Trump Administration Halts Immigration Processing for 19 Nations After D.C. Shooting
The Trump administration has suspended all immigration applications, including green cards and naturalizations, for people from 19 countries it deems high-risk, according to a new US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) memo released Tuesday.
The pause affects immigrants already in the United States as well as new applicants and follows the fatal shooting of a National Guard soldier near the White House by an Afghan national.
The affected countries include Afghanistan, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Yemen, and others previously covered under the administration’s June travel ban.
USCIS Director Joseph Edlow ordered a “comprehensive re-review” of all immigration benefits approved for individuals from those nations who entered the US on or after January 20, 2021. The agency plans to prioritize reviews within 90 days and may refer certain cases to law enforcement.
BREAKING: 🔴
The Trump administration has paused all immigration applications filed by immigrants from 19 countries it restricted from travel to the United States earlier this year, halting green card and U.S. citizenship processing for broad swaths of people, officials say. -… pic.twitter.com/vPRldrkd80
— Open Source Intel (@Osint613) December 3, 2025
The decision expands earlier measures that paused asylum processing and halted visas for Afghans who assisted US forces.
Critics have accused the administration of imposing collective punishment on immigrants, while officials say the new review is necessary to address national security concerns.
Israel Says Remains Returned by Hamas Not Linked to Hostages
Israel announced Wednesday that remains handed over by Hamas a day earlier do not belong to any of the dead hostages taken during the militant group’s October 2023 attack.
The Prime Minister’s Office said forensic tests confirmed no match between the remains and known hostages.
Following the completion of the identification process at the National Center of Forensic Medicine, it was determined that the findings brought yesterday for examination from the Gaza Strip are not linked to any of the fallen hostages.
— Prime Minister of Israel (@IsraeliPM) December 3, 2025
With only two deceased hostages still unaccounted for, Israel and Hamas are nearing completion of the first phase of a US-brokered ceasefire. Since the truce began in early October, Hamas has returned 20 living hostages and the remains of 26 others. Both sides continue to accuse each other of violating the fragile agreement.
Palestinian media reported that the remains handed over Tuesday were recovered in the northern Gaza town of Beit Lahiya.
Amnesty Accuses Sudan’s Paramilitary of War Crimes in Deadly Attack on Darfur Displacement Camp
Amnesty International accused Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces (RSF) of committing war crimes during their April assault on the Zamzam displacement camp in North Darfur.
The rights group said the RSF killed civilians, took hostages, and destroyed mosques, schools, and clinics during its multi-day offensive, calling the violence part of a broader campaign against displaced communities.
The RSF captured the nearby city of el-Fasher in October, the Sudanese military’s last stronghold in the region. Amnesty said at least 47 civilians were killed while seeking refuge, including some sheltering in a mosque and clinic. Survivors described shootings, shelling, and sexual assaults that forced most of the camp’s 500,000 residents to flee.
Sudan: Rapid Support Forces’ ruthless attack on Zamzam camp should be investigated for war crimes
New report, out now ⤵️ https://t.co/UZe74Y6V5w
— AmnestySouthernAfrica (@AmnestySARO) December 3, 2025
Amnesty also accused the United Arab Emirates (UAE) of continuing to arm the RSF despite evidence of atrocities, a charge the UAE denies.
The US government has labeled the RSF’s actions in Darfur as genocide, and the International Criminal Court is investigating war crimes linked to Sudan’s 30-month conflict, which has killed tens of thousands and displaced over 14 million people.
Roadside Bomb Kills Three Police Officers in Northwestern Pakistan
A roadside bomb struck a police vehicle in Dera Ismail Khan, northwestern Pakistan, on Wednesday, killing three officers in the third such attack in three days, authorities said.
Police official Sajjad Khan confirmed the incident and said an investigation is underway.
No group has claimed responsibility, but Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi blamed the Pakistani Taliban, or Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP).
Three #Pakistani policemen, including a sub-inspector, were killed after an IED blast targeted a police van in Paniala, located in #KhyberPakhtunkhwa’s Dera Ismail Khan district. pic.twitter.com/b415uO7xWQ
— IDU (@defencealerts) December 3, 2025
The TTP, allied with Afghanistan’s Taliban, has intensified attacks on Pakistani security forces in recent years. The bombing follows Tuesday’s ambush in Bannu that killed a government administrator, two guards, and a bystander.
Pakistan has accused the TTP of operating from Afghan territory since the Taliban’s 2021 takeover, worsening tensions between the two countries. Despite a Qatari-brokered ceasefire in October after deadly cross-border clashes, recent diplomatic talks in Istanbul failed to ease the strain.
Macron Heads to China to Urge Xi on Ukraine Ceasefire and Address Trade Imbalance
French President Emmanuel Macron will arrive in Beijing on Wednesday for talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Qiang, aiming to push China to help secure a ceasefire in Ukraine and to discuss trade issues.
Macron, on his fourth state visit to China since 2017, will urge Xi to pressure Russian President Vladimir Putin toward ending the nearly four-year war. French officials said Macron will stress that China must avoid providing any support that enables Russia to continue its campaign.
