Skip to main content

Lalit Modi Cleared In Key 2009 IPL South Africa Case After Tribunal Verdict

Former chairman Lalit Modi was cleared in the principal proceedings arising from the 2009 Indian Premier League's staging in South Africa after the Appellate Tribunal under SAFEMA set aside the penalties imposed on him, rejecting the Enforcement Directorate's core case that the foreign remittances were capital account transactions.Announcing the verdict after more than 16 years of investigations, proceedings, and litigation, Modi said the tribunal found that the main remittances related to IPL 2009 were current account transactions. It also determined that he was not responsible for the BCCI's statutory FEMA compliance or given the financial authority as alleged by the Enforcement Directorate. Calling it the end of the largest legal dispute stemming from the 2009 South Africa edition of the IPL, Modi said, "This marks the end of what has been the single most significant legal matter arising from the 2009 South Africa IPL." He added, "For over sixteen year...

H-1B Visa Applications Drop 38%. Trump Administration Says Days Of Abuse Over

The Donald Trump administration on Thursday said applications for H-1B visas had dropped significantly this year after major changes were introduced to the work visa selection process. Calling it a crackdown on misuse of the system, the administration said "the days of abusing the programme with mass, low-wage registrations are over."

Data released by the US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) showed that properly submitted H-1B registrations fell by 38.5 per cent compared to last year, from 343,981 in fiscal year 2026 to 211,600 for fiscal year 2027.

The H-1B visa programme, widely used by Indian professionals seeking jobs in the United States, has come under tighter scrutiny in recent years. The White House had earlier rolled out stricter wage requirements and raised application fees, saying the aim was to curb widespread abuse of the system.

In a post on X, USCIS said, "This data is a clear sign that the days of abusing the program with mass, low-wage registrations are over, and that the programme is better serving its intended purpose of attracting highly skilled foreign workers and protecting the wages, working conditions, and job opportunities of American workers."

The immigration agency also said the profile of selected applicants appeared to be changing. The H-1B programme has long faced criticism from those who argue that some companies rely on it to hire cheaper foreign labour instead of recruiting highly skilled workers.

According to USCIS, a larger share of selected candidates now hold advanced academic qualifications and command higher salaries. The agency said 71.5 per cent of selected applicants had US master's degrees or higher, compared to 57 per cent the previous year. The figures suggest that more foreign students graduating from American universities are securing H-1B visas.

USCIS also stressed that it was tightening standards around wage levels linked to H-1B jobs. It said it was "closing the door" on low-skilled and low-wage workers, adding that only 17.7 per cent of approved applications fell in the lowest wage category.

Even as some lawmakers continue to push for scrapping the H-1B programme altogether, USCIS has given no indication that such a move is under consideration. The visa allocation process for the coming year has already concluded, while the next round of registrations is expected to begin early next year.

The administration said the latest numbers reflected the impact of its policy changes, with the system now favouring applicants with stronger qualifications and higher-paying job offers.
 



from NDTV News- Special https://ift.tt/IZuPbGz
via IFTTT

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

US Teen Who Slapped Teacher In Classroom Faces Kidnapping, Assault Charges

A US high school student, who attacked two teachers in school premises, has been hit indicted on assault and kidnapping charges, according to a report in Fox News. The outlet said that the attacks took place at Parkland High School in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. A video of 17-year-old Aquavis Hickman hitting one of the teachers in the classroom in April had gone viral on social media, leading to a barrage of comments. Hickman is being tried as an adult and his case has been moved from a juvenile court to a superior court. Watch the video: NEW: North Carolina high school student who went viral for hitting his teacher has been smacked with felony charges & is being charged as an adult. This is how it's done. 17-year-old Aquavis Hickman has been indicted on assault and kidnapping charges for two separate… pic.twitter.com/JOsO0bFiKX — Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) May 5, 2024 "A grand jury was convened last week, last Monday, comprised of members of this community and...

BJP MP Varun Gandhi Files Case Against Man For Comments On His Father

BJP leader Varun Gandhi on Saturday filed a defamation case in a local court here against a Varanasi man for allegedly making derogatory remarks on his father on Twitter. The Pilibhit MP on Saturday came to the court premises with three advocates around 3 pm and filed a defamation case before Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate (II) Abhinav Tiwari. The court recorded his statement and fixed April 25 as the next date for hearing, an advocate said. Gandhi in the complaint said that his father Late Sanjay Gandhi was a well known politician of the country and he was respected all over the country and still is today. He told the court that on March 29, 2023, Vivek Pandey, a resident of Bhojubir of Varanasi district, had made indecent remarks against Sanjay Gandhi through his social media Twitter @vivekkumar IND. According to Mr Gandhi, the accused identified himself as the General Secretary of Nationalist Hindu and Kisan Morcha. Mr Gandhi also said that he was informed about the twee...

Hollywood Shuts Down As Actors Go On Strike

Hollywood's actors announced Thursday they will go on strike, joining writers in the first industry-wide shutdown in 63 years after last-ditch talks failed, with nearly all film and television production set to grind to a halt. The Screen Actors Guild (SAG-AFTRA), which represents 160,000 performers including A-list stars, said negotiations had ended without a deal on their demands over dwindling pay and the threat posed by artificial intelligence. "SAG-AFTRA's national board unanimously voted to issue a strike order against the studios and streamers," said the union's chief negotiator Duncan Crabtree-Ireland. The strike will begin at midnight Thursday (0700 GMT Friday), meaning actors will join writers on picket lines from Friday morning in the first Hollywood "double strike" since 1960. Writers have already spent 11 weeks on the picket line, after their similar demands for better pay and protections against the future use of AI in television and fi...