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Business Standard
7 days ago
- Business
- Business Standard
US imposes $15,000 visa bond on Zambians, Malawians to curb overstays
The measure adds to steps taken by the US government to limit the arrival of people that it deems undesirable Bloomberg Business travelers and tourists from Malawi and Zambia will have to pay deposits of as much as $15,000 to secure US visas, a measure aimed at curbing overstays in the world's biggest economy. Visitors from the two African nations seeking B-1 business visitor or B-2 tourist permits will have to pay the refundable amounts from Aug. 20, according to a statement by President Donald Trump's administration. The measure adds to steps taken by the US government to limit the arrival of people that it deems undesirable. In June, it banned individuals from 12 countries — half of them African — from visiting the US. Zambian and Malawian nationals aren't the worst offenders when it comes to overstaying their visas, Department of Homeland Security data shows. It lists Colombia, Spain and Haiti among countries with the highest number of people that exceed their permitted duration of stay. 'This is not about national security, it's about weaponizing immigration policy to extort vulnerable visitors, punish disfavored countries,' Council on American-Islamic Relations Government Affairs Director Robert S. McCaw said in a statement. 'Demanding thousands of dollars from tourists and business travelers before they even set foot in the US is not a security strategy; it's a legalized shakedown.' Gross domestic product per capita in Zambia and Malawi is $1,235 and $508 per annum respectively, World Bank data shows. The measure is a 12-month pilot program, the US government said. Consular officers can require visa applicants to pay deposits of $5,000, $10,000 or $15,000. Those visitors will be required to enter and leave the US through three designated airports: Boston Logan International Airport, Washington Dulles International Airport, or John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York, it said.
Days of Palestine
02-08-2025
- Politics
- Days of Palestine
U.S. Citizens Killed by Israeli Settlers in West Bank; Families Demand Investigation
DaysofPal – The family of U.S. citizen Khamis Ayyad, who was killed in the occupied West Bank after a settler attack, is urging President Donald Trump's administration to conduct a formal inquiry into his death. Ayyad, 40, a father of five and former resident of Chicago, died on Thursday in the town of Silwad, near Ramallah, after settlers reportedly set fire to vehicles outside his home. Family members say that when Ayyad went outside to extinguish the fire, Israeli soldiers confronted him and sprayed him with tear gas. According to the family, he died as a result of breathing in smoke and gas from the fire. Second U.S. Citizen Killed in West Bank in July His death follows the killing of another U.S. citizen, 20-year-old Sayfollah Musallet, who was beaten to death by Israeli settlers earlier in July in Sinjil, a nearby town. No arrests have been made in either case. Standing beside Ayyad's family on Friday, William Asfour of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) in Chicago condemned the killing as 'murder.' 'We demand a full investigation from the Department of Justice,' he said. 'An American citizen was killed. Where's the accountability?' Mahmoud Issa, Ayyad's cousin, said the attack took place around dawn. 'They torched the cars outside his house. He woke up to stop the fire, and the army came, firing gas. He died in front of his home.' Growing Settler Violence and U.S. Silence Settler attacks across the West Bank have intensified in recent months, especially since the launch of Israel's war on Gaza in October 2023. Armed settlers, often accompanied by Israeli soldiers, have raided Palestinian communities, destroyed property, and attacked residents with near-total impunity. U.S. officials have described some of these attacks as acts of 'terrorism.' The Israeli occupation forces have also escalated their own operations in the West Bank, carrying out raids, demolishing homes, and displacing families. Last month, the Israeli Knesset approved a non-binding resolution to annex the West Bank, and two senior ministers have since declared the moment ripe to assert full Israeli sovereignty over the territory. Illinois State Representative Abdelnasser Rashid described Ayyad's death as part of a wider pattern of 'settler colonial violence.' He also urged the repeal of a state law that penalizes companies for boycotting Israel. 'This shameful state law helps shield Israel's violence and brutality from accountability,' he said. CAIR's Asfour stressed that Ayyad's killing was not an isolated event. 'Another American was killed just weeks ago. How many more before the U.S. takes action to protect its citizens abroad? Settlers burn homes, soldiers back them up, and our government sends billions to fund all of this.' There have been no arrests made more than 21 days after Musallet was killed. Since 2022, Israeli forces or settlers have killed at least ten Americans. There have been no criminal charges in any of these cases. Meanwhile, 16-year-old American citizen Mohammed Ibrahim remains imprisoned by Israel without trial or contact with his family. He has been detained since February and is reportedly suffering from severe weight loss and a skin infection, according to relatives. Shortlink for this post:
