USA

In a sunlit shack on the outskirts of Lesotho’s capital Maseru, 34-year-old Lieketseng Lucia Tjatji sits under a black cloth pegged to a tin wall and emblazoned with the head of a lion. 

To her left, a wooden table is weighed down by containers of roots, powders and dried herbs, remedies she now offers to HIV patients who have been cut off from vital medication after US President Donald Trump’s aid freeze in February.

“I am a traditional doctor or a witch doctor,” Tjatji said, her voice steady. “I have helped people. More and more are coming.”

They are the desperate of a nation buffeted by poverty and gripped by one of the highest HIV rates in the world with roughly one in four adults living with the virus, according to government data.

Tjatji, too, is HIV positive. A registered traditional healer and fashion designer, she concedes doctors question the efficacy of the treatments she dispenses while urging those on antiretrovirals (ARVs) not to mix their medicines with anything not clinically tested.

But with the government-supplied ARVs she has taken diligently since 2003 now limited to three-month refills because of Trump’s cuts — and no guarantee of more, Tjatji is left with few options.  

“I don’t want to die. I am so young and I don’t want to die,” she told AFP.

‘Holistic health’

Traditional healers, known as sangomas, are respected by many across southern Africa for their healing abilities and their spiritual guidance.

Many sangomas once viewed HIV as a curse from the spirit world, believing patients had been bewitched. Some even claimed they could cure AIDS. 

New practitioners, like Tjatji, undergo lengthy initiation and training before they are permitted to administer remedies passed down through generations. 

With the USAID cuts putting access to modern medicine out of reach, it is only natural for people to turn to a traditional system established over time, said Mpho Roberta Masondo, director at the South African-based African National Healers Association.

“Traditional medicine plays a vital role in holistic health and community well-being,” Masondo, also a traditional healer, told AFP. 

At the same time, she said, antiretroviral therapy “remains the most effective way to suppress HIV.”

Unrolling gains

Since 2016, Lesotho — a small mountainous kingdom surrounded by South Africa — has received over $850 million in HIV funding from Washington. 

The support came through the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), the US government’s primary programme for combating HIV.

After a complete halt in February, only 28 percent of PEPFAR support had resumed in Lesotho by mid-March, according to the UN AIDS agency. 

Nearly half of programmes it funded had been terminated, including for HIV prevention through PrEP medication (pre-exposure prophylaxis) or male circumcision. 

The cash-strapped health ministry is ill-equipped to fill the gap. 

Health Minister Selibe Mochoboroane told parliament in March that the 2.4 billion maloti ($127 million) budget for the 2025-26 financial year did not take into account any US pullback from its foreign aid commitments.

‘Ineffective treatment’

Experts worry that turning to alternative remedies could undo progress in fighting HIV in Lesotho, which five years ago achieved the UN’s “90-90-90” goal of 90 percent of people with the virus being diagnosed, on treatment and achieving viral suppression. 

“I’m quite worried,” said Jessica Justman, senior technical director at ICAP, a global health centre at New York’s Columbia University. 

“Using ineffective treatment is the equivalent of not taking any treatment at all,” she said. It opens people living with HIV to opportunistic infections like TB, meningitis and pneumonia, she said. 

Still, Masondo insists, traditional methods can offer relief.

“Traditional healing is not just about the herbs; it’s a holistic, comprehensive approach that strengthens the body, mind, and spirit,” she said. 

“The ultimate or the real danger is not traditional healing itself, it’s misinformation,” she said.

In the shack that serves as her consulting room, Tjatji said she fears that alternative medicines may not help her because her system may have become accustomed to regular antiretroviral treatment.

Her main concern is that HIV will open her to a new bout of TB, she said, wondering if her government may find a way to help in the face of apparent US indifference. 

“Maybe Lesotho will make a difference and produce the pills for us.”

(This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)

India tried its first real-time use of satellite-based Internet during New Delhi’s Operation Brahma – providing aid to the quake-hit residents of Myanmar.

