hlaing was reportedly shocked at the damage to the presidential palace and several government buildings after the quake. Now, a section of media is reporting that a company owned by his son, Aung Pyae Sone, is going to help rebuild damaged military structures. Sky One, a construction company owned by Aung Pyae Sone, is sanctioned by Britain.
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Myanmar earthquake politics : During the 72-hour 'golden window' for saving those stuck under rubble, rescue workers were not given access to some of the worst-hit areas. World South Asia

Myanmar earthquake - junta exploiting aid and aftermath: In March, Myanmar military junta's chief Gen Min Aung Hlaing announced that elections will be held in the country on or before January 2026. Just days later, on March 28, a magnitude 7.7 earthquake hit Myanmar, killing at least 36,000 people. Now, there are allegations that the junta is weaponising the earthquake aftermath in several ways: allowing relief and aid only to areas under its control and blocking it from rebel-held areas; bombarding rebel positions in spite of announcing a post-quake ceasefire, and giving reconstruction contracts to kith and kin. Myanmar rebel government claims junta blocking aid The so-called National Unity Government, which consists of loyalists of the former democratic leader Aung San Suu Kyi , claimed that the junta is employing various tactics to obstruct humanitarian aid from reaching 'liberated areas'. Kyaw Zaw, spokesperson for the NUG President’s Office, claimed: “Relief supplies directed to Naypyitaw and Mandalay were merely used for public relations purposes and did not reach those in dire need.” In a first, PM Modi meets Myanmar junta leader on sidelines of BIMSTEC Summit Just days after the earthquake, the BBC had reported that during the 72-hour 'golden window' period that's crucial for saving those stuck under rubble, rescue workers were not given access to some of the worst-hit areas by the military. These areas were rebel-held, according to reports. This, after junta chief Min Aung Hlaing himself invited 'any country, organisation' to aid Myanmar after the devastating quake. Airstrikes on rebels continued after quake despite ceasefire According to observers and United Nations officials, the junta continued with airstrikes and shelling on rebel-held areas hit by the quake. 'Like a supersonic jet': Myanmar earthquake caused by 'supershear' rupture Since the quake, there were reportedly more than 120 air raids, which the UN Human Rights Office described as a potential violation of international humanitarian law. NUG claimed that at least 100 civilians were killed in such airstrikes since the quake hit on March 28. Myanmar suffers strongest aftershock since tragic March earthquake; 5.5 magnitude quake strikes near Mandalay “When the sole focus should be on ensuring humanitarian aid gets to disaster zones, the military is instead launching attacks. We call on the military authorities to remove any and all obstacles to the delivery of humanitarian assistance and to cease military operations,” UN Human Rights Office spokeswoman Ravina Shamdasani said in a statement. Aid workers 'intimidated, extorted' Media outlets run by those opposed to the junta are reporting alleged intimidation and extortion of aid workers at junta check points, besides blocking of aid from areas like Sagaing and other rebel-held regions. According to these reports, a Red Cross Society of China convoy was fired at. Military trying an image makeover amid quake? Critics of the junta are alleging that the military is trying to polish its image amid quake relief. There is even a tussle on how exactly to name the quake: the military terms it ‘Mandalay Earthquake’ while the NUG calls it Sagaing Earthquake,’ named after the epicentre. Indian Army uses Robo Mules, Nano Drones for relief in earthquake hit Myanmar - Video Military officials are being photographed visiting quake-hit areas, monitoring relief and distributing aid, which is being derided as a public relations stunt to bloster the junta's image ahead of the elections. Quake reconstruction contracts for the junta chief's son? Min Aung Hlaing was reportedly shocked at the damage to the presidential palace and several government buildings after the quake. Now, a section of media is reporting that a company owned by his son, Aung Pyae Sone, is going to help rebuild damaged military structures. Sky One, a construction company owned by Aung Pyae Sone, is sanctioned by Britain.

Weaponising earthquake? Myanmar junta accused of blocking aid in rebel-held areas, conducting airstrikes despite truce