Gulf Today
28-07-2025
- Politics
- Gulf Today
US Muslim leaders boost security after mosque ‘attacks'
After a spate of vandalism reports involving graffiti at a few mosques in Texas and California, Muslim leaders there have stepped up existing efforts to keep their sacred spaces and community members safe. The incidents and subsequent hypervigilance add to what many American Muslims say has already been a charged climate amid the fallout in the US from the Israel-Hamas war that has killed tens of thousands of Palestinians and devastated Gaza. The war started in October 2023 with a deadly attack by Hamas on Israel. 'The past two years have been extremely difficult for American Muslims,' said Edward Ahmed Mitchell, national deputy director of the Council on American-Islamic Relations, a Muslim civil rights and advocacy organisation. A constant stream of images showing the death, destruction and ongoing starvation in Gaza has taken a toll, said Mitchell, as has a rise in anti-Muslim and anti-Palestinian bigotry in the US. He pointed to one of the most egregious examples of that bigotry: After the war started, an Illinois man killed a 6-year-old Palestinian American Muslim boy and wounded his mother in a hate-crime attack. The recent vandalism reports have left some worried and frustrated - but not entirely surprised. 'Since October 2023, we've definitely seen rise in Islamophobia,' said Rawand Abdelghani, who is on the board of directors of Nueces Mosque, one of the affected mosques in Austin, Texas. 'Anti-Palestinian, anti-immigrant, all of that rhetoric that's being said ... it has contributed to things like this happening.' Nueces security footage showed someone, their face partially covered, spray-painting what appears to be Star of David symbols at the property. CAIR Austin said similar incidents were reported at two other Austin mosques. They all seemingly happened on the same night in May, in what the group described as part of 'a disturbing pattern of hate-motivated incidents.' It called for increased security patrols and protective measures. Shaimaa Zayan, CAIR Austin operations manager, called them an intimidation attempt. Less than two weeks earlier, someone had spray-painted graffiti at the Islamic Centre of Southern California, including the Star of David on an outer wall there, centre spokesperson Omar Ricci said. 'In light of what's going on within Palestine and the genocide in Gaza, it felt like an attack,' said Ricci, who's also a reserve Los Angeles Police Department officer. Some specifics remained unresolved. The LAPD said it opened a vandalism/hate crime investigation and added extra patrols, but added it has neither a suspect nor a motive and noted that nonreligious spaces were also targeted. Associated Press Washington: After a spate of vandalism reports involving graffiti at a few mosques in Texas and California, Muslim leaders there have stepped up existing efforts to keep their sacred spaces and community members safe. The incidents and subsequent hypervigilance add to what many American Muslims say has already been a charged climate amid the fallout in the US from the Israel-Hamas war that has killed tens of thousands of Palestinians and devastated Gaza. The war started in October 2023 with a deadly attack by Hamas on Israel. 'The past two years have been extremely difficult for American Muslims,' said Edward Ahmed Mitchell, national deputy director of the Council on American-Islamic Relations, a Muslim civil rights and advocacy organisation. A constant stream of images showing the death, destruction and ongoing starvation in Gaza has taken a toll, said Mitchell, as has a rise in anti-Muslim and anti-Palestinian bigotry in the US. He pointed to one of the most egregious examples of that bigotry: After the war started, an Illinois man killed a 6-year-old Palestinian American Muslim boy and wounded his mother in a hate-crime attack. The recent vandalism reports have left some worried and frustrated - but not entirely surprised. 'Since October 2023, we've definitely seen rise in Islamophobia,' said Rawand Abdelghani, who is on the board of directors of Nueces Mosque, one of the affected mosques in Austin, Texas. 