Amid mass layoffs in the tech sector, the federal agency for immigration services has said it is wrong to assume that sacked workers holding the much-sought-after H-1B visas have to leave the country within 60 days, asserting they have multiple options to stay in the US. The H-1B visa is a non-immigrant visa that allows US companies to employ foreign workers in speciality occupations that require theoretical or technical expertise. Technology companies depend on it to hire tens of thousands of employees each year from countries like India and China.
"This is something to be proud of," said Raj Panjabi, who is currently serving as Senior Director for Global Health Security and Biodefence on the White House National Security Council.
Australia's Defence Ministry on Sunday claimed that a Chinese fighter jet's aggressive manoeuvres endangered an Australian reconnaissance plane near the South China Sea.
A joint statement was issued by US Secretary of State Tony Blinken, Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong, and Japanese Foreign Minister Hayashi Yoshimasa after their in-person meeting in Phnom Penh on the margins of the 55th ASEAN Foreign Ministers' Meeting.
United States President Joe Biden has nominated Indian-American lawyer and rights activist Kiran Ahuja to head the Office of Personnel Management, a federal agency that manages America's more than two million civil servants.
The US is planning to resume the process of domestic visa revalidation in certain categories, like H-1B and L1 visas, on a pilot basis later this year, a move that will benefit tens of thousands of foreign tech workers, particularly from India. Until 2004, certain categories of non-immigrant visas, particularly the H-1B, could be renewed or stamped inside the US. After that, for the renewal of these visas, in particular, those on H-1B, the foreign tech workers have to go out of the country, mostly to their own country to get the H-1B extension stamped on their passport.
'And we said to him, "What will you do for us if we jump in early?"' 'His answer was very simple: "I'm going to have the most diverse cabinet and administration in the history of the US".' '"You can expect that you will have a seat at the table, okay? Number one. So influence if I win".' '"Number two, you should fully expect that we will focus on the issues that you care about: Immigration".'
'Equality begins when we open up and embrace all of our differences.'
Biden's reference to the hate crime against Asian Americans was welcomed by Indian-American Congressman Ro Khanna.
The Indian and Chinese troops have been locked in a tense border standoff in eastern Ladakh since May 5, 2020, when a violent clash between the two sides erupted in the Pangong lake area.
President Pranab Mukherjee's recent visit to the Pacific Island nation is path-breaking, but much more needs to be done, says Dr Rahul Mishra.
Indian-American Akshay Desai has been roped in by Republican White House hopeful Mitt Romney for reaching out to the Asian American community ahead of the crucial November 6 United States presidential elections.
In announcing the appointments, Obama said, "Our nation will be well-served by the skill and dedication these men and women bring to their new roles. I look forward to working with them in the months and years ahead."
United States President Barack Obama has nominated an IIT alumni to his advisory commission on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders.
'When you're the son of Indian immigrants, the chaos that creates in your family and your community, will trump anything else, always.'
Kal Penn was one of the leading Indian Americans to have campaigned aggressively for Barack Obama during presidential election. Highly popular among the younger Indian Americans, Kal was highly instrumental in getting their support for Obama.
Much to the surprise of Beijing, Nepal's Parliament on Sunday ratified the contentious US-funded $500 million Millennium Challenge Corporation compact along with an interpretive declaration a day ahead of the February 28 deadline set by Washington.
'Building a world that is more free and equal and more just also means forging a more effective regional framework in Asia and the Pacific. And, that is why I am going to work with America's partners around the world, not just to defeat terrorism, but also to prevent the kind of violence that we saw over the weekend in India and to promote political stability and unleash economic prosperity,' Obama said.
The arrival of Novak Djokovic led to incongruous scenes outside the hotel, with members of the Serbian expatriate community draped in the national flag and playing traditional music joining refugee activists in protests.
Dr Akshay Desai from Florida and Joseph Melookaran from Kansas have been chosen by Bush as Commissioners to the President's Advisory Commission on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders.
