New U.S. Fee Turns America's Favorite Tourists Into A Multi-Billion-Dollar Cash Cow By 2034

The United States has an automated entry approval system for international travelers who are citizens of countries that don't require a U.S. visa to visit. That list includes 42 countries, each viewed as an ally of the U.S. Nationals of those...

Americans' support for Israel declining, poll shows

Support for Israel among US voters has declined 13 percentage points over the past year, a new poll has shown. The survey of 1,313 voters nationwide, carried out by The New York Times and Siena, also showed that most Americans oppose sending...

How Israel could retaliate against allies who recognised Palestine

The future of the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem could rest on Monday’s meeting between Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and US President Donald Trump, in which they are expected to discuss Israel’s furious response to a wave of...

Solidarity at sea and in the streets: is a new era emerging for Palestine?

Last week, Italian trade unions took to the streets in Rome, FIFA came under sustained pressure to ban to suspend Israeli football teams and Angus Robertson called for Israel to be excluded from the Eurovision Song contest. Is pressure increasing...

Deportation and Rejecting a Palestinian State: Smotrich Outlines “Red Lines” for Netanyahu Ahead of Trump Meeting

Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich announced on Monday that he has set out six “red lines” for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ahead of his anticipated meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump to discuss the latter’s proposed...

Arabic word of the weekWhy 'Sahaba', or cloud, has profound meaning in the Gulf

In his 1991 song, Fee Sahaba, Saudi singer Mohammed Abdu declares: “In a cloud adrift upon longing, I saw my life – a shadow in the mist.” Through these words, written by Prince Khalid Al Faisal, Abdu situates his entire existence in the passing...

France's ex-leader Sarkozy told he must go to prison in Qaddafi funding case

Former French president Nicolas Sarkozy was on Thursday sentenced to five years in prison after being found guilty of criminal conspiracy over accusations the late Libyan dictator Muammar Qaddafi helped fund his victorious 2007 presidential run....

Rachel Reeves hits out at Andy Burnham over bond markets

Your support helps us to tell the story From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our...

Key Nations Recognize Palestinian State as Global Support Grows

If confirmed, the coordinated recognition of Palestinian statehood by major Western powers would mark the most significant shift in international diplomacy since the Oslo Accords. A Century-Old Question Gets New Answers The Israeli-Palestinian...

Nigeria @ 65: Still flying on clipped wings

By Chinelo Obogo [email protected] After 65 years of independence, experts are unanimous in their submission that the Nigerian aviation sector should have soared far above the altitude it currently is. According to them, the nation, by now, should...

AI Watch: Global Regulatory Tracker - United States (Updated)

The US relies on existing federal laws and guidelines to regulate AI but aims to introduce AI legislation and a federal regulation authority. Until then, developers and deployers of AI systems will operate in an increasing patchwork of state and...

Lebanon's Riad Salameh released on $14 million bail

Lebanon's former central bank chief Riad Salameh was released on $14 million bail on Friday, as he awaits trial over a vast alleged theft of public money. Mr Salameh, 75, has spent more than a year in custody after he was charged with embezzling...

UAE launches campaign to become 'start-up capital of the world'

The UAE is seeking to boost the number of companies operating in the country by nearly 67 per cent to 2 million by 2031, with a focus on developing the small-and-medium enterprises critical to its economy. The Arab world's second-largest economy...

Dubai leading destination for greenfield FDI with record number of projects

Dubai has maintained its top position for greenfield foreign direct investment in the first half of 2025, anchored by a record number of projects, underscoring an accelerating economic diversification strategy. The emirate attracted 643 greenfield...

Saudi stocks surge most in five years on foreign ownership reform plans

Saudi Arabia's stock market surged by 5.1 per cent on Wednesday, recording its biggest gain in more than five years after reports the kingdom is planning to ease foreign ownership limits for listed companies. The Tadawul All-Share Index, the Arab...

Reeves takes aim at Burnham’s ‘in hock to bond markets’ comment

Rachel Reeves would like to be “less in hock to the bond markets” but the nation relies on them, she has warned in an attack on Andy Burnham’s pitch for the economy. In a Times interview, the Chancellor said she takes her job “very seriously”,...

Suzhou Open 2025: Katie Volynets vs Victoria Jimenez Kasintseva preview, head-to-head, prediction, and betting tips

Match details Fixture: Victoria Jimenez Kasintseva vs Katie Volynets Date: October 4, 2025 Tournament: 2025 Suzhou Open Round: Semifinals Venue: Sungent International Tennis Center, China Category: WTA 125 Surface: Hard Prize Money: $115,000 Katie...

How a Malaysian state could help settle issues of identity

We’re all familiar with the idea of the nation state. But have you ever heard of a state nation? Almost certainly not – because the term has just been invented by the Malaysian analyst Saiful Bahari Baharom, a former top official at his country’s...

UNGA 2025 live: Israeli military to broadcast Netanyahu's speech to Gazans through loudspeakers

Friday, September 26 Morning: Israel, Netherlands, China, Thailand, India, Mauritius, Luxembourg, Armenia, Ireland, Georgia, Japan, Italy, Nepal, Pakistan, Malta, Bhutan, Spain, Bangladesh. Afternoon: Lesotho, Greece, Cabo Verde, Bulgaria, Saint...

Recognising the Palestine state, EC brings in e-sign feature, and GST 2.0

Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance Mains Examination: General Studies-II: Important International institutions, agencies and fora- their structure, mandate What’s the ongoing story: At the UN General...