(VOR News) – The Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi, began his multiday tour of the United States on Sunday by delivering a speech at a cultural celebration that was held on Long Island.

The event focused on the celebration of Indian culture. He commended the United States for returning nearly 300 artefacts to India, in addition to alerting an exuberant assemblage to his country’s dual victory at the Chess Olympiad held in Budapest, Hungary. The Olympiad was held in Hungary.

Modi told the approximately 13,000 people who had come at Nassau Veterans Coliseum for an event that was billed as a celebration of cultural linkages between India and the United States.

“I just got some very good news,” Modi said to the audience. The event was conducted in recognition of the cultural ties that exist between the United States of America and India. “In the Chess Olympiad.”

Women’s and men’s gold medals have been won by India.

He said this in a speech that was translated into English for an internet audience. He made this statement in reference to shouting.

The address was built with the intention of being viewed by individuals who were connected to the internet. During that particular time period, the address was being delivered in English as the language of communication.

After a marathon election that lasted for a total of six weeks and received more than 640 million votes, Modi was reelected as Prime Minister during the month of June. The election was held in India.

The democratic process that led to this election was the most significant one that has ever taken place anywhere in the world.

It was the most significant election ever held. Specifically, he was the one who made the statement that “this year, 2024, is a very important one for the entire world.”

As a consequence of the fact that a lot of nations all over the world are currently engaged in battle with one another, there is a level of tension that exists. In the first place, there are differences of opinion that can be detected.

Numerous countries worldwide commemorate democracy. These nations are distributed globally. The contrary aspect is delineated here. Furthermore, the nations of India and the United States of America are also partaking in this celebration of democracy.

The visit that Modi made to New York City came a day after he participated in a summit for leaders of the so-called Quad that was held in Wilmington, Delaware, and was hosted by President Joe Biden.

The gathering was conducted in the United States. A number of important members of the Quad were present at the conference. Prime Ministers Fumio Kishida of Japan and Anthony Albanese of Australia, both of whom are now serving as Prime Ministers, were among the additional individuals who attended the meeting from their respective countries.

Additionally, on Saturday, Modi was presented with the return of 297 treasures that had been stolen or smuggled out of India.

The India-returned antiquities were returned.

Throughout the course of thousands of years, these antiquities had been stolen or smuggled, and their history stretched for thousands of years. According to the Ministry of External Affairs of India, the United States of America reportedly sent roughly 600 cultural objects of this kind to India during the year 2016. This information was provided by the Ministry.

There is a session of the United Nations scheduled to take place on Monday, and it is anticipated that the Prime Minister will be present at that event.

For the purpose of getting ready for the General Assembly that will take place this week, this is being done.

The Indo American Community of the United States of America, which is an organisation that provides a commitment to the community without seeking financial benefit, hosted the event that took place on Sunday. The event was sponsored by the group.

SOURCE: AP

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New Visa Policies Cause US Tech Layoffs to Have a Severe Impact on Indian Employees.

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(VOR News) – A recent wave of layoffs has had a disproportionate impact on workers of Indian origin, especially those on H-1B visas, shaking the US IT industry to its core.

The combination of this condition and the newly implemented new visa restrictions has resulted in the creation of a new environment that is becoming increasingly challenging for talented professionals and international students who are immigrants studying in the United States.

Loss of jobs in the United States’ technology sector

As a point of information, according to Layoffs.fyi, 438 technology companies have let go of 137,500 employees in a field that was previously believed to be recession-proof. As a result, employment prospects in the information technology industry are few.

In addition, the H-1B visa gives Indian employees a window of time in which to look for and accept a new position. They will have to depart the country if they are unable to locate and accept a new position within the designated period. According to data from the US Congressional Research Service, Indian labourers must wait incredibly long periods of time—up to more than 190 years—in order to be granted green cards.

Even when they have met all requirements for the workplace, this is still the case. Because of the growing number of petitions, the already shaky situation has gotten much worse.

The visa bulletin that was distributed by the United States Department of State in October 2024 contained information that was published regarding the availability of immigrant visa numbers for the fiscal year 2025. As part of the regular updates that applicants get, this bulletin is intended to inform them about the progress of their applications as well as the different visa categories that are currently available.

The findings of the study conducted by Telugu360 indicate that this had an effect on a number of different immigration categories, one of which was the EB-5 investment visa category in particular.

The latest visa changes and their impact on Indian workers

People are able to receive visas under the EB-5 visa program if they invest in specific projects, such as those that are located in rural areas or in regions with high rates of unemployment.

On the other hand, applicants from mainland China and India frequently experience delays, despite the fact that these visas are available everywhere in the world. On the other hand, there are indications that the processing times are gradually improvement, but they are definitely improving.

Not only that, but concurrently with this, there has been an increase in the number of H-1B visas issued. From $10 to $215, which is a 2150 percent rise, the cost per recipient experienced a significant surge. Over the course of the paper filing procedure, the application price has climbed from $460 to $780, representing a 70 percent increase. This increase occurred over the course of the entire process.

The restrictive measures that were recently implemented with regard to visas have also had an effect on individuals who are applying for green cards. At the moment, the fee for persons who wish to submit their I-30 petition online is $625, but the fee for filing the petition on paper costs $675.

There is a new method that has been implemented for the payment of the $600 asylum fees required for certain petitions.

The sorting of international students has also been brought about as a result of the adoption of increased scrutiny for applicants seeking visas under the F, M, and J categories. It is now expected of them that when they apply for appointments, they will present accurate information from their passport accounts.

The maximum validity duration for Employment Authorisation Documents has been expanded to five years, which is a positive development for those individuals who are eligible for the program. As a consequence of this, the standards for extending work permits will likely become less stringent.

