World

New Fee Hits Non-Immigrant ApplicantsFrom fiscal year 2026, the United States government will levy a mandatory $250 “Visa Integrity Fee” on nearly all non-immigrant visas, covering tourist (B‑1/B‑2), student (F/M), work (H‑1B), and exchange (J) categories, excluding only diplomatic (A/G) visas. The fee stems from the “One Big Beautiful Bill” signed on July 4 and…

Blaze Races Toward Marseille’s OutskirtsOn July 8, a ferocious wildfire erupted near Les Pennes-Mirabeau, just north of Marseille, amid a scorching Mediterranean heatwave. Fed by dry vegetation and gale-force winds reaching up to 70 km/h, the flames spread at an astonishing pace, at one point advancing more than a kilometre per minute, breaching the city’s…

Explosive Confession Under InterrogationPakistani‑Canadian national Tahawwur Hussain Rana, who was extradited from the United States to India in April 2025, has now admitted his involvement in the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks during questioning by the National Investigation Agency (NIA). Through several rounds of interrogation in a high-security cell since June, Rana made startling revelations implicating…

Standoff Reset with an August WarningOn July 6, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent confirmed that unless key trading partners, including Taiwan and the EU, strike trade agreements with the U.S., reciprocal tariffs will automatically resume on August 1. These tariffs would revert to the tough levels first proposed on April 2, after being paused to allow negotiations. Bessent emphasized…

A Summit Under Brazil’s Careful WatchOn July 6–7, 2025, Rio de Janeiro hosts the 17th BRICS summit, bringing together major developing economies, including Brazil, India, South Africa, and recently added nations like Iran, Egypt, Indonesia, Saudi Arabia, Ethiopia, and the UAE, to discuss urgent global issues. But host Brazil is playing it safe. Aware of…

Prestigious Ghanaian HonourIn a historic ceremony on July 3, Prime Minister Narendra Modi was bestowed Ghana’s Officer of the Order of the Star of Ghana, the West African nation’s second-highest civilian honour, by President John Dramani Mahama in Accra. This prestigious award, recognising his “distinguished statesmanship and influential global leadership,” places Modi among a select…

A Landmark ArrivalPrime Minister Narendra Modi stepped off his plane at Piarco International Airport in Port of Spain, marking the first official visit by an Indian prime minister to Trinidad and Tobago since 1999. The occasion was marked by pageantry: a full Guard of Honour, rhythmic drumming, Bhojpuri chautaal dance performances by cultural troupes, and…

Controversial Visit to “Alligator Alcatraz”In early July 2025, Donald Trump toured a freshly built immigration detention centre in the remote Florida Everglades, derisively dubbed “Alligator Alcatraz.” Surrounded by swamps brimming with alligators and pythons, the facility was unveiled as a centrepiece of Trump’s hard-line immigration agenda. During the tour, Trump made a striking announcement: he…

Renewed Confidence After Fourth ReviewThe International Monetary Fund (IMF) has approved the fourth review under its four-year Extended Fund Facility (EFF) for Sri Lanka, unlocking an immediate disbursement of around SDR 254 million, which translates to approximately USD 350 million. This latest funding brings the total IMF support to the country under the current program…

Trump Puts Deadline on Global TalksPresident Trump has made it clear: the 90-day suspension on tariffs will not be extended past July 9. The pause, put in place to buy time for trade negotiations with nearly 200 nations, formally ends then, unless fresh deals are struck. “Letters will start going out ‘pretty soon,’” Trump told Fox…