Iran executes another man over alleged ties to Mossad
Dubai, April 25: Iran hanged a man on Saturday over alleged ties to Israel’s Mossad intelligence agency and his participation in anti-government protests in January. Erfan Kiani was the latest in a series of executions in Iran following the war and nationwide protests. The Mizan news agency of Iran’s judiciary announced Kiani was convicted of charges including attacks on security forces in the city of Asfahn in January. The agency claimed he was on a “mission for Mossad” without offering evidence. Human rights activists long have said Iran convicts people in closed-door trials without allowing defendants to properly defend themselves. There recently have been multiple executions of alleged spies, as well as protesters and those affiliated with an Iranian exiled opposition group. (AP)
Roommate charged with murder of two USF students
Tampa (US), April 25: A former University of South Florida student has been charged with killing his roommate and the roommate’s girlfriend – two doctoral students from Bangladesh who disappeared earlier this month, authorities said Saturday. Hisham Abugharbieh, 26, is facing two counts of premeditated murder in the first degree with a weapon in the deaths of Zamil Limon and Nahida Bristy, students at USF, according to the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office. Limon’s remains were found on the Howard Frankland bridge Friday morning, but Bristy is still missing, Hillsborough County Chief Deputy Joseph Maurer said on Friday. Abugharbieh, a native-born US citizen, was initially taken into custody on Friday at his family’s home on preliminary charges that include unlawfully moving a dead body, failure to report a death, tampering with evidence, false imprisonment and battery. Limon and Bristy, both 27, were considering getting married, a relative said. They disappeared from campus on April 16. Limon was last seen at his home in an off-campus apartment complex where he lived with Abugharbieh. Bristy, who lived on campus, was last seen an hour later at a campus science building. (AP)
Bill for 3-year pause on H-1B visas introduced in US Congress
Washington, April 25: A group of Republican lawmakers has introduced a bill in the US Congress for a three-year pause to the H1-B visa programme, contending that it has been hijacked to replace American workers with cheap foreign labour. Congressman Eli Crane from Arizona introduced the End H-1B Visa Abuse Act of 2026, which was co-sponsored by seven other Republican lawmakers. The bill proposes reforms to the H-1B programme that include reducing the annual cap from 65,000 to 25,000 with a minimum wage of USD 2,00,000 per year and disallowing H-1B visa holders from bringing dependents to the US. Congressmen Brian Babin, Brandon Gill, Wesley Hunt, Keith Self, Andy Ogles, Paul Gosar and Tom McClintock have signed on as original cosponsors of the bill. (PTI)
