The Ministry of Interior of Qatar has confirmed that maritime search operations were carried out after a vessel carrying two individuals failed to return at its scheduled time, prompting an immediate response from the General Directorate of Coasts and Borders Security.

According to an official statement, routine monitoring and verification procedures first flagged the delay, following which maritime patrols launched a search operation on the evening of Saturday, June 27, 2026

The Maritime Search and Rescue Team located the vessel in the early hours of Sunday, June 28, the ministry said.

One killed, one injured in incident

The ministry confirmed that a Qatari citizen was killed after sustaining injuries from shrapnel linked to military activity in the area.

An Arab resident on board was also injured and has been hospitalised in stable condition.

Condolences and ongoing investigation

The Ministry of Interior extended its condolences to the family of the deceased, praying for mercy upon him, and wished a swift recovery for the injured individual.

It added that investigations are ongoing in accordance with established legal procedures.

GN

A sweeping change to US immigration rules could soon reshape how international students plan their education in the country, with a proposed policy introducing a fixed four-year limit on student stays.

The White House has cleared a Department of Homeland Security (DHS) regulation that would replace the long-standing “Duration of Status” (D/S) system with a time-bound admission model for foreign students and exchange visitors.

According to Bloomberg reports, under the proposed changes, most international students would be permitted to stay in the US for up to four years. After this period, those continuing their studies would be required to obtain formal approval to extend their stay.

Currently, students can stay for the full length of their academic programme as long as they maintain valid status, without a fixed expiry date.

If implemented, the change could affect F-1 student visa holders, J-1 exchange visitors and other categories, requiring more frequent interaction with US immigration authorities.

The rule has cleared review by the White House Office of Management and Budget and is expected to move toward publication in the Federal Register, with implementation likely within 30 to 60 days of final notification.

What is the proposed change?

Under current plans reported by Bloomberg, international student stays could be capped at around four years, regardless of how long their academic programme runs.

The rule would apply to multiple visa categories, including:

• F-1 student visas
• J-1 exchange visitor visas
• Other related study-based visa categories

If implemented, students whose programmes extend beyond the limit would need to apply for formal extensions through US immigration authorities.

The regulation has already cleared review by the White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB) and is expected to be published in the Federal Register, with an implementation window of 30 to 60 days after publication.

How the current ‘Duration of Status’ system works

At present, international students in the US are admitted under the Duration of Status (D/S) framework.

This allows students to stay in the country for as long as they:

• Remain enrolled full-time
• Maintain valid student status
• Comply with visa conditions

There is no fixed end date attached to their stay.

This system allows flexibility to:

• Extend academic programmes
• Switch universities or courses
• Progress from undergraduate to postgraduate studies
• Complete Optional Practical Training (OPT) and STEM OPT

What would change under the new rule?

The proposed system would replace this flexible model with a fixed admission period, likely around four years for most students.

Key implications include:

• Students would no longer have automatic stay based on enrolment
• Extensions would require approval from USCIS
• Additional documentation and biometric checks may be required
• Processing delays could affect academic timelines
• Overstaying without approval could lead to legal consequences

In effect, continued study in the US would depend on periodic immigration approvals rather than academic enrolment alone.

Why the US government is proposing the change

The Department of Homeland Security argues that the current system makes it harder to track compliance and identify visa overstays.

A fixed end-date model, officials say, would:

• Improve monitoring of foreign students
• Strengthen immigration enforcement
• Standardise visa oversight across categories

Why Indian students could be most affected

India is the largest source of international students in the United States.

According to the Open Doors 2024 report, more than 331,000 Indian students were enrolled in US institutions in the 2023–24 academic year — nearly 30% of all international students.

Many of these students are in programmes that exceed four years, including:

• PhD and doctoral research programmes
• Long-duration master’s degrees
• Technical and professional courses

Under the proposed system, these students may face:

• More extension applications
• Increased immigration scrutiny
• Greater uncertainty around long-term academic planning

Key concerns raised by experts and institutions

Organisations such as the Association of American Universities (AAU), American Council on Education (ACE) and NAFSA have warned that fixed stay limits could:

• Increase administrative burden
• Create uncertainty for research-based programmes
• Make it harder to maintain legal status in longer academic tracks

They also caution that changes could affect transitions into work pathways such as OPT.

What happens if a visa stay expires?

A major concern under the proposed framework is enforcement.