Beijing has called for peace talks but has not condemned Moscow’s 2022 invasion, while Western governments accuse China of supplying military components that bolster Russia’s war effort.
French President Emmanuel Macron arrived in #Beijing, China on Wednesday for a three-day state visit.https://t.co/vXWPwbI9Zb pic.twitter.com/QyAJ94aQ5S
— CGTN (@CGTNOfficial) December 3, 2025
Macron’s visit follows Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s trip to Paris, where European leaders expressed concern that US President Donald Trump’s proposed peace plan could force Kyiv into concessions.
Alongside diplomacy, Macron will address trade tensions as the European Union faces a $357 billion deficit with China. He will also visit Chengdu, where two pandas recently returned to China from France, marking an “exceptional” stop in his three-day trip that mixes high-level talks with symbolic cultural diplomacy.
Putin Heads to India for Summit Focused on Trade, Energy, and Defense
Russian President Vladimir Putin will visit India this week for a summit with Prime Minister Narendra Modi aimed at expanding cooperation in energy, trade, and defense while testing India’s balance between Moscow and Washington.
The two leaders are set to meet Friday to review bilateral ties and sign a series of agreements.
The visit comes as the US presses India to curb purchases of discounted Russian oil and imposes 50 percent tariffs on Indian imports in retaliation.
India continues to defend its energy dealings with Russia as vital to its national interest. The summit will prioritize expanding trade in pharmaceuticals, agriculture, and textiles, securing fertilizer supplies, and advancing projects in nuclear and maritime cooperation.
Talks will also address India’s long-delayed delivery of Russian S-400 missile systems, upgrades to Su-30MKI fighter jets, and other defense programs.
Su-57 fighter jets and S-400 air-defense systems are on Putin’s agenda for his visit to India — Kremlin’s Peskov
‘I have no doubt it will be discussed during the visit’ Peskov told Indian media on the S-400 systems
He also dubbed the Su-57 ‘the best plane in the world’ pic.twitter.com/t8sJPeq29o
— RT (@RT_com) December 2, 2025
While Modi has avoided direct criticism of Russia’s war in Ukraine, analysts say he could use the meeting to quietly encourage progress toward peace.
South Korea’s President Weighs Apology to North Korea Over Alleged Provocations by Ousted Predecessor
South Korean President Lee Jae Myung said Wednesday he is considering apologizing to North Korea over allegations that former President Yoon Suk Yeol deliberately escalated tensions with Pyongyang before declaring martial law in December 2024.
Lee, speaking on the first anniversary of Yoon’s failed power grab, said he believes an apology is warranted but fears it could trigger political backlash at home.
Prosecutors have charged Yoon and two ex-defense officials with ordering drone and leaflet operations over North Korea to justify his emergency powers.
South Korean President Lee Jae‑myung said he is considering an apology to North Korea amid suspicions that former President Yoon deliberately sought to heighten military tensions ahead of his brief martial law declaration in Dec 2024. pic.twitter.com/CGo4ftiXCg
— 鳳凰資訊 PhoenixTV News (@PhoenixTV_News) December 3, 2025
Since taking office in June, Lee has sought to ease inter-Korean tensions by halting propaganda broadcasts and restricting activist balloon launches, though Pyongyang has ignored his outreach. He said suspending US-South Korea military drills could be an option to encourage dialogue—a stance likely to draw criticism from conservatives.
Lee faced domestic outrage after appearing unaware that six South Koreans, including Christian missionaries, remain imprisoned in North Korea. Families of the detainees condemned his comments as indifferent. Lee also reflected on the 2024 martial law crisis, crediting public resistance with stopping Yoon’s “self-coup.”
Yoon, now on trial for rebellion and related offenses, maintains that his actions were necessary to preserve order.
Malaysia to Resume Search for Missing Flight MH370 on December 30
Malaysia’s Transport Ministry announced Wednesday that the deep-sea search for Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 will restart on December 30, nearly 11 years after the jet disappeared with 239 people aboard.
US-based marine robotics company Ocean Infinity will conduct a 55-day search in the southern Indian Ocean, focusing on a 15,000-square-kilometer (5,800-square-mile) area believed to have the highest chance of locating the wreckage.
The operation will be carried out under a “no-find, no-fee” agreement, with Ocean Infinity receiving $70 million only if the aircraft is found.
Malaysia Government through a media release today, said that search for missing Malaysia Airlines Boeing 777-200ER plane (9M-MRO) that operated Flight MH370, will resume this month more than 11 years after it vanished.
According to the media release, the deep-sea hunt for MH370… pic.twitter.com/N1B8dOGiyR
— FL360aero (@fl360aero) December 3, 2025
Malaysia said the renewed effort demonstrates its commitment to providing closure to families of the victims.
The Boeing 777 vanished on March 8, 2014, while flying from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing, and despite years of multinational searches, only scattered debris has ever been recovered.
Sources: News Agencies
Morning Brief: Pentagon Watchdog to Release Report on Signal Group Chat Leak, Putin Heads to India for Summit, Malaysia’s Flight MH370 Search Resumes
Pentagon scrutiny rises as global tensions flare from Darfur to China and the Koreas. Here’s your Wednesday Morning Brief, December 3, 2025.
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