Trump administration blocks Harvard from enrolling international students

Good morning, pleased Friday and welcome to FirstFT Asia. In right this moment’s e-newsletter:

• Trump administration escalates its assaults on Harvard

• An embarrassing setback for North Korea’s navy

• India and Pakistan launch rival diplomatic offensives

The Trump administration has barred Harvard College from enrolling worldwide college students, in a serious escalation of its assaults on one of the crucial prestigious Ivy League colleges within the US.

The way it occurred: Secretary of homeland safety Kristi Noem despatched a letter to Harvard yesterday telling its administration that the college’s pupil and trade customer programme certification had been revoked, “efficient instantly”. The choice comes amid a deepening crackdown by US President Donald Trump on elite establishments which he accuses of selling “woke” ideology and failing to deal with antisemitism.

What it means: The transfer would have an effect on the admission of scholars for the approaching tutorial 12 months, however Noem additionally stated the ban meant Harvard’s virtually 6,800 present worldwide college students, representing greater than 27 per cent of its consumption this 12 months, should change their enrolment to different universities. It’s going to additionally spark concern for the 1.1mn foreigners enrolled in American universities — of whom the most important share come from India and China — in addition to others hoping to check within the US.

Harvard’s response: The college stated the administration’s transfer was “illegal” and that it was “totally dedicated” to sustaining its potential to host worldwide college students. Harvard has already sued the administration for halting greater than $2bn in funding for the college. Read the full story.

Right here’s what else we’re holding tabs on right this moment and over the weekend:

• Financial information: Japan and Singapore publish April CPI inflation price information.

• Outcomes: Cathay Monetary Holding stories first-quarter outcomes.

• State go to: French President Emmanuel Macron begins a visit to Vietnam on Sunday, as a part of bigger tour of south-east Asia. (Reuters)

How effectively did you retain up with the information this week? Take our quiz.

5 extra prime tales

1. Kim Jong Un has lashed out at North Korea’s navy after the failed launch of its largest warship. Throughout the launch, which Kim attended, the ship became unbalanced and sustained damage to its hull. The North Korean chief denounced the unsuccessful launch of the 5,000-tonne naval destroyer as a “prison act” brought on by “carelessness”.

2. Trump has moved a giant step nearer to fulfilling a key goal of his second time period with the passage of his sweeping, “massive lovely” tax invoice by a slim majority within the Home of Representatives. Nonetheless, whereas Republicans celebrated yesterday after the invoice handed by a single vote, the laws may turn into a poisoned chalice for the president and his party.

• Associated information: Shares in US renewable vitality teams fell yesterday, as cuts to clean energy tax credits in Trump’s landmark tax invoice proved extra aggressive than anticipated.

3. Two Israeli embassy employees members had been shot and killed exterior an occasion on the Jewish museum in Washington on Wednesday night time by a person who chanted “free, free Palestine”. Israeli and US officers condemned the assault as an act of antisemitism, whereas police stated a suspect was in custody. Here are more details.

4. Microsoft-backed Builder.ai collapsed after an inside investigation discovered proof of probably bogus gross sales and the corporate revised down revenues to just a quarter of prior estimates. Builder.ai, one of many UK’s best-funded expertise start-ups, knowledgeable workers earlier this week that it will begin insolvency proceedings after its lenders known as a default.

5. Britain’s Nationwide Crime Company has obtained freezing orders on two London properties linked to the regime of ousted Bangladesh leader Sheikh Hasina, amid allegations of embezzlement. The properties are owned by Ahmed Shayan Fazlur Rahman, the son of Salman F Rahman, a Bangladeshi businessman who acted as an funding adviser to Sheikh Hasina.

Be part of us for a subscriber-only webinar subsequent Wednesday for insights into probably the most consequential geopolitical rivalry of our time: the US-China showdown. Register now and put questions to our panel.

Information in-depth

India and Pakistan are dispatching competing delegations around the globe in an effort to bolster sympathies and press their view of this month’s battle, the worst preventing in many years between the nuclear-armed neighbours. Here’s what both countries are telling foreign officials in their rival diplomatic offensives.

We’re additionally studying . . . 

• House race: Elon Musk’s Starlink satellite tv for pc system dominates the battle for the way forward for world connectivity, however Amazon and Chinese rivals are working to catch up.

• Eurostar’s competitors: Financing, regulation and completely different rail techniques imply potential rivals are years away from launching providers.

• ‘The cult of Saint Traoré’: How the Russian-backed junta chief of Burkina Faso reworked from an obscure navy officer to an anti-western icon.

Chart of the day

Bets that forex offers will kind a part of commerce negotiations with the US have helped lift a string of Asian currencies towards the greenback, as merchants search for indicators that international locations will provide to cut back intervention to appease Trump.

Take a break from the information

Most individuals are getting dumber, writes Simon Kuper, as smartphones sap our consideration spans, studying expertise and talent to motive. buck the development? Here are seven habits to live by to become a great thinker.