Tag: india

After Killing Three Indian Mariners, US Bombs Another Tanker in the Gulf of Oman

US Central Command announced on Thursday that it bombed an oil tanker for the third time this week in the Gulf of Oman as part of its enforcement of the blockade of Iranian ports, which comes after India confirmed the previous US attack on a tanker killed three Indian crew members.

CENTCOM said its latest attack targeted the Guinea-Bissau-flagged tanker Jalveer. “A US aircraft fired two Hellfire missiles into the ship’s engine room after the crew repeatedly failed to comply with directions from US forces,” the command said.

Indian media on Thursday identified the three Indian mariners who were killed by the previous US attack on the Palau-flagged oil product tanker Settebello as Shivanand Chaurasiya, Patnala Suresh, and Aditya Sharma, a 23-year-old deck cadet who was on the ship for training to become an officer.

Aditya’s father, Rajesh Sharma, called the US attack a war crime and said his government should take a strong stance. “My last conversation with him was on Sunday. I request the government to take a strong stance against the US. I will say it is a war crime to attack a commercial ship with a missile,” Rajesh told NDTV.

“There are a lot of ways to control those cargo ships, you can send a military, you can arrest the crew members, you have no right to attack them with deadly missiles,” he added.

According to CENTCOM’s numbers, its forces have “disabled” nine civilian commercial ships while enforcing the blockade. “The blockade is being enforced impartially against vessels of all nations entering or departing Iranian ports and coastal areas, including all Iranian ports on the Arabian Gulf and Gulf of Oman,” the command said.

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India’s Fake Degree Racket Exposes Systemic Vulnerabilities in the U.S. Skilled Immigration Program

In late 2025, Kerala Police in India dismantled a multi-state fake degree racket, arresting 11 suspects and seizing over 100,000 counterfeit certificates linked to around 22 universities or institutions. Authorities estimated that up to 1 million fraudulent degrees could be in circulation. The forged documents primarily targeted fields like medicine, nursing, and engineering, and were sold for ₹75,000 to ₹1.5 lakh (roughly $900–$1,800 USD).

One institution highlighted in related reporting is Manav Bharti University, which reportedly sold about 36,025 fake degrees while awarding far fewer legitimate ones (around 5,455). Fake degrees from such operations reportedly cost as little as $1,400. 

The issue has recently reignited after Fox News anchor Kayleigh McEnany posted a video on social media highlighting concerns about the H-1B visa program, which allows employers to hire foreign workers in “specialty occupations” requiring at least a bachelor’s degree or equivalent.

In the post, McEnany cited figures on visa approvals since 2015 and referenced allegations from a former official, reported by Newsweek, regarding widespread fraud and the use of fraudulent documentation in some H-1B applications originating from India. .

These documents were allegedly used for jobs and visa applications abroad, including in the U.S. While direct links to specific approved H-1B visas would require further investigation by U.S. authorities, the scale raises serious questions about credential verification in the immigration process. 

Broader Allegations of Fraud in Indian H-1B Applications

A former U.S. consular officer, Mahvash Siddiqui, who adjudicated thousands of visas (including many H-1Bs) at the U.S. consulate in Chennai, India, alleged in 2025 that 80–90% of H-1B applications from the region involved fraudulent documentation or unqualified applicants. She described forged degrees, transcripts, employment letters, and other supporting materials, often facilitated by visa consultancies. 

India dominates H-1B approvals (often around 70% in recent years), making these claims particularly relevant to program integrity. 

U.S. agencies like USCIS and the Department of Labor have long acknowledged fraud risks in the H-1B program, including indicators such as wage violations, benching (non-payment while awaiting projects), and misrepresentation of job duties or worksites. Audits have previously found notable fraud rates. uscis.gov 

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US, India Sign Critical Minerals And Rare Earths Mining Pact

The United States and India signed a key agreement on May 26 to secure critical minerals and rare earth mining, processing, and supplies, further loosening China’s grip on the global market, during Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s four-day visit.

“We are two countries who have a strategic interest in ensuring reliable long-term access to critical minerals and supply chains that are important for our innovation economy,” Rubio said during the signing. “This is a very important step.”

Rubio was in India for a four-day diplomatic visit May 23-26 to shore up the United States’ partnership with what he called “one of our most important strategic partners in the world.”

He said the talks included a scope of issues that the United States works together on with India.

In a similar statement about the agreement, India’s External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar said the framework will strengthen resilient and diversified supply chains, help both nations collaborate on financing, and also help with the effective management of critical minerals and rare earths.

“I think it’s a very important initiative,” Jaishankar said during the signing. “It’s one more sign of how close our cooperation is and how important it is today in a world where there are so many challenges but also so many opportunities.”

The framework for the agreement first began to take shape in February when India signed onto Pax Silica, a U.S.-led strategic initiative and coalition aimed at securing a global supply chain for artificial intelligence (AI) progress and economic security. India was one of 14 countries to sign the agreement.

India has one of the world’s largest rare earth elements reserves, and existing processing capabilities that can be developed, according to the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), a bipartisan think tank organization. The country has rich sand deposits containing monazite, which includes thorium and other minerals. Thorium is a nuclear fuel.

