A new executive order signed by Donald Trump has raised the application fee for the popular H-1B visa program for skilled foreign workers to $100,000 annually—a dramatic increase from the previous average of $1,500.

The order argues that the program has long been abused, negatively affecting American jobs. However, business leaders including Elon Musk countered that the H-1B system attracts top global talent critical to U.S. innovation.

Alongside the hike, Trump introduced a new “Gold Card” program, allowing certain immigrants to fast-track visas by paying fees starting at £1 million. U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick defended the move, saying, “Big companies have agreed, and now it’s time we train our own youth.”

Legal experts, however, warn the move could be devastating for startups and small businesses. Immigration attorney Tahmina Watson described it as “the final nail in the coffin” for many. Analysts predict the sharp increase will disproportionately affect Indian applicants, who make up the majority of H-1B recipients.

Former US President Donald Trump has claimed that American forces targeted another Venezuelan drug-laden vessel, killing at least three people onboard.
He alleged that the boat was headed toward the United States, marking the third such strike in recent weeks against suspected drug trafficking vessels from Venezuela.
In a statement, Trump said the operation was carried out in the Southern Command region, which spans 31 countries across South and Central America and the Caribbean. Intelligence reports, he added, confirmed the vessel was using a notorious smuggling route intended to poison Americans with narcotics.

The United States has once again vetoed a United Nations Security Council resolution calling for an immediate and unconditional ceasefire in Gaza. This marks Washington’s sixth veto on similar proposals.

The draft, tabled by 10 elected members of the 15-member council, urged Israel to lift all restrictions, allow humanitarian aid, and secure the dignified release of hostages. Fourteen members voted in favor, with the U.S. the lone dissenting vote.

Hamas condemned the veto, calling it a clear alignment with “genocidal crimes.” Ahead of the vote, Denmark’s UN envoy warned: “Famine in Gaza is no longer a possibility—it is a certainty.”

Nearly two years of relentless Israeli strikes have left over 65,000 dead and 165,925 injured in Gaza, according to local sources.

A powerful earthquake measuring 7.8 on the Richter scale struck off Russia’s Kamchatka Peninsula, though no immediate casualties or damage were reported.

The U.S. Geological Survey said the quake’s epicenter was about 128 kilometers east of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky at a shallow depth of 10 kilometers. While a tsunami warning was initially issued, it was later withdrawn.

Authorities had warned of waves up to 3 meters along parts of Russia’s coast, but no destructive tsunami was recorded, and no alerts were issued for U.S. or Canadian territories.

A deadly shooting in Pennsylvania’s York County left three police officers dead and two others critically injured on Wednesday. The gunman was also killed in return fire from law enforcement.

The incident occurred around 2 p.m. local time near a school in the small town of Spring Grove, about 100 miles east of Philadelphia. Authorities said the assailant opened fire indiscriminately at police officers, killing three on the spot.

Police quickly returned fire, neutralizing the attacker. The injured were airlifted to a hospital by helicopter.

Pennsylvania’s governor assured residents that the town of 2,500 people faces no immediate threat, while investigations into the motive and details of the attack are ongoing.

Nearly nine months after taking office, U.S. President Donald Trump has approved the first arms sale to Ukraine. The U.S. Department of Defense’s Undersecretary has already signed off on the shipment.

Two consignments, each worth $500 million in weapons and ammunition, are set to be delivered soon. However, the arms will be purchased by Kyiv’s European allies from the U.S. and then sent to Ukraine, with Europe covering the logistics costs.

American officials revealed that under a new deal, codenamed “PEARL,” Washington has agreed to supply Ukraine with $10 billion worth of arms. The upcoming delivery marks the first shipment under this arrangement.

Notably, during his January 20 inauguration, Trump had pledged to prioritize ending the Russia-Ukraine war and vowed not to authorize further military aid to Ukraine.

Russian President Vladimir Putin inspected military exercises wearing full combat uniform, according to footage released by Moscow. Anadolu reported that Putin visited the drill site alongside Defense Minister Andrei Belousov and senior military commanders.

At the command center, Putin issued operational instructions and personally reviewed modern weaponry used in the exercise.

