Trump admin tightens scrutiny of 'good moral character' for US citizenship
The new policy requires officers to conduct a "holistic assessment" that goes beyond checking criminal records. According to the memo, the determination "must involve more than a cursory mechanical review focused on the absence of wrongdoing" and instead consider broader societal expectations and positive contributions.OFFICERS TOLD TO CONSIDER POSITIVE ATTRIBUTESThe directive encourages officers to give "greater emphasis" to positive attributes on community service, caregiving responsibilities, educational attainment, stable employment, payment of taxes and long-term residence in the United States.It also calls for closer attention to conduct that may not be illegal but could suggest a lack of civic responsibility.Examples listed by USCIS include "reckless or habitual traffic infractions, or harassment or aggressive solicitation." In such behaviour, the memo said, could be taken as "acts that are contrary to the average behaviour of citizens in the jurisdiction where aliens reside."The agency also advised that rehabilitation be considered in cases where wrongdoing has occurred, citing compliance with probation, paying overdue taxes or child support, and providing letters of support from community members as potential mitigating factors.ADMINISTRATION SAYS POLICY WILL 'RESTORE INTEGRITY'In defending the new standard, USCIS chief spokesman Matthew Tragesser called it as part of President Donald Trump's broader push to strengthen the immigration system."US citizenship is the gold standard of citizenship -- it should only be offered to the world's best of the best," Tragesser said in a statement to CBS News."Today, USCIS is adding a new element to the naturalisation process that ensures America's newest citizens not only embrace America's culture, history, and language but who also demonstrate Good Moral Character," he added.According to government figures, between 600,000 and 1 million immigrants have become US citizens annually over the past decade. The new criteria could affect how many applicants are approved in the years ahead.- EndsTune InMust Watch
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Hans India
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‘K'taka must fully implement new State Education Policy'
Bengaluru: The Kannada Development Authority has welcomed the State Education Policy recently submitted to Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, describing it as a landmark framework that could reshape school and higher education over the next decade. The policy, chaired by former UGC chairman Prof. Sukhadeo Thorat, was prepared by a commission of eminent scholars and educationists over two years, holding 132 meetings and conducting extensive data-based studies of Karnataka's education landscape. 'This is the first time Karnataka has such a comprehensive and forward-looking State Education Policy. If fully implemented, it will radically transform our schools and universities and prepare our younger generation for the challenges of a modern society,' said Prof. Purushottam Bilimale, Chairperson of the Kannada Development Authority. Key recommendations include improving the quality of teaching and learning, ensuring equal opportunities and participation, revising curricula, textbooks and evaluation methods, addressing inequities caused by privatisation, filling teacher vacancies within three years, tackling funding shortages in higher education, and promoting constitutional, civic and human values from the school level. The policy also addresses the medium of instruction debate, long contentious in multilingual India. It recommends a bilingual approach with Kannada and English, while allowing communities to study their mother tongues as first languages. 'What makes this policy significant is its balance — it ensures Kannada remains central to education while respecting linguistic diversity. It is not exclusionary, and could serve as a model for the country,' Prof. Bilimale explained. Special measures have been proposed to set up language training centres, translation hubs, and strengthen Kannada under the 2015 Kannada Learning Act. The framework also acknowledges the rights of Urdu and other linguistic minorities to retain their languages while mandating Kannada as either a first or second language. Calling it 'a game-changer for Karnataka,' Prof. Bilimale urged the government to implement the recommendations fully rather than selectively. 'The comprehensive nature of this policy is its greatest strength. If the government acts decisively, Karnataka's education sector can emerge as a national model,' he said.
News18
13 minutes ago
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Why Is US Sparing China But Targeting India Over Russian Oil? Marco Rubio Says...
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First Post
35 minutes ago
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Was the US First Lady's 'peace letter' to Putin in Alaska written by AI?