China accounts for about 60 percent of global rare earth elements production and about 90 percent of processing.

On May 26, Rubio also announced signing a partnership charter and agreement on critical minerals with Armenia.

Rubio held a ceremony with Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan signing the bilateral framework agreement on the Trump Route for International Peace and Prosperity. They also signed a Strategic Partnership Charter and agreement on critical minerals.

Armenia mainly mines iron, copper, molybdenum, lead, zinc, gold, silver, antimony, and aluminum. The country also has valuable reserves of rare metals, including gold-polymetallic, copper-molybdenum, and copper pyrite deposits, according to the U.S. International Trade Administration.

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FBI Shuts Down India-Based Call Center Scam Targeting Hundreds of Elderly Americans

A major international fraud scheme centered in India has been dismantled by Americans. authorities, exposing a sprawling network that targeted elderly Americans and siphoned millions of dollars out of the country.

The case is now fueling renewed concerns about foreign-based scam operations exploiting vulnerable U.S. citizens.

Federal investigators say the operation relied heavily on call centers operating out of India, where fraudsters posed as legitimate tech support agents, according to various reports. These overseas networks systematically targeted elderly Americans, many of whom were unfamiliar with modern cybersecurity threats.

At the center of the case are two America-based executives, Adam Young and Harrison Gevirtz, who pleaded guilty to enabling the scheme. Prosecutors say the pair provided critical telecommunications infrastructure that allowed India-based scammers to reach victims across the United States.

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Communist Dictator Miguel Díaz-Canel Threatens ‘Bloodbath’ Against America as Cuba Stockpiles 300+ Russian and Iranian Drones in Desperate Panic Under Trump’s Crushing Pressure

Cuba’s blood-soaked communist dictator Miguel Díaz-Canel lashed out Monday, warning that any U.S. military action against his crumbling island prison would unleash a “bloodbath with incalculable consequences.”

The thug-in-chief, who has spent years crushing dissent, jailing protesters, and turning Cuba into a starving socialist dumpster fire, took to X to spew his hollow threats after explosive reports revealed his regime has been quietly amassing over 300 military drones from Russia and Iran.

Just days ago, reports emerged that the Trump administration was weighing aggressive options amid growing national security concerns surrounding Cuba, while CIA Director John Ratcliffe reportedly warned Havana that it could no longer function as a “safe haven for adversaries.”

According to classified intelligence cited by Axios, Cuban officials have acquired more than 300 military drones of varying capability since 2023 and have held discussions about how such systems could be used in the event of hostilities with Washington.

Potential targets discussed include the U.S. naval base at Guantanamo Bay, American military vessels, and possibly even locations in southern Florida, including Key West.

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India Panics, Further Tightens Gold Flows As Rupee Collapses

With the Rupee accelerating its declines to ever lower record lows against the dollar, Indian authorities have stepped up capital controls, focusing on curbing demand in the gold ‘exit’ route.

4 days ago, there were no signs of import duty hikes as Prime Minister Narendra Modi  issued a rare weekend appeal urging citizens to forgo gold purchases as well as unnecessary foreign travel in order to help hold up the currency..

2 days ago, tariffs were more than doubled on gold and silver imports to 15% and 6% respectively.

And today, they are doing even more with India now tightening the advance authorisation route, effectively capping how much gold individual exporters can bring in through that channel. 

A government notification stated that imports of bullion exceeding 100 kilograms would be subject to prior authorization, adding that any subsequent imports would only be granted after exports equivalent to 50% had been carried out.

The notification also introduced stricter checks for first-time applicants seeking permission to import gold under the scheme.

The government has also linked future import approvals to export performance.

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Top MAGA influencer revealed to be AI — created by a guy in India who made a mint off lonely men online

A comely MAGA influencer who racked up millions of followers with patriotic content of her posing in a bikini while ice fishing, drinking Coors Light and shooting guns has been unmasked — as an Indian man who put himself through med school on the proceeds of his trickery.

“Sam,” a 22-year-old orthopedic surgeon in training, told Wired that he got the idea to sell AI-generated images of a young woman in a bikini while scrounging for money in school — and trying to save up enough to emigrate to the US after graduation.

He turned to Google’s Gemini AI for advice and decided to create a “hot girl” crafted specifically for the “MAGA/conservative niche,” after the software told him that “the conservative audience (especially older men in the US) often has higher disposable income and is more loyal,” according to Wired.

And that’s how Emily Hart was born.

According to her profile, she was a registered nurse with Jennifer Lawrence looks who offered red-meat posts to lonely conservative men online.

One post showed her firing a rifle with the caption: “If you want a reason to unfollow: Christ is king, abortion is murder, and all illegals must be deported,” and “POV: You were assigned intelligent at birth, but you identify as liberal.”

Sam told the magazine, “Every day I’d write something pro-Christian, pro-Second Amendment, pro-life, anti-abortion, anti-woke, and anti-immigration.”

The account “blew up,” and Emily Hart had 10,000 followers within a month.

Every reel he posted garnered millions of views and earned him more followers.