Bangladesh Pakistan relations amid Bangladesh India tensions: Bangladesh is expected to receive the Pakistani Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar in the last week of April. Ahead of Dhar's trip, Pakistan Foreign Secretary Amina Baloch is visiting Bangladesh on Wednesday (Apr 16), for the first such bilateral engagement in 15 years.
Since the ousting of Sheikh Hasina's Awami League government in 2024 and her exile in India, much has changed between Pakistan and Bangladesh. Muhammad Yunus, the de facto leader of Bangladesh and its chief adviser, met Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif twice: in New York and Cairo. 
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Dhaka may be trying to reset history, but it is a good time to look at how Bangladesh was born. And more specifically, how India helped Bangladesh come into existence.&nbsp;
<h2>Bangladeshi nationalism: Islam vs Bangla language</h2>
As the British exited the Indian subcontinent after its disastrous Partition, Pakistan was created as two geographical regions: West Pakistan and East Pakistan.
They were separated by some 1,600 kilometres of Indian territory. This made the new nation prima facie unviable, as the administration from Islamabad was both difficult and detested by the Bangladeshis.&nbsp;
The nation of Pakistan was created on the basis of the common religion of Islam. But the reality of East Pakistan was that it was culturally part of the larger, undivided Bengal region of the pre-colonial era.
And at the core of that culture was the Bangla language. The imposition of Urdu from West Pakistan was among the various causes that led to the Bangladeshi freedom movement. From soldiers to clerks, Urdu-speaking people from the west dominated the life of East Pakistan. 
<h2>Rise of Bangladeshi nationalism</h2>
Bangla speakers were sidelined from East Pakisan's economy and wallowed in poverty in the largely agrarian nation. While East Pakistan forces fought against India in the 1967 war, its Bangla-speaking officers were ignored. It's one such officer who created a rebel force, Mukti Bahini.
Aided and encouraged by the Bangla language student movement against Urdu dominance, shepherded by the political backing of the Awami League of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, and strengthened by the Muki Bahini militias, a movement for independence took root in Bangladesh.
<h2>India made a difficult choice in helping the birth of Bangladesh</h2>
After its wars with Pakistan, India has realised the danger of being hit from both the north-west and east. It was a strategic challenge that then prime minister Indira Gandhi clearly understood. The persecution and economic sidelining of Bengalis in East Pakistan at the hands of the West Pakistani administration led to a mass exodus of migrants into India via the virtually open borders. At one point, there were at least 10 million refugees from Bangladesh living in India's West Bengal, with tens of thousands more pouring in daily. India was faced with the dilemma of feeding and housing them, for which millions of rupees had to be spent.
<h2>Mukti Bahini's war against West Pakistan aided by India</h2>
These difficult choices eventually led India to intervene militarily. It helped the Mukti Bahini rebels with arms and training. Initial guerilla warfare, which involved Mukti Bahini attacking several East Pakistani institutions, including an explosion at its propaganda office, soon gave way to an open war. Several disgruntled Bengali officers joined the efforts of Mukti Bahini against West Pakistan.
After several months of impasse, India took decisive action in December 1971. An offensive involving the Indian Army and Air Force, helped by its navy, was quick and decisive. Pakistan's Lieutenant General A.A.K. Niazi, who initially put up a brave front and ignored an ultimatum from India, eventually surrendered on 16 December 1971.
<h2>How India treated Pakistani prisoners of war after the 1971 Bangladesh liberation war</h2>
Some 93,000 prisoners of war were taken, including soldiers, civilian officers and collaborators. That was the largest number of Prisoners of War (PoWs) since the World War II.
India treated them with respect and in accordance with the Geneva Convention. In the PoW camps in Bangladesh, Indian soldiers protected Pakistani soldiers from the wrath of Bengalis, and safely transported them to Indian mainland. Most of them were eventually sent back to Pakistan through the Wagah border and the Line of Control.
&nbsp;
<h2>But everyone inside Bangladesh was not happy with 'Liberation' </h2>
All Bengalis were not aligned with the liberation movement. Those who believed in the identity of the nation based on Islam still supported the West Pakistani Army. Overnight, they became traitors in the eyes of the new dispensation. They were jailed en masse and in many cases, tortured and killed. Many of the collaborators of the West Pakistani government were Islamists, and belonged to the Jamaat-e-Islami Pakistan, the predecessor of Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami. They provided full support to the Pakistani Army in their efforts against the Bangladeshi freedom fighters.
This differing loyalties are at the heart of many of Bangladesh's subsequent political turmoil.&nbsp;
<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/can-pm-modi-yunus-meet-turn-the-tide-for-india-bangladesh-relations-in-post-hasina-era-what-analysts-say-8934952">Can PM Modi-Yunus meet turn the tide for India-Bangladesh relations in post Hasina-era? What analysts say</a>
Once in power, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman banned Jamaat-e-Islami, along with all other religion-based parties. His ideology was a combination of Bangladeshi nationalism, socialism and secularism, and that was in contrast with the basic principles under which East Pakistan was formed. In spite of all his efforts against communalism, such forces remained powerful in Bangladesh.
<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/bangladeshs-yunus-pleads-with-trump-to-pause-tariffs-for-3-months-what-is-india-doing-8935878">&lsquo;We support your agenda&rsquo;: Bangladesh&rsquo;s Yunus pleads with Trump to pause tariffs for 3 months. What is India doing?</a>
Awami League's dominance of Bangladeshi politics, with Mujibur's efforts of bringing in a single-party rule, laid the foundation for disgruntlement against him. Eventually, military officers and former colleagues in Awami League would assassinate him and 18 others, including close family members and personal staff, on August 15, 1975.
<h2>How Sheikh Hasina brought Bangladesh back from instability to economic growth</h2>
The rest of Bangladesh's history is one of military coups, army rule and eventually the political rivalry between a wife and a daughter: Begum Khaleda Zia, the wife of Ziaur Rahman who served as the sixth president of Bangladesh from 1977 until his assassination in 1981, was the leader of Bangladesh Nationalist Party.
Khaleda Zia served as the prime minister in 1991-1996 and 2001-2006.
<a href="https://www.wionews.com/opinions/bangladeshs-fault-lines-the-cost-of-deepening-defence-reliance-on-china-8958704">Bangladesh&rsquo;s fault lines: The cost of deepening defence reliance on China</a>
Sheikh Hasina, the daughter of Mujibur Rahman who escaped assassination in 1971 because she was away in Germany, rose up in Bangladesh politics and served as prime minister in 1996-2001 and from 2009 until her ouster in August 2024.
Khaleda Zia often courted Islamists to stay in power, whereas Sheikh Hasina cracked down on Jihadist terrorism and put Bangladesh on a course of economic growth.
All this while, in spite of diplomatic tensions and irrespective of who was in power, India continued to support Bangladesh through lines of credit, connectivity initiatives and cultural cooperation.&nbsp;
<h2>Yunus government's wooing of India's regional rivals Pakistan and China</h2>
But the new, unelected regime of Bangladesh seems to have a totally different take on the country's history. It is placing itself as a strategic rival of India, by inviting China into its economy and military affairs.
It is re-establishing its relationship with Pakistan, the very nation from which India helped its liberation.
<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/allah-kept-me-alive-for-a-reason-hasina-slams-yunus-says-bangladesh-has-been-turned-into-a-terrorist-country-8939455">&lsquo;Allah kept me alive for a reason&rsquo;: Hasina slams Yunus, says Bangladesh has been turned into a &lsquo;terrorist country&rsquo;</a>
Bangladesh-China relations are growing, too. Chinese President Xi Jinping offered a red carpet welcome to Yunus in Beijing recently, in return for which Chinese warships are likely to dock on the Bangladeshi ports. They say history is cyclical.&nbsp;It would be interesting to watch how much external influence Bangladesh allows in its affairs, with a red carpet welcome to Pakistani and Chinese officials. 
&nbsp;

