President Joe Biden has revoked a policy issued by his predecessor during the pandemic that blocked many Green Card applicants from entering the US, a move that will benefit many Indians working in America on the H-1B visa. A Green Card, known officially as a Permanent Resident Card , is a document issued to immigrants to the US as evidence that the bearer has been granted the privilege of residing permanently. Indian IT professionals, most of whom are highly skilled and come to the US mainly on the H-1B work visas, are the worst sufferers of the current immigration system which imposes a seven per cent per country quota on allotment of the coveted Green Card or permanent legal residency. Reopening the country to people seeking green cards, or legal permanent residence, Biden in his proclamation on Wednesday said that the policy of former President Donald Trump does not advance the interests of the United States . "To the contrary, it harms the United ... » Learn More about Biden revokes Trump-era ban on Green Card
Bet donald trump
Why 2017 is crucial for China
'The mood in Beijing is already nervous and feverously watchful.' IMAGE: Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping at the 2016 BRICS summit in Goa. Photograph: Danish Siddiqui/Reuters 2017 will be a crucial one for China, an inflection point for the country's economic policy, its foreign policy and standing the world, its internal balance of power and social order. This is the last year of Xi Jinping's first presidential mandate and it will shape the course that the Chinese leader will follow in his second term, his policy orientations and his ability to implement them successfully. Regarding the economy, 2017 will determine the ability of the Beijing leadership to pursue the restructuring of the economy, while sustaining the level of growth necessary for social stability. The key challenge is addressing the priorities and urgencies of the short term while preserving the longer term goal of putting firmly China on the path of a knowledge-based, ... » Learn More about Why 2017 is crucial for China
Washington must heed UN chief’s words of caution
It's a shame that the journalists covering the Munich Security Conference on Feb 19 focused on US President Joe Biden's claim of "America is back" and ignored United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres' message calling for global solidarity and cooperation to tackle common challenges. Guterres' message included a call for China and the United States to ease geopolitical tensions. He said, "we cannot solve the biggest problems when the biggest powers are at odds," and warned that a technological and economic divide risks turning into a geo-strategic and military divide, stressing that "we must avoid this at all costs". President Xi Jinping, in his conversation with Biden over phone on Feb 11, emphasized that China and the US join hands to tackle global challenges such as climate change, noting that it's the common desire of peoples of both countries and the international community to see sound and stable China-US relations. And on Monday, State Councilor and Foreign ... » Learn More about Washington must heed UN chief’s words of caution
Motera cricket stadium, world’s largest, named after Modi
The world’s largest cricket stadium at Motera in Ahmedabad was renamed the Narendra Modi Stadium and inaugurated on Wednesday by the President of India Ram Nath Kovind in the presence of Union Home Minister Amit Shah; his son Jay Shah, who is Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) secretary; and others. The rebuilt stadium is a part of the proposed, sprawling Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel Sports Enclave, which includes the world’s largest cricket stadium, a natatorium (indoor swimming pool), facilities for athletics and track and field sports, a football stadium, a field hockey and tennis stadium, indoor sports halls and arenas, velodrome/ skating area, and outdoor fields. The enclave is spread in over 220 acres on the Sabarmati river bank in the north east area of Ahmedabad. The President laid the foundation stone for the sports enclave along with the inauguration of the rebuilt cricket stadium. Watch | All about Motera stadium, the largest cricket stadium in the world ... » Learn More about Motera cricket stadium, world’s largest, named after Modi
How Xinjiang is misunderstood
Video Player Close -- While people in Xinjiang live in growing peace and security, some ill-minded Western politicians and fact-distorting journalists, some of whom have never set foot in China, are engineering a bizarre story of "genocide" in the region, including most recently Canada. -- A spokesperson for China's top legislature condemned the Canadian parliament for passing the Xinjiang-related motion accusing China of genocide, saying it has seriously distorted facts and wantonly meddled in China's domestic affairs. -- Westerners, including Americans, must update their views of today's China, a modern, progressive society following decades of reform and opening up, said Josh Selig, founder and president of China Bridge Content, a New York and Beijing-based content and consulting firm. by Xinhua writer Yang Shilong, Hu Yousong WASHINGTON, Feb. 25 (Xinhua) -- While people in Xinjiang live in growing peace and security, some ill-minded Western politicians ... » Learn More about How Xinjiang is misunderstood
Major challenges for WTO’s first woman head
Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, who will serve as World Trade Organization director-general from March 1,2021, to Aug 31, 2025, faces at least three major challenges. First, she needs to restore the organization's dispute settlement mechanism that has remained paralyzed for more than six months as judges' posts in its appellate body remain vacant. At least three judges are required to maintain basic operations but the appellate body has been doing with only one judge after the Donald Trump administration opposed the appointment of new judges saying the WTO needs an institutional overhaul. Dispute settlement is one of the WTO's three major functions. Restoring normal operation of its appellate body is undoubtedly a primary challenge before Okonjo-Iweala, as the Joe Biden administration could still follow its predecessor's political legacy and try to interfere in the appointment of new judges. The second challenge before Okonjo-Iweala is to carry out large-scale reform of the WTO's ... » Learn More about Major challenges for WTO’s first woman head
‘We are all pulling for you, Tiger’
Friends, fellow athletes react to Tiger Woods car crash. IMAGE: Tiger Woods with his girlfriend and children Sam Alexis and Charlie Axel after defending the Augusta Masters last April. Photograph: Tiger Woods/Instagram Fellow athletes and other notable figures reacted with concern after Tiger Woods, the winner of 15 major golf championships, was rushed to a Los Angeles hospital on Tuesday with multiple leg injuries from a car crash. RETIRED GOLFING GREAT JACK NICKLAUS ON TWITTER "Barbara and I just heard about Tiger's accident, and like everyone else, we are deeply concerned. We want to offer him our heartfelt support and prayers at this difficult time. Please join us in wishing Tiger a successful surgery and all the best for a full recovery." FELLOW PGA TOUR GOLFER JUSTIN THOMAS AT NEWS CONFERENCE "I am sick to my stomach. It hurts to see one of your ... closest friends get in an accident and I just hope he's alright. Just worried for his kids. I'm ... » Learn More about ‘We are all pulling for you, Tiger’
New York mayor Bill de Blasio demands inquiry into Andrew Cuomo sexual harassment claims
New York: New York City's mayor on Thursday joined a growing chorus of politicians calling for an investigation into sexual harassment allegations made against Governor Andrew Cuomo . Lindsey Boylan , a former aide to Cuomo, accused the governor of sexually harassing her when she worked for his administration from 2015 to 2018 in a blog post published Wednesday. She says Cuomo kissed her on the mouth without consent, suggested they played strip poker during a flight and went "out of his way to touch me on my lower back, arms and legs." When Boylan first accused Cuomo of sexual harassment, without providing details, in a tweet in December, the 63-year-old Democratic governor said it was "just not true." "We need a full and independent investigation," said Mayor Bill de Blasio, a Democrat and long-time rival of the governor. "This is a very serious charge. We have got to know the truth," de Blasio told reporters. Tina Tchen, president of the Time's Up Foundation ... » Learn More about New York mayor Bill de Blasio demands inquiry into Andrew Cuomo sexual harassment claims
U.S. strikes Iranian-backed militia targets in Syria: Pentagon
Video Player Close WASHINGTON, Feb. 25 (Xinhua) -- The Pentagon confirmed on Thursday that the U.S. military had conducted airstrikes against infrastructure utilized by Iranian-backed militant groups in eastern Syria. "At President (Joe) Biden's direction, U.S. military forces earlier this evening conducted airstrikes against infrastructure utilized by Iranian-backed militant groups in eastern Syria," the Pentagon said in a statement. "These strikes were authorized in response to recent attacks against American and Coalition personnel in Iraq, and to ongoing threats to those personnel," it said, adding the strikes destroyed multiple facilities located at a border control point used by a number of Iranian-backed militant groups. The Pentagon called the operation a "proportionate military response" carried out after consultations with coalition partners. "The operation sends an unambiguous message: President Biden will act to protect American and Coalition personnel. At ... » Learn More about U.S. strikes Iranian-backed militia targets in Syria: Pentagon
The absurdity of the anti-defection law
The events in Puducherry highlight, yet again, the absurdity of the anti-defection law . In what has now become the standard operating procedure, several MLAs from the treasury benches resigned, lowering the numbers required for a no-confidence motion to succeed. This formula has been seen recently in other States such as Madhya Pradesh and Karnataka . The anti-defection law was included in the Constitution as the Tenth Schedule in 1985 to combat the “evil of political defections”. The main purpose was to preserve the stability of governments and insulate them from defections of legislators from the treasury benches. The law stated that any Member of Parliament (MP) or that of a State legislature (MLA) would be disqualified from their office if they voted on any motion contrary to the directions issued by their party. Comment | Institutional fixes and the need for ethical politics Range of the provision The provision was not limited to confidence motions or money ... » Learn More about The absurdity of the anti-defection law