Former US President Donald Trump has announced a significant shift in US immigration policy, introducing the ‘Gold Card’ visa program, which allows Indian graduates from US universities to secure jobs and eventually gain citizenship. This move is seen as a major boost for international students, particularly those from India, who have often struggled with restrictive visa policies despite their high qualifications.   The ‘Gold Card’ initiative, un

The Trump administration has taken a dramatic step in reshaping U.S. foreign aid by terminating 2,000 employees from the U.S. Agency for International Development while placing thousands more on administrative leave around the globe. Following a ruling by a federal judge, the decision affects both domestic and international USAID staff, leaving only those designated as essential for mission-critical functions, leadership, or specific programs in active service. As of 11:59 p.m. EST on

Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived at Joint Base Andrews airbase in Maryland, United States, on Wednesday (local time) for a two-day visit at the invitation of President Donald Trump. This visit comes at a crucial time in international affairs, as both nations are looking to strengthen ties and address shared challenges on the global stage. The arrival at a key military and administrative facility underscores the significance of the trip, symbolizing not only a routine diplomatic vis

Elon Musk has assembled a team of six young engineers to modernize US federal systems under the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). Among them is 22-year-old Akash Bobba, an Indian-origin engineer whose selection has sparked discussions on the role of young tech talent in governance. DOGE aims to introduce cutting-edge AI-driven automation to streamline government processes, reduce bureaucratic inefficiencies, and enhance cybersecurity. Bobba, a UC Berkeley graduate with experience at

According to US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), Indian nationals accounted for 72.3% of all H-1B visas issued between October 2022 and September 2023. This data was presented in the Rajya Sabha by Kirti Vardhan Singh, Minister of State for External Affairs. The minister highlighted the crucial role of Indian professionals in the US technology and innovation sectors, reinforcing India's significance in the skilled migration landscape. He also noted ongoing diplomatic efforts

A US military C-17 aircraft landed in Amritsar on February 7, 2025, carrying hundreds of Indian migrants deported for illegal immigration violations. The large-scale deportation follows strict enforcement policies under Donald Trump’s administration, which have intensified efforts to remove undocumented migrants. The sudden influx of deported individuals has raised concerns about their legal status in India and their ability to reapply for visas in the future. According t

Minister for Education Nara Lokesh has extended full cooperation from the state government to Google Cloud for their ambitious Data City project in Visakhapatnam. During a meeting in New Delhi on Wednesday, Google Cloud's Managing Director Bikram Singh, Country Director (Public Sector and EdTech) Asish, and their team discussed the project with Lokesh. The Minister assured them that the Andhra Pradesh Economic Development Board (APEDB) was actively working to clear all necessary approvals

USAID, the US government’s aid agency, has come under scrutiny after it was revealed that American taxpayer money was used to fund the Falah-e-Insaniat Foundation (FIF), a Pakistan-based organization linked to the Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) terrorist group. The FIF is considered a front for LeT, the terror group responsible for the 2008 Mumbai attacks, which killed 166 people, including six Americans.Despite being banned by the US government in 2010, FIF continued to receive funding, raising

DeepSeek's Dataset Exposed in Public Database: A cybersecurity research firm, Wiz Research, has discovered that DeepSeek's sensitive dataset might have been publicly exposed. The dataset was found through an unauthenticated ClickHouse database, which allowed full control over database operations. This data breach potentially risks sensitive information, including chat history, secret keys, log details, and backend data. Discovery of the Unauth

Bitcoin saw a strong rebound on Wednesday, reaching $98,800, up by 2% after the US Labour Department released the Consumer Price Index (CPI) data for December. The CPI showed a 2.9% increase, which was in line with expectations. The Core CPI, excluding volatile items like food and energy, came in slightly under expectations at 3.2%. This data eased fears of severe inflation, bolstering investor confidence and supporting the bullish outlook for Bitcoin. Crypto prices, including Ether

