Interested in global politics? The war on rats? This edition of Bwoglines has you covered!

Happening in the World: India has suspended visa issuance to Canadians due to security concerns amid a dispute sparked by Canada’s Prime Minister suggesting India’s involvement in the killing of a Sikh separatist on Canadian soil. India vehemently denied this allegation. Relations between the two nations, typically close trade and security partners, have deteriorated significantly. (BBC)

Happening in the US: The Biden administration will grant temporary legal status to around 472,000 Venezuelans already in the U.S. for 18 months, allowing them to live and work legally. It exempts Venezuelans who arrived before July 31 from deportation and eliminates the usual waiting period for employment authorization. This move comes after strong advocacy from New York Democrats who argued that the city’s social services were struggling due to an influx of migrants. The decision aims to address this issue, reduce costs for taxpayers, and deal with the broader migrant crisis. However, the administration remains cautious about extending these protections more broadly and suggests that congressional action is needed to reform the immigration system. (NYT)

Happening in NYC: The New York City Sanitation Department recently introduced shared trash bins on residential streets in West Harlem as part of a pilot program inspired by European cities like Barcelona and Paris. This is part of the city’s continued war on rats. However, some residents, express strong dissatisfaction with the program. They were taken by surprise, feeling that the bins were installed without proper community consultation. Some argue that the bins are aesthetically displeasing and disrupt the neighborhood’s charm, while others worry about early morning noise from garbage trucks and the potential for illegal dumping. Despite these concerns, city officials assert that the pilot program has garnered positive feedback from most residents, emphasizing the need for change to address longstanding issues with curbside trash collection. (Gothamist)

Happening in Our Community: Tomorrow, as part of the World Leaders Forum, Columbia University will host a conversation and Q&A session featuring President Santiago Peña Palacios of the Republic of Paraguay and Maria Victoria Murillo, Director of the Institute for Latin American Studies and Professor. Please note that the in-person event is fully booked, but you can still participate by tuning into the livestream, which is accessible here.

Dumpsters via Wikimedia Commons