The Trump administration announced on Wednesday that it had increased vetting of H-1B visa applicants for highly skilled workers, instructing that anyone involved in “censorship” of free speech should be considered for rejection, according to an internal State Department memo.H-1B visas allow US employers to hire foreign workers in specialty fields and are crucial for US tech companies, which recruit heavily from countries including India and China. Many of those companies’ leaders threw their support behind Trump in the last presidential election.

The cable, sent to all US missions on December 2, ordered US consular officers to review resumes or LinkedIn profiles of H-1B applicants and family members travelling with them to see if they had worked in areas including misinformation, disinformation, content moderation, fact-checking, compliance and online safety.In a press release, the US department said that all the applicants need to change their profile setting from private to public. “As of December 15, the Department will expand the requirement that an online presence review be conducted for all H-1B applicants and their dependents, in addition to the students and exchange visitors already subject to this review. To facilitate this vetting, all applicants for H-1B and their dependents (H-4), F, M, and J nonimmigrant visas are instructed to adjust the privacy settings on all of their social media profiles to “public,” the statement read. “If you uncover evidence an applicant was responsible for, or complicit in, censorship or attempted censorship of protected expression in the United States, you should pursue a finding that the applicant is ineligible,” under a specific article of the Immigration and Nationality Act, the cable said.Details on the enhanced vetting for H-1B visas, including the focus on censorship and free speech, had not been previously reported. The State Dept did not respond to a request for comment on the contents of the cable.The cable said all visa applicants were subject to this policy but sought a heightened review for H-1B applicants given they frequently worked in the technology sector “including in social media or financial services companies involved in the suppression of protected expression.”“You must thoroughly explore their employment histories to ensure no participation in such activities,” the cable said.The new vetting requirements applied to both new and repeat applicants.The Trump administration made free speech, particularly what it saw as the stifling of conservative voices online, a focus of its foreign policy. Officials repeatedly weighed in on European politics to denounce what they said was suppression of right-wing politicians, including in Romania, Germany and France, accusing European authorities of censoring views like criticism of immigration in the name of countering disinformation.In May, Rubio threatened visa bans for people who censored speech by Americans, including on social media, and suggested the policy could target foreign officials regulating US tech companies.The Trump administration had already significantly tightened its vetting of applicants for student visas, ordering US consular officers to screen for any social media posts that might be hostile towards the United States.As part of his wide-ranging crackdown on immigration, Trump in September imposed new fees on H-1B visas.Trump and his Republican allies had repeatedly accused the administration of Democratic former President Joe Biden of encouraging suppression of free speech on online platforms, claims that had centred on efforts to stem false claims about vaccines and elections.

How will this impact Indian techies?

The H-1B visa is relied on heavily by Indian tech professionals, meaning stricter US vetting rules will disproportionately affect Indian applicants. Under the Trump administration’s new policy, certain categories of Indian workers are now more vulnerable to delays, intensive questioning and potential denials — and, for the first time, even spouses and children will face expanded background checks. The change adds a new layer of uncertainty for thousands of Indian families in the US immigration pipeline. According to an analysis by the National Foundation for American Policy (NFAP) reported by Newsweek, only three Indian firms ranked among the top 25 employers with approved H-1B petitions for initial employment in fiscal year 2025. The top seven Indian companies together secured just 4,573 H-1B approvals for initial employment in FY25 — a 70% drop from FY15 and a 37% decline compared to FY24. By contrast, US tech giants such as Amazon, Meta, Microsoft and Google dominated new approvals, highlighting the increasingly central role of American companies in sponsoring high-skilled foreign workers, the report said.

Coriander, onions and basil planted in December can produce impressive harvests in just a few months’ time, according to gardening expert Benedict Vanheems

Now that December has arrived, many of us will be slowing down a bit as we anticipate a peaceful festive period. However, for gardeners, the work never quite ends, and there are several kitchen garden essentials that need planting this month if you’re hoping for optimal results next year.

After all, as gardening expert Benedict Vanheems highlights: “The days will soon be getting longer and it’s only a few short months before the bulk of sowing begins in earnest.”

In particular, says Vanheems, there’s a long-standing tradition of planting onions on Boxing Day if you’re aiming to showcase some enormous vegetables at your local garden and produce show next year.

There are also several other kitchen staples that will thrive remarkably well if planted in the coming weeks. Benedict reveals on his GrowVeg YouTube channel which seeds you should sow now to achieve the finest results.

Coriander

Coriander, or Cilantro as it’s known across the pond, is a multi-purpose herb that works brilliantly in everything from straightforward soups and sausages to flavourful Mexican cuisine. Just bear in mind that roughly 10% of Europeans perceive the herb as tasting like soap, so check with your guests first!