Since the ousting of Sheikh Hasina's Awami League government in 2024 and her exile in India, much has changed between Pakistan and Bangladesh. India News South Asia Trending

Bangladesh Pakistan relations amid Bangladesh India tensions: Bangladesh is expected to receive the Pakistani Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar in the last week of April. Ahead of Dhar's trip, Pakistan Foreign Secretary Amina Baloch is visiting Bangladesh on Wednesday (Apr 16), for the first such bilateral engagement in 15 years. Since the ousting of Sheikh Hasina's Awami League government in 2024 and her exile in India, much has changed between Pakistan and Bangladesh. Muhammad Yunus, the de facto leader of Bangladesh and its chief adviser, met Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif twice: in New York and Cairo. Dhaka may be trying to reset history, but it is a good time to look at how Bangladesh was born. And more specifically, how India helped Bangladesh come into existence. Bangladeshi nationalism: Islam vs Bangla language As the British exited the Indian subcontinent after its disastrous Partition, Pakistan was created as two geographical regions: West Pakistan and East Pakistan. They were separated by some 1,600 kilometres of Indian territory. This made the new nation prima facie unviable, as the administration from Islamabad was both difficult and detested by the Bangladeshis. The nation of Pakistan was created on the basis of the common religion of Islam. But the reality of East Pakistan was that it was culturally part of the larger, undivided Bengal region of the pre-colonial era. And at the core of that culture was the Bangla language. The imposition of Urdu from West Pakistan was among the various causes that led to the Bangladeshi freedom movement. From soldiers to clerks, Urdu-speaking people from the west dominated the life of East Pakistan. Rise of Bangladeshi nationalism Bangla speakers were sidelined from East Pakisan's economy and wallowed in poverty in the largely agrarian nation. While East Pakistan forces fought against India in the 1967 war, its Bangla-speaking officers were ignored. It's one such officer who created a rebel force, Mukti Bahini. Aided and encouraged by the Bangla language student movement against Urdu dominance, shepherded by the political backing of the Awami League of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, and strengthened by the Muki Bahini militias, a movement for independence took root in Bangladesh. India made a difficult choice in helping the birth of Bangladesh After its wars with Pakistan, India has realised the danger of being hit from both the north-west and east. It was a strategic challenge that then prime minister Indira Gandhi clearly understood. The persecution and economic sidelining of Bengalis in East Pakistan at the hands of the West Pakistani administration led to a mass exodus of migrants into India via the virtually open borders. At one point, there were at least 10 million refugees from Bangladesh living in India's West Bengal, with tens of thousands more pouring in daily. India was faced with the dilemma of feeding and housing them, for which millions of rupees had to be spent. Mukti Bahini's war against West Pakistan aided by India These difficult choices eventually led India to intervene militarily. It helped the Mukti Bahini rebels with arms and training. Initial guerilla warfare, which involved Mukti Bahini attacking several East Pakistani institutions, including an explosion at its propaganda office, soon gave way to an open war. Several disgruntled Bengali officers joined the efforts of Mukti Bahini against West Pakistan. After several months of impasse, India took decisive action in December 1971. An offensive involving the Indian Army and Air Force, helped by its navy, was quick and decisive. Pakistan's Lieutenant General A.A.K. Niazi, who initially put up a brave front and ignored an ultimatum from India, eventually surrendered on 16 December 1971. How India treated Pakistani prisoners of war after the 1971 Bangladesh liberation war Some 93,000 prisoners of war were taken, including soldiers, civilian officers and collaborators. That was the largest number of Prisoners of War (PoWs) since the World War II. India treated them with respect and in accordance with the Geneva Convention. In the PoW camps in Bangladesh, Indian soldiers protected Pakistani soldiers from the wrath of Bengalis, and safely transported them to Indian mainland. Most of them were eventually sent back to Pakistan through the Wagah border and the Line of Control. But everyone inside Bangladesh was not happy with 'Liberation' All Bengalis were not aligned with the liberation movement. Those who believed in the identity of the nation based on Islam still supported the West Pakistani Army. Overnight, they became traitors in the eyes of the new dispensation. They were jailed en masse and in many cases, tortured and killed. Many of the collaborators of the West Pakistani government were Islamists, and belonged to the Jamaat-e-Islami Pakistan, the predecessor of Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami. They provided full support to the Pakistani Army in their efforts against the Bangladeshi freedom fighters. This differing loyalties are at the heart of many of Bangladesh's subsequent political turmoil. Can PM Modi-Yunus meet turn the tide for India-Bangladesh relations in post Hasina-era? What analysts say Once in power, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman banned Jamaat-e-Islami, along with all other religion-based parties. His ideology was a combination of Bangladeshi nationalism, socialism and secularism, and that was in contrast with the basic principles under which East Pakistan was formed. In spite of all his efforts against communalism, such forces remained powerful in Bangladesh. ‘We support your agenda’: Bangladesh’s Yunus pleads with Trump to pause tariffs for 3 months. What is India doing? Awami League's dominance of Bangladeshi politics, with Mujibur's efforts of bringing in a single-party rule, laid the foundation for disgruntlement against him. Eventually, military officers and former colleagues in Awami League would assassinate him and 18 others, including close family members and personal staff, on August 15, 1975. How Sheikh Hasina brought Bangladesh back from instability to economic growth The rest of Bangladesh's history is one of military coups, army rule and eventually the political rivalry between a wife and a daughter: Begum Khaleda Zia, the wife of Ziaur Rahman who served as the sixth president of Bangladesh from 1977 until his assassination in 1981, was the leader of Bangladesh Nationalist Party. Khaleda Zia served as the prime minister in 1991-1996 and 2001-2006. Bangladesh’s fault lines: The cost of deepening defence reliance on China Sheikh Hasina, the daughter of Mujibur Rahman who escaped assassination in 1971 because she was away in Germany, rose up in Bangladesh politics and served as prime minister in 1996-2001 and from 2009 until her ouster in August 2024. Khaleda Zia often courted Islamists to stay in power, whereas Sheikh Hasina cracked down on Jihadist terrorism and put Bangladesh on a course of economic growth. All this while, in spite of diplomatic tensions and irrespective of who was in power, India continued to support Bangladesh through lines of credit, connectivity initiatives and cultural cooperation. Yunus government's wooing of India's regional rivals Pakistan and China But the new, unelected regime of Bangladesh seems to have a totally different take on the country's history. It is placing itself as a strategic rival of India, by inviting China into its economy and military affairs. It is re-establishing its relationship with Pakistan, the very nation from which India helped its liberation. ‘Allah kept me alive for a reason’: Hasina slams Yunus, says Bangladesh has been turned into a ‘terrorist country’ Bangladesh-China relations are growing, too. Chinese President Xi Jinping offered a red carpet welcome to Yunus in Beijing recently, in return for which Chinese warships are likely to dock on the Bangladeshi ports. They say history is cyclical. It would be interesting to watch how much external influence Bangladesh allows in its affairs, with a red carpet welcome to Pakistani and Chinese officials.

