The U.S. State Department announced it will permanently implement a visa bond program requiring applicants from 50 countries—predominantly African nations, plus Bangladesh, Bhutan, and Nepal—to post bonds of up to $20,000 when seeking B1/B2 visas. The program, which transitions from a pilot initiative, takes effect August 3, 2026.
Dawa Sherpa was rescued while crawling toward base camp on Mount Everest approximately one week after going missing on May 29. His family had begun funeral rites believing he had died, but he survived without food or oxygen in what officials describe as a rare case of survival in such extreme conditions.
China has ordered Apple to pull Bitchat, a peer-to-peer messaging app that runs over Bluetooth and mesh networks without internet, from its App Store. The app has been used during protests in Iran, Madagascar, Uganda, Nepal, and Indonesia when authorities restricted internet access.