One of the hurdles when cultivating coriander is that during warmer spells, it can be susceptible to “bolting,” or early flowering: “That’s absolutely fine if you want the seed pods to harvest the seeds to grind into coriander powder,” Benedict says, “but if you’re after the juicy, aromatic leaves, autumn or winter is a great time to grow coriander.”

By encasing your coriander seeds in a small pouch of cotton or muslin fabric, you can pre-germinate them by immersing them in water overnight to activate them, then giving them a quick dip twice daily.

After roughly a week, they should be prepared for planting. Distribute them very gently into a tray of compost, being careful not to harm their fragile roots.

Letting them establish themselves in a cold frame, or even on a sunny window ledge, should provide your coriander plants with a strong foundation.

Within approximately six to eight weeks, the leaves should be ready for harvesting and, if you’re cautious not to harm the growing-point, you might even be fortunate enough to secure a second crop.

Benedict has one additional suggestion for gardeners: “Cilantro, or coriander seed, can be a little bit expensive so it’s worth letting a few plants bolt in the summer so you can harvest your own seed and save yourself a few pennies too.”

Onions

“Now is the perfect time to begin growing onions from seed,” advises Benedict, “particularly if you’re aiming for impressively large, football-sized champion onions.”

The day after Christmas is traditionally when onions are sown for super-sized ones. Start with a well-sifted all-purpose potting mix. If your goal is to grow colossal onions to impress fellow gardeners, choose a variety like Exhibition or Showmaster which, as their names imply, are chosen for their size.

Benedict further suggests not planting your onions outdoors immediately for the best results: “To get these germinated I’m going bring them indoors into the warmth of the house and then they will come back out here once they’re up. Then, as light levels improve within about a month or so, growth should really start to pick up.”

He also recommends that if you’re feeling particularly competitive, consider placing your onions under grow lights for the first month or so to give them a significant head start.

Basil

Basil, another essential garden herb crucial in many Italian recipes, is surprisingly easy to cultivate. It’s especially rewarding for those who don’t have a large garden or allotment and need to find plants that will thrive indoors.”

“Basil is a great one to grow on a window sill or under grow lights,” says Benedict, adding that the plant’s vibrant green leaves and aromatic scents are the perfect remedy for grey winter days.

He suggests opting for classic sweet basil, occasionally labelled as Genovese basil, explaining: “I’ve chosen that because it’s very versatile, very reliable and the seeds are generally very cheap so I can make multiple sowings throughout the winter without breaking the bank. He adds practical guidance for planting: “Again, use well-sifted all-purpose compost, ideally in four-inch pots.

“Sprinkle the seeds fairly thinly, and cover with just a tiny amount of additional compost.” To avoid disrupting his carefully arranged seed layers, Benedict employs a mister for watering. After thoroughly moistening the soil, he advises covering the pots to retain moisture levels.

Describing the next crucial step, he notes: “To help them germinate, on goes a bit of clear plastic. What this will do is create a lovely humid environment in there that will just help them to germinate and grow.”

As with previous recommendations, during this period of the year, artificial lighting will deliver optimal outcomes.

Venturing into your garden might provide the perfect counterbalance to those extended festive afternoons spent indoors watching television in a warm, airless living room.

Plus, if you’re fortunate enough to own a greenhouse, it offers an excellent sanctuary should family visitors begin to overstay their festive welcome.

BofA Securities has a neutral rating on PB Fintech (Policybazar) with the target price of Rs 1,980. Analysts said that the company’s management sees no GST-led negative impact on health and term policies, some impact on savings business but they’re working to address the same in the next 3-6 months. Most insurer contracts on combined operating ratio. They said that with lower operating expense and better claims ratio, PB is better placed to negotiate with insurance companies. PB is focused on driving healthy growth, they said.Jefferies has a buy on Chalet Hotels with the target price at Rs 1,070. Analyst said that the company reaffirmed its metro dominance at its analyst meet, citing institutional partnerships, mixed-use expertise and industry-leading execution. The hospitality company is focused on ‘Big Box’ city assets and leisure properties, complemented by selective commercial real estate. Since listing, Chalet has added 1,050+ keys and has another 1,180 in the pipeline. The company prefers to balance brand tie-ups with a selective rollout of ATHIVA, its new upper-upscale brand tailored to each property’s potential.CLSA has an outperform rating on Hindalco with the target price raised to Rs 965. Analysts estimate that even at an LME price of $2,600 (spot $2,850), ongoing capacity and margin expansion initiatives could double earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortisation (EBITDA) in the next five years, with significant free cash flow generation in the back half. They said in the near term, concerns at Novelis (capex escalation and fire in a plant) are likely to be offset by strong aluminium price outlook. The management was constructive on aluminium price outlook, they said. The company’s capacity addition in Indonesia (as China approaches its ceiling of 45 metric tonne) could face challenges on power availability. They also said that the demand is resilient.Citigroup has upgraded HDFC AM to neutral from sell with the target price raised to Rs 2,850. Analysts upgrade the stock on a number of factors. For one, the fund house shows sustained strength in performance across most key actively-managed high-yielding categories. It has an elevated focus on scaling up non-MF businesses. Also, there’s limited visibility of any near-term regulatory overhang. On the other hand, elevated competitive pressure and reducing distribution moats for incumbents remain the key concerns.Macquarie has an outperform rating on ITC with the target price at Rs 500. Analysts believe concerns on high per-stick taxes shared in draft excise document are misplaced, as such rates represent the cap and not the applicable rates. They see potential moderation in discounting post move to GST as a percentage of retail price, and moderation in leaf tobacco costs driving 10%+ FY27 EBIT growth in cigarette business. Analysts raised ITC’s earnings per share estimates and target price by 2% and 4%, respectively, to factor in these tailwinds. They also believe a re-rating needs clarity that cigarette tax will not increase materially post levy of a new cess.