Remember, remember the war of December: Bangladesh to host foreign minister of Pakistan, from which India helped its liberation | The irony

Katy Perry space flight trolled: Katy Perry went into space for a few seconds on Monday (Apr 14) but back on earth, the US singer is getting a lot of trolling. Some of the points raised by her critics happen to be legitimate.
Key issues raised in the criticism of her space flight are that it was more of a photo op than a real flight.&nbsp;Others said it was tone-deaf on several levels: climate change and emissions, money being spent on such vanity projects&nbsp; while many are still wallowing in poverty.
Some were political too and referenced the Trump administration's cuts of NASA funding.
<h2>Katy Perry's space flight details </h2>
It was supposed to be a history-making sojourn: an all-female crew sent up by Amazon founder and billionaire Jeff Bezos&rsquo; space exploration company Blue Origin.
Besides Perry, the passengers were: CBS anchor Gayle King, civil rights activist Amanda Nguyen, former NASA engineer Aisha Bowe, producer Kerianne Flynn, and Bezos&rsquo; fianc&eacute;e Lauren S&aacute;nchez.
<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/welcome-back-ns-31-crew-blue-origin-all-women-flight-returns-to-earth-after-historic-achievement-8961649">&lsquo;Welcome back, NS-31 crew!&rsquo;: Blue Origin all-women flight returns to earth after historic achievement</a>
The crew crossed the K&aacute;rm&aacute;n line, the official point where Earth's atmosphere ends and space begins.
Perry sang Louis Armstrong's classic song "What a Wonderful World" when she saw the Earth from space.
She kissed the earth after landing back.&nbsp;
<h2>How the internet reacted to Katy Perry's space flight on Blue Origin</h2>
&nbsp;
Some of the posts were about how short the trip was.&nbsp;"Girl went to space for 11 minutes and came back acting like she escaped Interstellar," said one user.&nbsp;"Katy Perry went to space for like 4 minutes wtf is she kissing the ground for," another person posted on X.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Katy Perry&rsquo;s trip to space 💀 <a href="https://t.co/W3VgMV0HRm">pic.twitter.com/W3VgMV0HRm</a>
&mdash; The Immortal (@TheImmortal007) <a href="https://twitter.com/TheImmortal007/status/1912003529532744135?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 15, 2025</a></blockquote>

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Some reactions were more serious, saying that there were more important people on the flight, whereas Perry got all the attention.&nbsp;
"The only person on this space flight people should be talking about is Amanda Nguyen. She is a rape survivor who quit being an astronaut to pursue criminal justice and got rape laws changed. I&rsquo;m sick of hearing about vapid Katy Perry," posted one user.
Connecting the space flight to women's empowerment didn't go down well with some.
"Crazy how Katy Perry and Lauren Sanchez going to &ldquo;space&rdquo; for 10 minutes is supposed to &ldquo;inspire women&rdquo;, but the women who already worked at NASA are *checks notes* getting fired and getting their bios removed from the site," said one user.&nbsp;
<a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/katy-perry-blue-origin-space-craft-jeff-bezos-all-women-crew-gayle-king-lauren-sanchez-8961944">Katy Perry sings 'What a Wonderful World' on board Blue Origin, kisses the ground on her arrival back to Earth</a>
 This comment came amid news of Indian-origin diversity chief of NASA Neela Rajendra exiting NASA.
&nbsp;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Blue Origin really said: <a href="https://t.co/ZcnDqmRbY5">pic.twitter.com/ZcnDqmRbY5</a>
&mdash; THEE teo. (@heymrteo) <a href="https://twitter.com/heymrteo/status/1911818120601244114?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 14, 2025</a></blockquote>

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There were references to the return of Indian-origin astronaut Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore on March 19, after being stuck in space for more than nine months due to technical issues with the Boeing Starliner spacecraft. One user asked: "How did the celebs get up and down to space so quickly but it took many months for the previous astronauts to come back to earth that ended up being stuck and&nbsp; @SpaceX had to save them?"
The NASA astronauts'&nbsp; mission to the International Space Station was planned for only eight days.
<h2>A vanity project: Space tourism flights damage environment</h2>
Some of the comments described the space trip as 'tone deaf', given the money being spent and how space flights are damaging the environment.
<a href="https://www.wionews.com/web-stories/science-technology/im-really-excited-katy-perry-to-travel-into-space-tomorrow-aboard-blue-origin-rocket-8956981">'I'm really excited': Katy Perry to travel into space tomorrow aboard Blue Origin rocket</a>
&ldquo;That space mission this morning? That&rsquo;s end time s***. It&rsquo;s beyond parody&hellip; You say you care about Mother Earth and then launch yourself into orbit with a company actively destroying it? Think about how many resources went into putting these women into space&hellip; For what? What was the marketing there? I&rsquo;m disgusted,&rdquo; said actress Emily Ratajkowski in a TikTok video.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
They was up there for like 6 minutes 💀 <a href="https://t.co/ohibvZoDgr">pic.twitter.com/ohibvZoDgr</a>
&mdash; SUAREZ (@suayrez) <a href="https://twitter.com/suayrez/status/1911859785424937037?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 14, 2025</a></blockquote>

