U.S. begins additional vetting for anyone seeking visa to travel to Harvard

The U.S. Department of State on Friday ordered all U.S. embassies and consulates worldwide to "immediately begin additional vetting" for anyone seeking a visa to travel to Harvard University for "any purpose."

According to a diplomatic cable signed by Secretary of State Marco Rubio and seen by local media, the "additional vetting" comprises "a complete screening of the online presence" of the applicants, and "such applicants include, but are not limited to prospective students, students, faculty, employees, contractors, guest speakers, and tourists."

The word "any" is underlined with bold font in the passage, while the cable states that the screening applies to "any" nonimmigrant visa applicant for "any" purpose.

The cable instructs U.S. consular officers to have applicants who are otherwise eligible for a visa to set their social media accounts to public and then refer their cases to the Fraud Prevention Unit, who should conduct a comprehensive and thorough vetting of each such applicant, including social media activity ... and more generally any online presence, to identify possible inadmissibilities.

Israel to ban entry of Arab foreign ministers for West Bank meeting: media

Israel has decided to ban the entry of foreign ministers from Arab countries who planned to visit Ramallah in the West Bank on Sunday for a meeting with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, Israel's state-run Kan TV News reported on Friday night.

Israeli Foreign Ministry officials were quoted as saying that the planned visit by foreign ministers from Jordan, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates was "a defiant act" intended to advance discussions on the establishment of a Palestinian state.

The officials noted that the Palestinian Authority still refused to condemn the Oct. 7, 2023 attack on Israel.

"Israel will not cooperate with moves aimed at harming it and its security," the officials were quoted as saying.

Erdogan, Zelensky hold phone call for upcoming Russia-Ukraine talks in Istanbul

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Friday told Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky that the second round of talks planned in Istanbul should have strong delegations to "maintain momentum toward a peaceful resolution."

In a phone call with Zelensky, Erdogan emphasized Trkiye's continued efforts to help establish a just and lasting peace between Ukraine and Russia, the Turkish presidency said in a statement.

He said that holding talks at the leadership level following inter-delegation meetings would contribute to the peace process and emphasized the importance of not delaying such discussions.

He welcomed the recent prisoner exchange, reached by Moscow and Kiev during their first round of talks in Istanbul, as a positive outcome of the negotiations.

Erdogan said addressing a potential ceasefire during the second round of talks in Istanbul would lay the groundwork for peace.

The second round of talks between Russia and Ukraine is scheduled to be held in Istanbul on June 2, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Wednesday.

UN says Gaza humanitarian situation worst since beginning of war

UN humanitarians on Friday described the situation in Gaza, beleaguered by airstrikes, malnutrition, displacement and a breakdown in public order, as catastrophic and the worst since the war began in October 2023.

The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said five truckloads of aid from the United Nations and its humanitarian partners were able to enter the Gaza Strip on Thursday, marking the first entry in the last four days. Another 60 trucks allowed out of the same checkpoint, the Kerem Shalom/Karem Abu Salem crossing, had to return to the loading zone due to intense hostilities in the area.

The area around the crossing is one where a lot of armed gangs have been operating, notably in the No Man's Land, which is a few kilometers from the crossing, said Stephane Dujarric, chief spokesman for UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres. "The five trucks carried medical supplies, which were meant for the field hospital in Deir Al-Balah, and most of the supplies were looted today (Friday), very sadly and tragically."

OCHA said humanitarian needs have exploded in Gaza following nearly 80 days of Israel's total blockade of all supplies. The limited amounts of aid now entering the Gaza Strip are nowhere near sufficient to support 2.1 million people in the most desperate need of assistance since the war began.

Israel warns Hamas to accept U.S. envoy's Gaza ceasefire deal "or be destroyed"

Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz on Friday warned Hamas to accept the Gaza ceasefire deal proposed by U.S. Special Envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff, "or be destroyed."

Witkoff's proposal includes the release of 10 living Israeli hostages and 18 bodies in two phases in exchange for a 60-day ceasefire in Gaza as well as the release by Israel of 1,236 Palestinian detainees and prisoners, along with the bodies of 180 Palestinians, according to media reports.

In a statement issued by his office, Katz said the Israeli military continued its operations in Gaza with full force, carrying out attacks by air, land, and sea on an unprecedented scale "for maximum protection of our soldiers in preparation for the entry of the maneuvering forces in each area."

In a statement issued on Friday, the Israeli military said that since Thursday, its air force, alongside ground forces, had struck dozens of targets across the Gaza Strip, which "eliminated terrorists, dismantled weapons, terrorist infrastructure, and underground infrastructure sites."