After Visa and Mastercard suspended operations, Russian banks said that now they planned to issue cards using China's UnionPay system. Russian lenders like Sberbank and Alfa-Bank said that they are working on a rollout of UnionPay cards. 
Sberbank, in a statement said, "Sberbank is working on the possibility of issuing co-branded Mir-UnionPay cards. We will inform you later about the timeframe for the issue."&nbsp;

Meanwhile, Alfa Bank said that it is "already working on launching cards on UnionPay, China's national payment system".

As per Russian news agencies, Rosbank, Tinkoff Bank, and the Credit Bank of Moscow (MKB) are also working on releasing UnionPay cards.&nbsp;

Visa and Mastercard on Saturday announced that they will suspend operations in Russia.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/live-russia-claims-to-have-besieged-two-big-cities-in-ukraine-455211">Also read |&nbsp;LIVE | Russia planning to bomb port city of Odessa, alleges Zelensky</a>

"Noting the unprecedented nature of the current conflict and the uncertain economic environment," Mastercard said it had "decided to suspend our network services in Russia."

Visa, on the other hand, said that "effective immediately" it would "work with its clients and partners within Russia to cease all Visa transactions over the coming days."

As per the White House, US President Joe Biden, during a conversation with Volodymyr Zelenskyy, welcomed the decisions of Visa and Mastercard to suspend services in Russia.&nbsp;

"President Biden highlighted the ongoing actions undertaken by the United States, its allies and partners, and private industry to raise the costs on Russia for its aggression in Ukraine. In particular, he welcomed the decision this evening by Visa and Mastercard to suspend service in Russia," the White House said in a statement.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

After Visa and Mastercard suspended operations, Russian banks said that now they planned to issue cards using China's UnionPay system. Russian lenders like Sberbank and Alfa-Bank said that they are working on a rollout of UnionPay cards.

After Visa and Mastercard suspended operations, Russian banks said that now they planned to issue cards using China's UnionPay system. Russian lenders like Sberbank and Alfa-Bank said that they are working on a rollout of UnionPay cards. Sberbank, in a statement said, "Sberbank is working on the possibility of issuing co-branded Mir-UnionPay cards. We will inform you later about the timeframe for the issue." Meanwhile, Alfa Bank said that it is "already working on launching cards on UnionPay, China's national payment system". As per Russian news agencies, Rosbank, Tinkoff Bank, and the Credit Bank of Moscow (MKB) are also working on releasing UnionPay cards. Visa and Mastercard on Saturday announced that they will suspend operations in Russia. Also read | LIVE | Russia planning to bomb port city of Odessa, alleges Zelensky "Noting the unprecedented nature of the current conflict and the uncertain economic environment," Mastercard said it had "decided to suspend our network services in Russia." Visa, on the other hand, said that "effective immediately" it would "work with its clients and partners within Russia to cease all Visa transactions over the coming days." As per the White House, US President Joe Biden, during a conversation with Volodymyr Zelenskyy, welcomed the decisions of Visa and Mastercard to suspend services in Russia. "President Biden highlighted the ongoing actions undertaken by the United States, its allies and partners, and private industry to raise the costs on Russia for its aggression in Ukraine. In particular, he welcomed the decision this evening by Visa and Mastercard to suspend service in Russia," the White House said in a statement. (With inputs from agencies)

After Visa, Mastercard suspension, Russia to issue cards using China's UnionPay

The US has received enough petitions needed to reach the congressionally mandated 65,000 H-1B visa cap for the fiscal year 2022, a federal agency has announced.

The H-1B visa is a non-immigrant visa that allows US companies to employ foreign workers in speciality occupations that require theoretical or technical expertise. Technology companies depend on it to hire tens of thousands of employees each year from countries like India and China.

The H-1B visa programme is the most sought-after work visa among foreign professionals, including Indians.

As mandated by the US Congress, the US can issue a maximum of 65,000 H-1B visa regular cap and another 20,000 H-1B visa US advanced degree exemption categories every year.&nbsp;

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/shelling-in-ukraine-kills-indian-student-who-was-out-to-buy-grocery-457786">Indian student dies in Ukraine, caught in shelling while out for grocery</a>

US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) which screens all such applications every year on Monday announced that it has received a sufficient number of petitions needed to reach the congressionally mandated 65,000 H-1B visa regular cap and the 20,000 H-1B visa US advanced degree exemption, known as the master's cap, for fiscal year (FY) 2022.&nbsp;

"We have completed sending non-selection notifications to registrants' online accounts. The status for registrations properly submitted for the FY 2022 H-1B numerical allocations, but that were not selected, will now show: Not Selected: Not selected ? not eligible to file an H-1B cap petition based on this registration,"&nbsp;it said.&nbsp;

The USCIS will continue to accept and process petitions that are otherwise exempt from the cap, it said.

"Petitions filed for current H-1B workers who have been counted previously against the cap, and who still retain their cap number, are exempt from the FY 2022 H-1B cap,"&nbsp;said the federal agency.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/china-to-exit-zero-covid-strategy-top-scientist-says-it-cannot-remain-unchanged-forever-457858">China to exit zero-Covid strategy? Top scientist says it cannot 'remain unchanged forever'</a>

Meanwhile, the USCIS will continue to accept and process petitions filed to extend the amount of time a current H-1B worker may remain in the US; change the terms of employment for current H-1B workers; allow current H-1B workers to change employers, and allow current H-1B workers to work concurrently in additional H-1B positions.

While the Congressional cap is 65,000; not all H-1B nonimmigrant visas (or status grants) are subject to this annual cap.

Notably, up to 6,800 visas are set aside from the 65,000 each fiscal year for the H-1B1 programme under the terms of the legislation implementing the US-Chile and U.S.-Singapore free trade agreements.

Unused visas in this group become available for H-1B use for the next fiscal year's regular H-1B cap.

The US has received enough petitions needed to reach the congressionally mandated 65,000 H-1B visa cap for the fiscal year 2022, a federal agency has announced. The H-1B visa is a non-immigrant visa that allows US companies to employ foreign workers in speciality occupations that require theoretical or technical expertise.

The US has received enough petitions needed to reach the congressionally mandated 65,000 H-1B visa cap for the fiscal year 2022, a federal agency has announced. The H-1B visa is a non-immigrant visa that allows US companies to employ foreign workers in speciality occupations that require theoretical or technical expertise. Technology companies depend on it to hire tens of thousands of employees each year from countries like India and China. The H-1B visa programme is the most sought-after work visa among foreign professionals, including Indians. As mandated by the US Congress, the US can issue a maximum of 65,000 H-1B visa regular cap and another 20,000 H-1B visa US advanced degree exemption categories every year. ALSO READ | Indian student dies in Ukraine, caught in shelling while out for grocery US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) which screens all such applications every year on Monday announced that it has received a sufficient number of petitions needed to reach the congressionally mandated 65,000 H-1B visa regular cap and the 20,000 H-1B visa US advanced degree exemption, known as the master's cap, for fiscal year (FY) 2022. "We have completed sending non-selection notifications to registrants' online accounts. The status for registrations properly submitted for the FY 2022 H-1B numerical allocations, but that were not selected, will now show: Not Selected: Not selected ? not eligible to file an H-1B cap petition based on this registration," it said. The USCIS will continue to accept and process petitions that are otherwise exempt from the cap, it said. "Petitions filed for current H-1B workers who have been counted previously against the cap, and who still retain their cap number, are exempt from the FY 2022 H-1B cap," said the federal agency. ALSO READ | China to exit zero-Covid strategy? Top scientist says it cannot 'remain unchanged forever' Meanwhile, the USCIS will continue to accept and process petitions filed to extend the amount of time a current H-1B worker may remain in the US; change the terms of employment for current H-1B workers; allow current H-1B workers to change employers, and allow current H-1B workers to work concurrently in additional H-1B positions. While the Congressional cap is 65,000; not all H-1B nonimmigrant visas (or status grants) are subject to this annual cap. Notably, up to 6,800 visas are set aside from the 65,000 each fiscal year for the H-1B1 programme under the terms of the legislation implementing the US-Chile and U.S.-Singapore free trade agreements. Unused visas in this group become available for H-1B use for the next fiscal year's regular H-1B cap.

United States reaches 65,000 H-1B visa cap for 2022: USCIS

The UK has scrapped its much-touted “golden visa” scheme that allows wealthy foreign nationals to settle in the country in exchange for bringing investment.

According to reports, the decision was taken to start a “renewed crackdown on illicit finance and fraud”, amid allegations of illicit finance linked to the Kremlin.

BBC reported that the announcement was expected as pressure was growing on UK ministers to cut ties with Russia over the threat of invasion of Ukraine.

The “golden visa” scheme was introduced in 2008 to encourage wealthy people from outside the EU to invest in the UK.

The Tier 1 (investor) visa offered residency to those investing £2m or more in the UK.&nbsp;It also allowed&nbsp;their families to join them.

Holders of these visas can then apply for permanent residency in the UK, at a speed depending on how much they invest.

But the UK government decided to close down the residency scheme saying that it “failed to deliver for the UK people and gave opportunities for corrupt elites to access the UK”.

“I have zero tolerance for abuse of our immigration system. Under my new plan for Immigration, I want to ensure the British people have confidence in the system, including stopping corrupt elites who threaten our national security and push dirty money around our cities,” British Home Secretary Priti Patel said on Thursday.

“Closing this route is just the start of our renewed crackdown on fraud and illicit finance,” she added.

Patel said it was just the start of their government’s action plan against fraud, and that an Economic Crime Bill is in the offing that “will crack down on people abusing our financial institutions and better protect the taxpayer.”

