Four Indian Family Members Found Dead In USA's California October 06, 2022 11:09
Four Sikh family members from India residing in USA have been kidnapped by unknown people earlier this week that included an eight-month-old baby girl. All the four Indian family members are found dead in an orchard as per the authorities. The family hails from Hoshiarpur's Harsi Pind in Punjab. They were kidnapped from their trucking business in Merced County in California on Monday. Merced County Sheriff Vern Warnke announced the news of their demise today. The deceased were identified as Jasdeep Singh (36 years), Jasleen Kaur (27 years), Aroohi Dheri (8 months) and the baby's uncle Amandeep Singh (39 years). Their bodies were found in an orchard near Indiana Road and Hutchinson Road. A farm worker near the orchard found the bodies and informed the cops. All the bodies were found at a place. Jesus Manuel Salgado is the suspect. Nothing was stolen from the trucking company and the family members' jewelry was stolen. An ATM card from the family was used in Atwater which is located 14 km north from Merced. The kidnapper Jesus Manuel Salgado had no ransom demands and the cops believe that it was a motivated crime. A video of the kidnap was released by the cops and the hunt for the family was on from some time. Jesus Manuel Salgado has been traced from the video and he is 48 years old. He was taken into custody on the afternoon of Tuesday. He was rushed to a hospital and his health condition remains critical after he attempted to kill himself.
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USA Issues 82,000 Student Visas For Indians September 08, 2022 11:02
The USA Mission in India issued a record number of 82.000 students visas for Indian students in 2022 till date. Indian students are on the top of the list in the number of student visas issued to any country. The US Embassy in New Delhi along with the other consulates (Hyderabad, Chennai, Kolkata and Mumbai) processed the student visas on a priority basis from May to August. The Embassy made sure that all the qualified students will reach the country as per their scheduled date. Patricia Lacina of USA hailed the US Mission and their achievement. "We are happy that so many students were able to recieve their visas on time and reach the universities without any delay. There was huge delay in the admissions in the past two years because of the Covid-19 pandemic. We have issued 82,000 student visas in summer alone and this is quite higher than the visas issued last year. This shows that USA remains as the first priority for the most of the Indian families and students. The Indian students are in plans to build life long connections with the USA to grow in their life" told Patricia Lacina. Indian students comprise of nearly 20 percent of the international students in the United States of America.
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15 Percent of Indian Students Submit Fake Documents with Visa Applications September 05, 2022 07:41
In a sensational revelation, the German ambassador to India said that 15 percent of the Indian students applying for student visa are submitting fake documents. Philipp Ackermann, German Ambassador for India said that 15 percent of the applications are involved in fraud and it is the duty of the authorities to scrutinize the documents. There are some agents who are misleading the students and we have to ensure to pick up only the deserved students, told Philipp Ackermann. The situation is completely heartbreaking and the efforts are underway for the education in Germany. The authorities of Germany are in touch with selected universities to ensure that the students coming from India will not lose out their studies. Philipp Ackermann said that this has turned out to be a huge concern as we want Indian students to get visas quickly and smoothly. The solution for the same will be found soon to make the procedure smooth and transparent. Philipp Ackermann also clarified that some of the Indian students who already applied for visa will not be able to get it on time for the upcoming semester for some of the universities. With the travel restrictions lifted up after pandemic, most of the countries are struggling to meet the demands as there is a mad rush for student visas. Some of the nations have been issuing student visas on a priority basis for international students.
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USA to Process 8 Lakhs Visas in the Next One Year April 20, 2022 14:21
The Embassy of the United States of America in India is expected to process over 8 lakh visas in the next 12 months told a senior diplomat from the country. Donald L Heflin, Minister Counselor for Consular Affairs at the US Embassy told that 8 lakh visas are projected to be issued in the next one year and the slots for the processing of the visas are opened. He said that 1.2 million visas were issued before the outbreak of coronavirus. The sales would be back on the track in 2023 as per the update. The staff across India will be increased and the visa processing was done by 50 percent of the staff. More and more number of employees will be added and a new building is getting opened in Hyderabad. A dedicated helpline is set up to address the queries that are related to the visa applicants. All the consulates are having a dedicated phone number along with an email address through the visa applicants can contact the Embassy for assistance and other appointment-related queries. A higher number of visas are kept on hold due to the coronavirus pandemic and more announcements would be made in the coming weeks. By Siva Kumar
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Tunisian Man Charged With Indian Student's Murder March 23, 2022 09:03
A 22-year-old man from Tunisia has been arrested in relation with the death of Sabita Thanwani, an Indian-origin student. He appeared before the Highbury Corner Magistrate Court in London yesterday. The Tunisian man was identified as Maher Maaroufe and he was in a relationship with the Indian student. Her body was recovered from her accommodation in the Clerkenwell region of London last weekend. Maher Maaroufe was taken into custody on suspicion and Sabita was a psychology student aged 19 years. The autopsy was conducted in Whittington Hospital on Monday and it said that the death happened due to force trauma to the neck. A team of detectives are investigating the matter and Maher Maaroufe was charged and he had no fixed address. He was earlier charged with assault of an emergency worker as per the records of the cops. Sabita was a British national and she had serious injuries to her neck at the Arbour HHose student flats in the region of Clerkenwell. Her family paid tributes for her calling that incident a tragedy. Her family said that Sabita was caring and a loving person. She was on a mission to help everyone. She is pursuing psychology at the City University. A manhunt was staged to trace Maher Maaroufe and he was spotted in Thanwani on Friday. By Siva Kumar
