Article:
The United States has introduced two new questions for non-immigrant visa applicants as part of an effort to assess whether they are fleeing their home country due to fear of persecution. According to a report, the British newspaper The Guardian revealed that the new questions will be asked to all applicants during the visa interview. The questions are: “Have you experienced any harm or harassment in your home country?” and “Do you have any fear of being harmed or harassed if you return to your home country?” If an applicant answers “yes” to either question or fails to provide an answer, their temporary visa will likely be rejected.
This move comes as a Republican group of lawmakers in the US has proposed a bill to suspend the visa program for foreign skilled workers for three years, citing the need to prioritize local citizens in the job market. This decision has been made at a time when the authorities claim that a large number of foreign nationals are seeking asylum in the US.
The new policy will apply to all non-immigrant visa categories, including tourists, students, H-1B workers, tech workers, agricultural workers, and businesspeople. According to the State Department’s statistics, nearly 110 million visas were issued in 2024 under these categories.
However, legal experts have expressed concerns that this policy may put genuine asylum seekers at risk. They argue that the new policy ignores the legal protections afforded to asylum seekers under US laws and the 1951 Refugee Convention. The experts point out that asylum seekers’ rights are not dependent on their answers during the visa interview or their entry process.
In other news, 13 individuals have been arrested in the United Arab Emirates as part of an international narcotics smuggling network. The company reported a 16% increase in revenue to $11 billion last year, with a 6.5% increase in profits, which is the highest profit in the company’s history.
The UAE’s decision to leave OPEC has been seen as a significant move, driven by economic and strategic factors, including a potential increase in oil supplies to Japan. In other developments, a flotilla of activists has arrived off the coast of Greece to protest the blockade of the Gaza Strip. An American journalist has shared a video on social media showing protesters confronting Congresswoman Pat Hauge during her visit.
The European Parliament has defined a clear definition of relationships between men and women, stating that any relationship is considered a sexual relationship only if it is consensual, informed, and can be terminated at any time. Otherwise, it is considered a form of violence or rape. A committee is discussing a proposal to increase the US defense budget to $1.5 trillion next year.
The US Department of Defense has acknowledged that the country lacks effective defensive capabilities against modern missile threats. The White House spokesperson has stated that President Trump will not provide Iran with nuclear weapons. In another incident, a man has been arrested in the UK on suspicion of attacking two Jewish people with a knife. The Iranian embassy’s disputed message has sparked a reaction from the UK, with the Iranian ambassador summoned to the Foreign Office.
The Iranian rial has hit a historic low against the US dollar, according to currency tracking websites. The US Pentagon has acknowledged that the country lacks effective defensive capabilities against modern missile threats. The White House spokesperson has stated that President Trump will not provide Iran with nuclear weapons.
In a separate incident, a woman was killed by her husband in India, who had left the house and then returned to murder her. The 3-year-old daughter who witnessed the incident was also killed by the husband to conceal his identity.