Marking a huge leap, the Indian team set up a OneWeb Eutelsat terminal in Myanmar’s Mandalay to communicate with the base in New Delhi.

Till date, India has not officially permitted any operator to provide satellite-based Internet services in the country. Many like Reliance-owned Jio, the Elon Musk-owned Starlink network and OneWeb are all vying to get a toehold in the massive market that India offers.

After the massive 7.7 magnitude quake hit Myanmar and Thailand on March 28, New Delhi dispatched first responders the very next day. Planeloads of relief material were sent, and an army field hospital was set up.

OneWeb was given a provisional license to test the technology on November 21, 2023, well before the earthquake. It set up the first connectivity in Myanmar.

The Indian army got connected within 24 hours. They also connected to the field hospital that was using OneWeb LEO (Low Earth Orbit) services, said Nishtha Kapoor, Regional Director, India, OneWeb Eutelsat.

Speaking at the India Defspace Symposium in New Delhi on April 7, she called it a “humbling experience”.

OneWeb India had also received the necessary authorisation from IN-SPACe earlier to launch Eutelsat commercial satellite broadband services in India.It was the first organization to be granted this authorisation.

Eutelsat OneWeb, the low-earth-orbit operator, is part of Eutelsat Group.

IN-SPACe is the agency of the Indian government, responsible for regulating space activities and granting authorisation for conducting it. This authorization means Eutelsat OneWeb can launch commercial connectivity services as soon as spectrum allocation has been granted by the government.

Last year, when the authorisation came through, Bharti Group chief Sunil Bharti Mittal, who is also part of the Eutelsat Group board, had said: “We are pleased to note the Indian space regulator’s green light to launch Eutelsat OneWeb’s commercial satellite broadband services in India”.

This, he had said, would be a critical step forward to meet India’s ambition of providing internet connectivity for all and enable Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of Digital India.

“Eutelsat OneWeb is ready to deploy as soon as it receives the final spectrum authorization to launch commercial services,” he had added.

Today, the OneWeb team eagerly awaits the coveted spectrum allocation from the Telecom department before they can begin operations.

OneWeb is essentially a business-to-business communication network rather than a business-to-consumer network, since its terminals — ground based antennas which can send and receive signals from the satellites — are relatively large.

Last year on May 16, OneWeb held a demonstration of its hardware and software before senior officers of the Indian armed forces at Delhi’s Manekshaw Center.

Sometime earlier, the team had also held a demonstration before the Indian Army units at Joshimath, where a mobile army vehicle was able to transfer a live video.

To provide the necessary connectivity, OneWeb has teamed up with Airtel, Hughes and Kymeta Corporation.

Ms Kapoor asserted that they provide secure services to the remotest parts of the country through suitably geo-fenced terminals that would offer encrypted services.

OneWeb has a motto of offering “connectivity anywhere, everywhere, every-time through a constellation of eight geostationary satellites and 544 low earth orbit satellites”.

Incidentally, Indian space agency ISRO, using the Bahubali rockets, had launched 72 satellites for OneWeb, which was the first commercial deal for the Launch Vehicle Mark-3.

The satellite-based Internet market took an interesting turn in early March when Reliance-owned Jio Platforms and Airtel announced a tie-up with Starlink, the Elon Musk led company, which already has 7,000 small satellites in orbit. Another 5,000 will be added soon.

Jio and Airtel had opposed the introduction of Starlink on technical grounds. But both may finally join hands with Starlink since the Elon Musk-owned company offers business to consumer connectivity.

So on the surface, it seems the tie-up of Starlink with Airtel and Jio may offer seamless connectivity.

In a statement, Eutelsat OneWeb’s asserted its existing strong position in the Indian market, where OneWeb India already holds the necessary licenses from the telecom department to provide broadband services using satellite connectivity.

The business has also obtained in-principle approval to establish and operate two gateways in Gujarat and Tamil Nadu, which would secure the provision of vital high-speed, low-latency internet connectivity to customers across India once services are rolled out.

“OneWeb can connect every corner of India. The only wait is for spectrum allocation and Oneweb Eutelsat. After that it will be live all over India,” Ms Kapoor said.

China on Tuesday refuted US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s claim that Beijing interferes in the operations of the Panama Canal.

As Hegseth visited the Central American country amid acute tension over the waterway, the Chinese Embassy released a statement urging the United States to halt what the embassy called “blackmail” and “plundering” of Panama.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

North Korea’s status as a nuclear weapons state can never be reversed, no matter how much the United States and its Asian allies demand it, state media reported on Wednesday, citing the powerful sister of its supreme leader.

The comments, which state news agency KCNA said were issued on Tuesday, were likely a response to a joint statement by the foreign ministers of South Korea, Japan and the United States made on the sidelines of a NATO meeting last week.

The three foreign ministers reaffirmed the “commitment to the complete denuclearization” of North Korea, according to the joint statement.

The position of the North’s nuclear weapons state, together with its “substantial and very strong nuclear deterrent” is a result of outside hostile threat and “it does not change no matter how desperately anyone denies,” said Kim Yo Jong, the sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, according to KCNA.

“We don’t care about anyone’s denial and recognition and we never change our option,” she said. “This is our steadfast choice that can never be reversed by any physical strength or sly artifice.”

North Korea has pursued nuclear weapons despite sanctions by the U.N. Security Council over the years since it first conducted an underground nuclear detonation test in 2006.

Since then, it is believed to have developed an arsenal of nuclear weapons, although it has not conducted an atmospheric nuclear test.

It has been a longstanding policy of Washington and its Asian allies to completely dismantle the North’s nuclear programme, but analysts believe Pyongyang has gone beyond the point of agreeing to any deal to achieve that.

U.S. President Donald Trump has called the North a “nuclear power” and suggested he would again sit down with its leader Kim Jong Un, with whom he had unprecedented summit meetings during his first term trying to ease security tensions.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

Iran said Tuesday a new nuclear deal could be agreed with the United States provided Tehran’s longtime adversary shows sufficient goodwill in upcoming talks, as Israel warned of military action if talks drag on.

Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Iran’s principal aim remained the lifting of sweeping US sanctions. Their reimposition by President Donald Trump in 2018 has dealt a heavy blow to the Iranian economy.

Trump made the surprise announcement that his administration would open talks with Iran during a White House meeting on Monday with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, whose country is an arch foe of Tehran.

Trump said the talks would be “direct” but Araghchi insisted his negotiations with US Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff on Saturday would be “indirect”.

“We will not accept any other form of negotiation,” Araghchi told official media. “The format of the negotiations… is not the most important thing in my view. What really counts is the effectiveness or otherwise of the talks.

“If the other side shows enough of the necessary willingess, a deal can be found,” he said. “The ball is in America’s court.”

– ‘Military option inevitable’ –

Following his meeting with Trump, Netanyahu said in a video statement on Tuesday that “we agree that Iran will not have nuclear weapons”.

“This can be done in an agreement, but only if… they go in, blow up (Iran’s) facilities, dismantle all the equipment, under American supervision”, he said, adding that if talks drag on, “then the military option becomes inevitable”.

Netanyahu was a bitter opponent of the 2015 agreement between Iran and Britain, China, France, Germany, Russia and the United States which Trump later abandoned.

In a column in The Washington Post on Tuesday, Araghchi wrote: “To move forward today, we first need to agree that there can be no ‘military option,’ let alone a ‘military solution’.”

“For its part, the United States can show that it is serious about diplomacy by showing that it will stick to any deal it makes. If we are shown respect, we will reciprocate it,” he continued.

Trump’s announcement came after Iran dismissed direct negotiations on a new deal to curb the country’s nuclear activities, calling the idea pointless.

In Iran, some appeared wary but hopeful that the talks would yield results.

“Given the intense pressure on the population today, it seems that government officials have realized that the only solution is to negotiate directly with the United States,” said lawyer Fatemeh Rezai, 28.

“I hope these negotiations will lead to a (positive) outcome and that we will all get through this situation safe and sound.”

– ‘Great danger’ –

In tough messaging ahead of the meeting, US State Department spokeswoman Tammy Bruce insisted that Witkoff would deliver a message against Iran’s nuclear programme and not look for a back and forth.

“On Saturday, there’s a meeting. There’s no negotiations,” she said.

Trump said Monday that Iran would be in “great danger” if the talks fail.

In an interview with US network NBC late last month, Trump went further, saying: “If they don’t make a deal, there will be bombing.”

China and Russia held consultations with Iran in Moscow on Tuesday, after which the Kremlin welcomed the planned talks.

Key Iranian ally Russia welcomed the prospect of negotiations for a new nuclear accord, which would replace the deal with major powers that was unilaterally abandoned by Trump in 2018.

“Of course, this can only be welcomed because it can lead to de-escalation of tensions around Iran,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said, adding that Moscow “absolutely” supported the initiative.

China called on the United States to “stop its wrong practice of using force to exert extreme pressure” after Trump threatened Iran with bombing if it fails to agree a deal.

As the country that withdrew from the nuclear deal, “the United States should demonstrate political sincerity (and)… mutual respect,” its foreign ministry spokesman Lin Jian said.

That deal saw Iran receive relief from international sanctions in return for restrictions on its nuclear activities overseen by the UN watchdog, the International Atomic Energy Agency.

Trump’s withdrawal from the deal was followed by an Iranian decision one year later to stop complying with its own obligations under the deal.

The result has been that Iran has built up large stocks of highly enriched uranium that leave it a short step from weapons grade.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

The United States confirmed Tuesday that envoy Steve Witkoff would speak with Iran this weekend and said he would issue demands on Tehran’s nuclear program rather than negotiate.

Witkoff, a friend who has served as President Donald Trump’s envoy on both the Gaza and Ukraine wars, will take part in the talks Saturday on Oman, State Department spokeswoman Tammy Bruce told reporters.

Setting a tough line ahead of the talks, Bruce said: “On Saturday, there’s a meeting. There’s no negotiations.”

Trump “is committed to diplomacy,” she added.

“He’s spoken about wanting to have a deal with Iran to get this done. And now it’s up to Iran — and if they don’t want to, it will be very, very bad for them,” Bruce said.

The president believes that “doing a deal would be preferable to doing the obvious,” she said, in a clear reference to a military attack.

Bruce declined to go into depth on the US message in Oman other than saying that the United States believed that “Iran can never obtain a nuclear weapon.”

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has said he believes that the clerical state can reach a deal with the United States, its arch-enemy, if Washington shows goodwill.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

The US Supreme Court on Tuesday blocked a lower court’s order requiring the Trump administration to reinstate thousands of fired federal probationary workers.

The conservative-majority top court said the non-profit organizations that filed the case seeking to halt the mass firings lacked legal standing to bring the lawsuit.

William Alsup, a district judge in California, ordered six federal agencies last month to rehire 16,000 probationary workers who were laid off as part of President Donald Trump’s push to slash the size and scope of government.

Alsup said the justification of “poor performance” given for the mass firings was a “sham” and he ordered the departments of the Treasury, Veterans Affairs, Agriculture, Defense, Energy and Interior to reinstate fired probationary employees.

The Supreme Court, in a temporary victory for the Trump administration, blocked Alsup’s order while litigation in the case continues.

In a 7-2 ruling, the court said the judge’s order “was based solely on the allegations of the nine non-profit-organization plaintiffs in this case.

“But under established law, those allegations are presently insufficient to support the organizations’ standing,” it said.

Since returning to the Oval Office in January, Trump has taken an ax to the US government, cutting spending programs and firing tens of thousands of the more-than two million employees on the federal payroll.
 

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

International students in the United States are facing a myriad of challenges that can lead to the revocation of their student visas. The F-1 visa, which allows foreign students to study full-time at certified schools under the Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP), comes with a set of strict conditions that must be met to maintain compliance.

