Trump hosts glitzy Summer Soirée at White House
President Donald Trump attends a high-profile Summer Soirée at the White House, joined by key political allies and donors. 08:03
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NDTV
35 minutes ago
- NDTV
Trump Travel Ban Explained: Which Countries Are Most Impacted And Why
New Delhi: US President Donald Trump has imposed a ban on citizens from 12 countries, along with entry restrictions on nationals from seven other nations, citing national security and immigration enforcement concerns. The US President signed the executive order on June 4, nearly five months after taking office for the second term, and it will come into effect on June 9. List of banned countries The travel ban has been divided into two categories: a complete ban and a partial ban. Trump has imposed a full entry ban on 12 countries - Afghanistan, Myanmar, the Republic of the Congo, Haiti, Chad, Equatorial Guinea, Iran, Libya, Sudan, Yemen, Eritrea, and Somalia. The complete travel ban means the citizens of the aforementioned countries cannot enter the US at all irrespective of the reason and purpose. He said that these countries don't respect US immigration rules. Most countries on the list denied taking their citizens back and most of the people from here overstayed their visas, he said. The partial ban means people having certain types of visas, such as immigrant visas, B-1 business visas, B-2 tourism visas, combined business and tourism visas, F student visas, M vocational training visas, and J exchange visitor visas, are barred from entering the US. Only people holding H-1B work visas are allowed to enter the US. Partial restrictions apply to seven countries - Burundi, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan, Cuba, and Venezuela. Who is exempt from the ban? There are several people exempt from the ban. Those are: 1. Green card holders and legal permanent residents. 2. People having dual citizenship, one of the US and another of the banned countries. 3. Athletes, coaches and teams travelling for a global sporting event such as the World Cup or the Olympics. 4. Iranians from an ethnic or religious minority fleeing prosecution. 5. Foreign nationals who have worked for the US government for at least 15 years, along with their families and children. 6. Those who were admitted to the US as refugees or granted asylum prior to the ban's implementation. 7. People with US family members who apply for visas in connection to their spouses, children or parents. 8. Foreign officials and diplomats on official visits. 9. Those who are just visiting the UN headquarters in New York for business purposes. 10. Official trips to the US by representatives of NATO and international organizations. 11. Afghans with Afghan special immigrant visas who were employed by the US or its allies in Afghanistan. Does it impact you? If you're from one of the countries on the list New visas are not valid for entry into the US from the 12 nations that are completely banned. The seven partially restricted nations may not be able to provide some visas, such as green cards and immigrant visas. Athletes, diplomats, dual citizens, green card holders, and refugees admitted prior to June 9, 2025, may be eligible for exemptions. If you're in the US already Existing visas are acknowledged and holders of valid green cards or visas are safe. If you intend to work or travel Applications from the 12 nations that are completely prohibited will not be accepted. People from the seven nations that are partially banned can experience delays or specific limitations.
