India's political landscape is ablaze with activity! From the ongoing debates surrounding the new farm bills and their impact on rural India, to the upcoming state elections shaping the national narrative, the stakes couldn't be higher. Key political figures are maneuvering strategically, with alliances shifting and power dynamics constantly in flux. The opposition's challenge to the ruling party is intensifying, sparking vigorous debates on crucial policy matters including economic reforms and social justice initiatives. Parliamentary proceedings are filled with heated exchanges, reflecting the deep divisions within the nation. This evolving political climate directly impacts the lives of every Indian citizen, influencing everything from economic opportunities to social welfare programs. Stay informed about the latest developments in Indian politics, from crucial legislative decisions to grassroots movements, by exploring Abtak.com for in-depth analysis and breaking news updates. Understanding the intricacies of our political system is crucial; stay engaged, stay informed, and stay ahead.
Srinagar: The United States Embassy in India has issued a fresh advisory underscoring the ongoing scrutiny of visa holders, even after the visa has been granted. In a l atest social media post on platform X (formerly Twitter), the Embassy warned that non-compliance with U.S. immigration laws could result in visa revocation and potential deportation. "US visa screening does not stop after a visa is issued," the Embassy stated. "We continuously check visa holders to ensure they follow all US laws and immigration rules - and we will revoke their visas and deport them if they don't." This announcement is part of a broader push by the U.S. government to strengthen immigration enforcement and national security protocols. The advisory serves as a stern reminder that entry into the U.S. is not unconditional, and visa holders must maintain compliance with all legal and regulatory requirements throughout their stay. New Screening Requirements for F, M, and J Visa Applicants In a significant policy shift last month, the U.S. introduced more rigorous screening procedures specifically targeting non-immigrant visa categories, particularly students (F), vocational students (M), and exchange visitors (J). One of the key new requirements mandates that all applicants must set their personal social media profiles to "public" to enable vetting by consular officials. "Every visa adjudication is a national security decision," the Embassy posted. "Effective immediately, all individuals applying for an F, M, or J non-immigrant visa are requested to adjust the privacy settings on all of their personal social media accounts to 'public' to facilitate vetting necessary to establish their identity and admissibility to the United States." This requirement complements an earlier rule that mandates applicants to disclose all social media usernames and handles used in the last five years as part of the DS-160 visa application form -- a standard document for most U.S. non-immigrant visas. Failure to Comply Could Lead to Visa Denial and Ineligibility The Embassy reiterated that providing incomplete or misleading information, particularly concerning social media history, may have serious consequences. "Visa applicants are required to list all social media usernames or handles of every platform they have used in the last five years on the DS-160 visa application form," the post emphasized. "Omitting social media information could lead to visa denial and ineligibility for future visas." The advisory reflects heightened vigilance by U.S. authorities to identify individuals who may pose a security threat or have violated immigration laws, even after arrival in the country. Part of Broader Crackdown on Immigration Violations The latest measures align with the U.S. government's intensified focus on curbing illegal immigration and strengthening its vetting processes in light of evolving global security challenges. Officials have made it clear that visa issuance is a privilege contingent upon continued lawful behavior. Visa holders and prospective applicants are now being urged to review their online activity and ensure complete transparency in their visa applications. Legal experts caution that discrepancies, omissions, or privacy settings that impede background checks may adversely affect applicants' chances. What Applicants Should Know The advisory serves as a wake-up call to Indian nationals and others seeking to travel to the U.S. on student, exchange, or other non-immigrant visas. With digital footprints now playing a central role in immigration vetting, transparency and adherence to U.S. laws have never been more critical.
U.S. President-elect Donald Trump said on Monday that on his first day in office he would impose a 25% tariff on all products from Mexico and Canada, and an additional 10% tariff on goods from China, citing concerns over illegal immigration and the trade of illicit drugs. "On January 20th, as one of my many first Executive Orders, I will sign all necessary documents to charge Mexico and Canada a 25% Tariff on ALL products coming into the United States, and its ridiculous Open Borders," Trump said in a post on Truth Social. Trump said the tariffs would remain in place until the two countries ...Read More >
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New Delhi: The ongoing clash between Elon Musk and Donald Trump has taken a dark and explosive turn. On June 6, the Tesla CEO sent shockwaves across social media by accusing the US president of hiding crucial Jeffrey Epstein files because Trump's name allegedly appears in them. In a post on X (formerly Twitter) that is already stirring up huge debate, Musk wrote, "Time to drop the really big bomb: @realDonaldTrump is in the Epstein files. That is the real reason they have not been made public. Have a nice day, DJT!" He further added, "Mark this post for the future. The truth will come out." ...Read More >
BHUBANESWAR: Amid the push for Atmanirbhar Bharat and Make-in-India in view of the changing geopolitical scenario, the state government has amended Odisha General Financial Rules (OGFR), 2023 enabling restrictions on procurement from certain countries. The amendments, notified by the Finance department on Thursday, authorised the state to bar procurement from bidders, who are either based in or have commercial arrangements with entities from countries or classes of countries that may pose a risk to the defence of the country or matters related to national security. The newly substituted rule ...Read More >
NEW DELHI: A group of madrasa students attacked a stall at the Amar Ekushey Book Fair in Dhaka on Monday, protesting the display of books written by exiled Bangladeshi author Taslima Nasreen, according to police and eyewitness accounts. The incident occurred at the stall of Sabyasachi Publication, which publishes Nasreen's books. Eyewitnesses reported that a group of individuals approached the stall, questioning why Nasreen's books were being displayed. "A group of agitators came to Sabyasachi Prakashani and began shouting about the presence of Taslima Nasreen's books in the stall. Later, Pu ...Read More >
Chandigarh, Feb 10 (SocialNews.XYZ) In a major crackdown on fraudulent immigration consultants exploiting innocent individuals, the Special Investigation Team (SIT) constituted by the Punjab Police on Monday said it has taken action to dismantle the multinational human trafficking nexus operating in the region. This action pertains to the Indians who had been deported from the US and had landed in Amritsar. Punjab Police has recorded statements against travel agents who defrauded them with false promises of illegal entry into the US. Acting on complaints from victims, Punjab Police have regi ...Read More >
Mumbai, June 5 (SocialNews.XYZ) Actress Rashmika Mandanna reclaimed her long-standing connection with nature this World Environment Day. Rashmika dropped a cute picture of herself as a child in a garden with the words, "Me & the nature go way back!" "Some things never change ..#EnvironmentDay," Rashmika further wrote. World Environment Day was established back in 1972 during the United Nations Conference on the Human Environment. The theme for this year is - "Putting an End to Plastic Pollution." Last week, Rashmika shared her mantra to face difficult times through a social media post. O ...Read More >
Itanagar: The Arunachal Pradesh govt has launched a statewide crackdown to detect and deport illegal Bangladeshi immigrants, an official said on Thursday.Acting on directives issued by the Union ministry of home affairs (MHA), the state has instructed all districts to immediately constitute district task forces (DTFs) to identify undocumented immigrants and ensure strict enforcement of Inner Line Permit (ILP) provisions.The decision was taken at a high-level meeting chaired by advisor to home minister Mutchu Mithi and DGP Anand Mohan on Wednesday. The meeting was attended by senior police offi ...Read More >
