Watch YCP Malladi Vishnu on YS Jagan swearing-in ceremony
US starts process to ban work permits for H-1B spouses
New Delhi: In a move that may affect thousands of H-1B visa holders and their families in the US, the Donald Trump administration has started the process to ban work permits for spouses of H-1B visa holders
On May 22, the US government issued a notice for the proposed rule-making that will kick in public consultations to ban the H-4 EAD (Employment Authorisation Document), a work visa programme launched by the previous Obama administration to leverage skilled spouses of H-1B visa holders and address skill shortage in the technology domain, the Economic Times said in a report.
While explaining its reasons for the proposal, the Department of Homeland Security wrote that American citizens would benefit “by having a better chance at obtaining jobs that some of the population of the H-4 workers currently hold”, the ET report mentioned.
Since 2015, nearly 1.2 lakh H4 EAD visas have been issued. Indians, largely female engineers, have been the biggest beneficiaries of this visa programme by taking over 90% of these 1.2 lakh visas.
The Trump administration had first indicated the scrapping of the programme in February last year. Even if this proposal goes through, it would take a while for it to actually take effect, said, policy watchers.
The ET report citing Rajiv S Khanna, managing attorney at immigration law firm Immigration.com, said it could take as much as a year for the visa programme to get scrapped.
“The process is currently at the second last stage. Once it is approved here, it will be posted in the federal register and people will have 30 or 60 days to post comments, following which the regulation will be made final,” said Khanna.
The administration is obligated to comment before publishing and implementing the final rule, a process that could take several months, he added.
Since Donald Trump became President in 2017, the US has tightened immigration rules across the board. The biggest that has affected India is the tightening of the H-1B visa programme for IT services companies in favour of US technology companies.
The US has brought in rules that give preference to candidates with US Master’s degrees for H-1B visas, helping US companies, while increasing the rejections for existing visa holders who seek extension for another three years. Nearly 70% of the H-1B visas are granted to Indian nationals.
Experts say a fallout of the scrapping of the H4 EAD visa would be a shortage of talent for US tech firms as these families are likely to return to India, she said.
While most tech firms have increased their local hiring in the US, it has been difficult to find people, given the low unemployment rates coupled with a shortage in the number of people with the kind of skills required. If an employee’s spouse can no longer pursue a career in the US, it would lead to more people turning down US postings, said analysts.
Jagan should not fall in KCR’s trap!
YSRCP chief and AP Chief Minister designate YS Jagan Mohan Reddy received an unprecedented welcome from TRS chief and Telangana CM K Chandrasekhar Rao at Pragathi Bhavan on Saturday.
KCR and his entire family members waited at the portico even before Jagan arrived there to welcome him, which is unusual by any sorts.
No one should have any objection over Jagan meeting KCR to invite him to attend his swearing-in ceremony as CM-designate of neighbouring Telugu State.
But KCR is famous for ‘cunning politics’. He takes no time in ‘ditching’ others for his selfish political gains.
KCR is also famous for mesmerising anyone with honey coated words, huggings, dinners etc.
If today, KCR extended grand welcome to Jagan at Pragathi Bhawan, it was only because of Jagan defeating his arch rival Chandrababu Naidu in Andhra Pradesh.
It is also because Jagan has closed his party in Telangana and not contesting any elections in Telangana since GHMC elections in 2016.
AP still has several contentious bifurcation related issues with Telangana.
Thousands of crores of assets owned by common institutions in Hyderabad are yet to be bifurcated between Telangana and Andhra.
Can Jagan expect to get same welcome from KCR, if he demands AP’s share in assets in Hyderabad?
Can Jagan expect the same treatment from KCR, if he restores YSRCP in Telangana and starts contesting elections against TRS?
Anyone can easily say ‘no’ to these questions.
KCR is famous for ‘use and through policy’. He used Congress, BJP, TDP, TJAC, Telangana employees unions, civil organisations during Telangana statehood agitation and shunned them after he became CM.
Leave about political parties, he even adopted ‘use and throw’ policy in case of T.Harish Rao, who worked day and night for building TRS in Telangana and bringing the party to power in Telangana.
