News & Current Events

[ad_1] Migrant crossings through Darien Gap plunge 99% under Donald Trump’s immigration crackdown (Picture credit: AP) Migrant crossings through the once-notorious Darien Gap have dropped by a staggering 99% since US President Donald Trump returned to office and enacted his sweeping immigration crackdown, reported the New York Post. Only 408 migrants were recorded traversing the perilous jungle route in February, down sharply from the 37,166 who made the journey during the same month in 2024 under President Joe Biden, according to Department of Homeland Security (DHS) data.The Darien Gap, a rugged 70-mile stretch of jungle between Colombia and Panama, had become a heavily trafficked corridor for migrants from around the world, especially during Biden’s term. But since Trump’s inauguration, photos show the river port of Lajas Blancas, previously overwhelmed by migrants, now eerily empty, its tents abandoned and its riverbanks […]

[ad_1] The next German government consisting of the conservative Christian Democratic Union (CDU)/Christian Social Union (CSU) alliance and the center-left Social Democratic Party (SPD) will abolish a 3-year expedited path to citizenship for "well-integrated" immigrants, according to the parties' coalition agreement released this week. No more 'turbo' naturalization after conservative push That 3-year path to citizenship became available to applicants last June, after the previous governing coalition of the SPD, environmentalist Greens and business-focused Free Democratic Party passed a reform on German naturalization. The 3-year option requires applicants to not only possess an advanced C1 level of German, but also to show other achievements of strong integration in German society, such as volunteer work or high achievements at work or in their studies. The conservative CDU and its Bavarian sister party the CSU had often criticized the 3-year path, calling […]

[ad_1] Did Donald Trump undermine Elon Musk's DOGE work? Amid speculations over Elon Musk's exit from the Department of Government Efficiency as he and his company Tesla have come under massive attack because of his involvement in the government, US President Donald Trump told reporters that he does not need Elon for anything. But the comment was more of a praise for Musk and not any indication of any conflict brewing between them as Trump said he does not need Elon Musk for anything apart from the fact that he likes him. "I don't need Elon for anything other than I happen to like him," Trump said after the cabinet meeting. The 'don't need Elon for anything' comment came as Elon Musk's DOGE has unearthed what they called a major unemployment insurance scam. It claimed that 24,500 people over 115 […]

[ad_1] Marjorie Taylor Greene said all her trading transactions are transparent amid insider trading accusation. Rep Marjorie Taylor Greene has been accused of insider trading as she made a series of major stock purchases amid the tariff turmoil. According to a newly filed financial disclosure accessed by CBS News, MTG purchased stocks of Dell, Amazon, Lululemon when all of them were down nearly 40 per cent. And as the market bounced back on Donald Trump's pause on tariffs, she was one of the major gainers, triggering accusations of insider trading. Greene said all her investments are reported with full transparency.“I have signed a fiduciary agreement to allow my financial advisor to control my investments,” Greene said in a statement to the Associated Press when asked whether she made the stock buys herself. “All of my investments are reported with full […]

[ad_1] US President Donald Trump on Friday provided an update on how the tariff policy was faring and said that it was "very exciting for America and the world"."We are doing really well on our TARIFF POLICY. Very exciting for America, and the World!!! It is moving along quickly," he said in a post on Truth Social.This comes as US dollar sharply declined, hitting a three-year low against the euro, largely due to concerns over Trump’s unpredictable trade policies. This slide marks a significant turnaround from the post-election surge in 2016, when investors were optimistic about Trump’s economic plans. As a weaker dollar raised fears of rising inflation, reduced corporate profits, and declining foreign investment in US markets, Trump shared a report on inflation being down. The consumer price index rose only 2.4% in April compared to March 2024, marking […]

[ad_1] Agustin Escobar came to New York with his family to celebrate the birthday of one of their children. Agustin Escober, an executive of Siemens Mobility, arrived in New York City from Barcelona, Spain, to celebrate one of their three children, Spanish newspaper El Diario reported. The helicopter ride that killed all five of them was part of the celebration as on the first day in the city they planned to tour Manhattan, taking a trip overlooking the Statue of Liberty. Escobar, his wife Merce Camprubi Montal, and their three kids -- ages 4,5,11, were killed along with the unidentified pilot when the chopper split mid-air and splashed into the murky, cold waters of the Hudson River. Before their trip, they took a family photo standing in front of the Bell 206L-4 LongRanger IV helicopter that eventually took all of […]

[ad_1] Former Pakistan PM Imran Khan Pakistan's former Prime Minister Imran Khan is prepared to engage in reconciliation discussions with the government or any institution, but cannot be forced into submission at gunpoint, according to Junaid Akbar, who leads the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province. Since August 2023, Khan has been held in Adiala Jail Rawalpindi, confronting numerous cases initiated following his government's removal in April 2022.Akbar, during a press interaction on Thursday, said that Khan has expressed willingness to engage in dialogue with any party to ensure constitutional and legal supremacy, whilst refusing forceful submission."Our doors are open, but if someone thinks they can force their will upon us by keeping Khan Sahib and our workers in jail and lodging FIRs against us, they are mistaken," he said.Akbar stressed the importance of institutions and political parties operating […]

[ad_1] US President Donald Trump (File photo-AP) The Trump administration’s sweeping move to screen immigrants and visa applicants for "antisemitic" activity on social media has triggered outrage among rights groups, universities, and legal experts. Effective immediately, US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) will now consider online speech critical of Israel—or construed as support for groups like Hamas or Hezbollah—as grounds to deny visas, green cards, and other immigration benefits.“There is no room in the United States for the rest of the world’s terrorist sympathizers,” said DHS spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin.This initiative comes amid a broader Trump-era campaign to silence pro-Palestinian dissent, punish elite universities, and remake higher education through government pressure, funding cuts, and deportations.Why it mattersAt stake is far more than immigration vetting. Trump’s crackdown signals a redefinition of what kind of speech—and what kind of people—are welcome in America. […]

[ad_1] Image used for representative purposes The commander of Iran’s Quds Force, Brigadier General Esmail Qa’ani, asserted on Thursday that the United States and Israel are “powerless in practice” against Iran and its regional allies, despite their tough rhetoric. “They cannot even comprehend why our missiles accurately hit their targets. This is our strength,” Qa’ani said, referencing Iran’s missile strikes on Israeli-held territory in April and October last year. Iranian officials claim those operations used only a fraction of the country's full military capabilities, as reported by Iranian state media outlet PressTV. The comments follow recent threats from US President Donald Trump about potential strikes on Iran. In response, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) unveiled a new underground missile “megacity,” a development that Western analysts believe could signal more advanced and widespread missile deployment in any future conflict. Iran’s […]

[ad_1] NEW DELHI: In his first public response to the sweeping tariffs imposed by US President Donald Trump, Chinese President Xi Jinping on Friday warned that “there are no winners in the tariff war” and that confronting the international community could lead to “self-isolation.”“For over seven decades, China’s growth has been fuelled by self-reliance and hard work, never depending on favours from others and never backing down in the face of unreasonable suppression,” Xi said, according to China’s state news agency Xinhua.“No matter how the external environment shifts, China will maintain its resolve and focus, dedicating itself to managing its own affairs efficiently.”Xi’s comments came during a meeting with Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez in Beijing, where the Chinese leader urged the European Union to join China in opposing unilateralism and economic coercion—an implicit reference to the United States.“China and […]