Five things to know to start your Wednesday

Germany wants to abolish its fast-track path to citizenship
Germany plans to introduce new laws to get rid of a fast-track option that lets well-integrated migrants become citizens after three years in the country. This move is part of a bigger effort by new conservative leader Friedrich Merz to make Europe’s largest economy less attractive to foreigners.

The cabinet is expected on Wednesday to approve a bill from Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt. The bill would eliminate the fast citizenship process. This process was created under former Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s government to help integration and deal with massive worker shortages.

“Express naturalisation after three years of residency was a mistake. We are putting an end to it now,” Dobrindt told the Bild tabloid. “German citizenship must come at the end of an integration process and not at the beginning.”

Under the current policy, residents can apply to become citizens in Germany after three years. However, they must be fluent in German and show outstanding educational or professional achievements. Otherwise, permanent residents can apply for German citizenship after five years if they meet certain requirements. These include language skills and knowledge of German history.

Trump’s administration has stopped scheduling new student visa appointments
President Donald Trump’s administration has ordered its offices abroad to stop scheduling new appointments for student and exchange visitor visa applicants. This comes as the State Department prepares to expand social media background checks of foreign students.

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said in the message that the department plans to issue updated guidance on social media background checks of student and exchange visitor applicants. He said this would happen after a review is completed. He advised consular offices to stop scheduling such visa appointments.

Notably, this move comes as the Trump administration has tried to increase deportations and cancel student visas. This is part of its efforts to fulfill Trump’s tough immigration agenda.

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Venezuela wants to begin direct flights to Nigeria
The Venezuelan government has expressed readiness to commence direct flight operations to Nigeria through its national carrier, CONVIASA Airlines.

Alberto Castellar Padilla, Venezuela’s ambassador to Nigeria, spoke on Monday during a working visit to Festus Keyamo, Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, in Abuja.

“Venezuela’s national carrier, CONVIASA Airlines, is fully prepared and equipped to commence direct flight operations to Nigeria without delay,” the envoy said.

According to Tunde Moshood, Keyamo’s special adviser on media and communications, the visit aimed at strengthening aviation ties between the countries.

“During the meeting, the two envoys discussed the strategic initiative by the Venezuelan government to establish direct air connectivity between Nigeria and Venezuela,” Moshood’s statement reads.

The US will no longer recommend COVID-19 vaccines to pregnant women and children
The US will no longer recommend Covid-19 vaccines for children and healthy pregnant women, Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced Tuesday, calling it a “common-sense” decision grounded in sound science.

This change comes after last week’s news from Food and Drug Administration officials. They said they would limit who can get Covid shots. Now only adults aged 65 and older can get them. Younger people with health problems can also still get the vaccines.

Trump administration officials say this change makes the US more like other countries. In Britain, Germany and France, yearly booster shots are only recommended for elderly people and those with weak immune systems.

WHO is cutting its budget after the US withdrew funding
The World Health Organisation tried to fix its money problems at its yearly meeting which ended on Tuesday. But it still doesn’t have enough money to reach its already reduced target.

The WHO lost its biggest donor when the United States pulled out. Because of this, the WHO cut its 2026-2027 budget from $5.3 billion to $4.2 billion.

The UN health agency’s program budget for 2024-2025 was $6.8 billion.

The smaller budget plan was approved during the World Health Assembly. This serves as the WHO’s decision-making body.

But the WHO still needs about $1.7 billion more to cover all its costs.