(With inputs from agencies)

The UK has scrapped its much-touted “golden visa” scheme that allows wealthy foreign nationals to settle in the country in exchange for bringing investment. According to reports, the decision was taken to start a “renewed crackdown on illicit finance and fraud”, amid allegations of illicit finance linked to the Kremlin.

The UK has scrapped its much-touted “golden visa” scheme that allows wealthy foreign nationals to settle in the country in exchange for bringing investment. According to reports, the decision was taken to start a “renewed crackdown on illicit finance and fraud”, amid allegations of illicit finance linked to the Kremlin. BBC reported that the announcement was expected as pressure was growing on UK ministers to cut ties with Russia over the threat of invasion of Ukraine. The “golden visa” scheme was introduced in 2008 to encourage wealthy people from outside the EU to invest in the UK. The Tier 1 (investor) visa offered residency to those investing £2m or more in the UK. It also allowed their families to join them. Holders of these visas can then apply for permanent residency in the UK, at a speed depending on how much they invest. But the UK government decided to close down the residency scheme saying that it “failed to deliver for the UK people and gave opportunities for corrupt elites to access the UK”. “I have zero tolerance for abuse of our immigration system. Under my new plan for Immigration, I want to ensure the British people have confidence in the system, including stopping corrupt elites who threaten our national security and push dirty money around our cities,” British Home Secretary Priti Patel said on Thursday. “Closing this route is just the start of our renewed crackdown on fraud and illicit finance,” she added. Patel said it was just the start of their government’s action plan against fraud, and that an Economic Crime Bill is in the offing that “will crack down on people abusing our financial institutions and better protect the taxpayer.” (With inputs from agencies)

UK scraps ‘golden visas’ for ultra-rich foreign investors amid crack down on Russian money

Australia has cancelled Tennis star Novak Djokovic's visa for the second time. The World no. 1 will be moved to immigration detention in all likelihood. Will Djokovic be deported? Or will he defend his Australian Open title? Palki Sharma brings you a report.

Gravitas: Double Fault: Australia cancels Djokovic's visa for second time

The Australian Immigration Minister Alex Hawke has cancelled Novak Djokovic's visa for a second time on Friday, saying the World No. 1 is unvaccinated for COVID-19 and may pose a risk to the community.

Australia's immigration minister Alex Hawke cancels Djokovic's visa

The Australian government has once again cancelled the visa of Novak Djokovic, saying the vaccine-sceptic tennis superstar may pose a risk to the community.

Australia cancels Novak Djokovic’s visa again, agrees to delay deportation

Novak Djokovic was granted the permission to be released immediately from detention by the judge on Monday (January 10). The Serbian won a court battle against the cancellation of his Australian visa and the judge overturned his deportation orders by saying that the government's decision was 'unreasonable' and also ordered the federal government to pay all the legal costs for Djokovic's stay in Melbourne.

The top-ranked tennis star left his immigration hotel immediately after the court hearing. For the unversed, he was detained after his visa was cancelled on arrival in Melbourne for the Australian Open 2022. He had an exemption from the Victorian government for Covid vaccination, however, it was deemed unsatisfactory after which he was in detention.

It is still unclear whether Djokovic will participate in the year's first-ever Grand Slam, i.e. the Aus Open, and if the government will continue legal proceedings against him. Australia's immigration minister and govt lawyer is now considering re-cancelling Djokovic's visa under the country's immigration laws, which gives him immense power to cancel visas under any condition. If this happens, Djokovic will be banned from entering the country for three long years.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/biggest-victory-in-his-career-bigger-than-all-grand-slams-says-djokovics-family-after-courts-decision-443687">Biggest victory in his career, bigger than all Grand Slams, says Djokovic's family after court's decision</a>

Sheding light on the whole matter post the court hearing, Scott Spits -- the sports reporter from Australia's Daily The Age -- told WION, "The situation is truly damaging. The Australian govt doesn't look good whoever is watching story from abroad. &nbsp;There might&nbsp;be another steps as being mentioned in the government report to reinforce the visa cancellation. But the situation is really very damaging for the Australian government."

He added, "It will come down to how strong the federal government&nbsp;believes they should maintain the decision of cancelling his visa.&nbsp;Djokovic would have gone with some public support given what he's really gone through. Look this is election due this year so&nbsp;they need to work out how strongly they want to&nbsp;push the case."

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/6IJyWF283tQ" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

"The judge today overturned the government decision essentially what was perhaps considered technicality. That's why immigration minister might take the additional step to try and&nbsp;cancel the visa again. It is possible," he signed off.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/pleased-and-grateful-novak-djokovic-tweets-after-his-visa-cancellation-is-revoked-ahead-of-australian-open-443666">'Pleased and grateful': Novak Djokovic tweets after his visa cancellation is revoked ahead of Australian Open</a>

Djokovic has, meanwhile, commenced his training for the forthcoming Aus Open as soon as he was released from the immigration hotel. However, there is no confirmation whether he will be able to participate and bid for his 21st Grand Slam title. As of now, Djokovic, Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal are all tied at 20 grand slam titles each.

Novak Djokovic was granted the permission to be released immediately from detention by the judge on Monday (January 10). The Serbian won a court battle against the cancellation of his Australian visa and the judge overturned his deportation orders by saying that the government's decision was 'unreasonable' and also ordered the federal government to pay all the legal costs for Djokovic's stay in Melbourne.

Novak Djokovic was granted the permission to be released immediately from detention by the judge on Monday (January 10). The Serbian won a court battle against the cancellation of his Australian visa and the judge overturned his deportation orders by saying that the government's decision was 'unreasonable' and also ordered the federal government to pay all the legal costs for Djokovic's stay in Melbourne. The top-ranked tennis star left his immigration hotel immediately after the court hearing. For the unversed, he was detained after his visa was cancelled on arrival in Melbourne for the Australian Open 2022. He had an exemption from the Victorian government for Covid vaccination, however, it was deemed unsatisfactory after which he was in detention. It is still unclear whether Djokovic will participate in the year's first-ever Grand Slam, i.e. the Aus Open, and if the government will continue legal proceedings against him. Australia's immigration minister and govt lawyer is now considering re-cancelling Djokovic's visa under the country's immigration laws, which gives him immense power to cancel visas under any condition. If this happens, Djokovic will be banned from entering the country for three long years. ALSO READ | Biggest victory in his career, bigger than all Grand Slams, says Djokovic's family after court's decision Sheding light on the whole matter post the court hearing, Scott Spits -- the sports reporter from Australia's Daily The Age -- told WION, "The situation is truly damaging. The Australian govt doesn't look good whoever is watching story from abroad. There might be another steps as being mentioned in the government report to reinforce the visa cancellation. But the situation is really very damaging for the Australian government." He added, "It will come down to how strong the federal government believes they should maintain the decision of cancelling his visa. Djokovic would have gone with some public support given what he's really gone through. Look this is election due this year so they need to work out how strongly they want to push the case." × "The judge today overturned the government decision essentially what was perhaps considered technicality. That's why immigration minister might take the additional step to try and cancel the visa again. It is possible," he signed off. ALSO READ | 'Pleased and grateful': Novak Djokovic tweets after his visa cancellation is revoked ahead of Australian Open Djokovic has, meanwhile, commenced his training for the forthcoming Aus Open as soon as he was released from the immigration hotel. However, there is no confirmation whether he will be able to participate and bid for his 21st Grand Slam title. As of now, Djokovic, Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal are all tied at 20 grand slam titles each.

Situation truly damaging: Melbourne-based journalist on Djokovic's Aus Open saga post court hearing

Canada has made a record by inviting nearly 400,000 new permanent residents in the country in the year 2021. Breaking its all-time record, this is the second time that the country has been able to achieve this figure since its foundation in 1867.<o:p></o:p>

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) confirmed the news in a press release. <o:p></o:p>

"To support Canada’s post-pandemic recovery and chart a more prosperous future, the Government of Canada set a target of welcoming 401,000 new permanent residents in 2021, as part of the 2021–2023 Immigration Levels Plan," the release stated. "The Honourable Sean Fraser, Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship, today announced that Canada has reached its target and welcomed more than 401,000 new permanent residents in 2021. Surpassing the previous record from 1913, this is the most newcomers in a year in Canadian history."<o:p></o:p>

The goal was set by the authorities a little before the coronavirus pandemic began. The original goal was to welcome nearly 341,000 new residents in the year 2020 but Canada was only able to achieve 184,000 due to the onset of the pandemic-cause lockdown.

<o:p></o:p>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/nS9lX6R0scQ" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

However, the authorities doubled their efforts to reach the target and help people come to Canada. This brought in the new target figure of 401,000 new immigrants.<o:p></o:p>

"This historic achievement is particularly significant in the face of the pandemic’s many challenges. From closed borders to domestic lockdowns, global migration has been upended by COVID-19," the release read. "But the employees of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) rose to the occasion and processed a record half a million applications in 2021. To achieve this, IRCC added resources, embraced new technology and brought more processes online. These changes are all permanent improvements to Canada’s immigration system."<o:p></o:p>

However, given the pandemic, Canadian authorities played smart and focused majorly on immigrants who were already residing in the country on study, business, work or tourist visas. They started helping make those immigrants have a swift transition in addition to helping those coming from abroad. <o:p></o:p>

According per the technicality, a landing can be considered if a personal comes to Canada from abroad or is currently in the country on temporary visas and gains the resident status from within the borders. Officials used this technicality and considering that people residing in Canada are less affected by Covid disruptions and travel restrictions, the officials were able to hand out more number of permanent visas.<o:p></o:p>

"As we continue to struggle with the pandemic, we made the most of the talent already within our borders. The majority of these new permanent residents were already in Canada on temporary status," the release explained. "Most notably, we launched new programs to engage essential workers, health care professionals, international graduates and French-speaking newcomers. Family reunification is another pillar of our system, and we reunited spouses and children while enabling more families to sponsor parents and grandparents. Finally, with many countries closing their doors to refugees, we continued to offer the world’s most vulnerable shelter in Canada."<o:p></o:p>

Canada has made a record by inviting nearly 400,000 new permanent residents in the country in the year 2021. Breaking its all-time record, this is the second time that the country has been able to achieve this figure since its foundation in 1867.

