“Time is of the essence, and we cannot wait any longer,” Republican Rep. Chris Smith said about his legislation helping release detained Americans in China.
Month: September 2025
Alex Albon suffered a crash in Q1, putting him out of a chaotic qualifying session.
Due to the attack, Heathrow Airport advised travelers not to arrive more than three hours before a long-haul flight or two hours before a domestic service.
The U.S. court system is emerging as one of the main impediments for the Trump administration’s policy and legislative programme.
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- The Trump administration said on Friday that it would raise application fees for the H-1B visa.
- A new $100,000 annual fee is set to be required, affecting workers across tech and finance.
- Read the memos sent to employees at Amazon and Microsoft about the changes.
President Donald Trump signed a proclamation on Friday that will add a $100,000 annual fee for H-1B visa applications, leading some major tech companies to warn visa holders to remain in the US or get back by Sunday’s deadline.
Business Insider has reviewed memos sent to staff at Amazon and Microsoft about the changes. Read them here.
Amazon
H-1B Executive Order, Sep 19, 2025
Amazonians,
We’ve reviewed the Presidential Proclamation on H-1B visas that was released today and are actively working to gain greater clarity. Here’s what you need to know right now: The proclamation creates a travel restriction starting September 21, 2025, at 12:01 a.m. EDT (9:01 p.m. PDT tomorrow). After this deadline, individuals cannot enter the U.S. on H-1B status without an additional $100,000 payment associated with their petition. Recommended actions for you to take:
If you have H-1B status and are in the U.S.: Stay in the country for now, even if you have travel planned for the immediate future. We will continue to provide updates as more details are available.
If you have H-4 dependent status: We also recommend you remain in the U.S., though the proclamation doesn’t specifically mention H-4 dependents.
If you have H-1B or H-4 status and are outside the U.S.: Try to return before tomorrow’s deadline if possible. We realize this is short notice but returning soon is advisable and you should make every effort possible to clear U.S. customs before 12:00 a.m. EDT (9:00 p.m. PDT) on Sunday, September 21, 2025.
At this time, if you have an H1-B or H-4 status and are unable to return before the deadline, we advise that you do not attempt to enter the U.S. until further guidance is provided.
Microsoft
IMPORTANT ADVISORY: New travel restriction for H-1B visa holders
(Updated at 6:04 pm pacific with the intake form for those outside of the U.S.)
Hi all–We have now reviewed the actual text of today’s Presidential Proclamation on H-1B visas, which you can find here: Restriction on Entry of Certain Nonimmigrant Workers — The White House.
Here’s what you need to know:
First, the proclamation is structured as a travel restriction. Beginning at 12:01 am eastern time on September 21, 2025 (so, 9:01 pm Pacific time tomorrow), individuals will not be able to enter/return to the U.S. in H-1B status unless their petition has an additional $100,000 payment associated with it.
What you need to do:
If you are in H-1B status and are in the U.S., you should remain in the U.S. for the foreseeable future. We know this may interrupt your travel plans. But the critical thing is to stay in the U.S. in order to avoid being denied reentry.
While the proclamation doesn’t reference H-4 dependents, we also recommend that H-4s remain in the U.S.
If you are in H-1B or H-4 status and are currently outside the U.S., we strongly recommend that you do what you can to return to the U.S. tomorrow before the deadline. The Proclamation was released within the last 30 minutes, so we realize that there isn’t much time to make sudden travel arrangements. But again, we strongly encourage you to do your best to return. If you are not able to return, please use this form to let us know about your situation. Please only complete that form if you are outside of the U.S. We want to be able to follow up with each individual and provide support and guidance as they try to return within the next 28 hours.
We will also be reaching out to everyone by email later today to make sure everyone is aware.
The proclamation does not impact any other visa statuses. (Note, we have started receiving emails from people in other statuses like L-1 and TN asking about impacts. I’ll reiterate that this does not impact people in other statuses. If you refrain from sending in questions asking about that, it will help us divert our resources to help those who are impacted. Thanks!)