Time of India
37 minutes ago
- Time of India
Iranians react to new Trump travel ban as tensions are high between nations
People walk past a state-sponsored anti-US mural painted on the wall of the former US Embassy in Tehran (Image credit: AP) Iranians again face a US travel ban imposed by President Donald Trump , with the decision drawing anger, frustration and some shrugs given the decades of tensions between the countries. Trump imposed a similar ban during his first term before withdrawing America unilaterally from Tehran's 2015 nuclear deal with world powers, under which Iran drastically limited its program in exchange for the lifting of economic sanctions. But when he returned to the White House and began seeking a new deal with Iran, it saw the country's rial currency improve and stocks rise, but worries have grown as its government appears poised to reject an initial American proposal. The travel ban has further darkened that mood and led Iranians to fear Trump will lump the nations' 80 million people alongside of its theocratic government even after he's repeatedly praised them while seeking a deal. "Now I understand that Trump is against all Iranians, and his attitude is not limited to the government," said Asghar Nejati, a 31-year-old man working in a Tehran pharmacy. Even in the years after the 1979 Islamic Revolution and subsequent US Embassy hostage crisis, Iranian students traveled to the US to attend universities. Between 2018 to 2024, an average of around 10,000 Iranian students went to the US annually. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Perdagangkan CFD Emas dengan Broker Tepercaya IC Markets Mendaftar Undo Estimates suggest some 1 million Iranian-origin people live in the US today. Mehrnoush Alipour, a 37-year-old graphic designer, said the nations could have better relations if they could spoke to each other in softer tones. "This is another foolish decision. Trump cannot reach his goals by imposing pressures on ordinary Iranians," she said. "The two nations can have better relation through openings, not restrictions." Bank teller Mahdieh Naderi said Trump was lashing out over his frustrationed efforts to reach ceasefires in the Israel-Hamas war and the Russia-Ukraine war. "Trump just expressed his anger about his failed plans," Naderi said. "He is complaining about the Chinese and others who are living in the US, too." Some said interest in the US was already waning before the latest ban. "Over the past years, two of my grandchildren went to Canada to continue their education there," said Mohammad Ali Niaraki, 75. "Iranians are not limited in immigration and they are not as interested to go to the US as they were decades ago. Iranians prefer Canada, as well as neighbouring countries with flourishing economies like the (United Arab) Emirates." But others pointed out that high-ranking government officials have children living or working in the US, despite the tensions. "It's fine, but if he also kicks out the children of officials who live there it would be very nice," said a man who just gave his name as Mehdi. "We can't afford traveling to the US, almost 80 per cent of us can't. But if he kicks out those who are already there it would be much better." Tehran resident Mehri Soltani offered rare support for Trump's decision. "Those who have family members in the US, it's their right to go, but a bunch of bad people and terrorists and murderers want to go there as well," he said. "So his policy is correct. He's doing the right thing."
Time of India
38 minutes ago
- Time of India
Elon Musk's feud with Trump puts $22B SpaceX contracts at risk; what it means for US space future
Elon Musk's escalating feud with President Donald Trump has put SpaceX's massive $22 billion in government contracts on the line, raising concerns about the future of America's space program. SpaceX, a key player in NASA and Pentagon missions, faces potential funding cuts amid political tensions, threatening crucial projects like lunar exploration and national security launches. This conflict highlights the risks of heavy reliance on a single private company for space access. After Elon Musk tweeted regarding the decommissioning of SpaceX within a few hours, Musk re-tweeted by saying "Ok. Good Advice...". However, according to Bloomberg, it remains unclear. But if the dispute unfolds, the US space industry may face delays, higher costs, and increased geopolitical vulnerability, putting America's leadership in space at stake. Elon Musk's Crew Dragon retirement talk highlights US dependence on SpaceX Elon Musk alluded on X (formerly Twitter) to the possibility that SpaceX would retire its Crew Dragon fleet. Although he subsequently appeared to walk back the announcement, the fact that the idea had been suggested at all highlighted the degree to which the US depends on a single private firm. If SpaceX discontinue its astronaut launches: by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like 임플란트 최대 할인 지원해드려요 임플란터 더 알아보기 Undo Existing ISS crew might be stuck, although SpaceX will probably bring the Crew Dragon capsule back to the ISS already docked. No near-term replacement is on the horizon. Boeing's