Bibhu Prasad Routray explains why the US is supporting Japan's resolve to release 'treated' radioactive waste water into the Pacific Ocean. And what role China plays in the US decision.
A total of over 75 Heads of State and Foreign Ministers will be meeting with Modi, external affairs minister S Jaishankar and minister of state for external affairs V Muraleedharan during the week across various platforms.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived in Suva in Fiji in Fiji on Tuesday night for a day-long visit, the first by an Indian premier to the country in 33 years, during which he will hold bilateral talks with his counterpart Frank Bainimarama.
United States President Barack Obama last week announced his intent to name three Indian Americans among 14 new members to the President's Advisory Commission on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders.
The White House made its position clear on the contentious H-1B provisions of Senate version of the immigration bill in a fact sheet prepared for the Asian American and Pacific Islander Community, which includes the influential Indian American community.
US President Joe Biden on Wednesday announced that the US will allocate 75 per cent - nearly 1.9 crore of the first tranche of 2.5 crore doses - of unused COVID-19 vaccines from its stockpile through the UN-backed COVAX global vaccine sharing programme to countries in South and Southeast Asia as well as Africa.
The 'Champions of Change' programme was created as an opportunity for the White house to feature groups of Americans, individuals, businesses and organisations, who are doing extraordinary things to empower and inspire members of their communities.
United States President Barack Obama has described Indian-origin Srikanth Srinivasan, who created history by becoming a top federal judge, as one of his "favourite" persons.
An increase in government spending on the healthcare sector - from the current 1 per cent to 2.5-3 per cent of GDP - as envisaged in the National Health Policy 2017 could reduce out-of-pocket expenditures, as per the Economic Survey 2020-21. The rise in public spending can lead to a reduction in expenditures from 65 per cent to 30 per cent of overall healthcare spend, it noted. The Economic Survey said that for the country to effectively respond to future pandemics, the country's health infrastructure needs to be agile. Given its potential to provide healthcare access in remote areas, telemedicine needs to be harnessed to the fullest by especially investing in internet connectivity and health infrastructure, it added.
In the wake of continued heated rhetoric from North Korea, the United States is deploying a ballistic missile defence system in Pacific Island of Guam.
Asian Americans favourability rating of Romney is considerably lower, about half of the level for Obama, says a study on the political and social attitudes of Asian Americans released in Washington DC. Aziz Haniffa reports.
The first-ever poll of Asian-American voters finds support for President Obama, but also room for outreach. Aziz Haniffa reports in this two-part series.
Travel light, is what Samoa Air is telling passengers quite literally.
The Indian-American community has come out in strong support of United States President Barack Obama, who kicked off his re-election campaign with two rallies in Ohio and Virginia, with an overwhelming 85 per cent of them favouring a second term for him. Nearly 85 per cent of the Indian-Americans support Obama for a second term, according to a latest survey conducted by Lake Research Partners, a DC-based political consultancy firm, with APIAVote.
Of the 4.10 crore to be shared through COVAX, 1.40 crore will go to Latin America and the Caribbean nations and 1.60 crore to Asia.
The White House and the Indian-American community are solidly backing the nomination of Neera Tanden as the director of Office of Management and Budget, describing her as the most appropriate candidate to hold the position.
SAALT, a non-partisan and non-profit organisation, has joined other immigrant organisations to introduce voter education, get people to election monitoring, and encourage voter registration. Its community empowerment programmes include advocating the rights of women especially those who are not documented, and train activists to present on issues facing the community.
Russia and China have a broad consensus today on almost all core issues related to global strategic stability, which is unprecedented in modern history, observes Ambassador M K Bhadrakumar.
Coming ahead of the transition of power from Donald Trump's administration to President-elect Joe Biden's administration after the November 3 US presidential election, the detailed policy document highlights that China is undermining the security, autonomy and economic interests of many nations in the region.
A coalition of Asian-American groups led by activist Deepa Iyer recently met United States President Barack Obama to urge him to support family reunification in the new comprehensive immigration reform bill.
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