Canada has made a record by inviting nearly 400,000 new permanent residents in the country in the year 2021. Breaking its all-time record, this is the second time that the country has been able to achieve this figure since its foundation in 1867. Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) confirmed the news in a press release. "To support Canada’s post-pandemic recovery and chart a more prosperous future, the Government of Canada set a target of welcoming 401,000 new permanent residents in 2021, as part of the 2021–2023 Immigration Levels Plan," the release stated. "The Honourable Sean Fraser, Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship, today announced that Canada has reached its target and welcomed more than 401,000 new permanent residents in 2021. Surpassing the previous record from 1913, this is the most newcomers in a year in Canadian history." The goal was set by the authorities a little before the coronavirus pandemic began. The original goal was to welcome nearly 341,000 new residents in the year 2020 but Canada was only able to achieve 184,000 due to the onset of the pandemic-cause lockdown. × However, the authorities doubled their efforts to reach the target and help people come to Canada. This brought in the new target figure of 401,000 new immigrants. "This historic achievement is particularly significant in the face of the pandemic’s many challenges. From closed borders to domestic lockdowns, global migration has been upended by COVID-19," the release read. "But the employees of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) rose to the occasion and processed a record half a million applications in 2021. To achieve this, IRCC added resources, embraced new technology and brought more processes online. These changes are all permanent improvements to Canada’s immigration system." However, given the pandemic, Canadian authorities played smart and focused majorly on immigrants who were already residing in the country on study, business, work or tourist visas. They started helping make those immigrants have a swift transition in addition to helping those coming from abroad. According per the technicality, a landing can be considered if a personal comes to Canada from abroad or is currently in the country on temporary visas and gains the resident status from within the borders. Officials used this technicality and considering that people residing in Canada are less affected by Covid disruptions and travel restrictions, the officials were able to hand out more number of permanent visas. "As we continue to struggle with the pandemic, we made the most of the talent already within our borders. The majority of these new permanent residents were already in Canada on temporary status," the release explained. "Most notably, we launched new programs to engage essential workers, health care professionals, international graduates and French-speaking newcomers. Family reunification is another pillar of our system, and we reunited spouses and children while enabling more families to sponsor parents and grandparents. Finally, with many countries closing their doors to refugees, we continued to offer the world’s most vulnerable shelter in Canada."

Canada sets record by granting permanent residency to over 400,000 in 2021

Visa and Mastercard are unhappy and have complaints about India backing for local rival RuPay, as Visa remains concerned that PM Modi has been promoting homegrown RuPay for years, posing a challenge to Visa and Mastercard in the fast-growing payments market.

Visa, MasterCard raises concern about promotion of Rupay

Is the rise of Rupay threatening Visa's market in India? A report claims that Visa has complained to the US government about India's "informal and formal" promotion of Rupay. In the past, Mastercard also has made similar complaints. Palki Sharma brings you a report.

Gravitas: Visa is unhappy about India's backing to Rupay

Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison said on Monday said that he will allow foreign visa holders to enter the country from the beginning of December. This comes in as the country takes further steps to restart international travel.

"The return of skilled workers and students to Australia is a major milestone in our pathway back," Morrison told reporters in Canberra.

Australia had shut its international border in May 2020 to curb the spread of growing coronavirus cases. However, the country allowed only restricted people to enter.

Australia has been fighting the problem of vaccine hesitancy and the officials have been urging locals to get vaccinated as soon as possible.

Also, Australia will be allowing in vaccinated tourists from South Korea and Japan beginning from the same date, that is, December 1.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/life-will-be-miserable-for-unvaccinated-people-warns-australian-medical-chief-429185">Also read |&nbsp;'Life will be miserable' for unvaccinated people, warns Australian medical chief</a>

The return of foreign students to Australia is being seen as a way of boosting the economy. Many Australian universities rely on foreign students.

As of now, Australia has a total of 199,659 Covid cases with nearly 2,000 fatalities.&nbsp;

Meanwhile, the head of the Australian Medical Association in Queensland had earlier warned that people who refuse Covid vaccinations in Australia will lead a lonely and miserable life. "Life will be miserable without being vaccinated. You won’t be able to hide," Dr Chris Perry said on a local news channel.

"You won’t be able to get a doctor to sign off that you got an exclusion" because there will be several restrictions. The doctors will be ordered to take immense care as all exclusion notices will be strictly looked at and doctors will be fined if any error is spotted in those exclusion certificates. He also added that the patients who are caught lying will be charged with fraud.

"There's a whole pile of issues, a whole pile of problems if you try and get around the system," Perry said.

Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison said on Monday said that he will allow foreign visa holders to enter the country from the beginning of December. This comes in as the country takes further steps to restart international travel.

Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison said on Monday said that he will allow foreign visa holders to enter the country from the beginning of December. This comes in as the country takes further steps to restart international travel. "The return of skilled workers and students to Australia is a major milestone in our pathway back," Morrison told reporters in Canberra. Australia had shut its international border in May 2020 to curb the spread of growing coronavirus cases. However, the country allowed only restricted people to enter. Australia has been fighting the problem of vaccine hesitancy and the officials have been urging locals to get vaccinated as soon as possible. Also, Australia will be allowing in vaccinated tourists from South Korea and Japan beginning from the same date, that is, December 1. Also read | 'Life will be miserable' for unvaccinated people, warns Australian medical chief The return of foreign students to Australia is being seen as a way of boosting the economy. Many Australian universities rely on foreign students. As of now, Australia has a total of 199,659 Covid cases with nearly 2,000 fatalities. Meanwhile, the head of the Australian Medical Association in Queensland had earlier warned that people who refuse Covid vaccinations in Australia will lead a lonely and miserable life. "Life will be miserable without being vaccinated. You won’t be able to hide," Dr Chris Perry said on a local news channel. "You won’t be able to get a doctor to sign off that you got an exclusion" because there will be several restrictions. The doctors will be ordered to take immense care as all exclusion notices will be strictly looked at and doctors will be fined if any error is spotted in those exclusion certificates. He also added that the patients who are caught lying will be charged with fraud. "There's a whole pile of issues, a whole pile of problems if you try and get around the system," Perry said.

'Major milestone': Australia eases travel restrictions as foreign visa holders allowed to enter the country

The UAE announced a new visa Sunday allowing foreigners to work in the country without being sponsored by an employer, loosening residency requirements in an attempt to boost economic growth.

Foreigners in the oil-rich United Arab Emirates are generally only given limited visas tied to their employment, and long-term residency is difficult to obtain.&nbsp;

But those holding the new "green visa" will be able to work without company sponsorship, and can sponsor their parents and children up to 25 years old, officials said.

"It targets highly skilled individuals, investors, businesspeople, entrepreneurs, as well exceptional students and postgraduates," said Minister of State for Foreign Trade Thani al-Zeyoudi.&nbsp;

Resource-rich Gulf countries such as the UAE are increasingly seeking to diversify their economies and reduce reliance on oil.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/at-least-600-taliban-fighters-killed-in-panjshir-clashes-against-resistance-forces-410830">Also read |&nbsp;UAE loosens residency requirements with 'green visa'</a>

The coronavirus pandemic has also impacted tourism and businesses in the UAE, whose economy was already slumping in recent years due to low oil prices.

In 2019, the UAE launched the 10-year "Golden visa" to attract wealthy individuals and highly skilled workers, the first such scheme in the Gulf.&nbsp;

Similar programmes have since been launched in other resource-rich Gulf countries, such as Saudi Arabia and Qatar.

Riyadh said in June 2019 that it will offer permanent residency for 800,000 riyals and a one-year renewable residency costing 100,000 riyals, allowing expats to do business and buy property without a Saudi sponsor.

Doha also flung open its property market to foreigners, with a scheme giving those buying homes or stores the right to longer-term or permanent residency permits.

Foreigners account for 90 percent of the 10 million population in the UAE, the Arab world's second-largest economy after neighbouring Saudi Arabia.&nbsp;

The UAE announced a new visa Sunday allowing foreigners to work in the country without being sponsored by an employer, loosening residency requirements in an attempt to boost economic growth.

The UAE announced a new visa Sunday allowing foreigners to work in the country without being sponsored by an employer, loosening residency requirements in an attempt to boost economic growth. Foreigners in the oil-rich United Arab Emirates are generally only given limited visas tied to their employment, and long-term residency is difficult to obtain. But those holding the new "green visa" will be able to work without company sponsorship, and can sponsor their parents and children up to 25 years old, officials said. "It targets highly skilled individuals, investors, businesspeople, entrepreneurs, as well exceptional students and postgraduates," said Minister of State for Foreign Trade Thani al-Zeyoudi. Resource-rich Gulf countries such as the UAE are increasingly seeking to diversify their economies and reduce reliance on oil. Also read | UAE loosens residency requirements with 'green visa' The coronavirus pandemic has also impacted tourism and businesses in the UAE, whose economy was already slumping in recent years due to low oil prices. In 2019, the UAE launched the 10-year "Golden visa" to attract wealthy individuals and highly skilled workers, the first such scheme in the Gulf. Similar programmes have since been launched in other resource-rich Gulf countries, such as Saudi Arabia and Qatar. Riyadh said in June 2019 that it will offer permanent residency for 800,000 riyals and a one-year renewable residency costing 100,000 riyals, allowing expats to do business and buy property without a Saudi sponsor. Doha also flung open its property market to foreigners, with a scheme giving those buying homes or stores the right to longer-term or permanent residency permits. Foreigners account for 90 percent of the 10 million population in the UAE, the Arab world's second-largest economy after neighbouring Saudi Arabia.

