India thanks Oman for rescuing Indian sailors
India has expressed its gratitude to Omani authorities for their support in the timely rescue of 24 Indian sailors after US forces disabled an unladen oil tanker near Oman.
“We thank the Oman government for their support in rescuing the crew and ensuring their safety. Our Mission continues to be in touch with the seafarers,” India’s Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said.
Palau-flagged tanker MT Marivex, was carrying 24 Indian crew members, anchored off Masirah, Oman when it was targeted by the US.
US Central Command (CENTCOMM) said in a post on X that the M/T Marivex was transiting international waters in the Gulf of Oman toward Iran when it was targeted.
Indian and Omani authorities coordinated for the rescue of the seafarers.
“There were 24 crew members onboard the ship, all being Indian nationals. All of them have been rescued. Our Embassy coordinated with the Omani authorities for their rescue,” MEA said.
SpiceJet’s cash crunch worsens leaving pilots unpaid
Indian airline SpiceJet has not been able to pay salaries to its pilots since March, internal messages seen by Reuters news agency show.
The airline said it is seeking an emergency loan under a government-backed credit scheme to help stabilise operations.
As of March, SpiceJet had 375 pilots on its rolls.
Two pilots told Reuters that salary payments had been delayed for several months. The agency also reveiwed messages exchanged in a group with more than 180 members which included pilots and at least one senior airline official.
In one message reviewed by Reuters, SpiceJet’s senior vice president of flight operations, Virendra Malhotra, wrote on May 26 that he was aware “that all of you are going through a difficult phase owing to the delay in salary disbursement” and said the balance of February salaries would be released shortly.
SpiceJet said that it is trying to secure funding through the government’s Emergency Credit Line Guarantee Scheme, which allows airlines to access government-backed loans of up to 15 billion rupees.
India breaks through strategic Zojila tunnel
The Zojila tunnel connecting Sonmarg in Kashmir to Minamarg in Ladakh witnessed a breakthrough as it completed the excavation work — a milestone in providing all-weather access to the frontier Ladakh region with China.
The Zojila tunnel is more than a construction milestone. The tunnel, located in a region bordered by Pakistan on one side and China on the other, provides India with strategic importance.
Stretching over 13 kilometers (8 miles) at an altitude of about 3,530 meters (around 11,580 feet), it is expected to become one of the world’s most significant high-altitude tunnel projects once completed.
The Zojila tunnel provides year-round passage and all-weather connectivity across a challenging mountain pass.
“This is not just a tunnel but a lifeline,” said Indian Minister of Roads Nitin Gadkari during the breakthrough ceremony at the high-altitude tunnel, which is part of a route designed to rapidly improve connectivity between Srinagar, the main city in Indian-administered Kashmir, and Leh, Ladakh’s key city.
Trump’s H1-B visa fee struck down by US court. What does it mean for Indians?
A US federal judge has struck down President Donald Trump’s $100,000 fee on new H-1B visas, dealing a significant blow to one of the administration’s most aggressive attempts to curb skilled immigration.
The Trump administration had announced the $100,000 fee in September 2025 as part of a broader changes to immigration policies that would prevent foreign workers from taking up American jobs.The H-1B program is among the most significant immigration pathways for Indian professionals seeking to work in the United States.
Indian nationals account for 71% of H-1B visa recipients, according to the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services.
While the court’s ruling against the fee hike has brought relief for workers and companies, it could still be temporary.
A Department of Homeland Security statement said the agency disagrees with “this blatant judicial activism dismantling President Trump’s historic efforts for immigration reform.”
A White House spokesperson on Monday hinted that the order will be challenged in an appellate court.
“The H-1B program has been abused for decades, and President Trump finally took action to fix it,” Press Trust of India news agency quoted White House spokesperson Taylor Rogers as saying.
‘Organized factory of hate’: India rebukes Pakistan at UN
India launched a scathing attack on Pakistan, condemning directions given to Pakistan’s government agencies to refer to militant groups operating in the country as “Fitna al-Hindustan.”
India’s representative at the UN called the step an attempt to institutionalize anti-India rhetoric.
“Coming up with official notifications directing Pakistan’s government agencies to start referring to groups inside its own borders as ‘Fitna al Hindustan’ is nothing but officially sponsored misinformation and disinformation dressed in religious terminology,” said Harish Parvathaneni, India’s permanent representative to the UN.
“It is an outcome of an organized factory of hate coming from the deep state of Pakistan, which aims to keep their citizens in a state of permanent hostility with India,” Parvathaneni said.
In 2025, the Pakistan government officially designated all terrorist groups and organizations operating in Balochistan province as “Fitna al Hindustan.”
India also criticized Pakistan for a campaign of military airstrikes against Afghanistan.
“Dressing up a massacre as a military operation does not absolve the perpetrator,” Parvathaneni said. “Killing, maiming and orphaning civilians is not counter terrorism.”
Reportedly, nearly 400 people were killed in Afghanistan in the first three months of this year.
Source : https://www.dw.com/en/india-slams-pakistan-at-un-over-fitna-al-hindustan-label/live-77468319