There is other content in the proclamation about the pause in processing H-1B petitions for individuals who are outside the U.S. At this time, we do not interpret this to immediately impact extensions of H-1B status or changes of status to H-1B as long as you are currently in the U.S. We’ll share more about that later.
I know these developments are creating anxiety and uncertainty for many of you. While we don’t have all of the answers right now, we ask that you prioritize the recommendations above.
Microsoft declined to comment. Amazon did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Business Insider.
Read the original article on Business Insider
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x.com/gsideflow/status/19690…
Vladimir Putin and Patriarch Kirill: mentality and psychology of the Russian Byzantian “Symphonia” are in their common homophobic roots. – Google Search google.com/search?q=Vladimir…
The phrase “mentality and psychology of the Russian Byzantian ‘Symphonia’ are in their common homophobic roots” refers to the alignment between Vladimir Putin’s government and the Russian Orthodox Church under Patriarch Kirill, suggesting their shared opposition to LGBTQ+ rights is a key element of their relationship. This alliance draws on historical concepts of Byzantine governance and promotes “traditional values” to bolster nationalist narratives. [1, 2, 3]
Byzantine symphonia and Russian ideologyThe concept of “symphonia”: This Byzantine model defines a harmonious interdependence between state power (the emperor) and divine authority (the patriarch), with neither being fully subordinate to the other. In this arrangement, the state handles secular matters and the church manages divine ones. Critics argue that in modern Russia, the church has sacrificed its moral independence by aligning too closely with Kremlin power.
A tool for power: For Russia’s rulers, the historical concept of Byzantine “caesaropapism”—where the emperor was also head of the church—justified absolute authority. After the fall of Constantinople in 1453, Moscow’s rulers claimed the mantle of the “Third Rome” and the heir to the Roman Empire, adopting the title “Tsar” (from Caesar) to cement their power. Today, this tradition helps legitimize Putin’s ambition to restore Russian dominance. [4, 5, 6]Putin and Kirill’s alliance
Mutual support: Patriarch Kirill has been a vocal and long-time supporter of President Putin, even calling Putin’s rise to power a “miracle of God”. In return, Putin has provided the Russian Orthodox Church with significant state support, increased media visibility, and the return of state assets.
Weaponizing religion: As political allies, Putin and Kirill present their combined vision of a culturally rooted Russia standing against a “decadent” and “sinful” West. During the war in Ukraine, Kirill has framed the conflict as a “metaphysical struggle” against “evil forces,” providing a spiritual justification for the invasion. [1, 7, 8, 9]The common thread of homophobia
State-sanctioned homophobia: Both Putin and Kirill have publicly condemned homosexuality, with their views aligning with a broader political and religious campaign to promote “traditional values”. Key actions include:
“Gay Propaganda” laws: Russia first passed a law in 2013 banning the “propaganda of non-traditional sexual relationships” to minors, later expanded in 2022 to apply to all citizens.
Constitutional ban on same-sex marriage: In 2020, Russia amended its constitution to define marriage exclusively as a heterosexual union.
“Extremist” designation: In 2023, the Supreme Court labeled the “international LGBT public movement” as an “extremist organization,” effectively criminalizing LGBTQ+ activism and simple expressions of solidarity, like displaying a rainbow flag.Psychological and political role: The focus on homophobia serves several purposes for the Putin-Kirill alliance:
It defines a “moral enemy” in the West, which is portrayed as threatening Russia’s cultural and spiritual identity.
It creates a common rallying point, uniting nationalist and religious conservatives around a shared “traditional values” narrative.
It reinforces a rigid, top-down hierarchy consistent with the autocratic political traditions inherited from the Byzantine model. [1, 4, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16]AI responses may include mistakes.