Jagan should not forget that he was attacked by TRS leaders and activists with stones in Manukota in Warangal district in May 2010, to obstruct his Odarpu Yatra. Jagan was forced to cancel his Odarpu Yatra in Telangana.
Jagan should not forget KCR’s abusive words against his father YS Rajasekhar Reddy, during Telangana statehood agitation and even after becoming Telangana CM.
As Telangana CM, KCR described YSR as ‘durmargudu’ in Assembly and also as ‘thief’ who stole Telangana water to Seemandhra.
Jagan can meet KCR. But it should be only CM-to-CM and government-to-government relations and nothing more than that.
If Jagan tries to move closer beyond this, KCR will be always ready to ‘trap’ him and everyone knows what would be the outcome if anyone falls in “KCR’s trap”.
Dubai-based Indian names newborn son ‘Narendra Modi’
Dubai: A Dubai-based Indian expat has named his newborn son Narendra Damodardas Modi, as an honour to the Indian Prime Minister’s resounding victory in the recently concluded general elections, the media reported on Monday.
Originally from Uttar Pradesh, Mustaq Ahmed, who works as a maintenance staff in an interior decor company in Hatta, about 130 km from Dubai, decided to name his son after Modi because he was born on May 23, the same day the Prime Minister won the Lok Sabha elections with a thumping majority for a second term.
“I wish (Prime Minister) Modi will come down to our village in Uttar Pradesh to see my little Modi and bless him. It will be a great honour for my son and our family,” Ahmed told The Khaleej Times on Sunday.
“When my wife called me with the good news on May 23, I asked her whether Narendra Modi had won the elections. Then I told her ‘Desh mein Modi agaya. Hamare ghar main bhi Modi agaya. (Modi has come in the country. And Modi has arrived in our home too).
“We are impressed by what our Prime Minister has done for the country in the last five years. I wish my son will also do good work and earn a solid reputation like our Prime Minister,” the 29-year-old expat added.
The baby was born in Ahmed’s village in Uttar Pradesh and Ahmed is yet to meet him.
He said his newborn was already winning hearts as people in the neighborhood were all coming to see him.
“I am sure people will keep teasing by calling him ‘Modi, Modi’. But when he grows up, no one will dare mess with him because he is Narendra Modi,” he added.
Rs 2 Cr Loss on Maharshi
Superstar Mahesh Babu’s “Maharshi” has almost ended its run in USA this weekend. The big-budgeted social message drama has raked in $1.83 million.
It would close with a few more dollars but it will not touch $2 million at all.
Despite grossing huge amount in domestic market, “Maharshi” has failed to strike a chord with US audiences.
Even Mahesh Babu fans in USA were not satisfied with this content that looked like poor copy of “Srimanthudu” and “3 Idiots”.
As per estimates, Rs 2 Cr loss on the investment made in overseas. Producer Dil Raju will have to bear Rs 1 Cr loss according to the agreement.
Both US distributor and producer Dil Raju had agreed to share profits or losses. So, total Rs 2 Cr loss on overseas business for “Maharshi”.
Malladi Vishnu to be assembly speaker?
It is going to be a tough task for YSR Congress party president and chief minister-designate of Y S Jaganmohan Reddy to select his council of ministers, as every MLA had been loyal to the party and had done tremendous hard work in winning their seats.
Now, it is nothing but natural that they will expect berths in the state cabinet, but Jagan has his own limitations.
After all, he cannot accommodate everybody in the cabinet but form a compact cabinet with best possible combination.
For example, from the two Brahmin legislators, Jagan can accommodate only one.
According to party sources, he is contemplating making Viayawada (Central) MLA Malladi Vishnu as the Speaker of the state assembly, and take another Brahmin MLA Kona Raghupathi into the cabinet.
But Vishnu is said to be keen on joining the cabinet. A senior politician who had long association with Jagan’s father late chief minister Y S Rajasekhar Reddy, Vishnu was also believed to have taken care of YSR’s personal interests in Vijayawada. So, Jagan cannot reject his candidature.
