Latest news with #USDiplomacy
The Independent
12 hours ago
- Business
- The Independent
Asian shares are mixed and oil gains as world waits to see if US will join Israel's war against Iran
Crude oil prices rose and Asian shares were trading mixed on Friday as investors awaited more clarity on whether or not the U.S. will join Israel's war against Iran. U.S. futures edged lower after Wall Street was closed on Thursday for the Juneteenth holiday. U.S. benchmark crude oil added 15 cents to $73.65 per barrel, while Brent crude, the international standard was up 19 cents at $76.89 per barrel. Oil prices have been gyrating as fears rise and ebb that the conflict between Israel and Iran could disrupt the global flow of crude. Iran is a major producer of oil and also sits on the narrow Strait of Hormuz, through which much of the world's crude passes. Investors remained wary after the White House said President Donald Trump could decide on whether to launch an attack on Israel within the next two weeks, but that he 'still believes diplomacy is an option,' said Anderson Alves, a trader at ActivTrades. Trump's tariffs agenda remains another major factor weighing on markets. Tokyo's Nikkei 225 index edged 0.1% higher to 38,538.14 after Japan reported that its core inflation rate, excluding volatile food prices, rose to 3.7% in May, adding to challenges for Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba's government and the central bank. 'Core Japanese inflation rose more than expected in May. Even so, the Bank of Japan is likely to prioritize the negative impact of U.S. tariffs, Min Joo Kang of ING Economics said in a commentary. 'For now, it's more concerned about the risk that US trade policies could break the virtuous circle of wage growth and inflation." Hong Kong's Hang Seng index jumped 1.2% to 23,504.59, while the Shanghai Composite gained 0.1%, reversing earlier losses, to 3,364.83. China's central bank kept its key 1-year and 5-year loan prime rates unchanged, as expected. Australia's S&P/ASX 200 shed 0.3% to 8,500.40 while South Korea's Kospi gained 1.2% to 3,014.05. 'Risk sentiments were cautious as Iran-Israel tensions continued roiling,' Mizuho Bank Ltd. said in a commentary. On Thursday, the Bank of England kept its main interest rate at a two-year low of 4.25%, citing risks that the conflict between Israel and Iran will escalate. The U.S. dollar slipped to 145.28 Japanese yen from 145.46 yen. The euro rose to $1.1530 from $1.1498.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
New US visa rules will force foreign students to unlock social media profiles
Foreign students will be required to unlock their social media profiles to allow US diplomats to review their online activity before receiving educational and exchange visas, the state department has announced. Those who fail to do so will be suspected of hiding that activity from US officials. The new guidance, unveiled by the state department on Wednesday, directs US diplomats to conduct an online presence review to look for 'any indications of hostility toward the citizens, culture, government, institutions, or founding principles of the United States'. A cable separately obtained by Politico also instructs diplomats to flag any 'advocacy for, aid or support for foreign terrorists and other threats to US national security' and 'support for unlawful antisemitic harassment or violence'. The screening for 'antisemitic' activity matches similar guidance given at US Citizenship and Immigration Services under the Department of Homeland Security and has been criticised as an effort to crack down on opposition to the conduct of Israel's war in Gaza. The new state department checks are directed at students and other applicants for visas in the F, M and J categories, which refer to academic and vocational education, as well as cultural exchanges. 'It is an expectation from American citizens that their government will make every effort to make our country safer, and that is exactly what the Trump administration is doing every single day,' said a senior state department official, adding that Marco Rubio was 'helping to make America and its universities safer while bringing the state Department into the 21st century'. Related: US issues broad order to consulates to vet student visas over 'terrorist activity' The Trump administration paused the issuance of new education visas late last month as it mulled new social media vetting strategies. The US had also targeted Chinese students for special scrutiny amid a tense negotiation over tariffs and the supply of rare-earth metals and minerals to the United States. The state department directive allowed diplomatic posts to resume the scheduling of interviews for educational and exchange visas, but added that consular officers would conduct a 'comprehensive and thorough vetting' of all applicants applying for F, M and J visas. 'To facilitate this vetting, all applicants for F, M and J non-immigrant visas will be asked to adjust the privacy settings on all their social media profiles to 'public'', the official said. 'The enhanced social media vetting will ensure we are properly screening every single person attempting to visit our country.'