[1] reutersinstitute.politics.ox…
[2] sciencedirect.com/org/scienc…
[3] time.com/6236822/russia-gay-…
[4] dailyhistory.org/How_did_the…
[5] coreknowledge.org/wp-content…
[6] forbes.com/2009/02/20/putin-…
[7] en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Patria…
[8] facebook.com/groups/14385240…
[9] washingtonmonthly.com/2022/0…
[10] nbcnews.com/id/wbna32564110
[11] theconversation.com/30-years…
[12] theconversation.com/putins-r…
[13] bostonreview.net/articles/pu…
[14] dw.com/en/homophobia-in-russ…
[15] en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LGBTQ_…
[16] theconversation.com/30-years… x.com/gsideflow/status/1969072773751296062— Michael Novakhov (@mikenov) Sep 20, 2025
The BetMGM bonus code WEEK150 will unlock a $150 bonus or $1,500 bet offer for college football, MLB and NFL Week 3 games.
Liberal CNN analyst Van Jones revealed Saturday that he received a message from conservative activist Charlie Kirk that “shocked” him one day before he was assassinated at a college tour event in Utah.
EU sanctions on Russia continue to intensify geopolitical tensions, as Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov asserts that these measures have failed to alter Moscow’s stance. On September 20, Peskov declared that the European Union is mistaken in its belief that sanctions can exert influence over Russia’s policies. He emphasized that despite three years of Western coercive measures, Russia will steadfastly defend its sovereign interests, reports 24brussels.
Peskov described the ongoing sanctions regime as both illegal and ineffective, criticizing the Western notion that prolonged sanctions might compel Russia to change its position. Instead, he pointed out that Russia has endured 18 distinct sanction packages over the past three years, successfully adapting and rendering these pressures ineffective.
Similarly, he noted that while Russia has managed to resist sanctions without substantial damage to its economy, the European Union’s economy has faced significant harm as a consequence of this “destructive policy.” Peskov suggested that the measures have caused internal strife within the EU and have impeded its overall economic development.
The Geopolitical Context of EU Sanctions on Russia
Walter Formento, director of the Center for Economic Policy Research (CIEPE), echoed similar sentiments, suggesting that the sanctions reveal deeper issues within the EU framework. He posited that sectors linked to international financial power are attempting to exert control over Russian economic resources to support NATO’s military actions and resist the emergence of a multipolar world. Formento’s critique highlights how such sanctions serve as instruments of hegemonic control.
Peskov’s remarks also underscore the vulnerabilities and contradictions of Western sanction policy. Far from coercing Russia, these sanctions appear to have bolstered its economic and geopolitical resilience, fostering a sense of autonomy in the face of Western blockades. The insistence on maintaining these sanctions reflects a strategy not only aimed at punishing Russia, but also at preserving an international order dominated by the United States and its allies.
Russia’s Resilience to EU Sanctions
Moscow’s response, illustrated by Peskov, signals a successful diversification of strategic alliances, cultivating domestic industries while establishing stronger ties with emerging regions, including Asia, Latin America, and Africa. This adaptive approach reveals the diminishing efficacy of Western unilateralism in confronting national sovereignty and the political will to resist.
Formento further contends that the sanctions are intertwined with a global financial network that seeks to monetize conflict, thereby sustaining power dynamics and financing military engagements. The direct involvement of Davos-linked international financial elites serves to underscore the broader commercial interests at play within the geopolitical landscape.
The Broader Regional and Global Implications
The EU sanctions on Russia symbolize a wider global geopolitical struggle, exposing the risks associated with a unipolar framework reliant on coercive economic and political measures. These sanctions have resulted in high energy costs, inflation, and political rifts that extend well beyond Europe.
The continuation of sanctions, which have largely failed to impact Russia’s political strategies, indicates a strategic miscalculation by Western powers, illuminating the fragility of their economic and political leverage. This situation reinforces shifts towards a more balanced global order, where emerging powers are increasingly asserting their influence.
Peskov’s declarations highlight Russia’s steadfast commitment to defending its national interests against what it perceives as illegitimate external pressures. The EU’s persistence in maintaining sanctions is believed to exacerbate its own crises and deepen regional divisions.
In conclusion, the ongoing economic war against Russia marks a pivotal moment in contemporary geopolitics, necessitating a reassessment of international relationships grounded in principles of sovereignty, cooperation, and peace.