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Trace DNA Found on Shroud of Turin Suggests ‘Unexpected’ Connection to India

Scientists examining DNA contained on the Shroud of Turin were surprised to find evidence indicating that the materials used to make the relic may have originated in India. The fascinating study reportedly involved researchers re-examining samples collected from the controversial artifact in 1978, with the intention of gaining new insights from the genetic information left behind on the pieces. In detailing their analysis of the trace DNA, the scientists revealed that they detected a remarkably diverse array of plants and animals that had their proverbial prints on the relic.

But what particularly intrigued scientists were their findings with regard to the people who came into contact with the shroud. Specifically, the researchers noted that nearly 40 percent of the human DNA found on the relic was from “Indian lineages.” This “unexpected” result, they noted, “is potentially linked to historical interactions associated with importing linen or yarn from regions near the Indus Valley.” Alas, given the complex history of the relic, the scientists were unable to determine its age based on the trace DNA from “centuries of social, cultural, and ecological engagement” with the shroud.

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Mobs in India Destroy Christian Homes After Believers Refuse to Renounce Jesus

Christians in the Indian village of Midapalli had their homes destroyed by an angry mob after refusing to renounce their faith in Jesus Christ.

About 25 believers — four families and two other individuals — were confronted by a mob on Jan. 11 and told to renounce their faith, according to a report from Christian Solidarity Worldwide.

They refused to comply — even after being threatened with death.

The mob of about 20 fellow villagers then proceeded to destroy four of their homes.

When the Christians asked the police in Kavande village for assistance, the police not only declined, but sided with the mob.

“The officer in charge threatened the Christian families, questioning their decision to embrace Christianity as members of a tribal community and warning that their unique identity cards and ration supplies would be cancelled,” Christian Solidarity Worldwide reported.

On Jan. 14, the authorities questioned their pastor, banning him from visiting households in Midapalli.

The mob was emboldened even more, and new death threats were directed at the believers.

The Christian families have no choice but to remain in their destroyed homes, which now offer poor shelter.

“It is deeply concerning to witness the grave and unacceptable assault and humiliation these families have been subjected to on account of their religion,” Christian Solidarity Worldwide President Mervyn Thomas said.

“Even more alarming is the failure of the police to protect these vulnerable citizens, which has emboldened the perpetrators,” the statement added.

“We call upon the district administration and state authorities to intervene as matter of urgency, ensuring the safety of the affected families, restoring their rights, compensating them for the loss of their homes, and holding those responsible to account under the law.”

Such mob violence against Christians is sorrowfully more and more common in India.

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Family of Teen Indian Sexual Attacker Condemns American Victim for ‘Overreacting’

The family of a teenage Indian boy who groped a female American tourist at a New Delhi metro station is accusing the victim of “overreacting” to the incident, arguing that the teen merely got “carried away” during his first encounter with a blonde woman.

The American woman was reportedly visiting India to attend a friend’s wedding. She described her encounter at the train station as the “one unfortunate and ugly incident” that marred a “fun and memorable eight days in India.”

Her story was relayed through social media on Friday by Gaurav Sabnis, a professor at the Stevens Institute of Technology whose class the woman once attended. She contacted him because she recalled his warning, based on his youthful memories of growing up in India, that she would attract a great deal of unwanted attention based on her looks.

“I told her, be on guard for sexual harassment. Especially in Delhi. Here, you’re just another blond. There, you’ll be a target,” Sabnis recalled telling his student.

According to the woman, strangers began approaching her as soon as she landed in New Delhi, asking to take pictures with her. Recalling Sabnis’ advice, she said “no” to the many men who approached her, but agreed to take a few pictures with women and children.

“But then a teenage boy, maybe 14 or 15, at a Delhi Metro station just ruined it forever,” she said. “He was with his mom and sister, so I thought okay, why not.”

“He puts an arm on my shoulder,” she told Sabnis. “Weird, but okay, he’s a teenager. And then, professor, he just straight up grabbed my breasts hard, and spanked my butt, and giggled like he had played a joke.”

The woman said she “pretty much exploded in anger” and shoved the teen away, inadvertently knocking him off his feet. The teen’s mother accused her of “overreacting” and said she should have indulged her son because “he had never met a blond lady up close, so he got carried away.”

The woman said the incident was enough to sour her on the idea of returning to India, or even South Asia.

“I feel so sad for Indian women. This is their everyday life?” she remarked.

The Times of India (TOI) on Monday described the incident as something of a viral sensation, with social media users generally supporting the woman while chastising the grabby teenage boy and his “overprotective” mother.

“Whenever my daughter traveled in India, she was left deeply bewildered – why people spoke to her while staring at her chest instead of meeting her eyes, why they asked for selfies as if she were an object rather than a person, and why so many felt entitled to touch, feel, or grab her,” one social media commentator said.

“The saddest thing is, some women are the biggest enablers of their ‘raja betas’ behavior,” said another commentator quoted by India’s News18. “It’s a vicious cycle. Boy moms are of a ‘higher status,’ so she is socialized to defend this, rather than beat the s**t out of him as a lesson.”

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