Citizens Financial News

It's the latest phase of a nationwide crackdown launched in October 2023 to expel foreigners living in Pakistan illegally, mostly Afghans. The campaign has drawn fire from rights groups, the Taliban government, and the U.N. Arrests and deportations were due to begin April 1 but were pushed back to April 10 because of the Eid al-Fitr holidays marking the end of Ramadan, according to government documents seen by The Associated Press. About 845,000 Afghans have left Pakistan over the past 18 months, figures from the International Organization for Migration show. Pakistan says 3 million Afghans remain. Of these, 1,344,584 hold Proof of Registration cards, while 807,402 have Afghan Citizen Cards. There are a further 1 million Afghans who are in the country illegally because they have no paperwork.

U.S. citizens and lawfully permanent residents usually retain the privilege of re-entering the country, as long as they possess the valid documentation. A valid U.S. passport is required for all international traveling U.S. citizens. Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative-approved identification, in the form of an enhanced driver's license or Global Entry card, can also be utilized for entry by land or sea. For permanent residents, a current Green Card is required. At arrival, CBP officers check documents and determine if the traveler qualifies for entry. Foreign nationals and visa holders are required to abide by visa terms and Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) approvals, as applicable.

Luwangthem Mukesh. Luwangthem Mukesh went missing. The state government stated, “In respect of the missing case of Luwangthem Mukesh (20) Leimajam Leikai, Imphal West on 16.03.2025, it is to bring to the notice of public that the case was registered vide FIR No. 90(3)2025IPSu/s140(1)/142/3(5) BNS in Imphal PS. Manipur Police under the supervision of a senior level officer, along with Assam Rifles and other Security Forces have conducted joint operations for search and rescue of the missing person in the vicinity of suspected areas in the districts of Bishnupur, Churachandpur and Noney and other parts of the State utilizing advanced technical data analysis and intelligence gathering. The government added, “The State Government urges citizens to come forward with any relevant information that could assist in the safe return of the missing person. The State Government has also announced a reward of Rs 10,00,000 to any informant who provides credible information leading to safe return of the missing person”. Manipur police earlier stated in X, “On 17.03.2025 at about 11 am, a missing person report on 16.03.2025 of one Luwangthem Mukesh of Keishampat Leimajam Leikai, Imphal West was reported to OC Imphal Police Station. On receipt of the report, an inquiry has been initiated. All efforts are ongoing to trace the missing person by the police department and security forces by launching search operations in all suspected areas.”

Mohammed Shia al-Sudani said in a statement on Saturday, renewing a deal meant to alleviate Lebanon's acute power shortage. Under the heavy fuel oil deal, first agreed in July 2021, Iraq provides the Lebanese government with the fuel in exchange for services including health care for Iraqi citizens. Lebanon then swaps the heavy fuel oil for gas oil that it can use at its power stations. These have operated for decades at partial capacity, but electricity provision deteriorated further during a financial crisis that has hit the state's ability to buy fuel.

Maxine Waters suggested that US President Donald Trump consider deporting his wife, Melania Trump, while criticizing his administration's immigration policies. Waters went after the First Lady of the United States at a Los Angeles rally protesting DOGE cuts, where she referenced Trump's executive order attempting to end birthright citizenship, which confers citizenship status on people born here. Trump has vowed to remove millions of migrants without legal status from the United States as part of his mass deportation program. «If he wants to start looking so closely to find those who were born here and their parents were undocumented, maybe he ought to first look at Melania,' she said, personalizing the political attack. When he [Trump] talks about birthright, and he's going to undo the fact that the Constitution allows those who are born here, even if the parents are undocumented, they have a right to stay in America,» she said at the rally. ALSO READ: 'I am almost done...': Elon Musk to step down from DOGE and quit Washington DC after $1 trillion in US govt cuts «We don't know whether or not her parents were documented. And maybe we better just take a look,» said Waters, who was among the first House Democrats calling to impeach Trump during his first term.

India is on the brink of a demographic shift redefining its healthcare landscape. With an estimated 140 million elderly citizens today—projected to rise to 350 million by 2050—the need for comprehensive senior healthcare has never been more pressing.