Source: New Castle County Police

A Pakistan-origin man studying at the University of Delaware was arrested after police discovered a large collection of guns, ammunition and body armour, along with a manifesto that allegedly described plans to “kill all” and seek “martyrdom” in a mass shooting on the University campus, The New York Post reported.Police arrested 25-year-old Luqmaan Khan just before midnight on November 24. Officers found him sitting in his pickup truck in a park after closing hours, and decided to search the vehicle because he was acting suspiciously.Inside the truck, officers allegedly found a .357 Glock pistol, several loaded 27-round magazines, body-armor plates, binoculars, a laptop and a marble composition notebook. Prosecutors said the pistol had been placed into a kit that turned it into a semi-automatic rifle.The police also recovered a notebook reportedly describing a plan to attack his former school’s campus police department, including a drawn-out map of the police headquarters with marked entry and exit points. The plan included evading law enforcement team after attack.ABC 6 reported that the writings included phrases like “kill all – martyrdom,” explained how to escape after the attack, and described how several weapons would be used. Police said the notes clearly showed “premeditated assault plans” and “warfare techniques.”The exact reason for the planned attack is still unknown, but Khan allegedly told police after his arrest that becoming a martyr was “one of the greatest things you can do.”

“This case is a quintessential example of federal and state law enforcement collaborating to neutralize a grave threat to Delaware before the worst could come to pass. I want to thank our dedicated law enforcement partners at the FBI and the NCCPD for their exceptional work. As always, we are proud to work with them to keep Delaware safe,” said Acting US Attorney Murray. One campus police officer was specifically mentioned in the notes, but the reason is not yet known.

Who is Luqmaan Khan?

Police told The Post that Khan was born in Pakistan but has lived in the United States since he was a “youth,” and he is now an American citizen.After his arrest, the FBI searched his home in Wilmington and found even more weapons. Agents recovered an AR-style rifle with a red-dot scope and another Glock pistol, which had an illegal device that turned it into a fully automatic machine gun capable of firing 1,200 rounds per minute.Khan was taken to the New Castle County Police Headquarters and charged with resisting arrest, carrying a concealed deadly weapon, multiple weapon violations and related offenses. He was arraigned, given a $107,200 cash bail, and then handed over to the FBI, which may file additional charges.

Hundreds of UK online safety workers at TikTok have already signed agreements to leave the company, whistleblowers have told Sky News, despite the firm stressing to MPs that the cuts were “still proposals only”.

More than 400 online safety workers have agreed to leave the social media company, with only five left in consultation, Sky News understands.

“[The workers have] signed a mutual termination agreement, a legally binding contract,” said John Chadfield, national officer for the Communication Workers’ Union.

“They’ve handed laptops in, they’ve handed passes in, they’ve been told not to come to the office. That’s no longer a proposal, that’s a foregone conclusion. That’s a plan that’s been executed.”

In August, TikTok announced a round of mass layoffs to its Trust and Safety teams.

“Everyone in Trust and Safety” was emailed, said Lucy, a moderator speaking on condition of anonymity for legal reasons.

After a mandatory 45-day consultation period, the teams were then sent “mutual termination agreements” to sign by 31 October.

Sky News has seen correspondence from TikTok to the employees telling them to sign by that date.

“We had to sign it before the 31st if we wanted the better deal,” said Lucy, who had worked for TikTok for years.

“If we signed it afterwards, that diminished the benefits that we get.”

Despite hundreds of moderators signing the termination contracts by 31 October, Ali Law, TikTok’s director of public policy and government affairs for northern Europe, said to MPs in a letter on 7 November: “It is important to stress the cuts remain proposals only.”

