Congressional Democrats, led by Rep. Jamie Raskin and Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse, introduced a bill to close loopholes in the Citizens United Supreme Court decision, aiming to prevent foreign entities from funneling money into U.S. elections by establishing foreign ownership thresholds for corporate contributions.
Analysts suggest China may favor a "gray zone" strategy against Taiwan, using economic pressure, cyber warfare, and information operations to isolate the island rather than a direct amphibious invasion. This approach could involve blockades, disrupting supply chains, and targeting digital infrastructure.
Seoul's Metropolitan Council introduced bus fare support for residents aged 70 and over, while considering raising the free subway ride age from 65 to 70. This transit reform, driven by Seoul Metro's significant deficit from senior free rides, highlights South Korea's urgent need to redefine old age and reform national welfare policies in a rapidly aging society.
South Korea's Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU) proposed expanding the FATF's Travel Rule to smaller crypto transfers, aiming to enhance AML standards and close cross-border loopholes. The FIU also urged action against unregistered offshore platforms.
For the 2025 tax year, furnished rental income must not exceed €15,000 (unclassified) or €77,700 (classified/B&B) for two consecutive years to benefit from the micro-BIC regime. Exceeding these limits triggers automatic transition to the 'régime réel'. The 2026 threshold for classified rentals is €83,600.
New US visa proposals would significantly increase salary thresholds for tech workers, impacting Indian IT firms like TCS and Infosys. Entry-level engineers in San Francisco would need to earn $162,000 annually, a nearly 30% rise.
The US proposes increasing minimum salary requirements by 21%-33% for H-1B visa holders and employment-based immigrants, alongside tighter immigration rules affecting international students in STEM fields, potentially raising costs and reducing employer demand for overseas talent.
Hong Kong's labour minister, Chris Sun Yuk-han, has dismissed calls to review the city's immigration scheme for non-local graduates or lower thresholds for talent schemes, citing a shrinking workforce and insufficient local degree holders. Despite a 61% drop in entry-level roles (from 80,000 in 2022 to 31,000 in 2025), largely due to AI automation, the minister emphasized the need for upskilling through the rebranded 'Upskill Hong Kong' program.
Environmental think-tank Envirocatalyst's satellite analysis of 247 Delhi municipal wards from 2015-2026 shows the city's mean land surface temperature rose from 29.1°C to 32°C, a 2.8-degree increase. March 2026 marks the first time in the 11-year record that all 247 wards simultaneously crossed the 26°C moderate heat stress threshold, leaving no ward at thermal rest. Sangam Vihar A recorded the steepest increase at 6.1 degrees, while some wards saw minimal rise of just 0.6 degrees.
India has been elevated to a list of nations including Russia where there is an “extremely high” risk of doping, the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) said on Monday. The Athletics Federation of India (AFI) joins the likes of Russia, Belarus, Ethiopia, Kenya, Nigeria and Ukraine in the AIU’s highest rating of Category A after being moved up from Category B. Category A means India’s athletes must now comply with more stringent anti-doping requirements, including minimum testing thresholds for...
