A US federal judge has blocked the Trump administration's decision to bar foreign student enrollment at Harvard University. This comes after Harvard filed a lawsuit against the administration's move to revoke its Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) certification. The decision impacts over 7,000 international students at Harvard, including 788 Indian students admitted in the last academic year. The Trump administration had accused Harvard of fostering violence, anti-Semitism and collaborating with the Chinese Communist Party.
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00:00And there's some breaking news coming in on top of World Today this evening.
00:26The decision of the case that was taken by Harvard to court against Donald Trump administration,
00:34a U.S. judge has now blocked Trump administration's decision to bar foreign students' enrollment at Harvard.
00:43Breather for Harvard University, a big blow to Donald Trump.
00:47This is after Harvard filed a lawsuit in the U.S. District Court in Massachusetts.
00:53And the judge promptly and swiftly has decided that for now he is going to hold on to that decision by the Trump administration
01:04to ban enrollment of students at Harvard University.
01:09This was a huge, huge development.
01:11Not only was it impacting international students, but also those international students
01:16who were already enrolled at Harvard University in the United States of America.
01:22The big question is whether this will lead to the revocation that Trump administration has decided
01:28on the SEVP status of Harvard University, whether that is going to be impacted.
01:34And those 7,000 students who are there at Harvard in the United States of America will be allowed to stay or not.
01:42Now let's talk about the background of this entire story.
01:45It is, once again, Donald Trump versus Harvard University, ratcheting up White House efforts to conform practices in academia to President Donald Trump's policies.
01:57On Thursday, the U.S. Homeland Security Department revoked Harvard University's ability to enroll international students starting from the 2025-2026 academic year.
02:08Harvard University sued Trump administration on Friday in response.
02:13And now the decision has come about to hold on that decision of Trump administration.
02:19That's the news that's just coming in.
02:22Huge relief for Harvard University.
02:24For now, we will have to see how the Trump administration is going to react to this decision by the court.
02:31But in a complaint filed in Boston Federal Court, Harvard called the revocation a blatant violation of the U.S. Constitution and other federal laws
02:42and had an immediate and devastating effect on the university and more than 7,000 visa holders, that is, international students, studying at Harvard.
02:53And many who are waiting to travel to the United States of America only to be enrolled and to study or start their academic year at Harvard University.
03:03Now, the Trump administration's decision has also forced current international students to look for transfer to other schools or lose their legal status.
03:12Now, we'll have to wait and see how this decision of the court really impacts these international students because they have started looking out.
03:19U.S. government has accused Harvard University of fostering violence, anti-Semitism, and collaborating with the Chinese Communist Party, that's CPC.
03:30Harvard University stated that the decision followed Harvard's refusal to provide requested information about certain foreign student visa holders.
03:39About 788 Indian students were admitted to Ivy League University in the last academic year of 24-25.
03:48In the past five years alone, there has already been a steady rise of Indian students securing admission in the prestigious college in Cambridge.
03:58In fact, after China and Canada, India sends maximum students to Harvard University.
04:04Indians stand at 9% of student population in the college.
04:08With the admission timeline for the new session drawing close,
04:11This order by the Trump administration could have really major financial implications for the university,
04:19but the federal court now coming out and holding this ban is a relief.
04:25We'll have to wait and see how that impacts the SEVP status of Harvard University.
04:30One of the most aspirational institutions of education in the world is now possibly closed to international students.
04:46In a major blow, the Trump administration has yanked Harvard University's authorization to enroll international students.
04:53In what is being seen as a major escalation and a financial blow in the government's pressure campaign against the most prominent university in the United States of America,
05:04the federal government revoked Harvard's Student and Exchange Visitor Programme certification,
05:10meaning foreign students can no longer attend the university via that program.
05:14Existing international students must transfer or lose their legal status.
05:18Anyone of F or J visa is now prohibited from attending the college.
05:24In its statement, the Department of Homeland Security accused Harvard's leadership of creating an unsafe campus environment.
05:31It said the anti-American pro-terror agitators had been permitted to harass and even physically assault individuals,
05:38including many Jewish students.
05:41Foreign student visas are a privilege, not an entitlement.
05:45In particular, students cannot enter the United States if they provide support for designated terrorist organizations.
05:54They wouldn't be allowed to enter the United States.
05:57The Trump administration wants to remove students who've provided support to designated terrorist organizations like Hamas.
06:04And they want to be able to know which students have done that.
06:07So they want access to disciplinary records and to videos of protests.
06:13At Harvard, almost 6,800 students, 27% of the entire student body comes from other countries.
06:21This is considerably higher than 19.6% in 2006.
06:25Like many American universities, it relies on their tuition payments, which are often full fee, several times higher than what American students pay.
06:35In 2024, nearly 22% of Harvard's income was from the fee structure.
06:41A foreign student pays up to $87,000 a year in fees.
06:45This is inclusive of the tuition, boarding and lodging.
06:48At the university are currently 788 Indian students registered at Harvard's academic program.
06:53The Trump administration has, however, left a window open, saying Harvard can be allowed to international students again if it provides information on six issues within 72 hours.