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India to Resume International Flights From March 27th March 09, 2022 09:35
Two years after the coronavirus pandemic, the Indian government announced that it would resume the regular international flights from March 27th on a full-fledged note. "After being recognized the increase of vaccination coverage across the globe and in consultation with the stakeholders, the government of India has decided to resume scheduled commercial international passenger services to/from India from March 27, 2022, i.e start of the summer schedule 2022" told the official statement from the Indian government. The Civil Aviation Ministry said that the international operations shall be subjected to the adherence to the Ministry of Health for the international travelers. The Director-General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) extended the ban on regular commercial international passenger flights on February 28th, 2020. The operating flights under air bubble are arranged since 2021. India is holding air bubbles with the countries of Afghanistan, Australia, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Canada, Ethiopia, Finland, France, Germany, Iraq, Japan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kuwait, Maldives, Mauritius, Nepal, Netherlands, Nigeria, Oman, Qatar, Russia, Rwanda, Saudi Arabia, Seychelles, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Switzerland, Tanzania, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, US and Uzbekistan. Though the Aviation Ministry had plans to resume the regular international flights from December last year but was delayed due to the third wave of the coronavirus pandemic. By Siva Kumar
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Indian-Origin Man Gets Life Sentence in the United Kingdom October 19, 2021 07:52
A 28-year-old man who is from India stabbed his wife multiple times and left her body on the pavement. He has been sentenced life imprisonment by a UK Court on Monday after he pleaded guilty to the murder. The man is named Kashish Aggarwal and he attacked his wife Geetika Goyal in their Leicester home located in Windtersdale Road in the Central England on March 3rd this year. He stabbed her multiple times and kept her body in the boot of his car and drove to Uppingham Close. He left her mortal remains on the street and returned back home. The Leicestershire Crown Court announced the verdict yesterday. Kashish Aggarwal got life imprisonment of minimum 20 years and six months. He may be eligible for parole after completing the sentence. Jenni Heggs, the Senior Investigating Officer said that the hearing will bot bring Geetika but it is like a justice for her family. Geetika was 29 years old. The investigation told that Kashish Aggarwal was only interested to cover the crime. He initially told that he had no idea about his wife and he changed the versions frequently a number of times. Kashish Aggarwal called his wife and her friends saying that she never returned home from work. It was the victim's brother who filed a complaint about her missing. On March 4th, the cops received calls about a woman's body lying on the pavement in the Uppingham Close. There were stabs located on her shoulder, chest, neck and arms. The cops launched a murder investigation and Kashish Aggarwal was taken into the custody after the initial investigation. The CCTV footage showed Kashish Aggarwal driving Goyal's car to leave the body. He was taken into custody on March 6th. Geetika's family traveled to India to scatter her ashes. All her friends said that Geetika was kind, humble and hard-working. By Siva Kumar
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Record Number of Indian Students to Apply for USA this Fall August 24, 2021 07:53
The number of Indian students studying in the USA have been gradually increasing over the years. There has been a sudden decline in the numbers because of the restrictions imposed by Donald Trump and his government. The United States Mission announced the approval of more students in the year 2021 by the Embassy and the Consulate. With these new efforts, more than 55,000 foreign students are expected to fly to the USA soon. The US Mission planned for a packed spring semester and they are expecting a great student season. Ambassador Atul Keshap, Charge d'Affaires at the U.S. Embassy said that it is a life changing experience for Indian students. Atul Keshap also reminded about the leading career opportunities and this also deepens the friendship bond between the USA and India. The coronavirus pandemic also turned a huge challenge for the US Mission and it forced them to postpone it. The Embassies and Consulates will interview the fall semester students soon. The U.S. Embassy and Consulates are now working for additional hours and visa appointments are opened. They are making all the efforts to ensure timely arrival for the academic programs for as many students as possible. The American Higher Education has 45000 nationally and regionally accredited universities and colleges. The students can get all the information about the US education, visa rules and policies through educationusaindia.usief.org.in. Special USA University Virtual Fairs are planned and they will be held on August 27th and September 3rd. The Indian students can get engaged with the representatives of the US universities and advisers. By Siva Kumar
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H-1B Visas: Joe Biden to reconsider Donald Trump's decisions March 13, 2021 10:43
The administration of the new USA President Joe Biden said that they are in plans to reconsider the objections or decisions for the foreign workers on H-1B visas of the three policy memos by the administration of Donald Trump. This will rescue thousands of Indian IT professionals who are having a tough time for the past few years. Donald Trump introduced various policies in the past for non-immigrant work visas and particularly for H-1B visas. On Friday, the US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced that the decisions will be reconsidered. USCIS generally uses the discretion to reopen a motion that is filed more than 30 days after the decision is taken. USCIS issued Policy Memorandum 602-0114 on June 17th, 2020 and USCIS issued Policy Memorandum 602-0142.1 on February 3rd, 2021. A petitioner can request the reopening of any request based on three rescinded policy memos and this can be done by filling the Form 1-290B, Notice of Appeal or Motion, accompanied by the appropriate fee. USCIS also has the authority to accept and consider the motions under specific circumstances as explained. They generally process motions that are based on filing orders with the policy guidance. By Siva Kumar