The drills are part of a seven-day joint military exercise under the CSTO alliance, launched in late August in Belarus. Forces from Russia, Belarus, Armenia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Tajikistan are participating across 41 locations, with over 100,000 troops involved. The CSTO, formed in the 1990s after the fall of the Soviet Union, has become a key defense platform for the region.

A CNN report reveals that most U.S. military personnel lack the necessary skills to operate drones effectively in combat. While the U.S. excels in advanced military equipment, it remains unprepared for modern drone-based warfare. Russia and China have far greater drone production capabilities. In response, former President Trump and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth directed faster development, testing, and deployment of drones, alongside strengthening counter-drone defense systems, to maintain a competitive edge in modern warfare technology.

Russia has displayed its advanced Iskander missile system during a joint military exercise with Belarus in the Kaliningrad region near the Baltic Sea. The drill included an electronic launch test of the missile, which can carry nuclear and conventional warheads with a range of up to 500 kilometers. First deployed in Belarus in December 2022, the Iskander has been used in the Russia-Ukraine conflict, raising security concerns for Ukraine and Eastern European nations.

Former U.S. President Donald Trump has declared that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will refrain from ordering further military strikes in Qatar, calling the Gulf nation "a very good ally."

"From now on, Netanyahu will work in cooperation with Qatar," Trump said, highlighting the importance of Doha’s role in the region.

The statement follows Israel’s controversial September 8 airstrike on a Doha apartment building sheltering Hamas leaders, an attack that killed six people but missed senior figure Khalil al-Hayya. The strike drew widespread international condemnation, though U.S. officials had reportedly warned Qatar in advance of potential Israeli action.

US forces have launched another strike on a Venezuelan vessel allegedly carrying narcotics, killing three people.
Former US President Donald Trump claimed the boat was smuggling drugs into the United States. The attack reportedly took place in international waters of the southern Caribbean, marking Washington’s second such strike. A previous assault left at least 11 dead. The US has recently deployed 4,500 naval personnel, destroyers, submarines, and warships to the Caribbean and Venezuelan waters to curb drug trafficking.

New York Democratic mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani declared on Saturday that, if elected, he would order the arrest of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu upon his arrival in the city.

Calling it a pledge he intends to fulfill, Mamdani said, “This city will stand with international law. Despite the U.S. not recognizing the International Criminal Court’s jurisdiction, we will honor the arrest warrant.”

The ICC issued a warrant against Netanyahu last year for alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza. In February 2024, former U.S. President Donald Trump had retaliated against ICC judges following the warrant.

Amid the ongoing Gaza war, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio departed for Israel on Saturday to discuss the latest developments and regional security.

According to a State Department statement, the visit will “underscore America’s priorities regarding the Israel-Hamas conflict and reaffirm Washington’s commitment to Israel’s security.”

The visit follows Israel’s controversial airstrike in Qatar earlier in the week, targeting Hamas leaders during peace talks. The move angered Qatar and other key US allies. Qatar’s Prime Minister Mohammed Al-Thani has since met with former President Donald Trump and also held talks at the White House with Rubio and Vice President JD Vance.

Former U.S. President Donald Trump hosted a private dinner in New York with Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani. Trump’s top adviser, Steve Witkoff, also attended the dinner.

The meeting came just two days after Israel launched airstrikes in Doha targeting Hamas leaders. Trump reportedly expressed displeasure over the strikes in a call with Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu and assured Qatar that such actions would not be repeated.

Before the dinner, Al-Thani met with U.S. Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio for nearly an hour. On social media, a Qatari envoy described the dinner as “fantastic.”

A massive 7.1 magnitude earthquake struck off the eastern coast of Russia’s Kamchatka Peninsula, according to the German Research Centre for Geosciences (GFZ). The quake’s epicenter was 10 kilometers (6.2 miles) beneath the surface.

However, the U.S. Geological Survey reported a slightly stronger magnitude of 7.4 and placed the depth at 39.5 kilometers (24.5 miles). The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center has warned of a possible tsunami threat, though no alerts have been issued for Japan, located southwest of Kamchatka.