Skip to content
Search

Latest Stories

Hard Numbers

Hard Numbers: Trump admin introduces visa fee, Ransomware flies through European airports, Drone strike in Sudan kills 78, US bombs third boat from Venezuela

​US President Donald Trump displays a signed executive order on visas at the White House in Washington, D.C., USA, on September 19, 2025.

US President Donald Trump displays a signed executive order on gold card visa in the Oval Office at the White House in Washington, D.C., USA, on September 19, 2025.

REUTERS/Ken Cedeno/File Photo
Make us preferred on Google

$100,000: The Trump administration introduced a $100,000 one-time fee for those who wish to obtain a H-1B visa. The initial announcement sparked upheaval among major US firms, as it appeared to suggest that there would be an annual $100,000 fee for the visa. The White House clarified that it would be a one-off payment, and wouldn’t apply to existing visaholders. The majority of H-1B visaholders are Indian nationals.


140: A ransomware attack that struck several major European airports on Friday continues to sow chaos, with Brussels Airport asking airlines to cancel 140 of the 276 scheduled outbound flights on Monday. The source of the attack remains unclear.

78: A drone strike on a mosque in El Fasher, in North Darfur, on Friday killed 78 people, per a local medic. The rebel Rapid Support Forces have been blamed for the attack, though they deny responsibility. Drones have expanded the scope of Sudan’s civil war, putting more and more civilians at risk – read more here.

3: A pattern is beginning to emerge, as the US military – for the third time in recent weeks – bombed a boat that was reportedly carrying drugs from Venezuela. The attack killed three people on board. US President Donald Trump has argued that the move is legal, since drug cartels in his view are foreign terrorist organizations.

More For You

Hard number: Some African states turn to AI surveillance
Zac Weisz
While China has long been a leader in infrastructure investment across the African continent, it’s found a new way to continue to expand its influence – AI-powered surveillance technology. According to a recent study, many of these new systems have even been funded by Chinese banks. Nigeria boasts the continent's largest network of smart CCTV [...]
Hard Number: Is Russia stuck in the mud?
More than four years into its war with Ukraine, the Russian military appears to be stuck in the mud. With the loss of access to Starlink satellites, which were previously used to help guide their drones, the Russians have turned to deploying small teams of soldiers in attempts to break through the front lines, with little success. This sluggish [...]
Hard Number: US eyes Cuba, literally
Natalie Johnson
The US military is reportedly increasing surveillance missions over Cuba, mostly around the country’s two biggest cities, Havana and Santiago de Cuba. Flights of this ilk were previously rare in this area. Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump is reportedly growing impatient that the Cuban regime hasn’t fallen, despite a de facto US oil blockade on [...]
US labor market holds steady despite Iran war
Natalie Johnson
Employers in the world’s largest economy are shrugging off the uncertainty brought on by the Iran war and higher energy prices – at least for now. Experts expected roughly 65,000 jobs to be added last month, a significant slide from the 185,000 in March. But if higher gas prices persist, and Americans pair back spending, economists say that could [...]