07:04First, all details of illegal activities by non-immigrant students in past five years.
07:11Second, video evidence of violent activities by these students.
07:15Third, video evidence of threats made to others by non-immigrant students again.
07:21Fourth, all details of deprivation of rights of other students.
07:25Fifth, all disciplinary records of non-immigrant students for past five years.
07:30And sixth, all evidence of protest activities by students on the campus.
07:35The Harvard University has hit back, calling the government's move unlawful and said the school is committed to maintaining its ability to host international students.
07:44I know that people think Harvard has over $50 billion in endowment and they're, you know, have the status in this history.
07:52That's all true.
07:53But the federal government is bigger and richer and will prevail here in this fight.
07:58And I think Harvard understands that.
08:01And really all that they're doing is positioning for a better deal.
08:05And so the litigation that Harvard has been pursuing is just to try to get a better agreement with the administration.
08:11The Donald Trump administration has already pulled $9 billion in federal research funding from the Harvard
08:18and threatened to revoke its tax-exempt status, citing concerns about anti-Semitism and TEI.
08:25The order is also warning to other colleges to fall in line.
08:29U.S. universities have more than 1 million international students in total who contribute nearly $44 billion to the American economy.
08:37Among them, more than half are from India and China.
08:40While Harvard is expected to meet the six conditions laid out by the Trump administration,
08:45students are faced with increased uncertainty.
08:49Bureau Report, Business Today Television.
08:51And to discuss this and more, I'm being joined by Dr. Karan Gupta, an educationist and alumnus of Harvard University himself.
09:06Dr. Gupta, let's just talk about the focus over here.
09:11Although there is a decision that has come to hold on to the Trump decision, a relief for Harvard University.
09:17But with the decision of the Trump administration, what is President Trump intending to do with Harvard University and the international students?
09:27Thank you. Thank you, Geeta, for having me.
09:32As a Harvard Business School alumnus and an international education consultant,
09:36I do recognize the concern and uncertainty this recent development causes for Indian students.
09:43Harvard has over 6,800 international students and 700 from India.
09:48Harvard has been a top destination for global talent.
09:52And the recent revocation of Harvard's SEVP status has caused very serious implications, particularly for those on F-1 visas.
10:01Now, what this means for current students is that without the certification, the students cannot stay on campus anymore.
10:07Harvard cannot issue or maintain the I-20 forms that are required for students to maintain their valid student visa status.
10:14And these students have to transfer to other institutions if they want to stay in the U.S.
10:20and they want to stay compliant with U.S. immigration law.
10:23So this has caused a lot of anguish among students right now.
10:28What's even more concerning is that this loss of status affects students in the OPT status or the optional practical training status.
10:37As you know, students rely on the status for earlier career development.
10:41So imagine there's someone in the U.S. working since two years because you can get a STEM OPT for three years.
10:47That student's STEM OPT will also be terminated.
10:51So this is what's caused a lot of confusion in the U.S. right now.
10:55Right.
10:56Karan, you've been interacting with students.
10:58A lot of them who are applying or who have already applied have gotten through Harvard.
11:04What are the concerns and worries of students specific to India and parents, of course?
11:12OK, so we have a couple of situations here.
11:15One is we have students who already got admission to Harvard.
11:18Some of them already have their visas.
11:21Now, as of today, those visas are not valid anymore.
11:25So that's the primary concern that can the student travel to the U.S. to study at Harvard this fall?
11:31And the answer is, as of today, no.
11:34Till this issue is not sorted, till Harvard doesn't get a temporary restraining order from the courts.
11:40Right now, the visa that students have got for Harvard is not valid.
11:44The second concern is students are going to apply for visas who already have visa appointments.
11:49They need to cancel those appointments because if they land up at a U.S. consulate or embassy,
11:55they're not going to get a visa for Harvard because their I-20 is not valid anymore.
11:58So students have to cancel existing visa appointments.
12:02The third problem that Indian students are facing, the ones who are on campus at Harvard,
12:07they're not in status anymore and they need to transfer to other universities.
12:11And finally, the Indian students on OPT, they need to again look at other options of getting back in status
12:18because currently they're not in valid immigration status anymore.
12:22Dr. Karan Gupta, thank you so much for joining us here on the network
12:29and explaining as to what is really happening on the ground
12:32and how worried are students and parents alike?
12:37In Bangladesh, what started as a student uprising has now turned into a full-blown power tussle at the very top.
12:44As Dhaka delays elections, the army chief has issued a rare public warning to the interim chief,
12:49Mohamed Yunus, one that could reshape the country's political future.
12:56A quiet power struggle is unfolding in Bangladesh between the chief advisor of the interim government,
13:03Mohamed Yunus, and the country's army chief, General Vaqar Uzzaman.
13:07At a recent address, inside Dhaka contornment, General Zaman demanded elections to be held by December.
13:15This was a direct pushback to Nobel laureate economist-turned-chief advisor of the caretaker government, Mohamed Yunus.
