Hook News Brief | 28.05.25
Trump halts new student visa appointments
US President Donald Trump's administration has ordered its missions abroad to stop scheduling new appointments for student and exchange visitor visa applicants.
The move comes as US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said that the department plans to issue updated guidance on social media vetting of aspiring students after a review is completed.
EU approves a 150 billion-euro arms fund
The European Union has approved the creation of a 150 billion-euro EU arms fund in a measure backed by 26 of the EU's 27 member countries, with Hungary abstaining.
The approval was the final legal step in setting up the Security Action for Europe scheme, using joint EU borrowing to give loans to European countries for joint defence projects.
German Foreign Minister Wadephul warns Israel
Staying with Europe, German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul has threatened unspecified measures against Israel and said Berlin would not export weapons used to break humanitarian law.
Wadephul added that Germany's historic support for Israel must not be instrumentalised, as massive air strikes and shortages of food and medicines had made the situation in Gaza "unbearable".
Palestinians overrun GHF aid distribution site
In Gaza, thousands of Palestinians overran an aid distribution site set up by a controversial US and Israeli-backed group, Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, a day after it began working there.
The group said that at one point its team fell back because the numbers seeking aid were so great after the 11-week total siege and a continuing tight Israel blockade meant most people in Gaza were desperately hungry.
The Israeli military said troops nearby fired warning shots as they tried to restore order.
King Charles hails ‘strong and free’ Canada
To the Great White North now and King Charles, in a rare speech in Canada’s parliament, hailed ‘strong and free’ Canada - a reference to both its national anthem and recent threats from Trump to make Canada the 51st state.
Charles, who serves as Canada’s head of state, is the first monarch since 1957 to preside over the opening of a new Canadian parliament.
He further added that by “staying true to Canadian values”, the nation could “build new alliances and a new economy that serves all Canadians”.
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