'Anti-Palestinian, anti-immigrant, all of that rhetoric that's being said ... it has contributed to things like this happening.' Nueces security footage showed someone, their face partially covered, spray-painting what appears to be Star of David symbols at the property. CAIR Austin said similar incidents were reported at two other Austin mosques. They all seemingly happened on the same night in May, in what the group described as part of 'a disturbing pattern of hate-motivated incidents.' It called for increased security patrols and protective measures. Shaimaa Zayan, CAIR Austin operations manager, called them an intimidation attempt. Less than two weeks earlier, someone had spray-painted graffiti at the Islamic Centre of Southern California, including the Star of David on an outer wall there, centre spokesperson Omar Ricci said. 'In light of what's going on within Palestine and the genocide in Gaza, it felt like an attack,' said Ricci, who's also a reserve Los Angeles Police Department officer. Some specifics remained unresolved. The LAPD said it opened a vandalism/hate crime investigation and added extra patrols, but added it has neither a suspect nor a motive and noted that nonreligious spaces were also targeted. Associated Press
Roya News
27-07-2025
- Politics
- Roya News
US man who killed 6-year-old Palestinian boy dies in prison
Joseph Czuba, the 73-year-old Illinois man convicted of the hate crime murder of six-year-old Palestinian-American Wadea al-Fayoume and the attempted murder of his mother, Hanaan Shahin, died in prison on Thursday. His death occurred less than three months after he was sentenced to 53 years behind bars. The horrific attack unfolded on October 14, 2023, in Plainfield Township, Illinois, when Czuba, the family's landlord, stabbed Wadea 26 times with a military knife. His mother, Hanaan Shahin, also sustained critical injuries. Authorities swiftly classified the murder as a hate crime, stating it was motivated by anti-Muslim and anti-Palestinian extremism, directly linked to the escalation of the war on Gaza. Prosecutors revealed Czuba's agitation was fueled by his consumption of conservative talk radio, leading him to believe his tenants posed a threat. Czuba was found guilty on all charges, including first-degree murder and hate crimes, on February 28, 2025, after less than 90 minutes of jury deliberation. He was sentenced on May 2, 2025. While the official cause of Czuba's death was not immediately released by authorities, it was known he had been battling stage 4 cancer. Ahmed Rehab, Executive Director of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-Chicago), stated, "this depraved killer has died, but the hate is still alive and well". The case deeply affected the Chicago area's large Palestinian community and highlighted rising hostility against Muslims and Palestinians in the US. Plainfield officials have since dedicated a park playground in Wadea's honor, serving as a lasting memorial.
Al-Ahram Weekly
27-07-2025
- Politics
- Al-Ahram Weekly
Muslim leaders increase security after vandalism reports at Texas and California mosques - International
After a spate of vandalism reports involving graffiti at a few mosques in Texas and California, Muslim leaders there have stepped up existing efforts to keep their sacred spaces and community members safe. The incidents and subsequent hypervigilance add to what many American Muslims say has already been a charged climate amid the fallout in the U.S. from the Israeli war that has killed tens of thousands of Palestinians and devastated Gaza. 'The past two years have been extremely difficult for American Muslims,' said Edward Ahmed Mitchell, national deputy director of the Council on American-Islamic Relations, a Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization. A constant stream of images showing the death, destruction and ongoing starvation in Gaza has taken a toll, said Mitchell, as has a rise in anti-Muslim and anti-Palestinian bigotry in the U.S. He pointed to one of the most egregious examples of that bigotry: After the war started, an Illinois man killed a 6-year-old Palestinian American Muslim boy and wounded his mother in a hate-crime attack. Worry and frustration The recent vandalism reports have left some worried and frustrated — but not entirely surprised. 'Since October 2023, we've definitely seen rise in Islamophobia,' said Rawand Abdelghani, who is on the board of directors of Nueces Mosque, one of the affected mosques in Austin, Texas. 