Trump's Abraham Accords and Saudi Arabia's Involvement Former President Donald Trump’s Abraham Accords were a significant diplomatic achievement, normalizing relations between Israel and several Arab nations, including the UAE, Bahrain, Sudan, and Morocco. However, Trump’s ultimate goal was to bring Saudi Arabia into the fold due to its geopolitical significance as the custodian of Islam's holiest sites and a major oil exporter. Despite informal talks, the kingd

A groundbreaking study has uncovered notable differences in the nut-cracking abilities of chimpanzees within the same group, shedding new light on their cognitive and motor skills. Researchers analyzed extensive video footage of wild chimpanzees from Bossou, Guinea, where they observed 3,882 instances of chimps attempting to crack open nuts using stones as tools. The study found varying levels of efficiency among individuals, indicating differences in cognitive abilities and physical dexterit

In a dazzling celebration of beauty and talent, Caitlin Sandra Neil, a 19-year-old Chennai-born Indian American teenager, was crowned Miss India USA 2024 at the annual pageant held in New Jersey. Caitlin, who is a second-year student at the University of California, Davis, expressed her desire to leave a lasting, positive impact on her community, with a strong focus on women's empowerment and literacy. Having lived in the United States for the past 14 years, Caitlin's journe

On Thursday, the Indian Rupee weakened to a record low of 84.88 against the US Dollar, following a series of declines this week. The rupee had opened flat at 84.85 for the second consecutive day, and this followed a similar trend on Wednesday when it closed at 84.84 after opening at 84.85. Earlier in the week, the rupee had weakened by 12 paise on Tuesday to close at 84.85, marking a new low. The domestic currency dipped to 84.73 on Monday, continuing its downward trajectory. Expert

The NDA-led government of Andhra Pradesh is making significant strides in inviting global investments to the state. A major milestone was reached today with the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the government of Andhra Pradesh and Google, marking the beginning of a strong partnership. The MoU focuses on establishing an AI Data Center in Vizag, which will be operated by Google Cloud. This confirms Google's entry into Andhra Pradesh as part of its tech expans

Indian students have witnessed a significant decline in F-1 student visas issued by the United States in 2024. According to the latest data from the US State Department, the number of F-1 visas granted to Indian nationals dropped by 38% in the first nine months of the year. Specifically, 64,008 F-1 visas were issued to Indian students from January to September 2024, down from 1,03,495 in the same period in 2023. This represents the lowest number of F-1 visas granted since 2020, when the pande

The Indian Rupee weakened by 13 paise, hitting a new record low of 84.86 against the US Dollar during trading on Tuesday. The currency had opened lower at 84.79, weakening by 6 paise from the previous day’s close of 84.73. This marks a sharp dip despite a recent positive momentum for the rupee last week, when the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) held interest rates steady and announced measures to improve financial market liquidity. Monday’s announcement of Sanjay Malhotra as

The increasing integration of technology into workstreams is reshaping traditional job roles, with AI, machine learning, and analytics leading the charge. According to a recent report by Indeed and Nasscom, cybersecurity has emerged as the second-most sought-after domain, surpassing cloud technology. The report identifies the top five in-demand job roles as data scientist/analyst, AI/ML expert, cybersecurity specialist, cloud architect/engineer, and DevOps engineer. HR leaders empha

India's foreign exchange reserves saw an increase to $658.1 billion for the week ending November 29, according to the Reserve Bank of India (RBI). This rise followed an eight-week decline, with a $1.5 billion increase from the previous week. In comparison, the reserves had dropped by $1.31 billion in the prior week, reaching $656.58 billion. Foreign investors have invested Rs 1.75 lakh crore into India's debt and equity markets in 2024. However, the month of November witness

 The US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has announced that it has received enough H-1B visa petitions to meet the annual cap. The cap includes 65,000 visas for regular applicants and an additional 20,000 for individuals holding US advanced degrees. With the lottery system in place for processing petitions once the cap is exceeded, many applicants will be notified if they were not selected. USCIS will send out non-selection notices through online accounts, with the