UAE loosens residency requirements with 'green visa'

The United Arab Emirates recently announced that it will resume issuing visas to all tourists who have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19 from Monday. This comes a month before Dubai hosts the delayed Expo 2020 trade fair.

The United Arab Emirates recently announced that it will resume issuing visas to all tourists who have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19 from Monday. This comes a month before Dubai hosts the delayed Expo 2020 trade fair. The move comes amid a drop in coronavirus infections in the region, after it reported less than 1,000 cases per day last week for the first time in months. The UAE's decision to reopen its doors to tourists from all countries was taken in order "to achieve sustainable recovery and economic growth", the official WAM news agency reported on Saturday. Those eligible would have to be fully inoculated with one of the Covid-19 vaccines approved by the World Health Organization, which include AstraZeneca, Johnson & Johnson, Moderna, Pfizer/BioNTech, Sinopharm and Sinovac. Also read | Chinese university asks colleges to compile list of LGTBQ+ students, stokes fears of ‘crackdown’ "The decision applies to citizens of all countries, including those arriving from previously banned countries," WAM said. It added, "Passengers arriving on tourist visas must take a mandatory PCR test at the airport," it added. The UAE is made up of seven emirates including the capital Abu Dhabi and Dubai. Dubai was last year counting on the six-month Dubai Expo 2020, delayed a year by the health crisis and now set to open in October, to attract millions of visitors and boost the economy. Heavily reliant on tourism, the emirate was one of the first destinations to open its doors to travellers, accepting tourists in July last year, just a few months after the pandemic took hold. Abu Dhabi, meanwhile, has been more cautious, opening up to some visitors only in December. The UAE has so far recorded more than 715,000 cases of COVID-19 infection, including 2,036 deaths.

UAE to resume visas for tourists vaccinated against COVID-19

Australia evacuated more than 50 female Afghan athletes and their dependents after lobbying by prominent figures from the sporting world, the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) reported on Tuesday.

Australia has for more than a week been evacuating its citizens and some of its former staff from its embassy after the Taliban seized control of the capital, Kabul, on August&nbsp;15.

About 1,000 people have been evacuated on Australian flights and the ABC reported that among them were about 50 female athletes and their dependents, after their plight had drawn the support of several prominent former sporting figures.

FIFPRO, the worldwide association for professional footballers that has also been heavily involved in efforts to get the athletes out, confirmed the group evacuation without giving numbers.

"We are grateful to the Australian government for evacuating a large number of women footballers and athletes from Afghanistan," FIFPRO said in a statement.&nbsp;

"These young women, both as athletes and activists, have been in a position of danger and on behalf of their peers around the world we thank the international community for coming to their aid."&nbsp;

Khalida Popal, a former Afghan women`s team captain now living in Denmark, hailed an important victory.

"The women footballers have been brave and strong in a moment of crisis and we hope they will have a better life outside Afghanistan," she said.

Nikki Dryden, who swam for Canada at two Olympic Games, worked with an Australian lawyer to complete the visa applications for the athletes, who included two Afghan Paralympians.

Amid fears a protracted visa process would scupper the plan, the refugee advocates secured the help of Australia`s former soccer captain, Craig Foster, the ABC reported.

The ABC said Foster lobbied Foreign Minister Marise Payne and Sports Minister Richard Colbeck.

Soon afterwards, the athletes secured visas and then managed to make it to the airport in Kabul for an evacuation flight out of Afghanistan.

FIFPRO thanked Foster and Dryden, among others, for their round-the-clock efforts and urged the international community to ensure the players received the help they needed in their new lives.

"There are also many athletes still at risk in Afghanistan and every effort should be made to offer them support," it added.

Representatives for Payne and Colbeck did not immediately respond to questions from Reuters. Foster did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Australia evacuated more than 50 female Afghan athletes and their dependents after lobbying by prominent figures from the sporting world, the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) reported on Tuesday.

Australia has for more than a week been evacuating its citizens and some of its former staff from its embassy after the Taliban seized control of the capital, Kabul, on August&nbsp;15.

About 1,000 people have been evacuated on Australian flights and the ABC reported that among them were about 50 female athletes and their dependents, after their plight had drawn the support of several prominent former sporting figures.

FIFPRO, the worldwide association for professional footballers that has also been heavily involved in efforts to get the athletes out, confirmed the group evacuation without giving numbers.

"We are grateful to the Australian government for evacuating a large number of women footballers and athletes from Afghanistan," FIFPRO said in a statement.

"These young women, both as athletes and activists, have been in a position of danger and on behalf of their peers around the world we thank the international community for coming to their aid."

Khalida Popal, a former Afghan women`s team captain now living in Denmark, hailed an important victory.

"The women footballers have been brave and strong in a moment of crisis and we hope they will have a better life outside Afghanistan," she said.

Nikki Dryden, who swam for Canada at two Olympic Games, worked with an Australian lawyer to complete the visa applications for the athletes, who included two Afghan Paralympians.

Amid fears a protracted visa process would scupper the plan, the refugee advocates secured the help of Australia`s former soccer captain, Craig Foster, the ABC reported.

The ABC said Foster lobbied Foreign Minister Marise Payne and Sports Minister Richard Colbeck.

Soon afterwards, the athletes secured visas and then managed to make it to the airport in Kabul for an evacuation flight out of Afghanistan.

FIFPRO thanked Foster and Dryden, among others, for their round-the-clock efforts and urged the international community to ensure the players received the help they needed in their new lives.

"There are also many athletes still at risk in Afghanistan and every effort should be made to offer them support," it added.

Representatives for Payne and Colbeck did not immediately respond to questions from Reuters. Foster did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

<o:p></o:p>

Australia evacuated more than 50 female Afghan athletes and their dependents after lobbying by prominent figures from the sporting world, the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) reported on Tuesday.

Australia evacuated more than 50 female Afghan athletes and their dependents after lobbying by prominent figures from the sporting world, the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) reported on Tuesday. Australia has for more than a week been evacuating its citizens and some of its former staff from its embassy after the Taliban seized control of the capital, Kabul, on August 15. About 1,000 people have been evacuated on Australian flights and the ABC reported that among them were about 50 female athletes and their dependents, after their plight had drawn the support of several prominent former sporting figures. FIFPRO, the worldwide association for professional footballers that has also been heavily involved in efforts to get the athletes out, confirmed the group evacuation without giving numbers. "We are grateful to the Australian government for evacuating a large number of women footballers and athletes from Afghanistan," FIFPRO said in a statement. "These young women, both as athletes and activists, have been in a position of danger and on behalf of their peers around the world we thank the international community for coming to their aid." Khalida Popal, a former Afghan women`s team captain now living in Denmark, hailed an important victory. "The women footballers have been brave and strong in a moment of crisis and we hope they will have a better life outside Afghanistan," she said. Nikki Dryden, who swam for Canada at two Olympic Games, worked with an Australian lawyer to complete the visa applications for the athletes, who included two Afghan Paralympians. Amid fears a protracted visa process would scupper the plan, the refugee advocates secured the help of Australia`s former soccer captain, Craig Foster, the ABC reported. The ABC said Foster lobbied Foreign Minister Marise Payne and Sports Minister Richard Colbeck. Soon afterwards, the athletes secured visas and then managed to make it to the airport in Kabul for an evacuation flight out of Afghanistan. FIFPRO thanked Foster and Dryden, among others, for their round-the-clock efforts and urged the international community to ensure the players received the help they needed in their new lives. "There are also many athletes still at risk in Afghanistan and every effort should be made to offer them support," it added. Representatives for Payne and Colbeck did not immediately respond to questions from Reuters. Foster did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Australia evacuated more than 50 female Afghan athletes and their dependents after lobbying by prominent figures from the sporting world, the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) reported on Tuesday. Australia has for more than a week been evacuating its citizens and some of its former staff from its embassy after the Taliban seized control of the capital, Kabul, on August 15. About 1,000 people have been evacuated on Australian flights and the ABC reported that among them were about 50 female athletes and their dependents, after their plight had drawn the support of several prominent former sporting figures. FIFPRO, the worldwide association for professional footballers that has also been heavily involved in efforts to get the athletes out, confirmed the group evacuation without giving numbers. "We are grateful to the Australian government for evacuating a large number of women footballers and athletes from Afghanistan," FIFPRO said in a statement. "These young women, both as athletes and activists, have been in a position of danger and on behalf of their peers around the world we thank the international community for coming to their aid." Khalida Popal, a former Afghan women`s team captain now living in Denmark, hailed an important victory. "The women footballers have been brave and strong in a moment of crisis and we hope they will have a better life outside Afghanistan," she said. Nikki Dryden, who swam for Canada at two Olympic Games, worked with an Australian lawyer to complete the visa applications for the athletes, who included two Afghan Paralympians. Amid fears a protracted visa process would scupper the plan, the refugee advocates secured the help of Australia`s former soccer captain, Craig Foster, the ABC reported. The ABC said Foster lobbied Foreign Minister Marise Payne and Sports Minister Richard Colbeck. Soon afterwards, the athletes secured visas and then managed to make it to the airport in Kabul for an evacuation flight out of Afghanistan. FIFPRO thanked Foster and Dryden, among others, for their round-the-clock efforts and urged the international community to ensure the players received the help they needed in their new lives. "There are also many athletes still at risk in Afghanistan and every effort should be made to offer them support," it added. Representatives for Payne and Colbeck did not immediately respond to questions from Reuters. Foster did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Australia evacuates more than 50 female Afghan athletes and dependents

