Submit your Article

Jordan will host a meeting on Tuesday with Syrian and US officials to discuss ways to support Syria’s rebuilding, the Jordanian Foreign Ministry said. Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani and US envoy Thomas Barrack are expected to attend, Al Jazeera reported.

This follows recent deals worth $14bn signed by Syria with international partners, including projects for a new airport and subway in Damascus. Syrian officials see these agreements as a key step toward recovery, though the UN estimates reconstruction costs at over $400bn.

Despite ongoing violence and challenges, Syria is actively seeking foreign investment to revive its battered economy and infrastructure, according to Al Jazeera.

Following the US imposing a 50 percent tariff on Indian goods, calls to boycott American brands like McDonald’s, Coca-Cola, Amazon, and Apple are rising in India. Business leaders and supporters of Prime Minister Modi are urging people to choose local products and support Indian businesses, according to Reuters.

India remains a key market for US companies, but the push for self-reliance and “Made in India” products is gaining momentum. Modi has encouraged prioritizing domestic needs, while groups linked to his party hold rallies promoting nationalism through buying Indian.

Despite the tensions, some consumers continue to use US brands without concern, separating politics from daily life, Reuters reported.

The UK government, under Prime Minister Keir Starmer, plans to deport foreign nationals from prisons in England and Wales immediately after sentencing. This builds on new rules that allow deportation after serving 30 percent of a sentence, but the government now aims to start the process right after sentencing, Firstpost reported.

The policy excludes those serving life sentences or convicted of serious crimes like murder or terrorism. Foreign nationals make up about 12 percent of the prison population, with Albanians the largest group. Since July 2024, deportations of foreign offenders have increased by 14 percent.

The move aims to ease overcrowded prisons, cut costs, and reduce reoffending. Starmer’s tougher stance on immigration also responds to pressure from Nigel Farage’s Reform UK party, which advocates even stricter deportation measures, according to Firstpost.

Vietnam will allow visa-free entry for tourists from 12 European nations, effective August 15, 2025, through August 14, 2028, Xinhua reported. This move aims to boost tourism and applies to all passport types from Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, and Switzerland.

The National Statistics Office noted that Vietnam welcomed 12.23m international visitors in the first seven months of 2025, a 22.5 percent increase compared to the previous year.