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Indian Students contribute 7.6 Billion USD to the US in 2020 January 29, 2021 12:38
Indians comprise for 2% of America’s population. Each year, more than 2,00,000 students from India go the United states to study either for graduate, post graduate or do a PhD. India remains the second largest source of international student in the United States, even though there was a 4.4 percent decline this year due to the pandemic. According to a government record in association with the educational board, Indian students contributed to 7.6 billion USD to the United States Economy in the academic year 2019-2020. The country which is the first largest source of International students in the United States is China. China has been the first largest source of international students in the United States since 16 years continuously. There were over 3,72,000 Chinese students in the United states in the academic year 2019- 2020 despite the pandemic. Despite the 4.4 percent decline, India managed to have 1,93,124 students go to the United States to study this year, making it the second largest source. The report of this information was released by the United States’ Department of State Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs and the Institute of International Education (IIE) in collaboration. For the fifth year in a row, USA hosted more than 1 million international students in only one academic year. Due to the pandemic, there had been a 1.8 percent decline in the number of international students in the United States. Even with the decline, this group represent 5.5 percent of all students in the United States higher education system. In 2019, The US Department of Commerce stated that international students contributed 44 billion USD to the USA economy and 7.69 billion USD was from India itself. Despite the COVID-19 pandemic USA is encouraging more international students to come study in the United States. The country predicts around 5 million international students in one academic year once the pandemic recedes. USA believes that international students bring culture, diversity, innovation, skill and friendly relations to the country. USA President Joe Biden has issued multiple benefits for international students who are studying in the states, making it easier for them to study, live and work. Among the top 20 places of origin, the largest percentage increase for international students were students from Bangladesh with a 7 percent, Brazil with a 4 percent and Nigeria with a 3 percent increase. The country with the most decrease in percentage was from Saudi Arabia with a staggering 17 percent decrease due to the change in the government’s scholarship program. By Meena Atmakuri
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International Students Triple In Canada Over A Decade December 08, 2020 11:40
Recent statistics state that the number of international students who have enrolled in Canada has tripled over the past decade and Canada is beyond delighted about it. As a country that encourages diversity, Canada provides an abundance of incentives for its immigrants. Before the pandemic began, the number of international students applying to Canada tripled the number of Canadians who study in Canada. In 2018/21019, 2.1 million student enrolled in universities across Canada, out of which 1.8 percent were from Canada itself while 16.2 percent of the numbers were from international students. Due to the pandemic however, this number decreased by 0.5 %. 2008 to 2018 was the benchmark for the number of immigrant students arriving to study in the country. During this period, the number of Canadian student enrollments also grew by 10.9 percent. The growth in immigrant students in this particular decade percentage grew from 6.4 to 16.2 percent.International students pay higher tuition fees as compared to domestic students. Canadian universities rely on International students tuition as a source of their income. Canadian Universities revenue grew by 4.7 percent after an increase in immigration students. International students also contribute to the country’s economy. Post the pandemic, Canada is making preparations for international students to enroll in universities to help improve and increase social and cultural diversity of campuses. Once the pandemic recedes, Canada statistics and research will determine how the pandemic had an impact on international students what is the future outlook. By Meena Atmakuri
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Canada Bans Prescription Drugs’ Mass Exports December 08, 2020 09:02
Canada has banned the export of some prescription medicines in order to prevent a shortage in the country. The decision is in response to a USA plan that will allow drugs to be imported from Canada to make them cheaper for Americans. Although prescription drug prices in Canada are higher than some nations, they are cheaper than the prices of prescription drugs in the USA. A number of Canada’s drug suppliers have warned that the plan, implemented by USA’s former president Donald Trump, would case shortages to the prescription drugs which will be sent into Canada. The pandemic has already given the scope for increased demand for medicines according to health sources. A statement from Canada’s health ministry said the country sources 68% of its drugs from overseas and therefore it was important to avoid disruptions to supplies before and during their deliveries. The ministry also states that companies will now also be required to provide information to assess existing or potential shortages when requested and within 24 hours immediate assistance is there is serious of imminent health risks. The former President Trump signed an executive order in July to allow legal importation of cheaper drugs from Canada with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau who himself was delighted to help other actions with their supplies if possibly whilst simultaneously protecting the needs of Canadians. Drug makers have faced intense criticism from the US politicians- including the former President Trump himself as well as insurance companies and patients over the increased and high costs of new medicines and price hikes in some old generic drugs. USA’s newly elected President, Joe Biden has previously spoken of potentially importing drugs directly to the US to bring down costs.By Meena Atmakuri
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