US halts student visa appointments

Hello. The US has instructed its embassies to halt student visa appointments. My colleagues bring you the latest. From Ukraine, correspondent Abdujalil Abdurasulov reports on the military importance the north-eastern region of Sumy holds for advancing Russian forces. And finally, meet the new generation of Hogwarts students as the young actors cast for the new Harry Potter television series are revealed.

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US plans expanded social media vetting

Harvard University students held a protest in support of international students on Tuesday. Credit: Reuters

The Trump administration has ordered US embassies to stop scheduling appointments for student visas as it prepares to expand social media vetting of foreign applicants. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said in a memo the pause would last "until further guidance is issued". It's the latest development in a dispute between the government and some of the country's most elite colleges. US President Donald Trump says some of them have enabled antisemitism on campus and uphold discriminatory admissions policies. His administration has frozen funding for universities and moved to deport students. Many of these actions have been blocked by the courts.

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Why the Sumy region matters to Russia

Ukraine's Sumy region has come under heavy Russian air strikes and artillery fire. Credit: Emergency services of Sumy

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky's warning about Russia's "preparation for new offensives" has largely been interpreted as a reference to the events in the north-eastern region of Sumy, where Russian forces have been making gains. Abdujalil Abdurasulov reports on the area's strategic importance.