Starliner won't be ready until at least 2026. Russian Soyuz might be an option once more but buying seats from Russia is costly and politically charged. The ISS would lose its operational rhythm, potentially dwindling to a ghost crew of three astronauts riding on one Soyuz. Essentially, America would be in the same position it was in 2011 relying on another country for access to space. Source: X Source: X How Elon Musk's SpaceX disrupted Space launch with Falcon 9 SpaceX finally sent up its first successful rocket, Falcon 1, in 2008, after three failures. The breakthrough came in 2010 with the introduction of the Falcon 9, a two-stage, partially reusable rocket that could transport heavy payloads to orbit. The vehicle would come to serve as the workhorse of the international launch industry. NASA invested heavily in Falcon 9's development, both financially and symbolically. With NASA money and cooperation, SpaceX demonstrated that it could safely transport cargo to the ISS. This stamp of approval drew private satellite users, foreign nations, and eventually even the US military. The conjunction of: Low cost per launch, Rapid reusability, and A demonstrated history of mission success transformed SpaceX into a disruptor, transforming the economics of spaceflight. SpaceX restores American Human Spaceflight after Shuttle retirement After the Space Shuttle's retirement in 2011, NASA was forced to use Russian Soyuz vehicles to transport astronauts to the ISS; a reliance that had geopolitical and budgetary risks. NASA contracted with both Boeing and SpaceX in 2014 to create crewed vehicles under the Commercial Crew Program. SpaceX came first. In May 2020, amid the COVID-19 pandemic, the Crew Dragon Demo-2 mission carried NASA astronauts Doug Hurley and Bob Behnken to the ISS, marking the first human launch from US soil in nearly a decade. President Donald Trump called the mission 'a gift' to the nation and praised the cost-efficiency and innovation of the public-private partnership. Crew Dragon's achievement was not only a national record, but it was also an international show of SpaceX's ability to send humans to space safely, something only three countries had been able to do before. SpaceX's historic 2020 launch: A new era in US human spaceflight Since the Crew Dragon achievement, SpaceX has increased its activities at a blistering pace: Lunar missions: SpaceX received a $2.9 billion contract to create the Human Landing System (HLS)—a version of Starship to carry astronauts to the Moon—under the Artemis program. National security: SpaceX puts spy satellites, missile warning satellites, and classified Department of Defense payloads into orbit. Commercial leadership: It puts most of the world's private satellites, such as megaconstellations like Starlink, into orbit. In practice, SpaceX is not merely a contractor but the linchpin of America's space architecture. Why NASA's backup launch options still lag behind SpaceX's reliability The US government and NASA have attempted to diversify their launch suppliers, but substitutes fall far behind: Boeing Starliner: Plagued by software issues and hardware flaws. Following a nine-month hiatus in bringing back astronauts, public trust has diminished. Northrop Grumman Cygnus: Offers only cargo, and its most recent spacecraft was compromised in transit. Sierra Space Dream Chaser: Still has yet to fly; its first flight is scheduled for late 2025 on a tentative basis. Blue Origin New Glenn: Just completed its first test flight. Full certification and routine launches are years off. Although some of these vehicles will develop into capable platforms, none yet equals SpaceX's launch pace, reliability, or human-rated certification. SpaceX's growing role in government space missions According to the reports, beyond just transporting astronauts, SpaceX has taken on numerous science missions for NASA and deployed military equipment for the Pentagon. Last year, it secured a NASA contract to safely deorbit the International Space Station once its mission concludes. SpaceX's Starship rocket has been selected by NASA to transport astronauts from lunar orbit to the moon's surface for upcoming Artemis missions. However, its ninth test flight last week ended in failure after the rocket lost control and crashed over Texas. $22 billion government contracts on the line SpaceX currently holds approximately $22 billion in government contracts, covering critical projects for NASA and the Department of Defense according to ET reports. US President Trump claimed that cutting federal support for Elon Musk's ventures could save 'billions and billions of dollars.' The dispute began when Trump criticized Musk's spending priorities and withdrew support for billionaire private astronaut Jared Isaacman, labeling him 'totally Democrat.' Recent reports indicate Trump may nominate retired Air Force Lieutenant General Steven Kwast, a strong advocate for space defense, to head NASA. This move could shift NASA's focus from Musk's innovation-driven approach toward a greater emphasis on national security. Also Read | Every 26 seconds, Earth's 'mysterious heartbeat' repeats; scientists still don't know why
