A man opens fire at a Russian mobilisation centre

Published

3 years ago

September 26, 2022

The leader of a local military draft committee has been shot in Russia as thousands protest the country’s military mobilisation

A 25-year-old man has shot the leader of a Siberian military draft committee in defiance of Russian President Vladimir Putin’s partial military mobilisation.

The man has not been named but is understood to have been detained and taken to hospital.

Local reports suggest three shots were fired at the site.

Authorities have vowed to punish the individual who refused to fight in the Russia’s war in Ukraine.

In another incident, six people are believed to be dead in a Russian school shooting.

State-media reports a man stormed the School Number 88 on Pushkinskaya Ulitsa in Izhevsk before opening fire on students and security staff.

It is unclear what the motivations for the attack are at this stage.

State-media reports “several ambulances and police vehicles outside the school”.

Why are people protesting?

Russian President Vladimir Putin called upon 300,000 armed reserves as part of a military mobilisation last week.

Some analysts believe the move comes amid Russian forces losing ground in Ukraine. But Mr Putin maintains it is to strengthen Russia’s hold on occupied regions.

Over 2,000 protesters are believed to have been arrested since Mr Putin’s nationwide address last week.

Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky said the partial military mobilisation has been taking place behind closed doors for months.

“For several months, they’ve been secretly mobilising. But now, they admitted that their army is not able to fight with Ukraine anymore… they did not expect the resistance that they received from us.”
volodymyr Zelensky, president of ukraine

Videos surfacing on social media show women protesting in the Muslim area of Dagestan.

“Why are you taking our children? Who attacked who? It’s Russia that attacked Ukraine,” groups of women can be heard shouting.

Mr Putin maintains the war is a “special military operation”, which is designed to de-Nazify Ukraine.

However, many western allies and humanitarian groups have widely disputed these claims and have described the conflict as an “invasion”.

Trump proposes $100,000 H-1B visa fee increase

Trump announces massive H-1B visa fee increases and introduces $1 million ‘gold card’ to reshape immigration system

Published

8 hours ago

September 21, 2025

Ahron Young

Trump announces massive H-1B visa fee increases and introduces $1 million ‘gold card’ to reshape immigration system

In Short:
– Trump announced a $100,000 fee for H-1B visas and a $1 million residency gold card to boost American hiring.
– Critics argue increased fees may limit smaller firms’ access to foreign talent, impacting U.S. tech innovation.

President Trump announced significant changes to the U.S. immigration system, introducing a new $100,000 fee for H-1B visas and a $1 million “gold card” for residency.

The move aims to increase revenue and promote the hiring of American workers, claiming that many tech companies exploit the current system.The fee increase targets H-1B visa applications, which traditionally have low entry costs.

Trump stated the initiative aims to bring in highly skilled individuals rather than those crossing the borders illegally. A gold card requiring a $1 million payment will expedite visa processing, with a reduced availability compared to existing green card categories.

The new programme could alter the competitive landscape for U.S. tech companies, which historically depend on H-1B visas to access foreign talent.

Critics warn that the increased fees may deter smaller firms from utilising these visas, potentially hindering U.S. progress in tech sectors like artificial intelligence.

Visa Impact

Debate persists within Trump’s administration regarding the new policy’s implications. Supporters argue it protects American jobs, while opponents contend it restricts access to global talent crucial for innovation.

The H-1B visa programme, established in 1990, remains vital for skilled foreign workers seeking residency in the U.S., yet faces growing scrutiny.

News

Fourth death confirmed due to Optus outage issues

Fourth death confirmed following Optus outage that blocked Triple Zero calls for 13 hours during network upgrade

Published

21 hours ago

September 20, 2025

Ahron Young

Fourth death confirmed following Optus outage that blocked Triple Zero calls for 13 hours during network upgrade

In Short:
– A fourth death is confirmed due to an Optus network failure affecting emergency calls for 13 hours.
– Optus CEO announced an investigation after communication failures and criticism from politicians and emergency services.

A fourth death has been confirmed following an Optus network failure that prevented emergency calls to Triple Zero for 13 hours.

Initially, Optus reported three fatalities, including an infant and two elderly individuals from South Australia and Western Australia. The latest victim is a 49-year-old man from Perth.Optus CEO Stephen Rue expressed deep sorrow over the incident and announced a full investigation into the network update that caused the outage.

He stated that approximately 600 calls to emergency services were disrupted, impacting residents across South Australia, Western Australia, and the Northern Territory.

Rue confirmed that the outage stemmed from a problematic firewall upgrade and revealed details of communication failures within the company. Politicians and emergency services expressed anger at the lack of timely information during the crisis.

System Failure

South Australian Premier Peter Malinauskas criticised Optus for their incompetence in handling the situation.

The federal communications minister also condemned the company, highlighting that such failures are unacceptable.

The incident follows a previous outage for which Optus was fined $12 million, raising serious concerns about their emergency service handling.

News

Israel launches its new “Iron Beam” laser system

Israel’s new “Iron Beam” laser defense system to deploy by year-end, promising cost-effective missile interception.

Published

2 days ago

September 19, 2025

ticker NEWS

Israel’s new “Iron Beam” laser defense system to deploy by year-end, promising cost-effective missile interception.

Israel’s Defence Ministry says its new “Iron Beam” laser system will be deployed by year’s end. The technology is designed to destroy incoming missiles, rockets, drones and mortars with precision.

Developed by Rafael Advanced Defense Systems in partnership with Elbit Systems, Iron Beam will sit alongside existing defences such as Iron Dome, David’s Sling and Arrow. Unlike traditional interceptors which can cost tens of thousands of dollars per shot, the laser comes at negligible expense.

Officials call it the world’s first high-power laser interception system to achieve operational maturity, hailing it as a game-changer for modern warfare. Military leaders expect the system to reshape air defence capabilities and cut costs dramatically.

#Israel #Defence #LaserWeapons #TickerNews