New Delhi: Investigators probing the recent cases of espionage have identified a Lahore-based woman with ties to the Pakistani Army and intelligence agency ISI. She used to trap visa seekers and get them to work for ISI, sources claimed. Naushaba Masood, who runs a travel agency in Pakistan, facilitated visas for those who 'cooperated' and supplied them with SIM cards to begin with.The return favours included a range of tasks, beginning with shooting pro-Pakistan videos and uploading them on YouTube to create a favourable narrative. This was a calculated move by ISI to expand its influence thr ...Read More >
Hyderabad: In a significant boost for 'Make in India' and 'Atmanirbharta' in the aerospace and defence sector, and Hyderabad's growing stature as a global aerospace hub, the complete fuselage of the Rafale fighter jet will now be made in India at Hyderabad. This move marks the first time that these Rafale components will be manufactured outside France for the Indian as well as global markets.French aerospace major Dassault Aviation has signed four production transfer agreements with Tata Advanced Systems Ltd (TASL) for manufacturing key sections of the Rafale fighter jet, including the lateral ...Read More >
New Delhi [India], June 7 (ANI): The Delhi Police have initiated the process to deport 31 Bangladeshi nationals who were living illegally in the North West district of Delhi. The deportation process began on Saturday after the individuals were brought to the Foreigners Regional Registration Office (FRRO) in RK Puram, officials said. Earlier this week, the North West District Police apprehended 18 Bangladeshi nationals who were found residing illegally in the city. The arrests were made during a special operation conducted on Tuesday by the Foreigner Cell unit in the Bharat Nagar police statio ...Read More >
New Delhi [India], January 10 (ANI): Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that people misunderstand the meaning of, "minimum government, maximum governance". He said that the efforts must be to increase the speed of work done by government departments and thus, he had made different ministries for skill, cooperatives, and fisheries. Speaking in a podcast with Zerodha Co-founder Nikhil Kamath, PM Modi said that the government took away 40,000 compliances to increase the speed of work in different departments. "We often misunderstand the concept of minimum government, maximum governance. Some bel ...Read More >
AMRITSAR, India (AP) -- A U.S. military plane carrying 104 deported Indian migrants arrived in a northern Indian city on Wednesday, the first such flight to the country as part of a crackdown ordered by the Trump administration, airport officials said. The Indians who returned home had illegally entered the United States over the years and came from various Indian states. The move came ahead of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Washington, which is expected next week. U.S. President Donald Trump and Modi discussed immigration in a phone call last week and Trump stressed the impo ...Read More >
Mumbai, June 5: On the occasion of World Environment Day, actress and newly-elected BJP MP Kangana Ranaut participated in a special tree plantation initiative under the campaign 'Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam.' Taking to social media, Kangana revealed that she planted a sapling at her Delhi residence to mark the day, dedicating the gesture to Prime Minister Narendra Modi. In her post, the actress expressed heartfelt gratitude to environmental warriors who tirelessly work to protect and restore the Earth's natural resources. She acknowledged those who have devoted their lives to saving rivers, cleaning t ...Read More >
Haridwar: A woman politician has been arrested for allegedly letting her boyfriend and others repeatedly rape her 13-year-old daughter in Haridwar, Uttarakhand. The horrifying crime, which occurred between January and March, was exposed when the minor bravely confided in her father, prompting a police investigation that led to the arrest of the accused. The accused was arrested with her boyfriend and one more. According to police reports, the minor was gang-raped multiple times, often in the presence of her mother. The minor, who had been living with her father following her parents' separat ...Read More >
Srinagar: Before towering cranes and cutting-edge engineering transformed the Himalayan landscape, the monumental dream of connecting "Kashmir to Kanyakumari" by rail began with the plodding footsteps of humble mules. This extraordinary backstory underpins the official realization of the Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Rail Link (USBRL), inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on June 6, 2025, a project crowned by the awe-inspiring Chenab Bridge. According to Afcons Infrastructure Limited, the company behind the Chenab Bridge, the earliest and most formidable hurdle wasn't just the design of ...Read More >
