뉴스

Varanasi to shift meat, fish shops out of city

Steelers linebacker draws trade interest from Eagles, Bills, 49ers, and Commanders.

Trade rumors around Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker Alex Highsmith are gaining momentum after Nick Herbig’s reported four-year, $100 million extension raised questions about the team’s long-term defensive plans. NFL insider Jason La Canfora reported that the Washington Commanders, Philadelphia Eagles, Buffalo Bills, and San Francisco 49ers are monitoring Highsmith’s situation closely. While Pittsburgh is not actively shopping the 28-year-old pass rusher, his contract, roster fit, and growing league interest could make him a realistic trade candidate later this offseason.

US lawmakers cheer as court blocks $100K H-1B fee

A chorus of US lawmakers from across the political spectrum has come out in support of a federal court order dismantling a proposed USD 100,000 H-1B visa application fee, even as the White House prepares to challenge the judicial setback in the appeals court. Breaking ranks with the executive branch, several Republican lawmakers backed the decision by shifting the spotlight away from the information technology sector, which heavily utilises this visa category, and focusing instead on how the massive financial penalty would cripple healthcare systems and educational institutions in remote regions. These conservative representatives pointed out that employers in rural areas depend heavily on international professionals to fill severe staffing voids. Stressing the severe local impact, Republican Senator Lisa Murkowski from Alaska emphasised that the issue transcended partisan politics in her state. She pointed out that the judicial intervention arrived at a pivotal juncture as academic institutions actively finalise their faculty rosters for the upcoming school term. Senator Murkowski stated, "Many school districts in rural and remote parts of the state rely on the H-1B visa programme to bring quality teachers to their communities." Unmoved by the legislative backlash, the White House strongly dug in its heels to defend the executive measure and signalled immediate plans to get the ruling overturned. White House spokesperson Taylor Rogers argued, "The H-1B programme has been abused for decades, and President Trump finally took action to fix it." Expressing absolute confidence in a legal reversal, Rogers added, "A federal judge in Washington already upheld a nearly identical order, and the administration is confident this order will be reversed on appeal." Conversely, the political opposition welcomed the court's intervention as necessary relief for critical public infrastructure. Democratic Congressman Don Beyer praised the judgment, warning that the steep executive fee would have slammed healthcare facilities already pushed to the brink by severe personnel deficits with unsustainable operational costs. Echoing this sentiment from across the aisle, Republican Congressman Mike Lawler also threw his weight behind the judicial freeze. He highlighted his own ongoing, cross-party legislative efforts to shield medical personnel from the financial burden. Congressman Lawler noted, "I have been working to exempt healthcare workers from this fee that only exacerbates the current staffing shortages in healthcare. That's why I introduced the bipartisan H-1Bs for Physicians and the Healthcare Workforce Act. While we continue to push this legislation through Congress, this ruling is welcome news." Further criticising the administration's economic logic, Congressman Sanford D. Bishop Jr. cautioned that the premium pricing would effectively slam the door on global talent, hurting domestic growth. Congressman Bishop argued, "The USD 100,000 fee for employers' H-1B applications would have discouraged the best and the brightest from coming to America and helping our economy grow and innovate." The legal architects behind the successful lawsuit also celebrated the verdict. Leading the state-level resistance, California Attorney General Rob Bonta remarked that the executive fiscal policy directly undermined the nation's capacity to import specialised professionals for sectors struggling with systemic labour deficits. Bonta stated, "This tax was an attack on America's ability to attract and retain the high-skilled talent that strengthens our economy and helps us meet critical workforce needs." Validating the multi-state legal push, New Jersey Attorney General Jennifer Davenport expressed an identical view, noting that the judiciary clearly agreed that the executive branch had completely overreached its mandate by attempting to levy the financial requirement on H-1B petitioners. However, the Republican consensus on the matter remained fractured. Voices from the conservative wing, like Arizona Congressman Eli Crane, explicitly denounced the ruling. Crane, who has been aggressively pushing for restrictive immigration overhauls, bypassed the judicial roadblock to call for a definitive legislative remedy. Congressman Crane stated, "Although an activist judge blocked President Trump's reforms to the H-1B program, Congress can fix it without judicial obstruction. Urge your representative to cosponsor the End H-1B Visa Abuse Act of 2026, which halts and significantly reforms this broken system." This highly publicised judicial verdict represents a major blow to the Trump administration's broader strategy aimed at restricting employment-driven immigration channels and creating steep hurdles for US employers trying to onboard international professionals. The development has triggered significant interest in India, given that the H-1B framework serves as a vital pipeline for the Indian workforce to access lucrative professional opportunities in the US. The non-immigrant work permit enables US corporations to recruit overseas experts with niche expertise across highly technical fields, including technology, engineering, healthcare, and finance. Because of India's robust talent pool in these specialised industries, Indian citizens systematically secure the lion's share of the total H-1B allocations distributed on an annual basis, making any disruption to the fee structure a critical economic talking point for New Delhi. Structurally, the H-1B visa has long solidified its status as an essential foundation for the American guest-worker immigration model. Under the statutory guidelines, the US government caps the yearly allocation at 65,000 standard permits, while reserving an extra 20,000 slots specifically for candidates who have earned advanced graduate degrees from US institutions. Data provided by immigration advocacy group FWD.us reveals the massive scale of this demographic, noting that approximately 730,000 H-1B visa holders reside across the US, living alongside an estimated 550,000 dependents, which includes their spouses and children.