During the Alaska summit, Donald Trump hand-delivered a 'peace letter' from Melania Trump to Putin, which urged the Russian President to 'singlehandedly restore' the 'melodic laughter' of Ukrainian children living through years of war. However, many say the letter is 'vague' and 'says a whole lot of nothing', sparking doubts about whether the US first lady actually penned it While Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy thanked First lady Melania Trump for highlighting the plight of children in her 'peace letter' to Putin, many online users question if it was penned using AI. File image/ Reuters When Donald Trump met Vladimir Putin in Alaska, the summit grabbed global headlines. But it wasn't just about the talks. During the meeting, Trump hand-delivered a 'peace letter' from First Lady Melania Trump, asking the Russian leader to 'singlehandedly restore' the 'melodic laughter' of Ukrainian children living through more than three years of war. The letter instantly drew attention. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy publicly thanked Melania for highlighting the plight of children. But as the copy of the letter circulated online, many called it 'vague' and raised questions about whether it was truly penned by the First Lady herself, or was it generated using artificial intelligence? STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Here's a closer look. What did Melania's letter say? According to Fox News, soon after Donald Trump handed over the letter at the Alaska summit, Vladimir Putin chose to read it aloud in front of both the American and Russian delegations. 'Dear President Putin,' it began. 'Every child shares the same quiet dreams in their heart, whether born randomly into a nation's rustic countryside or a magnificent city-center. They dream of love, possibility, and safety from danger.' The First Lady went on to frame the role of parents and leaders in safeguarding those dreams. 'As parents, it is our duty to nurture the next generation's hope. As leaders, the responsibility to sustain our children extends beyond the comfort of a few,' she wrote. 'Undeniably, we must strive to paint a dignity-filled world for all — so that every soul may wake to peace, and so that the future itself is perfectly guarded. A simple yet profound concept, Mr. Putin, as I am sure you agree, is that each generation's descendants begin their lives with a purity — an innocence which stands above geography, government, and ideology.' 'In today's world, some children are forced to carry a quiet laughter, untouched by the darkness around them — a silent defiance against the forces that can potentially claim their future.' She then placed the responsibility directly on Putin. 'Mr. Putin, you can singlehandedly restore their melodic laughter. In protecting the innocence of these children, you will do more than serve Russia alone — you serve humanity itself.' 'Such a bold idea transcends all human division, and you, Mr. Putin, are fit to implement this vision with a stroke of the pen today. It is time,' it concluded. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Did Melania write the letter using AI? Soon after Melania Trump shared the 'peace letter' on her official Instagram, online users began speculating whether it had actually been written by artificial intelligence. While there has been no official comment from the White House yet, critics pointed out that the letter was vague about which 'children' it referred to, or what exactly she wanted Putin to do. While the message seemed to gesture at Ukrainian children, it never directly mentioned the suffering they've endured since Russia's invasion in February 2022, wrote the American nonprofit magazine Mother Jones. Democratic strategist Keith Edwards was also blunt in his reaction. Posting on X, he wrote that the letter 'says a whole lot of nothing,' adding that it 'may have been written by AI.' STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD This letter to Putin from Melania: 1. Says a whole lot of nothing. 2. May have been written by AI. — Keith Edwards (@keithedwards) August 16, 2025 Others took it a step further. One account even asked Grok, X's AI chatbot, to weigh in on the letter. The bot responded that the message was 'likely 85 per cent AI-drafted, with minor human edits for tone.' @grok based on the text in this letter and what you know about the output of LLMs, please analyze how much of this letter was written by AI? — Jim Stewartson, Antifascist 🇨🇦🇺🇦🏴☠️🇺🇸 (@jimstewartson) August 17, 2025 STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Zelenskyy thanks Melania for 'sincere attention' Ukraine's Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said in a post to social media that Zelenskyy had 'conveyed his gratitude' to Trump during a conversation on Saturday following the summit for the first lady's 'sincere attention and efforts to bring forcibly deported Ukrainian kids back.' Kyiv has long accused Moscow of abducting thousands of children during the war and relocating them to Russia or occupied territories – calling it a war crime. A UN report said that at least 200 children were transferred in the first year of the invasion, while independent estimates put the number far higher: Yale researchers suggested more than 35,000, and Ukraine's rights commissioner claimed over 19,500 – with only about 1,000 returned so far. Kyiv has long accused Moscow of abducting thousands of children during the war and relocating them to Russia or occupied territories – calling it a war crime. File image/Reuters In 2023, the International Criminal Court even issued arrest warrants for Vladimir Putin and Russia's children's commissioner Maria Lvova-Belova, over the deportations. Yet none of this appeared in Melania's so-called 'peace letter.' Instead, it struck a vague tone with many, despite Trump himself telling reporters last month that his wife has been deeply unsettled by the war. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD 'I go home, tell the First Lady, 'I spoke to Vladimir today, we had a wonderful conversation.' She says, 'Oh really? Another city was just hit,'' the President told reporters in the Oval Office. With input from agencies