<script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

&ldquo;Billion dollars bought some good memes I guess,&rdquo; Actor-director Olivia Wilde posted on Instagram.
&ldquo;Thinking &lsquo;we have to protect our mother&rsquo; about the earth after going on a vanity space flight funded by a billionaire whose company is destroying said planet is just so funny, she&rsquo;s got jokes,&rdquo; wrote a social media user.
<a href="https://www.wionews.com/trending/jeff-bezos-and-lauren-sanchez-planning-a-summer-destination-wedding-8830286">Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez planning a summer destination wedding: Report</a>
Another user wrote: &ldquo;Katy Perry burned more emissions than Taylor Swift did during the entire Eras Tour. Taylor brought millions to local economies. This? Nothing.&rdquo;
<h2>How costly is the Blue Origin space tourism flight?</h2>
Booking a seat on a Blue Origin space trip can cost between $150,000 and $28 million.&nbsp;
That is what politician Nina Turner didn't like. &ldquo;If Jeff Bezos can send Katy Perry into space, he can pay a wealth tax so every American has debt-free healthcare,&rdquo; she posted.
&nbsp;
&nbsp;
&nbsp;
&nbsp;
&nbsp;
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Katy Perry trolled: an all-female crew sent up by Amazon founder and billionaire Jeff Bezos’ space exploration company Blue Origin. World Entertainment Trending

Katy Perry space flight trolled: Katy Perry went into space for a few seconds on Monday (Apr 14) but back on earth, the US singer is getting a lot of trolling. Some of the points raised by her critics happen to be legitimate. Key issues raised in the criticism of her space flight are that it was more of a photo op than a real flight. Others said it was tone-deaf on several levels: climate change and emissions, money being spent on such vanity projects while many are still wallowing in poverty. Some were political too and referenced the Trump administration's cuts of NASA funding. Katy Perry's space flight details It was supposed to be a history-making sojourn: an all-female crew sent up by Amazon founder and billionaire Jeff Bezos’ space exploration company Blue Origin. Besides Perry, the passengers were: CBS anchor Gayle King, civil rights activist Amanda Nguyen, former NASA engineer Aisha Bowe, producer Kerianne Flynn, and Bezos’ fiancée Lauren Sánchez. ‘Welcome back, NS-31 crew!’: Blue Origin all-women flight returns to earth after historic achievement The crew crossed the Kármán line, the official point where Earth's atmosphere ends and space begins. Perry sang Louis Armstrong's classic song "What a Wonderful World" when she saw the Earth from space. She kissed the earth after landing back. How the internet reacted to Katy Perry's space flight on Blue Origin Some of the posts were about how short the trip was. "Girl went to space for 11 minutes and came back acting like she escaped Interstellar," said one user. "Katy Perry went to space for like 4 minutes wtf is she kissing the ground for," another person posted on X. Katy Perry’s trip to space 💀 pic.twitter.com/W3VgMV0HRm — The Immortal (@TheImmortal007) April 15, 2025 Some reactions were more serious, saying that there were more important people on the flight, whereas Perry got all the attention. "The only person on this space flight people should be talking about is Amanda Nguyen. She is a rape survivor who quit being an astronaut to pursue criminal justice and got rape laws changed. I’m sick of hearing about vapid Katy Perry," posted one user. Connecting the space flight to women's empowerment didn't go down well with some. "Crazy how Katy Perry and Lauren Sanchez going to “space” for 10 minutes is supposed to “inspire women”, but the women who already worked at NASA are *checks notes* getting fired and getting their bios removed from the site," said one user. Katy Perry sings 'What a Wonderful World' on board Blue Origin, kisses the ground on her arrival back to Earth This comment came amid news of Indian-origin diversity chief of NASA Neela Rajendra exiting NASA. Blue Origin really said: pic.twitter.com/ZcnDqmRbY5 — THEE teo. (@heymrteo) April 14, 2025 There were references to the return of Indian-origin astronaut Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore on March 19, after being stuck in space for more than nine months due to technical issues with the Boeing Starliner spacecraft. One user asked: "How did the celebs get up and down to space so quickly but it took many months for the previous astronauts to come back to earth that ended up being stuck and @SpaceX had to save them?" The NASA astronauts' mission to the International Space Station was planned for only eight days. A vanity project: Space tourism flights damage environment Some of the comments described the space trip as 'tone deaf', given the money being spent and how space flights are damaging the environment. 'I'm really excited': Katy Perry to travel into space tomorrow aboard Blue Origin rocket “That space mission this morning? That’s end time s***. It’s beyond parody… You say you care about Mother Earth and then launch yourself into orbit with a company actively destroying it? Think about how many resources went into putting these women into space… For what? What was the marketing there? I’m disgusted,” said actress Emily Ratajkowski in a TikTok video. They was up there for like 6 minutes 💀 pic.twitter.com/ohibvZoDgr — SUAREZ (@suayrez) April 14, 2025 “Billion dollars bought some good memes I guess,” Actor-director Olivia Wilde posted on Instagram. “Thinking ‘we have to protect our mother’ about the earth after going on a vanity space flight funded by a billionaire whose company is destroying said planet is just so funny, she’s got jokes,” wrote a social media user. Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez planning a summer destination wedding: Report Another user wrote: “Katy Perry burned more emissions than Taylor Swift did during the entire Eras Tour. Taylor brought millions to local economies. This? Nothing.” How costly is the Blue Origin space tourism flight? Booking a seat on a Blue Origin space trip can cost between $150,000 and $28 million. That is what politician Nina Turner didn't like. “If Jeff Bezos can send Katy Perry into space, he can pay a wealth tax so every American has debt-free healthcare,” she posted.