Academic-Related Risks

1. Dropping below the required course load can lead to visa revocation, except in cases approved by Designated School Official (DSO).
2. Dismissal for poor academic performance or disciplinary reasons can result in visa revocation.
3. Changes in course format such as part-time, hybrid or online can affect visa status if not reported to SEVIS.

Employment-Related Risks

1. Working without proper CPT (Curricular Practical Training) or OPT (Optional Practical Training) approval can lead to visa revocation.
2. Working or interning at sanctioned organisations, especially in areas such as research, defense, or foreign funding, can affect visa status.

Personal and Financial Risks

1. Failure to demonstrate financial capability to fund education can lead to visa revocation. Just showing the initial proof is not enough.
2. Submitting forged documents such as admission letters, test scores, financial documents or manipulated information can result in visa revocation.
3. Not updating residential or mailing details in SEVIS can lead to non-compliance. Students must report any change in address within 10 days.

Immigration and Security Risks

1. Overstaying authorised stay can lead to bars from future visa eligibility, even if it happens by mistake. As mentioned on Form I-94 students must leave the US once their authorised stay ends.
2. Arrests, pending charges, or convictions can trigger visa revocation.
3. Identification as a risk by US security or intelligence agencies can result in immediate visa revocation, even before court proceedings.

Dependent and Transfer Risks

1. Violations by dependents (F-2 visa holders) can affect the principal F-1 visa holder’s status. If the dependents work or enroll full-time in a school without authorisation, the principal F-1 visa holder’s status can be revoked.
2. If a student changes levels or schools, they must initiate a SEVIS transfer. Not doing so, within 60 days can lead to status loss.

However, the Trump administration’s immigration agenda has introduced several new threats to international students, making it difficult for them to maintain their status.

Visa revocations for trivial violations

One of the most concerning developments is the revocation of visas for minor infractions, such as traffic violations. In some cases, these infractions occurred years ago, and students were not provided prior notice before revocation. For instance, a student might have their visa revoked due to a speeding ticket, which can lead to deportation and significant disruptions to their academic and career goals.

Targeting activism

The administration has also been targeting students involved in pro-Palestinian activism, citing potential adverse foreign policy consequences. A notable example is Rümeysa Öztürk, a Turkish graduate student at Tufts University, who was detained and faced deportation after her visa was annulled due to alleged support for Hamas through pro-Palestinian protests.

Monitoring social media

Authorities are reportedly using artificial intelligence programs to monitor social media for content deemed supportive of organisations like Hamas, leading to visa revocations. This approach has raised concerns about privacy and the potential for misinterpretation of online activity. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has legal authority to review students’ online profiles and posts, and content that appears political, anti-US, or linked to prohibited groups may raise red flags during visa processing or renewal.

Country-specific policies

The administration has implemented country-specific visa policies, revoking visas based on nationality. For example, South Sudanese students, including Duke University basketball star Khaman Maluach, faced deportation under a new directive revoking visas held by South Sudanese passport holders due to their country’s failure to accept repatriated citizens.

Trump’s executive order to end birthright citizenship 

Trump’s executive order aims to end birthright citizenship for children born to individuals on temporary visas. This affects students who become parents in the U.S. 

Lack of notification and transparency to educational institutions

Colleges and universities are not informed when their students’ visas are revoked, leaving institutions unable to provide support or guidance in time. 

Consequences of increased institutional scrutiny

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) have increased audits of school records and SEVIS data. Inconsistencies the records can lead to visa violations or school penalties. The administration also plans to review institutions with significant pro-Palestinian protests, indicating that such schools could lose certification to enroll student visa holders.

Uncertainty of visa revocation

A student visa can be canceled at any time by a consulate or border officer if the government receives information about the student being ineligible. 
 

A growing number of colleges and universities across the United States are reporting unexpected revocations of international students’ visas, raising concerns about increased government scrutiny. This shift in policy has left students vulnerable to detention and deportation, with institutions like Harvard, Stanford, Michigan, UCLA, and Ohio State University affected.