Around 22 Afghan students, who are enrolled in Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) in Indian capital New Delhi, don’t want to go back, and sought extension of visas through academic courses.&nbsp;

These students from Afghanistan are worried as the Taliban has taken control of the country and their visa tenure in India is about to expire within months. The limit for visa of most of these foreign students is getting over by December this year. &nbsp;

With the situation in Afghanistan turning volatile, these students don’t want to go back and want to extend their visa through academic courses, such as a PhD, an ANI report said.&nbsp;

"For a war-torn country like Afghanistan, most of the people are extensively unemployed and trying to escape from either death or captivity. Arranging a 'hefty fee' seems impossible," said some Afghan students in JNU.&nbsp;

A JNU student, Jalaluddin, said, "Situation is extremely critical there. I am hoping that the administration will understand our situation and extend my visa permit. Also, PhD in JNU is highly expensive for foreign nationals, and for poor families that are certainly not the possible way out. However, at present, I really don't know what to do."&nbsp;

If a student’s visa expires, he or she cannot work or study until a new permit is given. While extending a visa, the person must be sure that his or her passport has not expired at the same time. The study permit cannot be extended beyond the passport's expiry date.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

Around 22 Afghan students, who are enrolled in Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) in Indian capital New Delhi, don’t want to go back, and sought extension of visas through academic courses.

Around 22 Afghan students, who are enrolled in Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) in Indian capital New Delhi, don’t want to go back, and sought extension of visas through academic courses. These students from Afghanistan are worried as the Taliban has taken control of the country and their visa tenure in India is about to expire within months. The limit for visa of most of these foreign students is getting over by December this year. With the situation in Afghanistan turning volatile, these students don’t want to go back and want to extend their visa through academic courses, such as a PhD, an ANI report said. "For a war-torn country like Afghanistan, most of the people are extensively unemployed and trying to escape from either death or captivity. Arranging a 'hefty fee' seems impossible," said some Afghan students in JNU. A JNU student, Jalaluddin, said, "Situation is extremely critical there. I am hoping that the administration will understand our situation and extend my visa permit. Also, PhD in JNU is highly expensive for foreign nationals, and for poor families that are certainly not the possible way out. However, at present, I really don't know what to do." If a student’s visa expires, he or she cannot work or study until a new permit is given. While extending a visa, the person must be sure that his or her passport has not expired at the same time. The study permit cannot be extended beyond the passport's expiry date. (With inputs from agencies)

Afghan students in Indian varsity fear for safety in home country, want visa extension 

India's central bank has banned global payments giant&nbsp;Mastercard&nbsp;from adding new customers starting next week, in an escalation of a long-standing dispute on local data storage rules.

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) found&nbsp;Mastercard&nbsp;to be in violation of its April 2018 circular that directed all payments data be stored exclusively in India, allowing the regulator "unfettered supervisory access" to transaction details.

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Gravitas?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Gravitas</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/RBI?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#RBI</a> has banned <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Mastercard?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Mastercard</a> for violating data-storage laws. When does the ban kick in? Which banks does it impact? Will it impact existing customers too? Will domestic card companies benefit from this decision? <a href="https://twitter.com/palkisu?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@palkisu</a> answers all your questions <a href="https://t.co/Ttrm187wC4">pic.twitter.com/Ttrm187wC4</a>
— WION (@WIONews) <a href="https://twitter.com/WIONews/status/1415733046192472068?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 15, 2021</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

Global payments service providers like&nbsp;Mastercard, Visa and American Express have lobbied against data localisation, citing increased costs.

"Notwithstanding (the) lapse of considerable time and adequate opportunities being given, the entity (Mastercard) has been found to be non-compliant with the directions of Storage Payment System Data," the RBI said in a notification.

Mastercard&nbsp;will be indefinitely blocked from issuing debit, credit or prepaid cards to customers in India from July 22.

The move comes less than three months after India's central bank barred American Express and Diners Club International, owned by Discover Financial Services, from issuing new cards due to similar violations.

But unlike American Express, which is a relatively small player in India, companies such as&nbsp;Mastercard&nbsp;and Visa have partnered with many Indian banks that offer cards using the US&nbsp;firms' payments network.

In 2019,&nbsp;Mastercard&nbsp;said it was "bullish on India", announcing $1 billion in investment over the next five years, in addition to its earlier investment of $1 billion from 2014-2019.

The RBI's decision will not impact existing customers of&nbsp;Mastercard, and the company should advise all card issuing banks in India to comply with the order, the RBI added.

The RBI directive in 2018 sparked an aggressive lobbying effort from US&nbsp;companies, which said the rules would increase their infrastructure costs and hit their global fraud detection platforms, but the central bank did not relent.

Global payments card companies have faced increasing competition from India's United Payments Interface (UPI) transactions that offer card-less and cashless payment options using phone numbers and QR codes.

A record 2.8 billion UPI transactions worth some 5.5 trillion rupees ($73.8 billion) took place in June.

(With inputs from agencies)

India's central bank has banned global payments giant Mastercard from adding new customers starting next week, in an escalation of a long-standing dispute on local data storage rules.

India's central bank has banned global payments giant Mastercard from adding new customers starting next week, in an escalation of a long-standing dispute on local data storage rules. The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) found Mastercard to be in violation of its April 2018 circular that directed all payments data be stored exclusively in India, allowing the regulator "unfettered supervisory access" to transaction details. #Gravitas | #RBI has banned #Mastercard for violating data-storage laws. When does the ban kick in? Which banks does it impact? Will it impact existing customers too? Will domestic card companies benefit from this decision? @palkisu answers all your questions pic.twitter.com/Ttrm187wC4 — WION (@WIONews) July 15, 2021 × Global payments service providers like Mastercard, Visa and American Express have lobbied against data localisation, citing increased costs. "Notwithstanding (the) lapse of considerable time and adequate opportunities being given, the entity (Mastercard) has been found to be non-compliant with the directions of Storage Payment System Data," the RBI said in a notification. Mastercard will be indefinitely blocked from issuing debit, credit or prepaid cards to customers in India from July 22. The move comes less than three months after India's central bank barred American Express and Diners Club International, owned by Discover Financial Services, from issuing new cards due to similar violations. But unlike American Express, which is a relatively small player in India, companies such as Mastercard and Visa have partnered with many Indian banks that offer cards using the US firms' payments network. In 2019, Mastercard said it was "bullish on India", announcing $1 billion in investment over the next five years, in addition to its earlier investment of $1 billion from 2014-2019. The RBI's decision will not impact existing customers of Mastercard, and the company should advise all card issuing banks in India to comply with the order, the RBI added. The RBI directive in 2018 sparked an aggressive lobbying effort from US companies, which said the rules would increase their infrastructure costs and hit their global fraud detection platforms, but the central bank did not relent. Global payments card companies have faced increasing competition from India's United Payments Interface (UPI) transactions that offer card-less and cashless payment options using phone numbers and QR codes. A record 2.8 billion UPI transactions worth some 5.5 trillion rupees ($73.8 billion) took place in June. (With inputs from agencies)

Why did India ban Mastercard from issuing new cards?

India restricted the entry of New Zealand YouTuber Karl Edward Rice, also known as Karl Rock after he was found indulging in several visa violations, which includes participating in the anti-CAA protests in the country and also hurting religious sentiments through his YouTube video.

India restricted the entry of New Zealand YouTuber Karl Edward Rice, also known as Karl Rock after he was found indulging in several visa violations, which includes participating in the anti-CAA protests in the country and also hurting religious sentiments through his YouTube video. He was blacklisted. Ministry of home affairs officials stated that he was a "habitual offender" and in the past, he has been to various restricted areas in India, including Nagaland and Jammu and Kashmir without taking permission. He made several videos. Earlier, he had a tourist visa, but it got converted to an X2 visa after his marriage to an Indian national. Under an X2 visa, foreign nationals are not supposed to indulge in business activity. However, Karl violated this as he created content on YouTube to get monetary benefits. From 2016 to 2018, he had a tourist visa. Another tourist visa was issued from 2018 to 2023. In the year 2019, he was given an X2. Also read | India hands holy relic of St. Queen Ketevan to Georgia He published the book "Indian Survival Guided", which again, is not allowed on Tourist Visa. He also visited restricted areas and covered CAA protests on Youtube which is barred on an X2 visa. One of his videos, "Do Indians eat beef? guide to eating beef in India", was seen as a major concern. MHA officials say, "Karl Edward Rice, has been restricted from entering India till next year, due to violating the terms and conditions of his visa. He was found doing business activities, on a tourist visa and also violating certain other visa conditions". On Friday, July 9, he uploaded a video in which he said "Govt of India has stopped me from returning to India" and "separating me from my wife and family". Karl is a popular YouTuber who makes videos about travel, especially in India, and speaks Hindi. Last year, he donated plasma amid the COVID-19 pandemic drawing praise from Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal. He is married to Manisha Malik since April 2019.

New Zealand YouTuber Karl Rock restricted from entering India over visa violations

The UK has adopted digital visa system from the US to keep a check on the actual number of people entering and leaving the country for the first time.

Digital visa&nbsp;has been unveiled for the people who will be entering the UK without a visa or immigration status. The visitors will now have to apply for an electronic travel authorisation (ETA). This will help determine the eligibility of the visitors, UK’s Home Secretary Priti Patel explained.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/unprecedented-india-uk-mobility-pact-overcomes-past-barriers-priti-patel-384327">Unprecedented India-UK mobility pact overcomes past barriers: Priti Patel</a>

"Our new fully digital border will provide the ability to count people in and out of the country, giving us control over who comes to the UK," Patel said.