Kolkata: The number of Bangladeshi released prisoners languishing in correctional homes across the state has come down to 179 -- as of Jan 1, 2024 -- compared to 495 in 2011. According to the West Bengal Correctional Services data, there were 212 released foreign nationals or 'jankhalash' -- 136 men and 76 women -- in correctional homes in the state as of Jan 1, 2024, out of which 179 were from Bangladesh. Most of these foreigners were lodged in Dum Dum Central Correctional Home (171), while the rest were in Berhampore CCH (24), Jalpaiguri CCH (16), and Presidency CCH (1). On Jan 30, the Sup ...Read More >
Srinagar, Jun 7 (PTI) Authorities on Saturday barred Eid prayers from taking place at the Eidgah ground and the Jama Masjid in the old city here, while Hurriyat Conference chairman Mirwaiz Umar Farooq claimed that he was put under house arrest. "Anjuman Auqaf Jama Masjid Srinagar deeply regrets to inform that the authorities have once again disallowed Eid-ul-Adha prayers at the Eidgah as well as at the historic Jama Masjid in Srinagar by closing the gates of the mosque and deploying police personnel outside," the management of the historic mosque said in a statement. ...Read More >
Bhubaneswar: Revenue minister Suresh Pujari on Saturday said Odisha would not be allowed to follow the lawless path in sand operations like it is in Bihar and West Bengal, while responding to the recent assault of an additional tehsildar in Kaptipada block, Mayurbhanj district, by the sand mafia. He promised stringent action against the sand mafia regardless of their connections, while speaking to mediapersons here on Saturday."The Kaptipada incident represents a serious escalation in conflict between law enforcement and the sand mafia. The attack on officers performing their enforcement dutie ...Read More >
Imphal (Manipur) [India], June 8 (ANI): The Manipur government has ordered the suspension internet and mobile data services including VSAT and VPN services in five districts for five days with effect from 11:45 P.M. of June 7. The five districts are Imphal West, Imphal East, Thoubal, Kakching & Bishnupur. "In view of the prevailing law and order situation in the State of Manipur especially in Imphal West, Imphal East, Thoubal, Kakching & Bishnupur districts districts of Manipur, there is apprehension that some anti-social elements might use social media extensively for transmission serious of ...Read More >
New Delhi [India] January 22 (ANI): Congress MP Randeep Singh Surjewala on Wednesday urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to take a stand in defending the rights of Indian immigrants in the United States. Surjewala also highlighted the contributions of over 20,000 Indian immigrants and expressed concerns over the government's silence on the deportation orders under President Donald Trump's administration. Sharing a detailed post on X Surjewala said, "Dear Prime Minister Modi ji, Pls spare a few moments to watch Bishop Mariann Edgar Budde speaking the truth to President of United States of Amer ...Read More >
New Delhi [India], June 5 (ANI): Silver prices on Thursday, crossed USD 35 mark per ounce and hit its highest level since March 2012, boosted by a combination of factors such as weaker US dollar, rising geopoltical tension and robust industrial demand. 'With the trust in dollar decreasing silver appears to be a good avenue for money to move to and the Gold Silver ratio was recently above 1.10 so the only way forward was either silver prices rise up or gold prices fall, and thats what has happened silver has risen far more than gold,' said Mrinesh Jain Director, Bombay Bullion Metal Hub LLP. ...Read More >
New Delhi, [India], June 6 (ANI): The Dwarka District Police has deported 71 illegally staying foreign nationals, including 47 Bangladeshis, 17 Rohingyas from Myanmar, and 7 Nigerians, in May. According to DCP Dwarka Ankit Singh, 'The foreign nationals were found overstaying in India without valid visas. They were apprehended by various teams of the Dwarka District Police, including Special Staff, PS Uttam Nagar, Anti-Narcotics Cell, PS Chhawla, and AATS. The apprehended foreign nationals have been sent to a detention centre after being produced before the Foreigners Regional Registration Of ...Read More >