Visakhapatnam Steel Plant accident: eight feared dead in ladle blast, fire at SMS-1

A ladle of liquid steel explodes at the Continuous Casting Department, sparking a fire and spilling molten steel across the shop floor at the RINL-run plant

Visakhapatnam Steel Plant accident: 8 killed after hot liquid metal spills on workers

A tragic accident at Vizag Steel Plant claimed eight lives and injured six workers. A hot metal ladle fell, causing a massive fire in Steel Melting Shop One. Bodies are difficult to identify due to severe burns. Injured workers are receiving treatment for extensive burns. This incident is the plant's worst since a 2012 explosion.

Shut but open: closure of TASMAC liquor shops in Tamil Nadu

Every time a new party comes to power, closing liquor shops becomes one of its standard promises. But shops are eventually opened in other locations. Is the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam government’s decision to shut 717 liquor shops near educational institutions and places of worship going to be any different, people wonder

Philadelphia Eagles linked to blockbuster trade for $20 million Las Vegas Raiders star

Rumors are growing around a potential blockbuster trade between the Philadelphia Eagles and Las Vegas Raiders involving five-time Pro Bowler Maxx Crosby. ESPN analyst Bart Scott believes Eagles GM Howie Roseman could make another aggressive move after missing out on Myles Garrett. While the Raiders are not actively shopping Crosby, Philadelphia reportedly remains interested if Las Vegas struggles early this season.

Retired Archbishop Mallavarapu Prakash passes away

Varanasi To Shift All Meat And Fish Shops Outside City Limits, Civic Body Approves Plan

Varanasi Municipal Corporation approves shifting all city meat and fish shops to designated outskirts zones to improve sanitation.

Watch: Massive fire guts 13 shops in J&K's Poonch, engulfs Bufliaz Central Market

12 shops gutted in Poonch fire; locals allege delayed firefighting response

12 shops gutted in Poonch fire; locals allege delayed firefighting response

Varanasi to move all meat and fish shops to city outskirts

Varanasi to move all meat and fish shops to city outskirts

Varanasi civic body approves shifting of meat, fish shops to city outskirts

The move is aimed at improving sanitation and streamlining the functioning of such markets while ensuring continued access to consumers

Massive Fire Burns Down 8 Shops In Jammu And Kashmir's Poonch District

The fire at Bufliaz market caused extensive damage to property.

Fire guts dozen shops in J-K's Poonch

Telangana DCA issues notices to 41 online pharmacy-linked medical shops after statewide inspections

The inspections covered 166 medical shops, including 159 establishments associated with online medicine delivery services and 7 shops linked to online business-to-business (B2B) platforms such as IndiaMART

Shut but open | T.N.’s closure of liquor shops

Every time a new party comes to power, closing liquor shops becomes one of its standard promises. But shops are eventually opened in other locations. Is the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam government’s decision to shut 717 liquor shops near educational institutions and places of worship going to be any different, people wonder

"Arrest Liquor Shop Leakages": Vijay's Big Crackdown On 'Party Fund' System

Vijay had ordered the closure of 717 TASMAC retail shops across state.

Shut but open

Every time a new party comes to power, closing liquor shops becomes one of its standard promises. But shops are eventually opened in other locations. Is the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam government’s decision to shut 717 liquor shops near educational institutions and places of worship going to be any different, people wonder

Cooking oils: India sets standard packing

Bengaluru: India has ordered cooking oil ​makers and importers ​to sell their products only in ​a fixed set of pack sizes, a move the government said on Saturday would help shoppers compare prices ‌across brands ⁠more ⁠easily.The order targets a common pricing tactic in the ​world's most populous nation, where oils sold in odd, ​non-standard sizes leave buyers unable to tell which brand offers the best value for a ​kitchen staple.Read more: Consumer sector beats expectations but faces commodity crunch from Q2, warns BofA SecuritiesHere are the details:⁠Packaging will ‌be limited to nine standard ​sizes ​ranging from 200 millilitres to 20 ⁠litres, replacing the varied volumes currently available.​The rules apply to both domestically ​produced and imported edible oils, and cover major varieties including palm, soybean, sunflower, mustard and groundnut.Companies have been given three months to switch to the new sizes.131552264Packages ‌that declare their contents by volume must also state the equivalent weight, ​a step ​the government ⁠said would further aid price comparison.Containers smaller than 200 millilitres and minor edible oils have been ​exempted to keep affordable small packs on shelves.Read more: RBI says 4% inflation target not in abeyance; future rate action tied to price persistenceThe decision followed consultations with industry associations representing nearly 90% of India's edible oil sector, the Department of Consumer Affairs said.