Shashi Tharoor has welcomed US President Donald Trump's recent recognition of India's voter ID system in his latest executive order aimed at overhauling the US federal election process. Trump's order mandates proof of citizenship for federal elections and imposes new restrictions on mail-in voting, drawing comparisons with election systems in India and other countries. Reacting to Trump's remarks, Tharoor highlighted that India has had a robust voter verification system since 1952.

European Union has urged its citizens to stockpile enough food and other essential supplies to sustain them for at least 72 hours if crisis happens, the European Commission has said. “In case of extreme disruptions, the initial period is the most critical,” the document says, setting out possible scenarios, from war to cyber attacks and deadly disease to climate-driven floods, reports Politico. In a fresh guidance issued on Wednesday, the commission stressed the need for Europe to shift its mindset, to foster a culture of “preparedness” and “resilience.” ALSO READ: 'Elon, I want to thank you': Trump makes it official, makes big statement amid Tesla Takedown protests

Reserve Bank of India is set to double to 10% a cap on investment by individual foreign investors in listed companies, as it aims to boost capital inflows, according to two senior government officials and documents reviewed by Reuters. Foreign portfolio investors (FPIs), pressured by poor earnings, high valuations and prospects of U.S. tariffs, have pulled more than $28 billion out of Indian stocks since September's record high in the benchmark NSE Nifty 50. To boost foreign investment, India is widening to all foreign investors benefits it had until now restricted to overseas Indians, while also raising applicable investment limits, the officials said. «It is felt that these proposals may be implemented as early as possible,» the central bank told the government in a letter last week, pointing to disruption in capital inflows among recent developments in the external sector. Emails seeking comment from the finance ministry, the central bank, and the market regulator, the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI), did not get any response.

China as «sources of precursors and equipment for drug traffickers» and the primary source country for illicit fentanyl precursor chemicals and pill pressing equipment." The '2025 Annual Threat Assessment (ATA)', released on Tuesday, is the Intelligence Community's (IC) official, coordinated evaluation of an array of threats to US citizens, the homeland, and US interests in the world. Fentanyl and other synthetic opioids remain the most lethal drugs trafficked into the United States, causing more than 52,000 US deaths in a 12-month period ending in October 2024, it said. Fentanyl is a potent opioid drug that is blamed for widespread drug addiction in the US. The Trump administration has initiated a crackdown on illegal import of fentanyl and also linked it with tariffs adjustments in case of some countries. The report said some transnational criminal organisations (TCOs) are producing and trafficking large amounts of illicit drugs, imperiling American lives and livelihoods.

Maharashtra government will expand the network of 'Aaple Sarkar Seva Kendras', Information Technology Minister Ashish Shelar informed the Legislative Council on Wednesday. Shelar emphasised the decision aims to ensure faster and more convenient delivery of government services to citizens in both rural and urban areas.

super rich Indians wish to leave the country due to factors like living conditions here, better standard of life abroad and also easier business environment in other countries, a survey said on Wednesday. The survey of 150 ultra high networth individuals said that the US, UK, Australia, Canada and even UAE due to its golden visa scheme are the favourite destinations where the rich prefer to settle down. Kotak Private, a leading wealth manager in the country which undertook the survey in association with consultancy EY, said 25 lakh Indians migrate to other countries every year as per the foreign ministry. «One in five ultra HNIs surveyed are currently in the process of or plan to migrate,» the survey findings said, adding most of them intend to reside in their host country of choice permanently while retaining their Indian citizenship.

Donald Trump signed an executive order on Tuesday that would require voters to prove they are U.S. citizens and attempts to prevent states from counting mail-in ballots received after Election Day. The sweeping order also would seek to take federal funding away from states that do not comply. Trump has long questioned the U.S. electoral system and continues to falsely claim that his 2020 loss to Democratic President Joe Biden was the result of widespread fraud. The president and his Republican allies also have made baseless claims about widespread voting by non-citizens, which is illegal and rarely occurs. Last year the Republican-controlled House of Representatives approved a bill that would ban non-citizens from registering to vote in federal elections, a practice that is already illegal. It did not pass the Senate, which was then controlled by Democrats. The White House's order seeks to achieve similar goals. Voting rights groups argued that it, like the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility Act that did not become law, would disenfranchise voters, particularly people of color, who do not have access to passports or other required identification.

