Browsing: Gaming
The US State Department will make permanent a visa bond program that could require applicants from 50 countries, mostly from Africa, to post bonds of up to $20,000 when seeking US visas, according to a federal notice posted online on Friday. The Federal Register notice applies to B1 and B2 visas, which are issued for business and tourism travel.“Consular officers may require covered nonimmigrant visa applicants to post a bond of up to $20,000 as a condition of visa issuance, as determined by the consular officers,” the notice said. “The 2025 visa bond pilot, which provided a framework for the Department of State, the Department of Homeland Security, and the Department of the Treasury to assess the feasibility of administering a visa bond program, has provided sufficient data to suggest that a visa bond program is an effective tool for enforcing compliance among bonded visa holders.” In the pilot program, consular officers could require bonds of $5,000, $10,000 or up to $15,000. The final rule eliminates the $5,000 option and raises the maximum bond to $20,000.The final rule goes into effect on August 3 when it is scheduled for publication in the Federal Register. In the list of 50 countries for whose citizens this program applies, 30 are from Africa.US officials say the policy is intended to reduce visa overstays. Immigration advocates argue it will deter legitimate travel to the US. Rights advocates say President Donald Trump’s aggressive immigration crackdown violates free speech and due process, while creating an unsafe environment for ethnic minorities and encouraging racial profiling. Trump has defended the measures as necessary to bolster national security. While Trump says he wants to curb illegal immigration, his administration has made legal immigration more difficult, for example, by imposing new and expensive fees for applicants of certain visas and by enforcing social media vetting for applicants and immigrants already in the country. Source link
Irish Prime Minister Michael Martin announced that the European Union will hold emergency talks on Tuesday to discuss the migration crisis following the arrival of tens of thousands of irregular migrants into Spain through the Ceuta border enclave with Morocco.In a post on X, Martin said that Ireland, which currently holds the rotating presidency of the Council of the European Union, will convene a meeting of the EU Justice and Home Affairs Council next Tuesday to discuss the situation in Ceuta.Irish media reported that the ministers will examine developments in Ceuta and their implications amid growing European concerns over increasing flows of irregular migrants.”We remain in close contact with all member states and the institutions and continue to monitor the situation,” Martin said.The meeting comes after between 50,000 and 60,000 irregular migrants arrived in Ceuta from Morocco over the past few days. At least 67 people have died while attempting to reach the city.Spanish authorities announced previously that they brought the situation under control, noting that the vast majority of migrants who entered Ceuta irregularly have returned voluntarily to Morocco.The crisis has prompted several European countries to adopt exceptional measures, including tightening border controls with Spain, amid calls for a coordinated European response to address its consequences. Related Story Source link
The US Food and Drug Administration has approved Lipfendra, scientifically known as enlicitide, as the first oral medicine designed to inhibit the PCSK9 protein and lower harmful cholesterol levels in adults. The medicine represents a new treatment option for patients, as PCSK9 inhibitors had previously been available only as injectable therapies. PCSK9 plays a role in regulating low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, commonly known as LDL or “bad” cholesterol. Lipfendra is taken as one tablet daily, alongside dietary changes and exercise, to reduce LDL cholesterol in adults with hypercholesterolaemia, including those with heterozygous familial hypercholesterolaemia, an inherited condition that causes high cholesterol. Clinical studies found that enlicitide reduced LDL cholesterol levels by nearly 60%. A Phase 3 trial involving adults with heterozygous familial hypercholesterolaemia recorded a 59.4% difference in LDL reduction between patients receiving enlicitide and those receiving a placebo. The availability of a once-daily oral medicine could make treatment more convenient for patients who previously relied on injections. However, the selection of cholesterol-lowering medication remains a medical decisionbased on each patient’s health, cholesterol levels and treatment requirements. Correction: The approved brand name is Lipfendra, not “Lepfendra”, and the scientific name is enlicitide, not “Enlicetide”. Source link
Five people have been found dead and 41 are missing after an Indonesian ferry with 271 people on board caught fire while at sea on Sunday, search and rescue officials said. The captain reported the fire as the vessel sailed from Indonesia’s second-largest city, Surabaya in East Java, to Makassar in South Sulawesi, according to Basarnas, the National Search and Rescue Agency Source link
Rescuers have found the body of renowned climber Nirmal Purja, who was killed along with nine team members in a powerful avalanche in northern Pakistan this week, the Alpine Club of Pakistan said on Sunday. “The ground rescue team has reached Nims Dai (Purja) at approximately 5,700m on Broad Peak — a mountain he loved, and a mountain that has now taken him from us,” the club posted on social media, with its general secretary later confirming to AFP Purja’s body and those of three others had been recovered Source link
US President Donald Trump announced early Sunday that he had suspended the planned US-Israeli strikes against Iran, following a request from Tehran and other countries in the Middle East, on the condition that a rapid agreement be reached.In a post on the Truth Social, Trump wrote that the US was “locked and loaded and ready to go against the Islamic Republic of Iran, at levels of Military Terror, Strength, and Power not seen since World War II.” He added, however, that Iran, along with other countries in the Middle East, asked the US to suspend any attack after agreeing on the broad outlines of a deal.Trump explained that the agreement include the immediate, complete, and total opening of the Strait of Hormuz, and an end to Iran’s nuclear threat.”Based on this request, I have agreed, for the future benefit of the WORLD and, likewise, the survival of a successful and prosperous Iran, to cancel the attack, subject to being able to rapidly make a DEAL,” Trump wrote, adding that Israel joined the US in supporting the delay and called on all parties to begin working and finalize this agreement.Trump’s remarks come at a time of escalating tensions in the region, amid media reports over the past two days claiming that the United States and Israel were preparing to carry out strikes against targets inside Iran after diplomatic efforts had stalled. However, Washington has not issued any official announcement confirming that any military operation has been launched.Trump’s comments were also preceded by warnings issued by US embassies in several Middle Eastern capitals, urging American citizens to prepare for the possibility of unexpected escalation in the region amid ongoing regional tensions and their potential impact on maritime security and global energy markets. Source link