'Vapid' Katy Perry trolled for 'tone-deaf' Blue Origin space flight that lasted few seconds. Some of the criticism is legit | See samples

At the start of the antitrust trial that could ask Meta to sell off Instagram and WhatsApp, its CEO Mark Zuckerberg was more combative and prepared than earlier. After several court cases and Congressional testimonies over various scandals, the 40-year old is experienced and mature in handling such challenges. But the trial that started on Monday (Apr 14) could be the most testing one for him. Because this time, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is accusing Meta of violating US antitrust laws in acquiring Instagram and WhatsApp. Using his own emails from as far back as 2011, the FTC lawyers are arguing that he used a 'buy or bury strategy', meaning it was a choice between competing with or buying out the then-main rival social media platforms of Facebook. The seven hours of testimony at the US District Court for the District of Columbia in Washington DC is the latest of Zuckerberg's high-profile public appearances.&nbsp;
Even the company's renaming in 2021 was an attempt to make the public forget the shady history of Facebook.
He is playing it differently now. He was at the White House before the trial started, which is being seen as an attempt to settle the FTC lawsuit.
What gives him the smug confidence is the unwavering stock price of Meta. Investor confidence only rose and the stock is valued double than his first appearances in Congress.
<h2><iframe width="600" height="auto" style="width: 100%; aspect-ratio: 4/3;" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" class="external-video publive-iframes-block" src="https://cdn.thepublive.com/wion/static/kaltura_player/wion_video_player_iframe.html?thumbnail=wion/media/post_attachments/screenshot/3001_meta_830pm_WION/00000002.jpg&amp;videourl=https://vodakm.zeenews.com/vod/WION/3001_meta_830pm_WION_.mp4/index.m3u8&amp;duration=164&amp;tags=meta, mark zuckerbeg, facebook, instagram" title="Meta to pay Trump $25 Million to settle lawsuit over Facebook and Instagram " id="PL_iframe_block-m9i5akxm-ja506gmt-uodxzhgy"></iframe></h2>
<h2></h2>
<h2>The many trials of Mark Zuckerberg</h2>
Legend has it that Zuckerberg started his first social network, The Facebook, from his dorm room at the Harvard University in 2004.
Since then, Congressional depositions, Senate and House committee appearances, and lawsuits hounded&nbsp; Zuckerberg. Either in person or through his lawyers, he has testified at least eight times before the US Congress and appeared as witness in court cases at least twice.
These cases and testimonies were on user data privacy, child safety and disinformation on his social media assets like Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp. He has also faced questions on social media regulation, competition, and the future of digital platforms.&nbsp;
Here is a look at some of them:
<h2>2010: the first major appearance that made Zuckerberg sweat</h2>
When his company was still called Facebook, Zuckerberg literally sweated at a public appearance. That was not even a trial or congressional deposition but an interview at a technology conference. During an interview at the AllThingsD conference with Kara Swisher and Walt Mossberg, Zuckerberg struggled to answer questions on user privacy on Facebook. He was caught on camera sweating so profusely that at one point, he had to take off his hoodie.
&nbsp;
<h2>2018 testimony before Congress&nbsp;</h2>
This was Zuckerberg's first major appearance before the US Congress, for which he was prepared by lawyers for two weeks. There were three continuous hearings over two days, where he faced accusations of lying.&nbsp;
It was mainly about Facebook giving political consulting firm Cambridge Analytica access to user data without consent.
At the jampacked appearances, he gave non-answers to many questions as he was schooled by his lawyers, often saying, 'my team will get back to you'.
At the US Senate Judiciary and Commerce Committees, Zuckerberg faced questions about how Facebook mishandled user data, essentially allowing it to be harvested by Cambridge Analytica.&nbsp;
In the same year, he also faced the House of Representatives Committee on data breaches and spread of misinformation campaigns through its platform.
This was particularly on the spread of misleading content and fake news, in the wake of the election of Donald Trump as US president.
<h2>2019 House hearing on cryptocurrency Libra</h2>
Zuckerberg was questioned by the US House Financial Services Committee on the cryptocurrency Libra.
While the main topic was on Libra's safety and security features, he also faced questions about misinformation spreading through political ads on Facebook.
Zuckerberg often found it difficult to answer the questions.
&nbsp;
<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/meta-chief-mark-zuckerberg-testifies-at-landmark-us-antitrust-trial-heres-what-happened-8962744">Meta chief Mark Zuckerberg testifies at landmark US antitrust trial: Here's what happened</a>
<h2></h2>
He was accused of steamrolling everyone: business rivals, people of colour, women, and even the American democracy.
He argued that Libra could improve financial inclusion and ease global payments, but eventually, the project was delayed.
<h2>2020 Congressional hearings of Big Tech firms</h2>
 Zuckerberg was one of the tech CEOs summoned by the House Judiciary Committee hearing.
He was more prepared and polished in those hearings.
<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/facebook-blocked-in-this-country-over-fake-news-hate-speech-and-porn-government-warns-its-national-threat-8889442">Facebook blocked in THIS country over &lsquo;fake news, hate speech, and porn&rsquo;; government warns it&rsquo;s national threat</a>
&nbsp;
<h2>2021 testimonies on disinformation on social media&nbsp;</h2>
Zuckerberg was summoned by a House of Representatives panel on disinformation spreading in social media. This time also, he was one of the CEOs testifying, along with top brass of Twitter and Google.
&nbsp;
<a href="https://www.wionews.com/business-economy/instagram-whatsapp-meta-monopoly-antitrust-case-updates-mark-zuckerberg-could-lose-social-media-assets-8960162">Will Zuckerberg lose Instagram, Whatsapp? Landmark antitrust case could force Meta to divest crown jewels | Details here</a>
&nbsp;
The same year, he faced the Senate Judiciary Committee on antitrust concerns faced by Meta over Facebook&rsquo;s acquisitions, particularly Instagram and WhatsApp. He argued that the acquisitions were aimed at innovation and more value to users.
In arguments that he repeated on Monday's court appearance, he said Facebook faced competition from other platforms like Google and Twitter, implying that Mea was not a monopoly.
<h2>2022 FTC antitrust hearings&nbsp;</h2>
This was Meta's first major hearing before the FTC on acquisitions and antitrust concerns.
Zuckerberg defended the company&rsquo;s acquisitions, specifically of the virtual reality firm Oculus, as 'strategic decisions' to create long-term value for the company and its users.&nbsp;
<h2>2023 US House Judiciary Committee on antitrust and data privacy</h2>
At this hearing, Zuckerberg defended Meta&rsquo;s practices, emphasising that Facebook users had control over their data and that the company had complied with relevant privacy laws.&nbsp;
<h2>2024 public apology in hearing on child deaths due to online bullying</h2>
Zuckerberg appeared at a Congressional hearing on child online safety. He was asked to apologise to parents of children who died as a result of bullying and other issues fuelled by Facebook and Instagram. Addressing the parents present, he apologised for their loss.
<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/trumps-big-tech-war-what-antitrust-cases-mean-for-google-meta-apple-and-the-future-of-ai-explained-8961485">Trump&rsquo;s big tech war: What antitrust cases mean for Google, Meta, Apple and the Future of AI | Explained</a>
<h2></h2>
Besides these, he testified at a Dallas court on intellectual property theft claims by a video game company, ZeniMax Media in 2017. In 2023, he testified in San Jose, California on a trial against Meta&rsquo;s acquisition of Within, a virtual reality firm.
&nbsp;