13:23His interim government is under fire for displaying the polls and allegedly clinging to power.
13:29Interim government headed by Professor Mohamed Yunus
13:33is running into a lot of trouble, a lot of problems, with the army chief, General Vaqar Uzzaman,
13:42who actually, after the ouster of PM Hasina's government, put in place this very interim government,
13:49and he justified it by the doctrine of necessity.
13:53He said there is no government in place, this is not how a country can run.
13:57But he was very clear on one particular point, that this government is an interim government,
14:01it has no real basis in the Bangladesh constitution.
14:05Mohamed Yunus' interim government was formed to fill the vacuum after the fall of Sheikh Hasina's government
14:11on 5th August last year.
14:14Student-led protests drove the Awami League government out of power.
14:18Students brought Mohamed Yunus to lead the interim government,
14:22who now is accused of clinging to power through sympathy.
14:25Reportedly, Mohamed Yunus has expressed his desire to resign,
14:30but other members of the interim government reused to let him go.
14:36The army chief, Vaqar Uzzaman, is Sheikh Hasina's nephew
14:39and is now accused of using the kiosk to consolidate power.
14:44General Vaqar is a seasoned strategist.
14:47He once served as Sheikh Hasina's principal staff officer,
14:50helped shape Bangladesh's military policy and earned his credentials
14:55through UN peacekeeping, army reform and international defence education.
15:00From overseeing army operations as chief of general staff
15:04to receiving the Army Medal of Glory and their extraordinary service medal,
15:09Zaman's record speaks of discipline, professionalism and loyalty.
15:13Not to politicians, but to the constitution.
15:16General Vaqar is very clear about one point, you know.
15:20We've spoken to him at different points of time,
15:22and he says that I am not interested in a military takeover
15:26because those military generals who took power directly in Bangladesh
15:30ended up in a very sorry state of affairs.
15:34General Zia was killed.
15:35General Ershad was thrown out of power by popular education in great disgrace.
15:41And even General Moinu Ahmed, who backed the caretaker government in 2007-8,
15:46had to go out in considerable disgrace.
15:48He can't stay in the country.
15:50He's gone away to the U.S.
15:51So he is very clear that I am interested in maintaining law and order
15:56and getting an elections done.
15:59Then my soldiers go back to the barrack.
16:01The latest tug of war for power between General Vaqar and Mohamed Yunus
16:06ignited from a humanitarian corridor proposal in the Rakhine district
16:11for the Rohingya refugees of Myanmar.
16:14While Yunus' government pushed for the humanitarian corridor plan,
16:18General Zaman has refused to greenlight it.
16:21Instead demanded for a commitment to hold election by end of the year.
16:26Tensions mount around the residence of Army Chief Sena Nivaas.
16:31Rallies have been banned.
16:33Reports suggest Islamic groups like Jamaat-e-Islami
16:36are piggy banking on the student movement.
16:39Mohamed Yunus' team calls the rift between the two current top leaders of the state as rumours.
16:45They claim the Army Chief and the Chief Advisor share a good relationship and meet regularly.
16:51Bureau Report, India Today Global.
16:56And that's a wrap on this edition of World Today.
17:00Before I go, we leave you with a report on Cannes Film Festival.
17:04Nearly at the close, Cannes, known for its bold fashion, this time has been unique.
17:10Because this year, it's not the extraordinary, extravagant gowns that are grabbing headlines.
17:16A last-minute dress code ban has sparked a red carpet revolution.
17:21Is this about elegance or economics?
17:23Here's decoding 2025 Cannes' stress code and how it's the precursor for the things to come.
17:30Take a look at this report.
17:31Goodbye, take care, and have a wonderful weekend.
17:34The Cannes Film Festival
17:43The Cannes Film Festival long celebrated for its cinematic prestige and opulent fashion statements.
17:57But in 2025, a noticeable shift in red carpet attire is prompting discussions beyond style, hinting at deeper economic undercurrents.
18:09Traditionally, Cannes has been the stage for fashion's most audacious displays, voluminous gowns, intricate embellishments, and daring designs.
18:27This year, however, the glamour has taken a more subdued turn.
18:40The 2025 festival introduced a new dress code banning nudity and voluminous outfits at gala screenings.
18:48Announced just two days before the event, this directive left designers and attendees scrambling to adapt.
19:00Fashion often mirrors the socio-economic climate.
19:05The move towards modesty and simplicity at Cannes could be reflective of broader economic sentiments.
19:11Actress Jan B. Kapoor embraced vintage Hollywood glam in a Dior haute couture ensemble,
19:32while Kristen Stewart opted for a modern take with Chanel's satin Bermuda shorts and blazer.
19:52Social media buzzed with discussions on the new dress code.
19:57While some praised the shift towards elegance,
20:00others lamented the loss of Cannes' signature flamboyance.
20:15As Cannes 2025 wraps up,
20:18the festival's sartorial shifts serves as a reflection of the times
20:23where elegance meets economic mindfulness,
20:27and fashion tells a story beyond the seams.
20:30With Shitja Gosavi, Bureau Report, India Today.