US President Donald Trump has signed an executive order imposing a $100,000 annual fee on companies hiring foreign skilled workers via the H-1B visa program. This is aimed at discouraging US firms from relying on international talent, particularly from India and China, and boosting employment of American graduates. Critics warn the move could hurt the US tech industry, which depends heavily on highly skilled foreign workers. Proponents say this protects domestic workers and promotes reskilling of Americans.   

A cyberattack on the passenger-handling systems of several European airports has caused widespread disruption. Airlines at Brussels, London Heathrow, Berlin's Brandenburg among others saw their check-in and boarding processes disabled, forcing manual operations. Brussels Airport said flight schedules were “largely impacted” as only manual check-in and boarding were possible. Heathrow described the issue as a “technical issue” with a service provider. Berlin airport also cut off connections to affected systems after the service provider was attacked. The provider involved is Collins Aerospace, which offers kiosks for self check-in, printing boarding passes and baggage tags. 

In response to the Trump administration's new $100,000 annual fee on H-1B visas, major U.S. employers Amazon, Microsoft, and JPMorgan have urgently advised their H-1B and H-4 visa holders to remain in the country. Amazon instructed employees to return to the U.S. by September 21, 12 a.m. Eastern Time, while Microsoft and JPMorgan recommended staying in the U.S. and avoiding international travel until further guidance is issued. The policy shift, effective September 21, 2025, is expected to significantly impact Indian tech professionals, who account for 72% of H-1B visa holders.  

The U.S. has increased the H-1B visa fee by $100,000, effective September 21, 2025. This move aims to reduce reliance on foreign labor and prioritize American workers. While Indian IT firms like TCS typically apply for 3,000–4,000 H-1B visas annually, the fee hike poses a greater challenge for companies like Tesla. Tesla has hired approximately 1,355 visa holders, while laying off over 6,000 American workers, raising concerns about wage disparities and employment practices. The policy shift could significantly impact Indian tech professionals in the U.S.   

President Donald Trump has introduced a $100,000 annual fee for H-1B visa applications, effective September 21, 2025, marking a major change in U.S. immigration policy. The move aims to reduce reliance on foreign labor, prioritizing American workers, especially in tech and high-skilled sectors. Experts warn this could increase costs for companies, potentially discouraging hiring of skilled foreign professionals. Alongside, Trump has unveiled new visa categories, including Gold and Platinum Cards, targeting wealthy individuals and investors. The policy is expected to reshape the H-1B program and affect Indian tech workers significantly.

The US has significantly overhauled its visa regime under President Donald Trump. Key changes include raising the annual fee for H-1B visas to $100,000, up from the current modest cost, aiming to limit foreign hires to only very high-skilled roles. New visa categories have been introduced: the Trump Gold Card (US residency for individuals who contribute $1 million) ; the Trump Platinum Card (costing $5 million) offering residency with up to 270 days/year stay without taxation on foreign income. There is also a Trump Corporate Gold Card ($2 million per employee) allowing companies to sponsor foreign workers, with transfer and maintenance fees. These programs are targeted at “extraordinary people” and wealthy individuals/corporations, potentially reshaping migration based on investment rather than traditional employment-based visas. (PC: Bloomberg)

NATO stated that it intercepted three Russian MiG-31 fighter jets after they entered Estonian airspace on Friday. The jets entered without permission and stayed for 12 minutes over the Gulf of Finland, Estonia’s foreign ministry said. NATO spokesperson Allison Hart called it “yet another example of reckless Russian behaviour” and said the alliance responded immediately. Estonian Prime Minister Kristen Michal said Estonia will request NATO Article 4 consultations. This step begins urgent talks among the 32 Nato members. Russia has not commented. Tensions have grown after Poland and Romania also reported Russian drones crossing into their airspace last week. (PC: BBC)

Israeli airstrikes on newspaper offices in Yemen killed 31 journalists and media workers, Sky News reported. The attack on 10 September hit the offices of 26 September, the official Yemeni army newspaper under Houthi control in Sanaa. A child was among the dead, and 22 journalists were injured. The Committee to Protect Journalists called it the deadliest strike on the press since 2009. Editor Nasser al Khadri described it as an “unprecedented massacre.” Israel’s military said it targeted Houthi public relations offices spreading propaganda. Media groups condemned the attack, stressing many victims were civilian journalists with no military role. (PC: Sky News)

Terror groups are shifting deeper into Pakistan after India’s Operation Sindoor destroyed 9 hubs in PoK. Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) and Hizbul Mujahideen (HM) are now building new bases in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KPK). JeM held a public rally in Mansehra under police protection, led by Masood Ilyas Kashmiri, a key aide of Masood Azhar. The rally praised Osama bin Laden and launched a recruitment drive. Hizbul is also building a new camp called HM 313 in Lower Dir. Sources say Pakistan’s state and police support these groups. Experts warn that this move will increase extremism and cross-border terrorism threats. (PC: India Today)

The first group of 34 students has been evacuated from Gaza to study at universities in the UK. The group includes at least four doctors and several Chevening scholars with fully funded scholarships. They were taken to a third country for visa checks before traveling to Britain next week. The UK government supported the evacuation after months of campaigning by academics and politicians. Many students remain trapped in Gaza, including 35 with full scholarships. Some parents declined evacuation to stay with their children. The move comes as Gaza faces heavy fighting and a UN genocide report against Israel. (PC: BBC)