Mark Zuckerberg Meta Instagram trial: Using his emails, the FTC agrued that he used a 'buy or bury strategy'. World Business & Economy Science & Technology Trending

At the start of the antitrust trial that could ask Meta to sell off Instagram and WhatsApp, its CEO Mark Zuckerberg was more combative and prepared than earlier. After several court cases and Congressional testimonies over various scandals, the 40-year old is experienced and mature in handling such challenges. But the trial that started on Monday (Apr 14) could be the most testing one for him. Because this time, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is accusing Meta of violating US antitrust laws in acquiring Instagram and WhatsApp. Using his own emails from as far back as 2011, the FTC lawyers are arguing that he used a 'buy or bury strategy', meaning it was a choice between competing with or buying out the then-main rival social media platforms of Facebook. The seven hours of testimony at the US District Court for the District of Columbia in Washington DC is the latest of Zuckerberg's high-profile public appearances. Even the company's renaming in 2021 was an attempt to make the public forget the shady history of Facebook. He is playing it differently now. He was at the White House before the trial started, which is being seen as an attempt to settle the FTC lawsuit. What gives him the smug confidence is the unwavering stock price of Meta. Investor confidence only rose and the stock is valued double than his first appearances in Congress. The many trials of Mark Zuckerberg Legend has it that Zuckerberg started his first social network, The Facebook, from his dorm room at the Harvard University in 2004. Since then, Congressional depositions, Senate and House committee appearances, and lawsuits hounded Zuckerberg. Either in person or through his lawyers, he has testified at least eight times before the US Congress and appeared as witness in court cases at least twice. These cases and testimonies were on user data privacy, child safety and disinformation on his social media assets like Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp. He has also faced questions on social media regulation, competition, and the future of digital platforms. Here is a look at some of them: 2010: the first major appearance that made Zuckerberg sweat When his company was still called Facebook, Zuckerberg literally sweated at a public appearance. That was not even a trial or congressional deposition but an interview at a technology conference. During an interview at the AllThingsD conference with Kara Swisher and Walt Mossberg, Zuckerberg struggled to answer questions on user privacy on Facebook. He was caught on camera sweating so profusely that at one point, he had to take off his hoodie. 2018 testimony before Congress This was Zuckerberg's first major appearance before the US Congress, for which he was prepared by lawyers for two weeks. There were three continuous hearings over two days, where he faced accusations of lying. It was mainly about Facebook giving political consulting firm Cambridge Analytica access to user data without consent. At the jampacked appearances, he gave non-answers to many questions as he was schooled by his lawyers, often saying, 'my team will get back to you'. At the US Senate Judiciary and Commerce Committees, Zuckerberg faced questions about how Facebook mishandled user data, essentially allowing it to be harvested by Cambridge Analytica. In the same year, he also faced the House of Representatives Committee on data breaches and spread of misinformation campaigns through its platform. This was particularly on the spread of misleading content and fake news, in the wake of the election of Donald Trump as US president. 2019 House hearing on cryptocurrency Libra Zuckerberg was questioned by the US House Financial Services Committee on the cryptocurrency Libra. While the main topic was on Libra's safety and security features, he also faced questions about misinformation spreading through political ads on Facebook. Zuckerberg often found it difficult to answer the questions. Meta chief Mark Zuckerberg testifies at landmark US antitrust trial: Here's what happened He was accused of steamrolling everyone: business rivals, people of colour, women, and even the American democracy. He argued that Libra could improve financial inclusion and ease global payments, but eventually, the project was delayed. 2020 Congressional hearings of Big Tech firms Zuckerberg was one of the tech CEOs summoned by the House Judiciary Committee hearing. He was more prepared and polished in those hearings. Facebook blocked in THIS country over ‘fake news, hate speech, and porn’; government warns it’s national threat 2021 testimonies on disinformation on social media Zuckerberg was summoned by a House of Representatives panel on disinformation spreading in social media. This time also, he was one of the CEOs testifying, along with top brass of Twitter and Google. Will Zuckerberg lose Instagram, Whatsapp? Landmark antitrust case could force Meta to divest crown jewels | Details here The same year, he faced the Senate Judiciary Committee on antitrust concerns faced by Meta over Facebook’s acquisitions, particularly Instagram and WhatsApp. He argued that the acquisitions were aimed at innovation and more value to users. In arguments that he repeated on Monday's court appearance, he said Facebook faced competition from other platforms like Google and Twitter, implying that Mea was not a monopoly. 2022 FTC antitrust hearings This was Meta's first major hearing before the FTC on acquisitions and antitrust concerns. Zuckerberg defended the company’s acquisitions, specifically of the virtual reality firm Oculus, as 'strategic decisions' to create long-term value for the company and its users. 2023 US House Judiciary Committee on antitrust and data privacy At this hearing, Zuckerberg defended Meta’s practices, emphasising that Facebook users had control over their data and that the company had complied with relevant privacy laws. 2024 public apology in hearing on child deaths due to online bullying Zuckerberg appeared at a Congressional hearing on child online safety. He was asked to apologise to parents of children who died as a result of bullying and other issues fuelled by Facebook and Instagram. Addressing the parents present, he apologised for their loss. Trump’s big tech war: What antitrust cases mean for Google, Meta, Apple and the Future of AI | Explained Besides these, he testified at a Dallas court on intellectual property theft claims by a video game company, ZeniMax Media in 2017. In 2023, he testified in San Jose, California on a trial against Meta’s acquisition of Within, a virtual reality firm.

