International
After devastating flash floods in Nepal last week, the Nepal Electricity Authority is directing rescue efforts to the Rasuwagadhi hydropower plant where dozens of survivors may remain trapped inside.
A glacier collapse near the Nepal-China border sent torrents of water down the mountain Wednesday, destroying towns and valleys in its wake.
At least 1,000 people are confirmed dead with thousands more missing.
Rescuers are focusing their efforts around hydroelectric project tunnels with air supplies where around 900 workers are presumed missing.
“In Rasuwagadhi, we think 46 people are trapped in a room-like structure in the tunnel,” said Amshu Kiran Shahi, a board member of the Nepal Electricity Authority. “We are very confident that they must be alive after one week because they have food and water over there in the building.”
Prime Minister Balendra Shah said the government restored power and telecommunication services rapidly with 95% of services restored by Tuesday.
“This was one of the major disasters experienced by human civilization,” Shah said. “As soon as information was received that the flood was approaching, our security personnel were deployed to warn local residents. Some of those personnel themselves went missing.”
The United Nations Development Programme estimates the disaster produced at least 2.2 million tons of debris, a quantity equaling six Empire State Buildings.
National
The Trump administration issued a memo to universities last week aiming to restrict internship work authorizations for international students. The memo warned that failure to comply with regulations will result in offending schools losing their certification to enroll international students.
The memo, issued Aug. 24, mentioned the Student and Exchange Visitor Program “observed a rise in Curricular Practical Training (CPT) authorizations that appear to violate regulatory requirements which permit CPT only where the training is an integral part of an established curriculum.”
The Department of Homeland Security clarified in a statement that regulations have not changed except in how they are enforced.
“Nothing about these regulations has changed,” the department said. “However, schools and employers should consider themselves on notice: under President Trump, abuse of this generous system will no longer be tolerated.”
According to data from the Department of State, international enrollment is on a downward trend in the United States after 2025, when it issued 23% fewer study visas to international students.
Local
Several Oklahoma school districts are on guard after being mentioned in social media threats involving Dr. Seuss’ Cat in the Hat character this week.
“What the threat is, is terrorism,” Cleveland County Sheriff Darrell Weaver told KOKH-TV. “That’s what it is.”
The threat is part of a social media trend where instigators post unsettling photos of the Cat in the Hat with text threatening homes, schools and individuals.
On Monday night, the Pawnee Police Department was made aware of a specific threat toward Pawnee Middle School using this format and including a list of around 35 students.
The department requested information about the poster from TikTok, allowing it to bring in the suspect for questioning Tuesday.
“It’s unfortunate that online threats continue to disrupt the learning happening in our schools,” a statement from the Oklahoma State Department of Education reads. “Whether or not these threats are credible, we are grateful for district administrators and law enforcement officials who take each one seriously. The safety of students and staff is of the utmost priority, and members of the public are encouraged to report any credible information they might have related to this incident.”
In Oklahoma, posting a threat to schools online is classified as a felony punishable by up to 10 years in prison and $10,000 in fines whether the individual planned to carry it out or not.
Be First to Comment