'Anti-Palestinian, anti-immigrant, all of that rhetoric that's being said … it has contributed to things like this happening.' Nueces security footage showed someone, their face partially covered, spray-painting what appears to be Star of David symbols at the property. CAIR Austin said similar incidents were reported at two other Austin mosques. They all seemingly happened on the same night in May, in what the group described as part of 'a disturbing pattern of hate-motivated incidents.' It called for increased security patrols and protective measures. Shaimaa Zayan, CAIR Austin operations manager, called them an intimidation attempt. Less than two weeks earlier, someone had spray-painted graffiti at the Islamic Center of Southern California, including the Star of David on an outer wall there, center spokesperson Omar Ricci said. 'In light of what's going on within Palestine and the genocide in Gaza, it felt like an attack,' said Ricci, who's also a reserve Los Angeles Police Department officer. Some specifics remained unresolved. The LAPD said it opened a vandalism/hate crime investigation and added extra patrols, but added it has neither a suspect nor a motive and noted that nonreligious spaces were also targeted. The Austin Police Department did not respond to Associated Press inquiries. Nueces had already increased its security camera use following three incidents last year, including someone throwing rocks at the mosque, Abdelghani said. After the May vandalism, it also added overnight security, she added. Nueces serves many university students and is considered a 'home away from home,' Abdelghani said. It's where they learn about their faith, meet other Muslims and find refuge, including during tense times, like when some students got arrested amid campus protests last year, she added. CAIR says that in 2024, its offices nationwide received 8,658 complaints, the highest number it has recorded since its first civil rights report in 1996. It listed employment discrimination as the most common in 2024. The group says last year, U.S. Muslims, along with others of different backgrounds, 'were targeted due to their anti-genocide … viewpoints.' Referencing former President Joe Biden, the CAIR report said that for 'the second year in a row, the Biden-backed Gaza genocide drove a wave of Islamophobia in the United States.' Tensions in multiple spaces The war has fueled tensions in myriad U.S. settings. After it started, Muslim and Jewish civil rights groups reported a surge of harassment, bias and physical assaults reports against their community members. Pew Research Center in February 2024 found that 70% of U.S. Muslims and nearly 90% of U.S. Jews surveyed say they felt an increase in discrimination against their respective communities since the war began. More recently, leaders of U.S. Jewish institutions have called for more help with security after a firebomb attack in Colorado on demonstrators showing support for Israeli captives in Gaza that left one person killed and others injured, as well as a fatal shooting of two Israeli Embassy staffers outside a Jewish museum in Washington, D.C. Politically, the conflict loomed over last year's presidential election, leaving many pro-Palestinian U.S. voters feeling ignored by their own government's support for Israel. It has roiled campuses and sparked debates over free speech and where political rhetoric crosses into harassment and discrimination. There've been bitter disagreements, including among some Jewish Americans, about exactly what the definition of antisemitism should cover, and whether certain criticism of Israeli policies and Zionism should be included. That debate further intensified as President Donald Trump's administration sought to deport some foreign-born pro-Palestinian campus activists. The Islamic Center of Southern California has been targeted before, including vandalism in 2023 and separate threats that authorities said in 2016 were made by a man who was found with multiple weapons in his home. Incidents like the latest one cause concern, Ricci said. 'People see that it's not going to take very much to spark something in the city,' he said. 'There's a lot of emotion. There's a lot of passion' on both the pro-Palestinian and pro-Israeli sides. Salam Al-Marayati, president of the Muslim Public Affairs Council, said 'if people think they can get away with graffiti, then the next step is to firebomb a mosque or even go attack worshippers.' Opening doors and receiving support Al-Marayati and others praised how many have shown support for the affected Muslim communities. 'The best preparation is what we did in Los Angeles and that's to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with our allies and be there for one another,' he said. In Texas, a gathering at Nueces brought together neighbors and others, including Christians and Jews, to paint over the vandalism, clean up the property and garden, Zayan said. 'It was beautiful,' she said. 'It's really important to open your doors and open your heart and invite people and to rebuild this trust and connection,' she said. 'For non-Muslims, it was a great opportunity for them to show their love and support. They really wanted to do something.' Follow us on: Facebook Instagram Whatsapp Short link:
