Masked US officials detain Turkish PhD scholar over pro-Palestinian stance
Massachusetts: Turkish PhD scholar Rumeysa Ozturk was arrested outside her residence in Massachusetts on March 26 by masked US border security forces. Ozturk, a student at Tufts University, was reportedly detained by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) while heading to an Iftar dinner.
Her detention is part of a broader crackdown under the Trump administration against pro-Palestinian activists. Ozturk, who previously completed her master’s at Columbia University as a Fulbright Scholar, co-authored a 2024 opinion essay in the Tufts student newspaper criticizing the university’s stance on Gaza and advocating for divestment from companies linked to Israel.
The Massachusetts chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-MA) has condemned what it termed the “abduction” of the scholar. Ozturk’s arrest follows a pattern of detentions, including those of Palestinian activist Mahmoud Khalil and Georgetown University researcher Badar Khan Suri. Her case has also been linked to Canary Mission, a pro-Israel website known for blacklisting pro-Palestinian students and activists.
Amid the US’ bid to curb pro-Palestinian voices, a Turkish PhD scholar was arrested outside her residence in Massachusetts on Wednesday, March 26, in the United States, by masked US border security forces.
— The Siasat Daily (@TheSiasatDaily) March 27, 2025
The scholar has been identified as Rumeysa Ozturk, a Turkish national and… pic.twitter.com/iYXiGAJVno
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Maharashtra sets up state vaccination task force to strengthen immunisation programme
Mumbai (PTI): The Maharashtra government has set up a State Vaccination Task Force to strengthen the regular immunisation programme and review the progress of related campaigns, a health department official said on Monday.
The State Vaccination Task Force will comprise at least 29 members and will be headed by the administrative head of the health department, he informed.
The government has also constituted separate district-level and municipal vaccination task forces to improve implementation and address challenges at the grassroots level, he said.
Municipal task forces, chaired by respective civic commissioners, have been constituted in view of the vast urban population in Maharashtra and the role of civic bodies in implementing different health programmes.
The district-level task forces will function under the chairmanship of collectors.
"Complete immunisation of children at the appropriate age is an extremely simple, cost-effective and highly effective measure to reduce child mortality and the prevalence of diseases among kids. Immunisation is a powerful tool for reducing illness in children," maintained the official.
To ensure full vaccination of all children, the state government implements various campaigns from time to time as per the central government guidelines, he pointed out.
"Active participation and cooperation of other relevant government departments are essential (in making these campaigns successful)," according to the official.
The state-level body will review the regular immunisation programme, associated campaigns and vaccine-preventable diseases in detail. It will also conduct focused assessments of high-risk districts and municipal corporations, including vacancies at district, municipal and sub-district levels, availability of cold chain equipment, resource gaps and training requirements, he noted.
The state task force will review allocation and utilisation of funds for immunisation and ensure timely action by officers concerned based on reports from district and municipal task forces and state-level monitoring mechanisms, the official said.
It will also ensure active coordination and participation of other government departments in immunisation drives, while district and municipal task forces will carry out similar functions at their respective levels, the official added.