This digital visa has been initiated after the Boris Johnson-led government was criticised for miscalculating the number of European citizens staying in the UK. The Home Office had estimated that nearly three million people from the EU lived in the UK and will be applying to the EU settlement scheme.

However, by April end, more than 5.4 million people had already applied for visa under the scheme and nearly 4.9 million had already been given the nod.

The government estimates nearly 144.7 million passengers arrived in the UK till June 2019, of which nearly 40 million had migrated from the European economic area and Switzerland.

The UK has adopted digital visa system from the US to keep a check on the actual number of people entering and leaving the country for the first time. Digital visa has been unveiled for the people who will be entering the UK without a visa or immigration status.

The UK has adopted digital visa system from the US to keep a check on the actual number of people entering and leaving the country for the first time. Digital visa has been unveiled for the people who will be entering the UK without a visa or immigration status. The visitors will now have to apply for an electronic travel authorisation (ETA). This will help determine the eligibility of the visitors, UK’s Home Secretary Priti Patel explained. Also read | Unprecedented India-UK mobility pact overcomes past barriers: Priti Patel "Our new fully digital border will provide the ability to count people in and out of the country, giving us control over who comes to the UK," Patel said. This digital visa has been initiated after the Boris Johnson-led government was criticised for miscalculating the number of European citizens staying in the UK. The Home Office had estimated that nearly three million people from the EU lived in the UK and will be applying to the EU settlement scheme. However, by April end, more than 5.4 million people had already applied for visa under the scheme and nearly 4.9 million had already been given the nod. The government estimates nearly 144.7 million passengers arrived in the UK till June 2019, of which nearly 40 million had migrated from the European economic area and Switzerland.

UK set to introduce 'digital visa' for travellers arriving in country

Major payments platform Visa announced that it will allow the use of cryptocurrency USD Coin to settle transactions on its network in a move to promote digital currencies and bitcoin.

World Business Watch: Visa to open payment option on Crypto platforms

Credit card giants Visa and Mastercard&nbsp;are investigating their business relationship with Pornhub after a New York Times columnist alleged that the pornographic website shows videos of rape and underage sex.

Mastercard said&nbsp;it does not tolerate illegal activity on its payment network, and that it works with law enforcement and organizations like the National Center for Missing and&nbsp;Exploited Children to detect illegal transactions. Pornhub has denied it allows child videos on its site.

"We are examining the charges brought up in the New York Times and are working with MindGeek's bank to comprehend this circumstance, notwithstanding different advances they have just taken," Mastercard said in an articulation. "In the event that the cases are validated, we will make a prompt move."&nbsp;

Nicholas Kristof, opinion columnist at The New York Times,&nbsp;wrote Friday&nbsp;that Pornhub carries rape scenes, revenge pornography and other examples of explicit video taken without consent of the participants.

Pornhub said it is “irresponsible and flagrantly untrue” to suggest that it allows images of the sexual abuse of children on its site. Pornhub added that it employs moderators to screen every upload and that it removes illegal material.

The online payment service PayPal last year stopped processing payments to Pornhub, which is owned by the pornography conglomerate MindGeek. The columnist called out other card issuers for working with the site.

In response to Kristof’s story, Visa and Mastercard said they’re investigating the matter.

“We are aware of the allegations, and we are actively engaging with the relevant financial institutions to investigate, in addition to engaging directly with the site’s parent company, MindGeek,” Visa said Sunday.

Visa added that if Pornhub is violating the law or bank policies, then the website will be prohibited from accepting Visa payments.

Meanwhile, Mastercard promised “immediate action″ if the allegations are substantiated.

“We are investigating the allegations raised in the New York Times and are working with MindGeek’s bank to understand this situation,” Mastercard said in a statement.

Processing payments for pornography websites has long divided the payments and banking industry, and sex workers have claimed they’ve had their bank accounts shut down after lenders learned of their profession.

PayPal Holdings Inc. doesn’t process payments for Pornhub.com. American Express Co.’s cards aren’t accepted on Pornhub, and a spokeswoman on Saturday said the firm has a longstanding policy that prohibits card acceptance on digital adult content websites.

Credit card giants Visa and Mastercard are investigating their business relationship with Pornhub after a New York Times columnist alleged that the pornographic website shows videos of rape and underage sex.

Credit card giants Visa and Mastercard are investigating their business relationship with Pornhub after a New York Times columnist alleged that the pornographic website shows videos of rape and underage sex. Mastercard said it does not tolerate illegal activity on its payment network, and that it works with law enforcement and organizations like the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children to detect illegal transactions. Pornhub has denied it allows child videos on its site. "We are examining the charges brought up in the New York Times and are working with MindGeek's bank to comprehend this circumstance, notwithstanding different advances they have just taken," Mastercard said in an articulation. "In the event that the cases are validated, we will make a prompt move." Nicholas Kristof, opinion columnist at The New York Times, wrote Friday that Pornhub carries rape scenes, revenge pornography and other examples of explicit video taken without consent of the participants. Pornhub said it is “irresponsible and flagrantly untrue” to suggest that it allows images of the sexual abuse of children on its site. Pornhub added that it employs moderators to screen every upload and that it removes illegal material. The online payment service PayPal last year stopped processing payments to Pornhub, which is owned by the pornography conglomerate MindGeek. The columnist called out other card issuers for working with the site. In response to Kristof’s story, Visa and Mastercard said they’re investigating the matter. “We are aware of the allegations, and we are actively engaging with the relevant financial institutions to investigate, in addition to engaging directly with the site’s parent company, MindGeek,” Visa said Sunday. Visa added that if Pornhub is violating the law or bank policies, then the website will be prohibited from accepting Visa payments. Meanwhile, Mastercard promised “immediate action″ if the allegations are substantiated. “We are investigating the allegations raised in the New York Times and are working with MindGeek’s bank to understand this situation,” Mastercard said in a statement. Processing payments for pornography websites has long divided the payments and banking industry, and sex workers have claimed they’ve had their bank accounts shut down after lenders learned of their profession. PayPal Holdings Inc. doesn’t process payments for Pornhub.com. American Express Co.’s cards aren’t accepted on Pornhub, and a spokeswoman on Saturday said the firm has a longstanding policy that prohibits card acceptance on digital adult content websites.

Mastercard, Visa investigate financial ties with Pornhub

The Trump administration on Thursday sued Facebook, accusing it of discriminating against American workers by favouring immigrant applicants for thousands of high-paying jobs.

The Department of Justice's lawsuit opens a new front in the administration's push against tech companies -- and its clampdown on immigration -- as President Donald Trump enters his final weeks in office.

The suit concerns more than 2,600 positions with an average salary of some $156,000, offered from January 2018 to September 2019.

"Facebook engaged in intentional and widespread violations of the law, by setting aside positions for temporary visa holders instead of considering interested and qualified US workers," assistant attorney general Eric Dreiband, of the Justice Department's Civil Rights Division, said in a statement outlining the department's allegations.

The internet giant reserved positions for candidates with H1-B "skilled worker" visas or other temporary work visas, the department said.

Facebook "channelled" jobs to visa holders by avoiding advertising on its careers website, accepting only physically mailed applications for some posts, or refusing to consider US workers at all, according to the suit.

The unusual move to file a lawsuit -- with the Justice Department pivoting suddenly away from simply discussing their concerns with Facebook -- could be seen as a rush to hit the courts before Trump leaves the White House in January.

The California-based social network planned to continue cooperating with the department as the case plays out.

Restrictions rejected

The lawsuit was filed just two days after a US federal judge blocked rule changes ordered by Trump that made it harder for people outside the country to get skilled-worker visas.

The US Chamber of Commerce, the Bay Area Council in Facebook's home state of California and others had sued the Department of Homeland Security arguing that the changes rushed new restrictions through without a proper public review process.

Skilled-worker visas are precious to Silicon Valley tech firms hungry for engineers and other highly-trained talents, with Asia home to many keenly sought workers.

US District Court Judge Jeffrey White granted a motion to set aside two rules by the Departments of Labor and Homeland Security that would have compelled companies to pay H1-B visa workers higher wages and restricted job types that qualify for the visas.

The Trump administration had cited the Covid-19 pandemic and its toll on the economy as reasons for skipping the required public notice and review processes for their new rules, according to court documents.

 
But White said in his ruling that the administration did not demonstrate "that the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on domestic unemployment justified dispensing with the due deliberation that normally accompanies" making changes to the H-1B visa program.

Animosity toward immigration has been a hallmark of the Trump administration.

Facebook uses hiring practices standard in Silicon Valley, and US prosecutors were also eyeing other tech firms regarding H1-B visas employment, according to a person familiar with the matter.

Antitrust as well?

On another legal front, federal regulators and US states are poised to hit Facebook with antitrust cases, US media reported Thursday, amid concerns that its practice of buying up rivals has harmed competition.

The company said earlier this year its executives were fielding questions from the US Federal Trade Commission (FTC) on an antitrust fact-finding mission.

The FTC declined to comment Thursday on reports in multiple US outlets including The New York Times and Washington Post that it is likely to file an antitrust suit against the social media giant.

An FTC review of acquisitions dating back to 2010 could potentially "unwind" some of the company's deals.

Facebook is the leading internet social network, reaching close to three billion people worldwide with its core platform, along with Instagram and messaging services WhatsApp and Messenger.

An estimated seven in 10 US adults use Facebook, and its reach allows it to play an outsized role in digital advertising and news delivery.

That influence means the network regularly faces complaints about its handling of political misinformation and hate speech.

