International - The Purbottar

24 Dec

Interviews at US consular offices waived for H-1Bs and other work visas

editor0 CommentsInternationalUSA

US State Department has decided to temporarily do away with an in-person requirement for candidates applying for work-visas like the H-1B, L-1, and O-1 given coronavirus concerns. The State Department is temporarily dropping an in-person interview requirement for some work-visa categories in 2022 to ease visa issuances through December 31, 2022. Applicants for these visas will not have to go for an in-person interview at a US consulate and consular officers are temporarily authorised to waive in-person interviews for certain individual-based non-immigration work visas and their qualifying derivatives, as per the State Department release. “We are pleased to announce that…

11 Dec

At Least 50 Feared Dead After Tornado Hits US State Of Kentucky: Governor

editor0 CommentsInternational

At least 50 people are dead after four tornadoes tore through the southeastern US state of Kentucky, its governor told reporters early Saturday, as several storms ravaged swathes of the country. A number of counties in Kentucky were left devastated with the strongest tornado tearing through 200 miles of the state, Governor Andy Beshear said. On the same night a storm ripped through a massive Amazon warehouse in the state of Illinois where around 100 workers were left trapped inside, local media reported. "I fear that there are more than 50 dead … probably closer to somewhere between 70 and…

08 Dec

World looking towards India for affordable, sustainable tech-enabled solutions: PM Modi

editor0 CommentsIndia, InternationalPM Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday said the world is looking towards India for affordable and sustainable technology-enabled solutions across all streams of emerging domains, including 5G, artificial intelligence and robotics. In a message for the Indian Mobile Congress, Modi emphasised that it was important to look at how the country's innovation and efforts contribute more towards bringing positive change in the lives of people. “From 5G technology to Artificial Intelligence, virtual reality, cloud, Internet of Things and robotics, the world looks towards India with optimism to provide technology-enabled solutions that are affordable and sustainable,” Mr. Modi said. He said…

07 Nov

India, France to expand defence, maritime security partnership

editor0 CommentsInternationalFrance, INDIA

India and France have agreed to strengthen bilateral defence and security partnership through enhanced intelligence and information-sharing, operational cooperation and bolstering mutual capabilities. The annual India-France Strategic Dialogue, co-chaired by NSA Ajit Doval and French President’s Diplomatic Adviser Emmanuel Bonne in Paris, agreed to pursue new initiatives in maritime, space and cyber domains, according to an official release. These were the major takeaways from the meeting between National Security Adviser (NSA) Ajit Doval and French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian and and Defence Minister Florence Parly in Paris on Friday, officials said here on Saturday. The two sides also reviewed…

28 Oct

Abbott and Real Madrid Team Up to Support the Health and Nutrition of Children Globally

editor0 CommentsInternational, North East

Spain—Abbott announced it has entered into a three-year agreement to be the Health Sciences and Nutrition Partner of the Real Madrid Football Club and Global Partner of the Real Madrid Foundation—an organization founded by the club to promote the values inherent in sport to children globally. The partnership will encompass education, sports and social welfare activities in support of at-risk children in 80 countries, as well as nutritional support for the first men's and women's and Academy teams and new product innovation and development."Malnutrition remains a concern amongst Indian children, more so since its consequent health effects often plague them…

24 Oct

Magnitude 6.2 earthquake strikes Taiwan

editor0 CommentsInternationalearthquake

A strong earthquake struck northeastern Taiwan on Sunday, with residents reporting violent shaking in the capital Taipei but there were no immediate reports of widespread damage.Taiwan's central weather bureau said the quake was of magnitude 6.5 while the US Geological Survey gave a lower figure of 6.2. It hit northeastern Yilan county at 1:11 pm (0511 GMT) at a depth of 67 kilometres (42 miles). The Taipei metro was briefly closed for checks, but re-opened shortly afterwards. The state-run power operator said the grid was operating as normal, while the railway administration said it was carrying out track inspections. Taiwan…

24 Oct

Hours away from 30th birthday, Indian-origin techie dies in Mexico gang shootout

editor0 CommentsIndia, Internationalmexico

California-based Himachal Pradesh’s Anjali Ryot was only a few hours away from her 30th birthday when her life was snuffed out on Wednesday, October 20, in a shootout between two gangs in Mexico’s Tulum. In fact, she was there with her husband to celebrate her birthday. Anjali’s family in Himachal Pradesh was shattered when they were informed about her death. Her brother Ashish is now desperately trying to go to Mexico and coordinate with the authorities to bring her body to India for the last rites. He has urged the mayor of Tulum to speed up the procedure for his…

23 Oct

Hidden In Lehengas, Drugs Worth Crores Seized In Bengaluru

editor0 CommentsIndia, International

The NCB on Saturday busted yet another international narcotic smuggling racket, seizing a drugs consignment bound for Australia. Following a tipoff, the Narcotic Control Bureau team led by Amit Ghawate, seized around 3 kg of white-colored crystalline substance worth crores in Bengaluru. The white coloured substance seized is believed to be pseudoephedrine, the sale of which is banned in India. Speaking to reporters, officials said that the Australia-bound consignment was hidden in three lehengas. As per the reports of NDTV, the parcel was booked from Andhra Pradesh's Narasapuram. During the investigation, officials found that the accused, a Chennai resident used…

18 Oct

20 Hindu Homes Set On Fire In Bangladesh Days After Puja Violence: Report

editor0 CommentsInternationalbangladesh

Sixty six houses were vandalised and at least 20 homes of Hindus set on fire in Bangladesh over an alleged blasphemous social media post amid protests by the minority community against incidents of temple vandalism during the Durga Puja last week, media reports said today. The arson attack happened late on Sunday at a village about 255 km from capital city Dhaka, the bdnews24.com reported. The police rushed to a colony of fishermen as tension mounted over a rumour that a young Hindu man from the village had "dishonoured religion" in a Facebook post, the report quoted district's superintendent of…

18 Oct

Colin Powell, First Black US Secretary Of State, Dies Of Covid

editor0 CommentsCovid-19, International

Colin Powell, the first black United States’ Secretary of State and top military officer, died on Monday at the age of 84 from COVID-19 complications, his family said in a statement. "He was fully vaccinated. We want to thank the medical staff at Walter Reed National Medical Center for their caring treatment. We have lost a remarkable and loving husband, father, grandfather and a great American," Mr. Powell's family said in a post on his Facebook page. As a four-star Army general, he was chairman of the military's Joint Chiefs of Staff under President George H.W. Bush during the 1991…