Skip to main content

Rare light aircraft crash in Beijing kills pilot, injures 13 people

A light aircraft crash into Beijing's tallest building on Friday killed ​the pilot and injured 13 people who were not on ‌board, the local government said following the unusual accident for the Chinese capital, where airspace is heavily restricted. Those injured are receiving medical treatment and authorities are ​investigating the incident, Chaoyang district government said in a statement ​on Saturday. "A single-engine, two-seat light sport aircraft collided with ⁠a high-rise building while flying near the East third ring road ​in Chaoyang, at 5:55pm (0955 GMT) on June 26," said the ​statement, which was posted on social media. "There was only one person on board, the pilot, who died," the statement added, without giving any further details of ​the possible cause of the crash. Damage to the facade of the ​skyscraper appeared to be limited to a hole caused by the loss of ‌two ⁠large glass panels. The gap had been temporarily boarded up as ...

Applying for UK fast-track residency: a step by step guide for high-earners and innovators

The UK government has recently unveiled a new fast-track pathway to residency, specifically designed for high earners, as Prime Minister Keir Starmer seeks to retain skilled workers within the City of London and other key sectors amid a broader clampdown on migration. This move enables certain highly paid professionals and entrepreneurs to significantly reduce the time required to apply for indefinite leave to remain (ILR), the primary step toward British citizenship. The announcement by Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood outlined that settling in the UK is a privilege, not a right, and must be earned. The proposals represent a shift away from earlier plans that suggested doubling the standard ILR application period to 10 years. If you are a Pakistani seeking the quickest route to permanent status in the UK, follow these steps to determine your eligibility and prepare your application: Step one: Establish your visa and earnings criteria Determine if you qualify for the fastest path (three years) or the standard five-year path: 1. Check for the three-year fast-track residency: You may apply for ILR after three years if you are a visa-holder earning more than £125,000 ($163,000). 2. Check for alternative fast-track visas: The quicker route to residency is also open to entrepreneurs who hold Global Talent or Innovator Founder visas. 3. Check for the five-year standard path: If your salary is between £50,000 and £125,000, you must wait five years, in line with current provisions. 4. Note the baseline requirement: For most other visa-holders, the proposed new baseline time period required to apply for ILR is 10 years. Read: Britain to make refugee status temporary under asylum overhaul Step two: Ensure you meet core conduct and financial requirements All applicants face tighter conditions regarding financial history and criminal records. Applicants must demonstrate they meet the following baseline requirements: 1. Maintain a clean criminal record. 2. Pay payroll tax contributions for the past three years. 3. Owe no debt to the state, including debts to the Home Office or the National Health Service (NHS). Step three: Meet language proficiency standards You must provide proof of your English-language proficiency. If you can speak English to a higher standard than A-level, you will see the 10-year baseline period reduced to nine years. (Note that this benefit may not apply to those already on the three- or five-year tracks, but high-earners and Innovator/Global Talent visa holders face tighter conditions on English-language skills). Step four: Be aware of potential penalties The Home Office plans to introduce penalties which will be added to the baseline time period a person must wait. Ensure you have not taken actions that would delay your application: 1. Do not claim benefits: If a person has been claiming benefits for fewer than 12 months, they will receive a five-year penalty added to their waiting time. 2. Avoid prolonged welfare claims: Those claiming welfare for longer than 12 months will receive a 10-year penalty. 3. Do not arrive illegally: Any person who arrives through an illegal route, such as on small boats, will receive a penalty of 20 years on top of their 10-year baseline. Step five: Check for special circumstances While the high-earner route is a major change, certain groups remain on the five-year plan, or are excluded from the new system altogether: 1. Public Service Workers: If you work in public services above a certain level of seniority, such as doctors, nurses, and some education staff, you will remain on a five-year plan. 2. Exclusions: The new system will not apply to those who came to the UK fleeing persecution in Hong Kong on the British National (Overseas) route. It also does not apply to the family of British citizens. Those eligible for the Windrush Scheme or the EU Settlement Scheme will be considered separately. The fast-track plan appears to have largely eased fears among the best-paid white-collar workers who had relocated to Britain. For businesses, the move will help reduce immigration spending on highly paid talent. Note: This step-by-step guide is based on the changes to the UK immigration system laid out by Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood

from Latest World News, International News | Breaking World News https://ift.tt/7fpABcm

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

At least 32 miners dead after bridge fails at cobalt site in southeast DR Congo

A bridge collapsed at a cobalt mine in southeast Democratic Republic of Congo killing at least 32 wildcat miners, a regional government official said Sunday. The bridge came down Saturday onto a flooded zone at the mine in Lualaba province, Roy Kaumba Mayonde, the provincial interior minister, told reporters. He said 32 bodies had been recovered and more were being searched for. The DRC produces more than 70 percent of the world supply of cobalt, which is essential for batteries used in electric cars, many laptop computers and mobile phones. More than 200,000 people are estimated to be working in giant illegal cobalt mines in the giant central African country. Local authorities said the bridge collapsed at the Kalando mine, about 42 kilometres (26 miles) southeast of the Lualaba provincial capital, Kolwezi. "Despite a formal ban on access to the site because of the heavy rain and the risk of a landslide, wildcat miners forced their way into the quarry," said Mayonde. He said ...

Indian devotees splurge on jets, gold idols as Hindu temple opens

The private jet parking lots at airports near the Indian city of Ayodhya are full and the shops have run out of gold-plated idols, as wealthy devotees prepare for the invite-only opening ceremony of one of Hinduism's holiest temples. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Asia's richest man Mukesh Ambani are among the 8,000 or so attendees at Monday's inauguration event for the Ram Temple, which devotees believe is built on the birthplace of Lord Ram, a sacred Hindu deity. The construction of the temple, which began after the Supreme Court awarded the site to Hindus in 2019 more than two decades after a Hindu mob razed a mosque there, triggering deadly riots, fulfils a key campaign promise of Modi and his Hindu nationalist party. Read BJP-promised temple transforms Ayodhya: Muslims, locals feel neglected The opening ceremony, organised by the trust that built the temple, comes months before a national election which the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party is widely expected to w...

Vancouver tribunal says 'every dog is entitled to one bite' in injury case

A woman who sought nearly $5,000 in damages after being bitten by a dog on Christmas Eve has had her claim dismissed, after a British Columbia tribunal ruled the incident amounted to an accident — and that “every dog is entitled to one bite.” Ying Shen was bitten on the hand by a mini Australian Shepherd named Juliet as she stepped out of an elevator in her apartment building in Vancouver on 24 December 2022. The dog, which was leashed and accompanied by neighbour Jeffrey Dale Polo, bit Shen as the two passed each other in the corridor. According to the B.C. Civil Resolution Tribunal’s decision, Polo apologised, saying Juliet was “usually well behaved.” Shen sought medical attention that night at St. Paul’s Hospital, where she was treated for a superficial abrasion and given a tetanus shot. She later filed a report with the City of Vancouver. A bylaw officer determined that Juliet was not considered dangerous under city regulations, though the dog was found to be unlicensed. In his 5 M...