Skip to main content

How a glacier collapse may have caused Nepal-Tibet disaster

A huge piece of ice that fell thousands of metres from a glacier into a river below may have unleashed the disaster in Nepal and Tibet that killed at least 180 people. Here is what experts believe happened so far: Glacier collapse A glacier collapse in Nepal's mountains near Tibet appears to have triggered the disaster. "A large chunk of glacier fell from about 5,200 metres (about 17,600 feet)... into a valley," said Simon Cox, principal scientist at New Zealand's GNS Science. It "transformed into this raging mass of debris... where it picks up rocks and sediment and trees and anything in the way and fires it on down through the canyon," he told AFP. The wall of water first impacted a border post, as documented in terrifying CCTV footage showing mud and debris engulfing the area as people fled before it. It then travelled downstream into Nepal, flooding villages and bringing down bridges and buildings. Seismic activity The glacier collapse was l...
Post a Comment

What are H-1B visas for skilled workers and what changes loom?

US employers seeking to hire skilled foreign workers can use the federal government's H-1B visa program for a fee, allowing tech and other professionals from abroad to work in the United States for a few years. US President Donald Trump, who has pursued a ​broad immigration crackdown since taking office last year, has lambasted the program and wants to permanently raise the fee ‌from between $2,000 and $5,000 to more than $100,000 Despite criticism that some companies use the visas to hire lower-paid foreign workers instead of Americans, business groups and companies say they help recruit highly skilled professionals and address a lack of qualified US workers in some industries. The visas, established by Congress in 1990, are especially critical for ​tech companies seeking to recruit from India and China. Consultancy companies such as Deloitte, PwC and Ernst & Young, as well as outsourcing ​giants such as Tata Consultancy Services, Infosys, HCL Tech and LTIMindtree, are also top H1-B sponsors. Here are more ⁠details about the program and what changes are happening under the Trump administration: Who is fighting over the fees? Trump last year dramatically raised ​the cost of H-1B visas to $100,000, prompting several lawsuits. While his initial fee increase is set to expire in September, the Department of Homeland Security this ​week proposed raising it to a permanent $103,265. A group representing India's technology companies has said it is engaging with US stakeholders over the proposed increase, and urged the administration to consider the benefits it offers companies seeking to temporarily address worker shortages. Read: Trump administration moves to impose more than $100,000 fee for H-1B worker visas Tesla, Amazon, OpenAI and other companies have all faced questions over their H-1B visa use, ​especially amid US layoffs and a tighter job market facing American workers. Could existing lawsuits challenge the new rule? A Boston-based appeals court ​is reviewing a June decision by a federal judge who ruled that the fee was illegal and blocked the Trump administration from collecting it. Another court is also ‌considering ⁠whether a judge properly rejected a challenge to the fee by the US Chamber of Commerce, the largest US business lobbying group. Democratic-led states as well as a coalition of unions and employers have also filed lawsuits. The pending legal cases could be amended to challenge this week's proposed rule after it is finalised. How is enhanced vetting hitting employers? Changes to how potential visa holders are scrutinised and processed have impacted companies' hiring ​and expansion plans, with some ​top H-1B users, such as ⁠Google, moving to increase operations in India. Trump's administration in December said it would increase its vetting of H-1B applicants with a particular focus on what it deemed censorship and free speech. Read More: Trump criticises Canada over tariffs amid ongoing trade dispute The State Department ordered US consulates ​to scrutinise the applicants' LinkedIn profiles and resumes as well as those of any accompanying family ​members for all ⁠visa applicants but particularly those with technology backgrounds seeking H-1Bs who may have been "involved in the suppression of protected expression." How are registration numbers being impacted? The H-1B program offers 65,000 visas annually, with another 20,000 for workers with advanced degrees, typically granted for three years and renewable to ⁠six. As of ​late February, about 70 employers had paid the $100,000 fee on a total of ​85 visa applications, court filings show. Employers last year registered for about 344,000 H-1B visas, down more than 25% from 2024 and fewer than half of the 759,000 visas ​sought in 2023, from US Citizenship and Immigration Services shows.

from Latest World News, International News | Breaking World News https://ift.tt/wMUepql
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

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 ...
Post a Comment
Read more

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...
Post a Comment
Read more

Arab countries, Pakistan likely to observe Eid on same day

The International Astronomy Centre confirmed on Wednesday that the crescent moon of Shawwal will be impossible to sight on Saturday, March 29, across all regions of the Arab and Islamic world. This is due to the moon setting before the sun, with the conjunction occurring after sunset. As a result, observing the crescent moon, whether by the naked eye, telescopes, or other means, will be unfeasible on March 29. For countries requiring an actual sighting to mark the start of Shawwal, Ramadan will likely extend to 30 days, with Eid Al Fitr falling on Monday, March 31. However, in some regions where the conjunction occurs before sunset, allowing the moon to set after sunset, some countries may choose to declare Eid on Sunday, March 30, following traditional moon-sighting practices. Notably, a partial solar eclipse will be visible at noon on Saturday in parts of the western Arab world, including Mauritania, Morocco, Algeria, and Tunisia. This event serves as definitive proof that the cresce...
Post a Comment
Read more