AnewZ Morning Brief - May 23rd, 2025

Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief: here are the top news stories for May 23rd, covering the latest developments you need to know.

1. Trump administration blocks Harvard from enrolling foreign students

U.S. President Donald Trump's administration revoked Harvard University's ability to enroll international students on Thursday, and is forcing current foreign students to transfer to other schools or lose their legal status, while also threatening to expand the crackdown to other colleges.

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem ordered the department to terminate Harvard University's Student and Exchange Visitor Program certification effective for the 2025-2026 school year, the department said in a statement.
 

2. A new North Korean warship capsized during launch due to “absolute carelessness” 

North Korea’s newest warship was severely damaged during a launch ceremony Wednesday, with leader Kim Jong Un, who witnessed the accident, saying it brought shame to the nation’s prestige and vowing to punish those found responsible, state media reported.

In a rare admission of failure, the official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said a malfunction in the launch mechanism caused the stern of the as-yet unnamed 5,000-ton destroyer to slide prematurely into the water, crushing parts of the hull and leaving the bow stranded on the shipway.

Kim called the launch failure “a criminal act” and blamed it on “absolute carelessness” and “irresponsibility” by multiple state institutions - including the Munitions Industry Department, Kim Chaek University of Technology and the central ship design bureau.

3. Small plane crashes into San Diego neighborhood, killing at least 2

At least two people were killed and eight others injured on Thursday when a small plane crashed in a San Diego neighborhood where military families lived, damaging houses and vehicles.

The crash occurred around 3:45 a.m. local time (1045 GMT) in a military housing complex in the Tierrasanta neighborhood, local officials said. The crash site is a little more than 2 miles east of Montgomery-Gibbs Executive Airport.

4. Iran warns Israel, US against any attack on its nuclear sites

The United States would bear legal responsibility in the event of an Israeli attack on Iranian nuclear facilities, Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said on Thursday, following a CNN report that Israel might be preparing strikes on Iran.

Iran, U.S. and Israel, will hold a fifth round of nuclear talks on Friday in Rome amid deep disagreement over uranium enrichment in Iran, which Washington says could lead to developing nuclear bombs. Iran denies such intent.

Citing intelligence sources, CNN said on Tuesday it was not clear whether Israel had made a final decision on military action and that U.S. officials disagreed about whether the Israelis would ultimately decide to attack.

“Iran strongly warns against any adventurism by the Zionist regime of Israel and will decisively respond to any threat or unlawful act by this regime,” Araqchi said in a letter addressed to United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres.

5. Russian forces are creating ‘buffer zone’ along Russia-Ukraine border, Putin says

Russian armed forces are creating a “security buffer zone” along the border between Russia and Ukraine, President Vladimir Putin said Thursday.

“I have already said that a decision was made to create the necessary security buffer zone along the border. Our armed forces are currently solving this problem. Enemy firing points are being actively suppressed, the work is underway,” Putin said.

Ukrainian foreign ministry spokesperson Heorhii Tykhyi said the plan was “aggressive” and demonstrated that “Russia is the obstacle of peace efforts now.”

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