“We continue to engage directly with potentially affected team members,” he said in a letter to Dame Chi Onwurah, chair of the science, innovation and technology committee.

After signing the termination contracts, the employees say they were asked to hand in their laptops and had access to their work systems revoked. They were put on gardening leave until 30 December.

“We really felt like we were doing something good,” said Saskia, a moderator also speaking under anonymity.

“You felt like you had a purpose, and now, you’re the first one to get let go.”

A TikTok worker not affected by the job cuts confirmed to Sky News that all of the affected Trust and Safety employees “are now logged out of the system”.

“Workers and the wider public are rightly concerned about these job cuts that impact safety online,” said the TUC’s general secretary, Paul Nowak.

“But TikTok seem to be obscuring the reality of job cuts to MPs. TikTok need to come clean and clarify how many vital content moderators’ roles have gone.

“The select committee must do everything to get to the bottom of the social media giant’s claims, the wider issues of AI moderation, and ensure that other workers in the UK don’t lose their jobs to untested, unsafe and unregulated AI systems.”

What TikTok has said about the job cuts

In an interview with Sky News on 18 November, Mr Law again called the cuts “proposals”.

When asked if the cuts were in fact a plan that had already been executed, Mr Law said there was “limited amounts” he could directly comment on.

TikTok told us: “It is entirely right that we follow UK employment law, including when consultations remained ongoing for some employees and roles were still under proposal for removal.

“We have been open and transparent about the changes that were proposed, including in detailed public letters to the committee, and it is disingenuous to suggest otherwise.”

The three whistleblowers Sky News spoke to said they were concerned TikTok users would be put at risk by the cuts.

The company said it will increase the role of AI in its moderation, while maintaining some human safety workers, but one whistleblower said she didn’t think the AI was “ready”.

“People are getting new ideas and new trends are coming. AI cannot get this,” said Anna, a former moderator.

“Even now, with the things that it’s supposed to be ready to do, I don’t think it’s ready.”

Lucy also said she thought the cuts would put users at risk.

“There are a lot of nuances in the language. AI cannot understand all the nuances,” she said.

“AI cannot differentiate some ironic comment or versus a real threat or bullying or of a lot of things that have to do with user safety, mainly of children and teenagers.”

TikTok has been asked by MPs for evidence that its safety rates – which are currently some of the best in the industry – will not worsen after these cuts.

The select committee says it has not produced that evidence, although TikTok insists safety will improve.

“[In its letter to MPs] TikTok refers to evidence showing that their proposed staffing cuts and changes will improve content moderation and fact-checking – but at no point do they present any credible data on this to us,” said Dame Chi earlier this month.

“It’s alarming that they aren’t offering us transparency over this information. Without it, how can we have any confidence whether these changes will safeguard users?”

TikTok’s use of AI in moderation

In an exclusive interview with Sky News earlier this month, Mr Law said the new moderation model would mean TikTok can “approach moderation with a higher level of speed and consistency”.

He said: “Because, when you’re doing this from a human moderation perspective, there are trade-offs.

“If you want something to be as accurate as possible, you need to give the human moderator as much time as possible to make the right decision, and so you’re trading off speed and accuracy in a way that might prove harmful to people in terms of being able to see that content.

“You don’t have that with the deployment of AI.”

As well as increasing the role of AI in moderation, TikTok is reportedly offshoring jobs to agencies in other countries.

Sky News has spoken to multiple workers who confirmed they’d seen their jobs being advertised in other countries through third-party agencies, and has independently seen moderator job adverts in places like Lisbon.

“AI is a fantastic fig leaf. It’s a fig leaf for greed,” said Mr Chadfield. “In TikTok’s case, there’s a fundamental wish to not be an employer of a significant amount of staff.

“As the platform has grown, as it has grown to hundreds of millions of users, they have realised that the overhead to maintain a professional trust and safety division means hundreds of thousands of staff employed by TikTok.

“But they don’t want that. They see themselves as, you know, ‘We want specialists in the roles employed directly by TikTok and we’ll offshore and outsource the rest’.”

Mr Law told Sky News that TikTok is always focused “on outcomes”.

He said: “Our focus is on making sure the platform is as safe as possible.

“And we will make deployments of the most advanced technology in order to achieve that, working with the many thousands of trust and safety professionals that we will have at TikTok around the world on an ongoing basis.”

Asked specifically about the safety concerns raised by the whistleblowers, TikTok said: “As we have laid out in detail, this reorganisation of our global operating model for Trust and Safety will ensure we maximize effectiveness and speed in our moderation processes.

“We will continue to use a combination of technology and human teams to keep our users safe, and today over 85% of the content removed for violating our rules is identified and taken down by automated technologies.”

*All moderator names have been changed for legal reasons.