Weekly roundup of world briefs

Israel passes important hurdle to enter US visa waiver program

(JNS) — Fiscal year 2022 saw a significant drop in the number of Israelis refused visas to enter the United States, for the first time falling under the 3 percent threshold to qualify for the U.S. Visa Waiver Program, the U.S. Embassy in Israel said in a statement.

“Israel has made one huge step toward the visa waiver program,” U.S. Ambassador to Israel Thomas Nides tweeted on Monday. However, he continued, much work remains to be done.

The U.S. Visa Waiver Program allows citizens of participating countries to enter the United Stat...