Reasons for revocation

The reasons behind these revocations vary, but some students have been targeted for their involvement in pro-Palestinian activism or speech. For instance, Mahmoud Khalil, a green card holder and leader of protests at Columbia University, was detained. However, other students without connections to protests have also had their visas stripped, sometimes due to past infractions like traffic violations.

Impact on international students

Many college officials and students only discover changes to immigration status when checking federal databases. International students typically obtain F-1 visas after meeting specific requirements, including demonstrating financial support and remaining in good academic standing. The Student and Exchange Visitor Program under the Department of Homeland Security oversees their legal status.

Concerns from higher education leaders

Higher education leaders worry that these revocations could have a chilling effect on international education in the US. The lack of clarity surrounding revocations creates fear among students, according to Sarah Spreitzer, vice president of government relations at the American Council on Education.

“The very public actions being taken by ICE and the Department of Homeland Security around some of these students…that’s not usually done unless there’s a security issue when a student visa is revoked,” Spreitzer said. “The threat of this very quick removal is something that’s new.”

Institutional responses

Colleges are seeking answers from the federal government and advising students to carry their passports and immigration documents. University of Massachusetts Boston Chancellor Marcelo Suárez-Orozco spoke to the Associated Press about the need for preparedness and protection in these “unprecedented times.”

“These are unprecedented times, and our normal guiding principles for living in a democratic society are being challenged,” Suárez-Orozco said. “With the rate and depth of changes occurring, we must be thoughtful in how we best prepare, protect, and respond.”

Affected institutions and students

Several institutions, including Harvard, have reported revoked visas among their students. Harvard discovered the issue during a routine records review, but the reasons behind the revocations remain unclear.

“Harvard deeply values the international students and scholars who travel here to learn and grow,” the Harvard International Office stated. “The talent they bring to campus each day increases our ability to advance world-class discovery…while creating positive relationships and discourse that expand the horizons of people across our community.”
 

Sheikh Hamdan Bin Mohammed Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) on Tuesday hailed UAE-India ties following a meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi.

The Crown Prince of Dubai of arrived in India on a two-day visit earlier in the day at invitation of Prime Minister Modi.

“It was a pleasure meeting the Prime Minister Narendra Modi today in New Delhi. Our conversations reaffirmed the strength of UAE-India ties which is built on trust, shaped by history, and driven by a shared vision to create a future full of opportunity, innovation, and lasting prosperity,” he posted on X after meeting PM Modi.

It was a pleasure meeting the Prime Minister @NarendraModi today in New Delhi. Our conversations reaffirmed the strength of UAE–India ties which is built on trust, shaped by history, and driven by a shared vision to create a future full of opportunity, innovation, and lasting… pic.twitter.com/D3mXzPteLS

— Hamdan bin Mohammed (@HamdanMohammed) April 8, 2025

This is Sheikh Hamdan Bin Mohammed Al Maktoum’s first official visit to India as the Crown Prince of Dubai and he is accompanied by several ministers, senior government officials and a high-level business delegation.

Prime Minister Modi hosted a working lunch for the visiting dignitary and the Crown Prince also held meetings with External Affairs Minister (EAM) S. Jaishankar and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh.

“Delighted to welcome Crown Prince of Dubai and DPM & Minister of Defence of UAE HH Hamdan Mohammed at the start of his first official visit to India. Value his positive sentiments for our wide-ranging cooperation and vibrant ties,” said EAM Jaishankar.

After Delhi, the Crown Prince will visit Mumbai and will also participate in a business roundtable with prominent business leaders from both sides. The interaction will strengthen India-UAE economic and commercial cooperation across traditional and futuristic areas.

“Traditionally, Dubai has played an important role in India’s commercial, cultural and people-to-people exchanges with the UAE. Majority of India’s around 4.3 million diaspora in UAE reside and work in Dubai. The visit of His Highness the Crown Prince will further solidify the India-UAE Comprehensive Strategic Partnership and strengthen our multifaceted ties with Dubai,” read a statement issued by the MEA.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)