Supporters of India’s Cockroach Janta Party celebrate after India’s Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan resigned following days of protests in New Delhi. (Reuters/File picture) Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said he wanted to forgive students who hurled expletives at him during protests last month, saying that punishing them and forcing them to appear repeatedly in court would not help resolve the situation. The biggest political crisis of Modi’s third term peaked in July after the leak of national exam papers forced a retest for 2mn students, fuelling anger over the lack of opportunities for young Indians. Authorities filed cases against hundreds of demonstrators after some clashed with security forces and shouted abusive slogans at the prime minister. Some protesters featured in widely circulated videos shouting insults at the prime minister have since faced online abuse from Modi supporters as well as police complaints, according to local media reports. Police have also asked social media platforms, including Meta and X, to take down what they described as abusive and manipulated content targeting the premier.“The country and the world witnessed what happened at Jantar Mantar. Some mischievous youngsters hurled vile abuses,” Modi, 75, said in a video posted on Instagram late Friday.“Words were used that do not belong to civilised society — directed not just at me, but even at my late mother… I want to forgive them.”Modi also said “mistakes made in youth” should be corrected through guidance rather than legal action, referring to the police cases. The protests that began last month were initially sparked by anger over examination paper leaks.But they broadened into a wider expression of frustration over unemployment and governance, culminating in the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.Since the protests began, Modi has increasingly used Instagram — the platform on which the CJP built much of its support — to communicate directly with youngsters.“These are misled children. Showing them the right path is our duty. Punishing them, making them run around courts, or tormenting them in society will not change the situation,” Modi said in a video posted on social media late on Friday.“I want to forgive them. I hope society also accepts this stance of mine.”Tensions erupted between protesters and security forces in several parts of the country during the demonstrations, including in New Delhi, where people attempting to march on parliament were met with tear gas and baton charges. The self-named Cockroach Janta Party, which led the movement, said on Monday that “hundreds” of students had been arrested in various states, in violation of the government’s commitment to dropping police cases filed against protesters. Indian youth protesters ended weeks of demonstrations after the education minister quit and the government accepted all demands, which included reforms in the exam system and dropping police cases. The protests have also prompted the Modi government to introduce a bill in parliament to amend the legislation governing public examinations, proposing longer prison terms and higher fines for those involved in exam paper leaks. Related Story…
The League of Arab States has reiterated its full support for the Lebanese government’s position in condemning the reprehensible Israeli violations and attacks on southern Lebanon, particularly the recent bombings that targeted infrastructure and archaeological sites listed as World Heritage sites.In a statement issued today, Arab League Secretary-General Nabil Fahmy said that the attacks constitute a blatant and unacceptable violation of international laws and norms, emphasizing solidarity with Lebanon in preserving its security, stability, and sovereignty.Fahmy explained that the continuation of this aggressive approach by the Israeli occupation threatens to undermine the existing negotiation process and necessitates immediate action from the international community, especially the United States, as a sponsor of the negotiations, to halt Israeli attacks on Lebanese sovereignty and ensure full compliance with UN Security Council Resolution 1701. Source link
A Spanish soldier escorts a group of migrants on their way back towards the Moroccan border, following their illegal crossing into the Spanish enclave of Ceuta,…
The 11th Local Dates Festival at Souq Waqif continues to attract large numbers of residents, with shoppers flocking to the venue to buy freshly harvested Qatari dates directly from local farms. This trend, it is learnt, highlights a sustained public interest in homegrown produce and support for the country’s agricultural sector.Running until August 10 at Souq Waqif’s Eastern Square, the festival has become a busy marketplace where visitors browse a wide selection of locally grown dates, compare varieties and prices, and purchase directly from growers. The event, organised by the Ministry of Municipality in co-operation with Souq Waqif Management, brings together 125 local farms – the largest participation since the festival was launched in 2016 – offering varieties such as Khalas, Khunaizi, Shishi and Barhi, along with seasonal Qatari fruits including figs, papaya, limes and almonds. Since its launch on July 25, the festival has seen busy aisles, shoppers examining neatly packaged dates, and families exploring traditional displays decorated with palm fronds and fresh date clusters, highlighting its appeal as both a marketplace and a cultural attraction. According to the Ministry of Municipality, the festival forms part of ongoing efforts to support local farmers, promote Qatari agricultural products and encourage consumers to purchase locally grown dates. It also provides producers with an opportunity to market their harvest directly to consumers, improving returns while strengthening links between farms and the public. The festival comes as Qatar continues to strengthen domestic agricultural production. The Ministry of Municipality said national date production reached approximately 24,000 tonnes in 2025, supported by technical assistance, pest-control programmes, improved irrigation technologies and initiatives aimed at enhancing the quality and productivity of date palm cultivation. Dates remain one of Qatar’s strategic agricultural crops and an important component of the country’s food security strategy. The ministry added that Qatari dates are promoted through local agricultural markets, retail outlets and annual events such as the Local Dates Festival, allowing farmers to showcase and sell their produce at competitive prices while increasing consumer awareness of local products. The festival’s popularity mirrors the steady expansion of Qatar’s agricultural sector. The 11th Local Dates Festival at Souq Waqif’s Eastern Square, running until August 10, showcases a wide variety of locally grown dates…