The U.S. Department of Treasury is scrapping a requirement for U.S. small businesses to report information about their owners to the federal government. It's the latest twist in an on-again-off-again saga for the fledgling rule.

Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday claimed that the Data Protection Act, 2023 curtails access to public information that is essential for citizens to hold the government accountable, and said the Congress will take necessary steps to protect people's rights. Gandhi made the assertion in a post on X after meeting a diverse group of activists, editors, researchers and domain experts in the Parliament House complex. «Today, I had the opportunity to meet a diverse group of activists, editors, researchers and domain experts in Parliament. They voiced serious concerns about the Digital Personal Data Protection Act, particularly its impact on the scope of the RTI Act,» the former Congress president said. This legislation, under the pretext of safeguarding privacy, curtails access to public information that is essential for citizens and journalists to hold the government accountable, he alleged. «The NDA government is attempting to shield itself from scrutiny, undermining transparency and weakening democratic oversight,» Gandhi claimed. In the interest of accountability and good governance, the Congress will discuss this issue with INDIA bloc leaders and take necessary steps to protect the rights of people, he said.

In addition, the Indian Cybercrime Coordination Centre (I4C), which functions under the Ministry of Home Affairs, has proactively identified and blocked more than 3,962 Skype IDs and 83,668 WhatsApp accounts used for digital arrest, the minister said. «The Citizen Financial Cyber Fraud Reporting and Management System, under the I4C, has been launched in 2021 for immediate reporting of financial frauds and stopping siphoning off funds by fraudsters. So far, around Rs 4,386 crore have been saved in more than 13.36 lakh complaints,» Kumar said in the reply. As part of the 14C, a national cybercrime reporting portal (https://cybercrime.gov.in) has been launched to enable public to report incidents pertaining to all types of digital crimes, with special focus on crimes against women and children, the minister said. He said the crimes reported on this portal, their conversion into FIRs and subsequent action are handled by law enforcement agencies in the states and Union Territories concerned.

Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, already under pressure due to increasing authoritarian measures, now faces mass boycotts involving more than 50 million people. The question is no longer whether a crisis is coming—but how fast it will hit.

Shiv Sena Yuva Sena (Shinde faction) General Secretary Rahool Kanal on Monday sent a strong message to stand-up comedian Kunal Kamra over his comments about Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde. Kanal said, «Abhi tak toh ye trailer hai, picture abhi baki hai» (This is just the trailer; the full film is yet to come). He explained that their reaction was not about taking the law into their own hands but about «self-respect». «When it comes to elders or respectable citizens of the country… when your elders are targeted, you will target someone of that mentality… The message (for Kunal Kamra) is clear, 'Abhi tak toh ye trailer hai, picture abhi baki hai.' Whenever you are in Mumbai, you will get a good lesson in Shiv Sena style,» Kanal added.

Subscribe to enjoy similar stories. The government over the weekend withdrew its 20% duty on onion exports. This relieves Indian farmers, who have often run into export constraints just as prices have risen to let them reap rewards.

«The Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2024, is part of BJP's strategy, and continuing attempts to damage the centuries-old bonds of social harmony… to demonise minority communities by spreading false propaganda and creating prejudices, dilute constitutional provisions that guarantee equal rights and protections to all citizens, and defame traditions and institutions of minority communities to keep our society in a state of permanent polarisation for electoral gains,» said a Congress statement issued by spokesperson Jairam Ramesh. Once again identifying with the reservations the larger Opposition benches had raised and registered during the scrutiny of the bill by the joint parliamentary committee, Ramesh argued that the bill «is deeply flawed» on five counts: «All the institutions created by previous laws to administer waqfs are actively sought to be reduced in stature, composition and authority so as to deliberately deprive the community the right to administer its own religious traditions and affairs. Deliberate ambiguity has been introduced for determining who can donate their land for waqf purposes, thus altering the very definition of waqf itself.