The Guardian
2 days ago
- Politics
- The Guardian
Foreign students to be forced to unlock social media profiles in new US visa rules
Foreign students will be required to unlock their social media profiles to allow US diplomats to review their online activity before receiving educational and exchange visas, the state department has announced. Those who fail to do will be suspected of hiding that activity from US officials. The new guidance, unveiled by the state department on Wednesday, directs US diplomats to conduct an online presence review to look for 'any indications of hostility toward the citizens, culture, government, institutions, or founding principles of the United States'. A cable separately obtained by Politico also instructs diplomats to flag any 'advocacy for, aid or support for foreign terrorists and other threats to US national security' and 'support for unlawful antisemitic harassment or violence'. The screening for 'antisemitic' activity matches similar guidance given at US Citizenship and Immigration Services under the Department of Homeland Security and has been criticised as an effort to crack down on opposition to the conduct of Israel's war in Gaza. The new state department checks are directed at students and other applicants for visas in the F, M, and J categories, which refer to academic and vocational education, as well as cultural exchanges. 'It is an expectation from American citizens that their government will make every effort to make our country safer, and that is exactly what the Trump administration is doing every single day,' said a senior state department official, adding that Marco Rubio was 'helping to make America and its universities safer while bringing the state Department into the 21st century'. The Trump administration paused the issuance of new education visas late last month as it mulled new social media vetting strategies. The US had also targeted Chinese students for special scrutiny amid a tense negotiation over tariffs and the supply of rare-earth metals and minerals to the United States. The state department directive allowed diplomatic posts to resume the scheduling of interviews for educational and exchange visas, but added that consular officers will conduct a 'comprehensive and thorough vetting' of all applicants applying for F, M, and J visas. 'To facilitate this vetting, all applicants for F, M, and J nonimmigrant visas will be asked to adjust the privacy settings on all their social media profiles to 'public'', the official said. 'The enhanced social media vetting will ensure we are properly screening every single person attempting to visit our country.'
The National
5 days ago
- Politics
- The National
Trump considers expanding travel ban to 36 countries, including Syria and Egypt
The Trump administration is weighing a dramatic expansion of its travel ban to include citizens from 36 additional countries, including Syria and Egypt, according to a US State Department cable seen by The Washington Post. The internal cable, signed by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and sent to US diplomatic missions on Saturday, outlined a range of concerns about the listed countries and gave them 60 days to address shortcomings or face possible travel restrictions. 'The Department has identified 36 countries of concern that might be recommended for full or partial suspension of entry if they do not meet established benchmarks and requirements within 60 days,' the cable stated. Among the reasons cited are governments' inability or unwillingness to issue reliable identity documents, 'questionable security' of passports, and lack of co-operation in repatriating nationals ordered removed from the United States. The cable also flagged visa overstays, as well as terrorism-related activity, anti-Semitism, and anti-American conduct by nationals from some of the countries. However, it emphasised that not all criteria applied to every country on the list. The proposed expansion would mark one of the largest enlargements of the travel restrictions first implemented under Mr Trump in 2017, which initially targeted several Muslim-majority countries and sparked widespread protests and legal battles. The countries that could face a full or partial ban if they fail to address these concerns within the next 60 days include Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Benin, Bhutan, Burkina Faso, Cabo Verde, Cambodia, Cameroon, Côte d'Ivoire, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Djibouti, Dominica, Egypt, Ethiopia, Gabon, The Gambia, Ghana, Kyrgyzstan, Liberia, Malawi, Mauritania, Niger, Nigeria, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, São Tomé and Príncipe, Senegal, South Sudan, Syria, Tanzania, Tonga, Tuvalu, Uganda, Vanuatu, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. This would mark a major expansion of the ban implemented earlier this month, which initially targeted Afghanistan, Myanmar, Chad, the Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, and Yemen. Additionally, entry restrictions have been partially imposed on individuals from seven other nations: Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan, and Venezuela. The State Department has given those countries until Wednesday to present an initial plan for meeting the new requirements. full entry ban on 12 countries and new travel restrictions on seven others.
BBC News
5 days ago
- Politics
- BBC News
Newshour What are Israel's war aims in Iran?
Iran and Israel continue trading strikes, seventy-two hours after Israel launched an attack against Iran's nuclear infrastructure and key military figures. We speak to key figures in the region to understand Israel's aims, the role of US diplomacy and how Iran might respond in the future. Also in the programme: demonstrations take place across Spain, Portugal and Italy against over-tourism; and we talk to writer Hanif Kureishi about his creative process after becoming paralysed. (Photo: People drive as fire and smoke rise from Tehran's oil warehouse in Tehran, Iran, after it was hit by an Israeli strike. Credit: Shutterstock).