Curricular Practical Training (CPT) and Optional Practical Training (OPT) are two examples of options for students to participate in practical training.

Students can still take advantage of these chances. The 24-month extension that is available for the STEM OPT is still accessible, despite the fact that there have been some of the employer requirements relaxed.

The necessity of enhancing safety, simplifying operations, and better managing costs is the justification for these modifications. On the other hand, they might also make it more difficult for candidates to meet their financial obligations and alter the ethnic composition of the American labour force.

SOURCE: HT

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Reacting with Rockets, Hezbollah Declares an ‘Open-Ended Struggle’ with Israel.

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(VOR News) – Hezbollah fired 100 rockets early Sunday across northern Israel to respond to hundreds of Lebanon attacks. Some of the rockets landed near Haifa. A Hezbollah leader predicted a “open-ended battle” as both sides prepared to combat.

Israel killed a veteran and many Hezbollah officers in Lebanon, and an extraordinary communications equipment hit sparked the nocturnal missile barrage. From northern Israel’s air raid sirens, hundreds of thousands hid.

At least three people were injured when one hit a residential building in Kiryat Bialik, near Haifa, igniting cars and buildings. Magen David Adom was hurt four. Avi Vazana, his wife, and 9-month-old fled to a bunker before the missile. Upon returning outdoors, he was checked for injuries.

Running barefoot or shirtless. He claimed, “I ran to this house when everything was on fire to find other people.” The Lebanon Health Ministry reported three civilian deaths and four injuries from Israeli border strikes.

Hezbollah answers to historic blows

Rocket attacks followed an Israeli airstrike Friday in Beirut that killed at least 45 people, including Hezbollah leader Ibrahim Akil, fighters, women, and children.

Several days earlier, Hezbollah had been hit by a sophisticated attack that resulted in the destruction of thousands of pagers and walkie-talkies. In order to avoid starting a war by bombing deeper into Israel, we must balance bombing deeper into Israeli neighbourhoods and infrastructure with avoiding large-scale civilian attacks.

Hezbollah deputy commander Naim Kassem called the rocket launch a war with Israel on Sunday.

Pain exists. We are humans. You’ll suffer like us, Kassem told Akil’s funeral attendees. He warned of “from outside the box” rocket strikes but claimed Hezbollah will defend Gaza by fighting Israel.

Netanyahu pledged to protect the north and enable relocation.

The nation cannot accept city rocketing. We can’t tolerate it either, he said. Lt. Gen. Herzi Halevi told reporters, “We have many capabilities that we have not yet activated.” Army pressure on Hezbollah is imminent.

Others were buried Sunday for airstrike victims. Mays al-Jabal, southern Lebanon, buried seven people—three mothers and two children. Lebanese Christian senator Melhem Khalaf stated Israel “relies on the laws of the jungle instead of international conventions, especially with protecting civilians.”

White House national security spokeswoman John Kirby told ABC’s “This Week” of the U.S.’s “extensive and quite assertive diplomacy.” He continued, “We want to make sure we can continue to do everything we can to try to prevent this from becoming an all-out war there with Hezbollah across that Lebanese border.”

Israel claims to have stopped a massive Hezbollah attack.

Israeli forces hit 400 terrorist sites, including rocket launchers, in southern Lebanon in 24 hours, preventing a greater strike. Lt. Col. Nadav Shoshani said “Hundreds of thousands of civilians have come under fire across a lot of northern Israel”. Fire entered Israel today.” The military intercepted many drones after Iran-backed Iraqi Islamists claimed a drone hit on Israel.

The Health Ministry stated all northern Israeli hospitals would transfer to safe sites if school was postponed.

Al-Jazeera’s West Bank bureau, suspended this year, was raided by Israeli forces for supporting militants. Jazeera denied it.

Regional disaster, says UN ambassador.

Since the Gaza war began over a year ago, Hezbollah has supplied Hamas and the Palestinians with rockets. Low-level violence has killed scores in Israel, hundreds in Lebanon, and displaced tens of thousands across the border.

Hezbollah hasn’t struck Tel Aviv or civilian infrastructure, and neither side sought conflict until recently. In recent weeks, Israel has emphasised Lebanon above Gaza. It’s unlikely that Hisbollah will stop striking if the Gaza war stops.

Hamas’ Oct. 7 raid on Israel killed 1,200 and took 250, starting the Gaza War. A third of their 100 hostages may die. Around 41,000 Palestinians died, according to the Gaza Health Ministry. Over half of the deceased were women and children, despite not mentioning how many had fought.

“With the region on the brink of a catastrophe, there is NO military solution that will make either side safer,” UN Lebanon envoy Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert said on X.

The Lebanon conflict worries Gazan and Israeli prisoner families.

The heightened tensions with Hezbollah worry me because they could misdirect the public’s and the world’s attention, said Udi Goren, a relative of Israeli Tal Haimi, who was assassinated Oct. 7 and taken out.

Gaza-displaced Palestinian Enas Kollab shared these concerns. “We are afraid that the situation in Lebanon will affect us — that all attention will turn to Lebanon and we will be forgotten,” she said.

Hezbollah claims new weapons.

Hezbollah fired hundreds of Fadi 1 and 2 missiles at Ramat David airbase southeast of Haifa in retaliation to repeated Israeli attacks that devastated multiple Lebanese neighbourhoods and killed several civilians.

July saw the group release drone-based surveillance footage.

Hezbollah attacked Rafael’s defence business facilities in Haifa after the wireless device strike. The Israeli military declined comment and provided no proof.

Hezbollah pledged retaliation after pager and walkie-talkie bombs on Tuesday and Wednesday killed 37, including two children, and wounded 3,000. Israel was accused of the strikes without admitting guilt.

SOURCE: AP

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