A US federal judge has blocked new Trump administration rules that would have sharply cut how long foreign students and journalists can stay in the country, a day before they were due to take effect. The rules would have capped student stays at four years and journalist visas at just 240 days. India, the largest source of international students in the US with 3,63,019 enrolled in 2024-25, stood to be hit hardest. The pause means Indian students in longer programmes, like PhDs, won't scramble for extensions, and Indian journalists can keep working without filing for renewal every eight months, for now. (PC: HT)

India is concerned about risks around the Bab-el-Mandeb Strait as Iran-backed Houthis escalate attacks in the Red Sea region. The chokepoint connects the Red Sea with the Gulf of Aden and is a gateway between the Indian Ocean and Mediterranean. With shipping through the Strait of Hormuz disrupted amid the US-Iran conflict, Bab-el-Mandeb has become more important for energy supplies. India said attacks on Saudi infrastructure and economic assets threaten stability and freedom of navigation. MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal confirmed India continues receiving energy and said External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar discussed the attacks with Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan. Prolonged disruption could increase shipping, insurance and energy-security pressures. (PC: Reuters)

India’s Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) dismissed Pakistan’s fresh increase in the bounty on Jaish-e-Mohammed chief Masood Azhar as “gimmicks” and demanded concrete action against terrorism. MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said Pakistan’s “hoodwinking” was not new, noting that similar announcements had been made previously, once again. Responding to a question about Pakistan maintaining the bounty on Azhar, Jaiswal called the announcement “phoney” and said that, for a state sponsor of terrorism, such declarations were hollow. He stressed that Pakistan must take concrete action instead of making phoney announcements, adding that the bounty announcement was “of no consequence” in practice. Azhar is believed to be operating from Bahawalpur in Pakistan’s Punjab province. (PC: AFP)

Indian-Americans had steadily shifted towards Donald Trump and the Republican Party in the 2024 election, drawn by shared conservative values and economic messaging. That trend now faces a setback after Texas GOP candidate Bo French called South Asian students celebrating at a University of Texas football game a "problem," triggering allegations of racism. Senator John Cornyn and other Republicans condemned the remarks, while Democratic Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi called it xenophobic hate. Indian-American groups have voiced anger, warning the episode risks reviving fears of discrimination within the GOP. Analysts say the backlash could stall the community's rightward political shift ahead of upcoming elections.

Two Indian-origin former Rutgers University students, identified as Navam Kaul and Malaika Chitre, died after being struck by a Number 4 train at Canal Street Station in Manhattan on Sunday. A viral video showed the pair sitting on the tracks before the train arrived. Police are investigating whether drugs or alcohol were involved, and are also examining the possibility of suicide, though no note has been found. The train operator reportedly saw the two on the tracks moments before the collision. Around 100 passengers aboard were evacuated safely. The incident remains under investigation by New York transit authorities. (PC: HT)

The Centre has summoned Air India CEO over an alleged immigration lapse involving three foreign nationals who reportedly departed India without undergoing mandatory departure immigration clearance at Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport, according to sources. The Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA) has sought an explanation from the airline, describing the incident as a “serious security and immigration-related lapse.” The ministry has also issued a show-cause notice to Air India seeking details about the circumstances that led to the alleged violation of mandatory immigration procedures. The incident has raised significant security concerns, with authorities seeking clarity from the airline over how the three foreign nationals were able to leave India without completing the required departure immigration clearance. (PC: X)

Kerala travel vlogger Arunima, known as ‘Backpacker Arunima’, claimed she was arrested by the “Mujahideen” in Bamyan, Afghanistan, while travelling alone. On Monday, she posted an SOS seeking help in contacting the Indian embassy. She also shared what she described as a translation of an official communication stating that she had been arrested. Arunima has been travelling across Afghanistan for several weeks and posting updates from the Taliban-ruled country. Nearly three hours after posting the SOS, she said she was allowed to leave after reaching a settlement with Taliban members. Her claim that she was detained for travelling alone and the circumstances surrounding the incident were not detailed in the report. (PC: X)

US lawmakers have proposed competing amendments to a Russia sanctions bill that could expose oil-trading partners, including India, to 100 per cent tariffs. Congressman Steny Hoyer’s amendment would name China, India, Turkiye, Azerbaijan, Hungary, the Slovak Republic, the UAE, Singapore, Kazakhstan and Kyrgyz Republic as countries eligible for the duties. Congressman Gregory Meeks has proposed scrapping Section 113, which grants the President authority to impose secondary tariffs on Russia’s trading partners. The Senate passed the bill 86-11 on August 7, targeting Russia’s leadership, energy sector and shadow fleet. Meeks proposed 90-day sanction waivers and $15 billion in loans to Ukraine. The House has four working days before its midterm election recess. (PC: Money Control)

Indonesia is coordinating with Indian authorities and CITES to repatriate five baby orangutans rescued in Odisha’s Balasore on September 8. The primates, three males and two females aged six months to one year, were found in Bichitrapur forest and moved to Nandankanan Zoological Park, where they remain quarantined in a temperature-controlled facility. Preliminary observations suggest they may be Sumatran orangutans, with DNA testing needed for confirmation. Indonesian authorities are working with India’s CITES Management Authority, diplomatic missions and conservation bodies to expedite their return. Odisha Police’s Special Task Force and Wildlife Crime Control Bureau are investigating a suspected international trafficking network and how the animals reached India, including possible trafficking routes.

A 24-year-old Indian-origin woman, Malaika Chitre, and her Nepali-American friend, Navam Kaul, were killed after being struck by a subway train at Spring Street station in Lower Manhattan. According to The New York Post, citing the NYPD, the two were sitting on the roadbed when a southbound No. 4 train hit them at 3:15 am. Chitre was from Dayton, New Jersey, while Kaul was from Sayreville, New Jersey. Bystander video appears to show them sitting on the tracks before the train approached. Sources said the train operator saw them, activated emergency brakes, but could not stop in time. Operator reportedly said Chitre appeared to be laughing while pulling Kaul toward her.