If a student’s authorised stay expires:

• They may begin accruing unlawful presence immediately
• Delays in extension processing could create legal risks
• Immigration penalties could affect future US travel eligibility

According to immigration firm Fragomen, this could significantly raise the stakes for administrative delays or paperwork errors.

Impact on OPT and post-study work pathways

The effect on Optional Practical Training (OPT) is still unclear.

However, experts warn that moving away from the D/S system could:

• Complicate transitions from study to employment
• Add procedural steps before work authorisation
• Increase pressure on visa timelines for STEM OPT participants

OPT remains a key pathway for international graduates seeking US work experience.

What about the grace period?

Earlier versions of the proposal suggested reducing the post-study grace period for F-1 students from 60 days to 30 days.

This period is currently used to:

• Apply for OPT
• Transfer universities
• Change visa status
• Prepare for departure

Any reduction would tighten post-graduation timelines significantly.

When could the rule take effect?

The rule is not yet in force.

• OMB review has been completed
• Final publication in the Federal Register is pending
• Implementation could begin 30–60 days after publication

Experts suggest rollout may occur later in 2026, though timelines remain uncertain.

What should students do now?

There is no immediate change for current or prospective students.

At this stage, students should:

• Continue under existing visa rules
• Monitor updates from DHS and USCIS
• Stay in touch with university international offices

What happens next

The regulation is not yet in force. It still requires formal publication before becoming law.

Once published, the government is expected to announce an implementation timeline, which experts say could begin later in 2026.

Until then, the current Duration of Status system remains unchanged, allowing students to stay in the US for the full length of their academic programme as long as they comply with visa conditions.

Agencies

Colombia elected nationalist lawyer Abelardo ​De La Espriella as its new president on Sunday, according to an initial vote count, marking a sharp political turn and ‌bringing a hardline security agenda and market-friendly policies to the fore.

Nicknamed “The Tiger” by his followers, De La Espriella portrayed himself as an anti-establishment savior capable of reviving Colombia’s ailing economy and restoring order in a country rattled by illegal armed groups and drug trafficking.

De La Espriella began gaining popularity early in the year with ​his tough-on-crime discourse. He pulled off a victory in the first round in late May with 43.7% of the vote and ​then beat leftist senator Ivan Cepeda in the runoff with 49.66% to Cepeda’s 48.7%, according to the national registrar’s ⁠tally.

De La Espriella, who blames outgoing President Gustavo for Colombia’s economic and security woes, won over a plurality of voters with pledges to reduce the size of ​the state by 40%, broaden the tax base and end peace efforts with armed groups in favor of a hardened military response.

He plans ​to restart oil exploration and allow fracking to nearly double production to 1.3 million barrels per day.

De La Espriella claims to have self-financed his campaign and says his “Defenders of the Homeland” movement grew without support from outside political parties or business groups. Reuters could not independently verify this claim.

Aside from being an attorney, De La ​Espriella has a sprawling business empire that includes wine, rum, clothing and real estate. An investigative journalism outlet, La Silla Vacia, found that ​many of his businesses have been dissolved, are in debt and lost money overall in 2024, with his law firm being his most profitable endeavor. De La ‌Espriella’s campaign ⁠declined to answer La Silla Vacia’s questions about the candidate’s businesses, the outlet said, but later questioned its funding in a public letter. La Silla Vacia rejected allegations of bias.

LUXURY WATCHES ON AN IRON FIST

De La Espriella, 47, used a military salute throughout his campaign despite never having served in the military.

Often seen wearing luxury watches, designer sunglasses and with a well-groomed beard, De La Espriella has drawn comparisons to El Salvador’s ​Nayib Bukele, who calls himself the “world’s ​coolest dictator.”

Bukele has implemented heavy-handed ⁠security policies and mega-prisons that pushed crime rates in El Salvador to among the lowest in Central America and prompted calls for other countries to adopt similar policies. He has detained more than 90,000 people in ​the process, drawing criticism from human rights groups.

De La Espriella denies he is imitating Bukele but has ​proposed 10 mega-prisons ⁠in Colombia.

De La Espriella has also faced criticism for legally representing Alex Saab, who faces charges in the U.S. of laundering money for ousted Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro. He has also represented people linked to corruption scandals, financial embezzlement and right-wing paramilitaries and says his professional relationships as an attorney ⁠do not ​involve any complicity or crime.

De La Espriella, a married father of four, grew up ​in the Caribbean city of Monteria and is a known singer of the region’s traditional vallenato folk music. A citizen of the United States, Italy and Colombia, De La Espriella ​is set to assume the presidency on August 7.

Thomson Reuters