The Trump administration on Thursday sued Facebook, accusing it of discriminating against American workers by favouring immigrant applicants for thousands of high-paying jobs.

The Trump administration on Thursday sued Facebook, accusing it of discriminating against American workers by favouring immigrant applicants for thousands of high-paying jobs. The Department of Justice's lawsuit opens a new front in the administration's push against tech companies -- and its clampdown on immigration -- as President Donald Trump enters his final weeks in office. The suit concerns more than 2,600 positions with an average salary of some $156,000, offered from January 2018 to September 2019. "Facebook engaged in intentional and widespread violations of the law, by setting aside positions for temporary visa holders instead of considering interested and qualified US workers," assistant attorney general Eric Dreiband, of the Justice Department's Civil Rights Division, said in a statement outlining the department's allegations. The internet giant reserved positions for candidates with H1-B "skilled worker" visas or other temporary work visas, the department said. Facebook "channelled" jobs to visa holders by avoiding advertising on its careers website, accepting only physically mailed applications for some posts, or refusing to consider US workers at all, according to the suit. The unusual move to file a lawsuit -- with the Justice Department pivoting suddenly away from simply discussing their concerns with Facebook -- could be seen as a rush to hit the courts before Trump leaves the White House in January. The California-based social network planned to continue cooperating with the department as the case plays out. Restrictions rejected The lawsuit was filed just two days after a US federal judge blocked rule changes ordered by Trump that made it harder for people outside the country to get skilled-worker visas. The US Chamber of Commerce, the Bay Area Council in Facebook's home state of California and others had sued the Department of Homeland Security arguing that the changes rushed new restrictions through without a proper public review process. Skilled-worker visas are precious to Silicon Valley tech firms hungry for engineers and other highly-trained talents, with Asia home to many keenly sought workers. US District Court Judge Jeffrey White granted a motion to set aside two rules by the Departments of Labor and Homeland Security that would have compelled companies to pay H1-B visa workers higher wages and restricted job types that qualify for the visas. The Trump administration had cited the Covid-19 pandemic and its toll on the economy as reasons for skipping the required public notice and review processes for their new rules, according to court documents. But White said in his ruling that the administration did not demonstrate "that the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on domestic unemployment justified dispensing with the due deliberation that normally accompanies" making changes to the H-1B visa program. Animosity toward immigration has been a hallmark of the Trump administration. Facebook uses hiring practices standard in Silicon Valley, and US prosecutors were also eyeing other tech firms regarding H1-B visas employment, according to a person familiar with the matter. Antitrust as well? On another legal front, federal regulators and US states are poised to hit Facebook with antitrust cases, US media reported Thursday, amid concerns that its practice of buying up rivals has harmed competition. The company said earlier this year its executives were fielding questions from the US Federal Trade Commission (FTC) on an antitrust fact-finding mission. The FTC declined to comment Thursday on reports in multiple US outlets including The New York Times and Washington Post that it is likely to file an antitrust suit against the social media giant. An FTC review of acquisitions dating back to 2010 could potentially "unwind" some of the company's deals. Facebook is the leading internet social network, reaching close to three billion people worldwide with its core platform, along with Instagram and messaging services WhatsApp and Messenger. An estimated seven in 10 US adults use Facebook, and its reach allows it to play an outsized role in digital advertising and news delivery. That influence means the network regularly faces complaints about its handling of political misinformation and hate speech.

US sues Facebook for allegedly favouring immigrants over US workers 

Intelligence alarm bells have rung after more than 200 youth from Jammu and Kashmir with Pakistani visa have been found missing with authorities fearing that Pakistan has been trying to train them to create trouble in the Union territory of Jammu and Kashmir.

Over 200 J&K youth missing with Pakistan visa

The Nepal government on Friday announced the suspension of its visa-on-arrival services till April 30 as part of the measures to contain the spread of the novel coronavirus in the country.

The suspension will come into effect from Saturday, Immigration Department spokesperson Chandra Tiwari told ANI.

Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/coronavirus-outbreak-first-case-reported-in-nepal-ministry-of-health-confirms-276431">Coronavirus outbreak: First case reported in Nepal, ministry of health confirms&nbsp;</a>

The department has issued a 10-point updated travel advisory where it introduced sweeping measures to contain the spread of the disease which has now been declared a pandemic by the World Health Organisation.

The country has also halted all mountaineering expeditions, including Mount Everest ascents.

"This is to notify that climbing permits for the expedition that have already been issued or to be issued for the Spring season 2020, has been halted to the present, in accordance with the decision made on 12th March 2020 by a high-level committee chaired by Deputy Prime Minister, Government of Nepal," the release from the Department of Tourism stated.

Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/who-warns-nepal-over-coronavirus-276271">WHO warns Nepal over Coronavirus</a>

In addition, the government has also imposed mandatory self-quarantine of 14 days for those arriving in the Himalayan nation.

The country had previously announced the suspension of its visa-on-arrival services for only eight coronavirus-affected countries of Iran, Italy, South Korea, Japan, France, Germany, and Spain.

The Nepal government on Friday announced the suspension of its visa-on-arrival services till April 30 as part of the measures to contain the spread of the novel coronavirus in the country.

The Nepal government on Friday announced the suspension of its visa-on-arrival services till April 30 as part of the measures to contain the spread of the novel coronavirus in the country. The suspension will come into effect from Saturday, Immigration Department spokesperson Chandra Tiwari told ANI. Also Read: Coronavirus outbreak: First case reported in Nepal, ministry of health confirms The department has issued a 10-point updated travel advisory where it introduced sweeping measures to contain the spread of the disease which has now been declared a pandemic by the World Health Organisation. The country has also halted all mountaineering expeditions, including Mount Everest ascents. "This is to notify that climbing permits for the expedition that have already been issued or to be issued for the Spring season 2020, has been halted to the present, in accordance with the decision made on 12th March 2020 by a high-level committee chaired by Deputy Prime Minister, Government of Nepal," the release from the Department of Tourism stated. Also Read: WHO warns Nepal over Coronavirus In addition, the government has also imposed mandatory self-quarantine of 14 days for those arriving in the Himalayan nation. The country had previously announced the suspension of its visa-on-arrival services for only eight coronavirus-affected countries of Iran, Italy, South Korea, Japan, France, Germany, and Spain.

Nepal suspends visa on arrival services, amid coronavirus outbrek

Thailand will temporarily suspend issuing visas on arrival to visitors from 19 countries and territories, including China, to contain the spread of the coronavirus, its interior minister said on Wednesday.

The suspensions were the latest measures imposed in the tourism-reliant Southeast Asian country, which has reported 59 cases of the virus and one death so far. Globally, over 113,000 people have been infected in over 100 countries.

"People from any country who want to come will need to apply for a visa with our embassies," Minister of Interior Anupong Paochinda told reporters.

Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/thai-immigration-officers-at-bangkok-airport-diagnosed-with-covid-19-285587">Thai immigration officers at Bangkok airport diagnosed with COVID-19</a>

"Thai embassies everywhere will ensure that no sick people will travel to Thailand."

Visa on Arrival (VoA) will be suspended for nationals of all 19 countries and territories previously eligible, including Bulgaria, Bhutan, China, Cyprus, Ethiopia, Fiji, Georgia, India, Kazakhstan, Malta, Mexico, Nauru, Papua New Guinea, Romania, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Taiwan, Uzbekistan, and Vanuatu, according to a list provided to reporters by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Visa exemptions will be cancelled for South Korea, Italy and Hong Kong, Anupong said.

Also see: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/coronavirus-outbreak-india-temporarily-bars-entry-to-nationals-of-france-germany-spain-suspends-visa-facilities-285535">Coronavirus outbreak: India temporarily bars entry to nationals of France, Germany, Spain; suspends visa facilities</a>

"These measures will solve the problem of foreigners arriving from risky zones," he said.

Anupong said he would start the process immediately but it was not immediately clear when they will be effective.

A foreign ministry official said visa applicants will need to present medical certificates and insurance as part of the screening at Thai embassies.

Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/british-health-minister-nadine-dorries-tests-positive-for-coronavirus-285519">British health minister Nadine Dorries tests positive for coronavirus</a>

Last week, Thailand designated South Korea, China, Macao, Hong Kong, Italy and Iran as "dangerous communicable disease areas."

Thai authorities urged people arriving from the six places to self-quarantine for 14 days.

Thailand will temporarily suspend issuing visas on arrival to visitors from 19 countries and territories, including China, to contain the spread of the coronavirus, its interior minister said on Wednesday.

Thailand will temporarily suspend issuing visas on arrival to visitors from 19 countries and territories, including China, to contain the spread of the coronavirus, its interior minister said on Wednesday. The suspensions were the latest measures imposed in the tourism-reliant Southeast Asian country, which has reported 59 cases of the virus and one death so far. Globally, over 113,000 people have been infected in over 100 countries. "People from any country who want to come will need to apply for a visa with our embassies," Minister of Interior Anupong Paochinda told reporters. Also read: Thai immigration officers at Bangkok airport diagnosed with COVID-19 "Thai embassies everywhere will ensure that no sick people will travel to Thailand." Visa on Arrival (VoA) will be suspended for nationals of all 19 countries and territories previously eligible, including Bulgaria, Bhutan, China, Cyprus, Ethiopia, Fiji, Georgia, India, Kazakhstan, Malta, Mexico, Nauru, Papua New Guinea, Romania, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Taiwan, Uzbekistan, and Vanuatu, according to a list provided to reporters by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Visa exemptions will be cancelled for South Korea, Italy and Hong Kong, Anupong said. Also see: Coronavirus outbreak: India temporarily bars entry to nationals of France, Germany, Spain; suspends visa facilities "These measures will solve the problem of foreigners arriving from risky zones," he said. Anupong said he would start the process immediately but it was not immediately clear when they will be effective. A foreign ministry official said visa applicants will need to present medical certificates and insurance as part of the screening at Thai embassies. Also read: British health minister Nadine Dorries tests positive for coronavirus Last week, Thailand designated South Korea, China, Macao, Hong Kong, Italy and Iran as "dangerous communicable disease areas." Thai authorities urged people arriving from the six places to self-quarantine for 14 days.

