The United States is set to implement a modernized version of the H-1B visa program starting January 17, 2025, aiming to enhance fairness, transparency, and efficiency in hiring global talent. The updated rules, announced by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), also address concerns over fraud involving employers, employees, and advocacy groups. Boosting Competitiveness and Flexibility

With the Delhi elections just weeks away, the ruling AAP and Opposition BJP are intensifying their efforts to win the support of voters from urban slums, a significant part of the capital's electorate. The AAP has renewed its charge that Delhi's Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena approved a land use change in Shakur Basti, which could negatively affect the slum dwellers in the area. To back this claim, AAP has released a document containing the minutes from a Delhi Development Authority (D

NASA is preparing to launch the Lunar Environment Heliospheric X-ray Imager (LEXI) to the moon to gather groundbreaking data on Earth’s magnetosphere. LEXI will capture high-resolution images of the magnetosphere's movements, offering crucial insights into how it reacts to solar wind and space weather conditions. This mission is designed to enhance our understanding of space weather, which impacts satellites, electronics, and infrastructure on Earth. The LEXI instrument wi

President Joe Biden is set to end his term with a relatively strong labor market, as the U.S. added a surprising 256,000 jobs in December, and the unemployment rate dropped to 4.1%. These figures, reported by the Bureau of Labor Statistics on Friday, outperformed Wall Street expectations. Analysts had predicted only 155,000 new jobs and for the unemployment rate to remain at 4.2%. These numbers suggest that the U.S. ec

China was rocked by violent protests in Shaanxi province after the death of 17-year-old Dang Changxin, a student at Pucheng Vocational Technical School, which sparked accusations of a cover-up by local authorities. The protests, which reportedly lasted several days, were fueled by suspicions about the circumstances surrounding Dang's death. According to authorities, Dang fell to his death on January 2 from a dormitory window following an argument with a fellow student. The incid

Amid the devastating wildfires sweeping through California, affluent residents in Los Angeles' exclusive neighborhoods are paying up to $2,000 (approximately Rs 1.7 lakh) per hour for private firefighting services, as public fire departments struggle to manage the escalating crisis. These private teams are hired to protect luxury properties from the encroaching flames. Chris Dunn, owner of a private security company, noted a sharp rise in demand for such services in light of the

The morning after last year’s Election Day, a civics teacher and ESL coordinator at a South Florida school with a predominantly Latino student population, found herself taking on an unexpected role. By the end of that day, more than two dozen students had approached her, deeply concerned about potential changes to immigration enforcement under the possibility of another Donald Trump presidency.

On Monday morning, millions of devotees flocked to the sacred Triveni Sangam in Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh, marking the start of Maha Kumbh 2025, one of the largest religious gatherings in the world. The festival, held once every 12 years, is expected to attract over 45 crore people from across the globe. Devotees performed the sacred Shahi Snan, taking a dip in the confluence of the Ganga, Yamuna, and Saraswati rivers, heralding the beginning of the 45-day spiritual event.

Gmail has long been one of the most widely used free email services, boasting approximately two billion active users globally. Accessing Gmail requires a Google account, which also provides entry to Google services such as Ads, YouTube, and Google Play. Unfortunately, if a Google account is compromised, hackers can gain access to a vast array of sensitive data, including emails, documents, photos, and even financial details. This information can b

In a video posted on social media platform X (formerly Twitter), Jagmeet Singh, the leader of the New Democratic Party (NDP), delivered a strong message to US President-elect Donald Trump, warning him against any plans to annex Canada. Singh, who was once an ally of former Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, stated unequivocally, “Our country (Canada) is not for sale. Not now, not ever.” Singh went on to express Canadian pride, emphasizing the nation’s unity an

The National Weather Service (NWS) has issued a Red Flag Warning for much of eastern San Diego County, effective from 4 p.m. Monday through 6 p.m. Wednesday. This warning comes amid a new wave of Santa Ana winds, which are expected to create critical fire weather conditions in inland areas. San Diego County is currently experiencing its driest start to the rainy season in 174 years, further exacerbating wildfire

The sightscreen at St George’s Park in Gqeberha, damaged by Rinku Singh's powerful six during a T20I against South Africa in December 2023, is still awaiting repairs after 394 days. The incident, which saw Rinku hit a gigantic six off Aiden Markram, left the press box’s sightscreen shattered, but the repair has been delayed due to budget issues and the high-altitude location of the press box. The official responsible for the stadium’s maintenance, Terrance, explained tha

Ravindra Jadeja's recent Instagram story, where he posted a picture of his Test jersey, has led to widespread speculation among fans, with many wondering if the all-rounder is announcing his retirement from Test cricket. The post quickly went viral on X (formerly Twitter), with fans commenting on whether Jadeja’s time in Test cricket is coming to an end. Some fans even wished him a "Happy Retirement." This speculation comes after Jadeja retired from T20I cricket following

Jefferies predicts that 2025 will be a year of reckoning for Contract Development and Manufacturing Organization (CDMO) stocks, where actual earnings performance will determine the sector’s winners and laggards. While CDMO stocks saw remarkable returns in 2024, ranging from 20% to 80%, the brokerage points out that earnings were mixed, with some companies seeing upgrades, while others experienced sharp downgrades. Despite this, investor confidence remains strong, driven by long-term opt

Shares of prominent gaming companies, including Delta Corp. and OnMobile Global Ltd., surged on Friday after the Supreme Court of India granted a stay on the proceedings regarding show cause notices (SCNs) issued by the tax department. These notices were linked to the proposed imposition of a 28% Goods and Services Tax (GST) on online gaming companies, which had caused significant concern within the industry. Abhishek A Rastogi, the founder of Rastogi Chambers, representing the gaming compani

Antony Vo, a 32-year-old man from Indiana who participated in the January 6 Capitol assault, was arrested in Whistler, British Columbia, on the four-year anniversary of the attack. Vo had been sentenced to nine months in prison for his involvement in the 2021 attack but fled to Canada before he was due to report to a US federal prison in June 2024. Vo admitted he sought refuge in Canada in hopes of receiving a pardon from President-elect Donald Trump upon his return to office. The Canada Bord

In a statement made Friday at the White House, President Joe Biden expressed concerns about the difficult position Russian President Vladimir Putin now finds himself in following the latest round of sanctions imposed by the US and the UK. These sweeping sanctions target Russia’s critical energy sector in response to its ongoing invasion of Ukraine. Biden described Putin as being in "tough shape" and stressed the importance of denying him any opportunity to continue his aggress

On Friday, Nicolas Maduro was sworn in for a third six-year term as Venezuela's president, despite widespread accusations of election fraud and a growing wave of international opposition. Having served as president since 2013, Maduro has weathered numerous crises, including a collapsing economy, US sanctions, and ongoing protests. His controversial victory in the July 2024 elections was followed by violent crackdowns, which saw over 2,400 people arrested and at least 28 killed. This marks

On January 9, 2025, the state funeral of President Jimmy Carter, held at Washington’s National Cathedral, provided a rare moment of political camaraderie between President-elect Donald Trump and former President Barack Obama. The two, who have a long history of public disagreement and political rivalry, were seen engaged in a friendly conversation during the ceremony. This unexpected interaction quickly caught the attention of attendees and quickly went viral on social media. Despite th

The week witnessed crucial political and economic developments that influenced market movements across the world. In India, Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) announced its third-quarter earnings, with a net profit rise of 4.1%, while the Union government predicted India's economy would grow at its slowest pace in four years, with a projected GDP growth rate of 6.4% for fiscal year 2024-25. Meanwhile, India's merchandise trade deficit remained elevated despite a reduction in go