World

The Trump Administration has announced sweeping reforms to the H-1B visa system, replacing the random lottery with a weighted selection process that favours higher-skilled and higher-paid foreign workers. The new rules will take effect from February 27 and apply to the fiscal year 2027 H-1B cap season.

Intelligence agencies in New Delhi have warned of a deliberate ISI-backed plan to provoke India into military action against Bangladesh. Following Sheikh Hasina’s ouster in August 2024 and the rise of Muhammad Yunus as caretaker leader, the country has witnessed daily violence and persecution of minorities.

In Pakistan's Karak district, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, unidentified assailants attacked a police van, killing five officers. Authorities launched a search operation, while Chief Minister Sohail Afridi condemned the attack, linking it to TTP activity after the ceasefire ended in November 2022

From December 27, Australian search engines must blur pornographic and violent images for under-18 users, implement age verification measures, and downrank harmful content. The rules aim to protect children, applying to both logged-in accounts and AI-generated search results

Indian High Commissioner Pranay Verma was summoned by Bangladesh’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs over concerns about the security of Bangladeshi missions in India, including New Delhi and Kolkata, and was asked to ensure strengthened protection for these diplomatic missions

Donald Trump reiterated claims of averting an India-Pakistan war, saying Pakistan’s leadership credited him with saving millions of lives. India rejects mediation claims, saying a May 10 ceasefire followed four days of fighting after Operation Sindoor triggered by Pahalgam attack

Indian-American New York Assemblywoman Jenifer Rajkumar condemned the lynching of 25-year-old Hindu man Dipu Chandra Das in Bangladesh, warning of a wider pattern of violence against religious minorities and urging global solidarity for human rights and religious freedom

At least five people were killed when a Mexican Navy plane on a medical mission crashed near Galveston, Texas. The aircraft carried Navy officers, civilians and a child patient. US authorities have launched a search and investigation as foggy conditions persist.

India will face Sri Lanka in the second WT20I in Visakhapatnam after an eight-wicket win in the opener. Harmanpreet Kaur stressed on improving fielding, while Jemimah Rodrigues and Vaishnavi Sharma impressed as India aim to continue their dominance

Ganges Grandmasters defeated Fyers American Gambits 12-3 in the Global Chess League, keeping their final hopes alive. Anand drew with Nakamura, while Keymer, Sadhwani and Tsolakidou won their games. Mumba Masters lost 10-9 to Continental Kings and exited the race

India and New Zealand have concluded talks on a Free Trade Agreement providing duty-free access to key goods, a $20 billion investment commitment over 15 years, and a new visa pathway for Indian professionals, with trade expected to double in five years

Amid ongoing unrest in Bangladesh following the killing of student leader Osman Haidi, another NCP student leader, Muhammad Motaleb Shikder, was shot in the head in Khulna. The incident comes months ahead of the country’s February 2026 elections.

Thailand and Cambodia will resume border talks this week to establish a lasting ceasefire after recent deadly clashes. Previous agreements lacked detail, and both nations accuse each other of violations, including new landmine placements, amid rising regional and international concern

Japan’s H3 rocket failed to deploy the Michibiki 5 navigation satellite into its planned orbit, marking the second failure for the new flagship rocket. JAXA is investigating, with implications for Japan’s independent geolocation and commercial space ambitions

Indian Hotels Company Ltd (IHCL) will debut the Taj brand in Egypt with a 300-key Taj Cairo at Opera Square, featuring dining, wellness, and event facilities. The project, in partnership with state-owned EGOTH, aligns with IHCL’s global expansion strategy

Deccan Gold Mines Ltd has begun pre-commissioning trials at its Altyn Tor Gold Project in Kyrgyzstan, processing 20,000–30,000 tonnes of ore. The trials aim to validate gold recovery methods ahead of full-scale production, strengthening India’s global mining footprint

Muhammad Motaleb Sikdar, Khulna Division head of Bangladesh’s NCP, was critically shot in the head by unidentified gunmen, days after the killing of youth leader Sharif Osman Hadi. He was hospitalized as authorities continue investigating political violence

Pakistan’s Chief of Defence Forces, Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir, was awarded Saudi Arabia’s highest civilian honour, the King Abdulaziz Medal of Excellence, during his official visit. The accolade recognizes his role in strengthening Pakistan-Saudi strategic and defence ties

Russian Lt Gen Fanil Sarvarov was killed when an explosive device detonated under his car in southern Moscow. Investigators are exploring multiple leads, including the possibility that Ukrainian intelligence orchestrated the attack, according to the Russian Investigative Committee 

NATO intelligence warns Russia may be developing an anti-satellite “zone-effect” weapon targeting Starlink satellites with orbiting pellets. Experts say it could cause uncontrollable space debris, endanger other satellites, and serve more as a psychological deterrent than a deployable system

Human rights groups wrote to the Norwegian Nobel Committee accusing Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus, Bangladesh’s interim government chief advisor, of remaining silent amid escalating violence and rights abuses in the country, urging moral leadership and accountability to uphold the Nobel Peace Prize’s ethical authority

Australian police allege a 24-year-old accused of killing 15 people at Sydney’s Bondi Beach trained with firearms alongside his father and recorded a video justifying the attack. The father was shot dead, while the son faces multiple murder and terrorism charges

A 26-year-old Indian-origin Singaporean man was charged for staging a fake explosive threat at a church, leading to the cancellation of services. Police said the act was not terror-related. He was remanded for psychiatric evaluation and faces severe penalties if convicted.

Authorities say at least 15 passengers were killed when a bus on its way to Yogyakarta from Jakarta hit a concrete barrier and rolled onto its side