Similarly, he has already promised cabinet berth to Meda Mallikarjun Reddy from Rajampet, as he had taken care of party’s expenditure in several constituencies.
Similarly, Peddireddy Ramchandra Reddy will be a definite choice as he also made huge expenditure in Chittoor constituency.
And Mekapati Gautam will be another candidate whom Jagan cannot reject, as he had promised Gautam’s father and former MP Mekapati Rajamohan Reddy.
So will be Alla Ramakrishna Reddy for whom Jagan had made an open promise in public.
There are many others from north coastal Andhra, East and West Godavari districts.
“You are going to see several surprises when he constitutes the cabinet mostly on June 6,” sources said.
KGF Distributors Bag The Hindi Rights Of Sye Raa
The long wait of the makers of Sye Raa has finally come to an end as they finally found a buyer from Bollywood.
Ram Charan, the producer of the magnum opus has almost given up on Hindi release as he couldn’t find anyone coming forward to bag Hindi dubbing rights.
Excel Entertainments owned by Farhan Akthar and Ritesh Sidhwani has reportedly bagged the Hindi version rights of Sye Raa. They released KGF in Hindi which turned out to be a decent success.
Makers of Sye Raa had high hopes on getting lucrative offers from Bollywood post the success of Baahubali movies. Hence, they roped in Amitabh Bachan for a key role.
The plan worked out as Excel Entertainments has seen the potential in this magnum opus based on a historical character.
Chiranjeevi essays the role of Uyyalawada Narasimha Reddy in the film directed by Surender Reddy. Sye Raa is aiming at Oct 2nd release in multiple languages.
pHOTo Alert: Star Kid’s Latest Pic Goes Viral
Suhana Khan, the nineteen year old daughter of Bollywood superstar Shahrukh Khan needs no introduction to people who keenly follow the social media.
Everytime Suhana posts a photo on her Instagram page, it goes viral and features among the trending photos on that day.
Suhana who turned nineteen on 22nd of this month will finish school soon and pursue an acting career.
She is all set to enter Bollywood as an actor which is confirmed by her father. Karan Johar is likely to launch Suhana with one of his future projects.
Nothing Personal Against Chandrababu: Jagan
YS Jagan Mohan Reddy, Chief Minister designate of Andhra Pradesh, has met PM-elect Narendra Modi to invite him for the swearing-in ceremony in Vijayawada on 30th May. Later, he visited AP Bhavan in New Delhi and spoke to media after meeting the officials there.
Reddy said that there is a need for state govt to release a white paper on AP’s current position and said he will conduct a review meeting with every department to understand and explain the current situation to the people in state. He also added, “We will release white papers after review meeting with all the departments.” The YSRCP supreme promised to make AP a corruption free state and told that heavy debts of state will be cleared in multiple phases.
Alleging that there’s a massive scandal behind Amaravati lands, Jagan said it is essential to bring out the illegalities in distribution of those lands. ‘I don’t have any personal grouse against TDP chief Chandrababu Naidu,’ he further added.
The CM-designate assured to bring sweeping changes in state in next six months and make AP a model state in the entire country. ‘We will consider manifesto as Bhagavatgita and implement them at the earliest,’ ended Jagan.
Spicy Siren’s Secret Affair With Senior Star
He is one of the handsome stars in Tollywood who has carved a path for himself. And then, his name often gets associated with heroines, in different ways. And the latest rumour is that he’s said to be dating a heroine who is half of his age.
This particular siren is known for high headedness and lost a chunk of offers in Telugu industry due to that. But recently she got connected to this senior star when they are acting together. And since then, their relationship has grown in a different way which is a sort of surprise.
The duo is often seen indulging in shopping extravaganzas and also the heroine is spending quite a time with him. One wonders what’s really cooking, people close to them are saying that it is a secret affair that will last for some time. Actually, this lady is quite intelligent and known for changing boyfriends like tee-shirts.
Meanwhile, the senior star is busy giving a coverup that he is the most empathetic actor in T-town who helps heroines build their emotional strength.