American entrepreneur Bryan Johnson, known for his quest to reverse aging, experienced the effects of Mumbai's air pollution during his India tour. Promoting his book Don't Die, Johnson detailed his discomfort despite using air purifiers and masks. He adhered to his rigorous health routine, carrying all his meals and supplements for the six-day trip. The visit included an exclusive meetup with prominent figures like Zomato CEO Deepinder Goyal, showcasing his dedication to health and longevity advocacy.Bryan Johnson, the American entrepreneur renowned for his anti-aging mission, has drawn atten ...Read More >
Bill Gates' comments on India's potential as a 'laboratory to try things' during a podcast have sparked backlash among Indian social media users, who felt the remark was disrespectful. While some saw it as reducing India to a testing ground, others defended Gates, claiming his statement was misinterpreted. Bill Gates' latest comments on a podcast with Reid Hoffman have set off a firestorm of controversy among Indian commentators. In a discussion, he referred to India as a "kind of laboratory to try things," which has caused great outrage and accusations of disrespect. The tech mogul has faced ...Read More >
Mumbai, Feb 7 (VOICE) Actor Sonu Sood has responded to recent reports suggesting an arrest warrant against him in connection with a fraud case. The actor took to social media to clear the air, calling the news "highly sensationalized" and emphasizing that the matter is being blown out of proportion. Sonu tweeted, "We need to clarify that the news circulating on social media platforms is highly sensationalised. To put matters straight, we were summoned as a witness by the Honourable Court in a matter pertaining to a third party to which we have no association or affiliation." The 'Fateh' act ...Read More >
Bengaluru: The Karnataka government on Thursday took strong action against the police officers allegedly responsible for the Bengaluru stampede, suspending several high-ranking officials, including the city's police commissioner. Addressing a press conference, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah also announced a one-man commission to probe the lapses that triggered the deadly stampede. "Cubbon Park Police Station police inspector, station house master, station house officer, ACP, Central Division DCP, cricket stadium in-charge, additional commissioner of police, commissioner of police have been susp ...Read More >
Imphal, June 7 (UNI) Three militants were nabbed in separate incidents during the last 24 hours in Manipur, police said on Saturday. Manipur Police arrested a militant from Moidangpok Awang Leikai from Khumbong Bazar under Imphal West District, they said. Security forces arrested a militant from the Elangkhanpokpi Mayai Leikai area under Kakching district. Security forces apprehended a militant from Wangoo Samushang in Bishnupur district and elected members from Kumbi area. In an operation, one M16 rifle, one bolt-action rifle, three pull-mechanism rifles, three improvised mortars, and fiv ...Read More >
The United States congressional subcommittee's final report on the Covid-19 pandemic has pointed to the "lab leak" theory, making it the latest US report pinning the origins of the SARS-CoV-2 virus to the Wuhan lab in China. "Four years after the onset of the worst pandemic in 100 years, the weight of the evidence increasingly supports the lab leak hypothesis," the 500-plus page report said, adding that since they began their work in February 2023, more senior intelligence officials, politicians, science editors, and scientists had "endorsed the hypothesis that COVID-19 emerged as the result ...Read More >
SSAB, a Nordic and US-based steel company, along with its subsidiary Ruukki Construction, has announced a donation of roofing products and steel to aid in the reconstruction of war-damaged buildings in Ukraine. This philanthropic effort is in collaboration with the nongovernmental organisation OperationAid, focusing on the Mykolaiv region's urgent rebuilding needs. The donation includes approximately 3,000m² of colour-coated steel for roofing, manufactured at Ruukki's plant near Ukrainian capi ...Read More >
New Delhi: In a story that reads like the plot of a high-stakes geopolitical thriller, Indian intelligence agencies have uncovered the presence of a mysterious Pakistani woman known as 'Madam N' - a suave and powerful business tycoon from Lahore with alleged orders straight from Pakistan's notorious spy agency - the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI). Her mission was to infiltrate India through culture, faith and charm and to raise a ghost army of 500 spies scattered quietly across Indian soil. What began as a routine interrogation of arrested social media influencers turned into the stunning ...Read More >