The 9 lives of Mark Zuckerberg: Every time Meta CEO faced scrutiny. Will he survive 'sell Instagram' trial this time? A timeline

Fourth grader Yoshiaki Shono was playing a video game at a park near his Tokyo home when the console froze up. The 10-year-old Japanese boy took it for repair, and found out that an invasive species has taken up residence inside the console: fire ants.
This sent him on a quest to 'design' a type of sand that can repel the fire ants, a species alien to Japan till 2017 when they entered the country, possibly via container ships, and multiplied.
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Yoshiaki has been honoured at a science and invention contest in Tokyo and he has applied for a patent for his innovation, which he hopes will have commercial use soon.&nbsp;
Shono's anti-ant sand was a result of his dozens of experiments for over a year and careful study of the behaviour of the insects.
&nbsp;
&nbsp;
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<h2>How Shono's curiosity led to ant-repellent sand</h2>
Fire ants are one of the fiercest alien species in Japan. Their venom packs a punch, and a sting can cause a burning sensation on skin, and in worst cases, could lead to anaphylactic shock.
Shono was playing at a park near his home in Tokyo&rsquo;s Shinagawa in 2023 when they invaded his game console.
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His online research led to the conclusion that the ants had entered the console in search for warmth.
&ldquo;I wanted to prevent their spread,&rdquo; Shono, who is asthmatic and suffered from several allergies, was quoted as saying in a story on Japan's Asahi Shimbun newspaper.
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<h2>How the fire ant-repellent sand was created</h2>
Shono and his father Mikio used photocatalysis technology for the sand innovation. The technology is used to turn organic material into water and carbon dioxide.
He contacted a company, which sent him a photocatalyst mix that contained oxidised titanium and tungsten oxide, said the report.
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He experimented it with coral sand, which&nbsp;calcium carbonate that ants find repulsive.
He conducted some 48 experiments over 16 months and finally found the right mix of sand that can repel the ants.
The sand is named 'Kiraboshi no Suna', which means sand of a twinkling star, said the report.
&nbsp;
&nbsp;

Fire ant-repelling sand: Yoshiaki has been honoured at an invention contest in Tokyo and has applied for a patent for his innovation.  Science & Technology

Fourth grader Yoshiaki Shono was playing a video game at a park near his Tokyo home when the console froze up. The 10-year-old Japanese boy took it for repair, and found out that an invasive species has taken up residence inside the console: fire ants. This sent him on a quest to 'design' a type of sand that can repel the fire ants, a species alien to Japan till 2017 when they entered the country, possibly via container ships, and multiplied. Scientist who discovered acid rain warns it could return under Trump Yoshiaki has been honoured at a science and invention contest in Tokyo and he has applied for a patent for his innovation, which he hopes will have commercial use soon. Shono's anti-ant sand was a result of his dozens of experiments for over a year and careful study of the behaviour of the insects. How Shono's curiosity led to ant-repellent sand Fire ants are one of the fiercest alien species in Japan. Their venom packs a punch, and a sting can cause a burning sensation on skin, and in worst cases, could lead to anaphylactic shock. Shono was playing at a park near his home in Tokyo’s Shinagawa in 2023 when they invaded his game console. 14-year-old Noida boy makes asteroid discovery, NASA asks him to name it His online research led to the conclusion that the ants had entered the console in search for warmth. “I wanted to prevent their spread,” Shono, who is asthmatic and suffered from several allergies, was quoted as saying in a story on Japan's Asahi Shimbun newspaper. Live insects found in sambar served on Vande Bharat Express, Railways imposes fine on caterer How the fire ant-repellent sand was created Shono and his father Mikio used photocatalysis technology for the sand innovation. The technology is used to turn organic material into water and carbon dioxide. He contacted a company, which sent him a photocatalyst mix that contained oxidised titanium and tungsten oxide, said the report. Chinese man inhales cockroach in sleep, insect remains lodged in airway for three days He experimented it with coral sand, which calcium carbonate that ants find repulsive. He conducted some 48 experiments over 16 months and finally found the right mix of sand that can repel the ants. The sand is named 'Kiraboshi no Suna', which means sand of a twinkling star, said the report.

Fire ants invaded Japanese boy's game console. So he created a sand that repels them

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Zee News Rajasthan

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Vinod Janardhanan

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