COVID-19: Thailand restricts visitor visas to limit virus spread

H-1B Visa Rejections Are Now Reaching An All-time High.

Gravitas: Bad news for Indian techies: 25% of H-1B visa requests rejected!

Russia on Tuesday announced the opening of e-visa facility for St Petersburg and&nbsp;Leningrad to boost Indian tourists in the region. Till now e-visa&nbsp;for Indians was available for far eastern federal district and the enclave of Kaliningrad, sandwiched between Poland and Lithuania along the Baltic Coast.&nbsp;

India is one of the fifty countries and the only South Asian country to get the facility of Russian e-visa&nbsp;for St Petersburg.

Andrey V Fedorov, Senior counsellor, Russian embassy told WION, "This is not a secret that St Petersburg is the most attractive part of Russia. Also its a big business centre of Russia and cultural capital. We would like more and more people to come and have some ideas about our culture. Electronic visas will be introduced by 2021. There is Growth of Indian visiting Russia"

Around 45,000 Indians were given Russian visas between January to September 2019. Last year 35,000 Indians received visas. Rate of rejection for Russian visas for Indians stands at around 2 per cent, which is among the lowest.&nbsp;

Andrey V Fedorov explained to WION, the purpose of e-visa&nbsp;is to "make the life of people easier. They shouldn't spend time coming to the embassy, going to visa facilitation centre, face tough questions by the consular officer but they should make all procedures at home, in comfort. It was done for the promotion of tourism in Russia"

The e-visa&nbsp;will be granted for business, humanitarian and tourist purpose and will be a single entry.

E-visa is valid for 30 days from the day of issuance and maximum period of stay in Russia should not exceed eight days.&nbsp;

But e-visa&nbsp;will not allow anyone to go to other parts of Russia not covered by e-visa.

The development comes as Russia and India increase engagement to get more Indians in the far east region. PM Modi was in Vladivostok, the far eastern Russian city for Eastern Economic Forum last month.

Russia on Tuesday announced the opening of e-visa facility for St Petersburg and Leningrad to boost Indian tourists in the region. Till now e-visa for Indians was available for far eastern federal district and the enclave of Kaliningrad, sandwiched between Poland and Lithuania along the Baltic Coast.

Russia on Tuesday announced the opening of e-visa facility for St Petersburg and Leningrad to boost Indian tourists in the region. Till now e-visa for Indians was available for far eastern federal district and the enclave of Kaliningrad, sandwiched between Poland and Lithuania along the Baltic Coast. India is one of the fifty countries and the only South Asian country to get the facility of Russian e-visa for St Petersburg. Andrey V Fedorov, Senior counsellor, Russian embassy told WION, "This is not a secret that St Petersburg is the most attractive part of Russia. Also its a big business centre of Russia and cultural capital. We would like more and more people to come and have some ideas about our culture. Electronic visas will be introduced by 2021. There is Growth of Indian visiting Russia" Around 45,000 Indians were given Russian visas between January to September 2019. Last year 35,000 Indians received visas. Rate of rejection for Russian visas for Indians stands at around 2 per cent, which is among the lowest. Andrey V Fedorov explained to WION, the purpose of e-visa is to "make the life of people easier. They shouldn't spend time coming to the embassy, going to visa facilitation centre, face tough questions by the consular officer but they should make all procedures at home, in comfort. It was done for the promotion of tourism in Russia" The e-visa will be granted for business, humanitarian and tourist purpose and will be a single entry. E-visa is valid for 30 days from the day of issuance and maximum period of stay in Russia should not exceed eight days. But e-visa will not allow anyone to go to other parts of Russia not covered by e-visa. The development comes as Russia and India increase engagement to get more Indians in the far east region. PM Modi was in Vladivostok, the far eastern Russian city for Eastern Economic Forum last month.

Russia announces e-visa for Indians to visit St Petersburg, Leningrad to boost tourism

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/sri-lanka-pm-wickremesinghe-negotiating-new-military-deal-with-us-as-president-sirisena-vows-to-veto-agreement-234805">The Sri Lankan government</a> plans to revive the visa on arrival and free visa programme, which was suspended after the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/sri-lanka-court-rejects-easter-bomb-murder-charge-against-officials-234430">Easter terror attacks</a> that killed more than 250 people on April 21, for citizens of 39 countries from August 1.

The programme will, however, exclude Sri Lanka's top source markets, namely India and China, Daily Mirror reported.

On Tuesday, Sri Lanka's Tourism Development Minister, John Amaratunga, said that his ministry along with the Department of Immigration and Emigration are jointly working on a proposal to seek Cabinet approval to revive the free visa and visa on arrival programme.

The initiative which was to come into force from May 1 was suspended indefinitely following the Easter Sunday attacks that rattled several high-end hotels and churches across the country on April 21.

Watch: 'Will not conclude proposed US military deal,' says&nbsp;Sri Lankan Prez Sirisena

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/sri-lankan-prez-sirisena-will-not-conclude-proposed-us-military-deal-233717/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

Amaratunga noted that the programme will be implemented as a trial for a period of six months.

He added that the programme could be extended to India and China as well in the future based on the success of the trial run.

The minister emphasised that a monitoring system would be in place to prevent "undesirable people" entering the country.

"We need a system to monitor who is arriving in Sri Lanka and to prevent criminals and other trouble makers entering the country," he stressed.

The countries that will be included in the visa on arrival programme are - Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Cambodia, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovak Republic, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, United Kingdom, United States of America, Japan, Australia, South Korea, Canada, Singapore, New Zealand, Malaysia, Thailand and Switzerland.&nbsp;

The Sri Lankan government plans to revive the visa on arrival and free visa programme, which was suspended after the Easter terror attacks that killed more than 250 people on April 21, for citizens of 39 countries from August 1.

The Sri Lankan government plans to revive the visa on arrival and free visa programme, which was suspended after the Easter terror attacks that killed more than 250 people on April 21, for citizens of 39 countries from August 1. The programme will, however, exclude Sri Lanka's top source markets, namely India and China, Daily Mirror reported. On Tuesday, Sri Lanka's Tourism Development Minister, John Amaratunga, said that his ministry along with the Department of Immigration and Emigration are jointly working on a proposal to seek Cabinet approval to revive the free visa and visa on arrival programme. The initiative which was to come into force from May 1 was suspended indefinitely following the Easter Sunday attacks that rattled several high-end hotels and churches across the country on April 21. Watch: 'Will not conclude proposed US military deal,' says Sri Lankan Prez Sirisena Amaratunga noted that the programme will be implemented as a trial for a period of six months. He added that the programme could be extended to India and China as well in the future based on the success of the trial run. The minister emphasised that a monitoring system would be in place to prevent "undesirable people" entering the country. "We need a system to monitor who is arriving in Sri Lanka and to prevent criminals and other trouble makers entering the country," he stressed. The countries that will be included in the visa on arrival programme are - Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Cambodia, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovak Republic, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, United Kingdom, United States of America, Japan, Australia, South Korea, Canada, Singapore, New Zealand, Malaysia, Thailand and Switzerland.

Sri Lanka to revive suspended visa on arrival programme for 39 countries; excludes India, China

In a first of its kind,&nbsp;UAE will now provide free mobile phone SIM cards to the tourists arriving in the country.

The cards will contain free data, international calling minutes and text message facility. Valid for a month, the SIM cards will get renewed if tourists extend their stay.

The scheme was announced after an agreement was signed between the Federal Authority for Identity and Citizenship and TeleKomNow in Abu Dhabi on Tuesday.

No documentation is required by the tourists to avail the service. They will be handed over&nbsp;the SIM cards as a gift at the immigration. Once the tourist inserts the card and enter&nbsp;their identification and arrival date&nbsp;their service will be immediately activated and within two minutes the tourist can use the facility.

UAE has also waived off visa fee for dependents, aged 18 years or below, between July 15 and September 15. 
 
The scheme will be applicable every year and is expected to boost the tourist footfall. The decision was taken by the UAE cabinet last year in July. 
 
Earlier in May,&nbsp;UAE had launched a permanent residency scheme to attract individuals and highly skilled workers, such as doctors, engineers, scientists and artists, to the oil-rich Gulf country.

Foreigners account for 90 per cent of the population of around nine million in the UAE, the Arab world's second-largest economy which has seen rapid development in recent years.

 
(With inputs from agencies)

In a first of its kind, UAE will now provide free mobile phone SIM cards to the tourists arriving in the country. The cards will contain free data, international calling minutes and text message facility.

In a first of its kind, UAE will now provide free mobile phone SIM cards to the tourists arriving in the country. The cards will contain free data, international calling minutes and text message facility. Valid for a month, the SIM cards will get renewed if tourists extend their stay. The scheme was announced after an agreement was signed between the Federal Authority for Identity and Citizenship and TeleKomNow in Abu Dhabi on Tuesday. No documentation is required by the tourists to avail the service. They will be handed over the SIM cards as a gift at the immigration. Once the tourist inserts the card and enter their identification and arrival date their service will be immediately activated and within two minutes the tourist can use the facility. UAE has also waived off visa fee for dependents, aged 18 years or below, between July 15 and September 15. The scheme will be applicable every year and is expected to boost the tourist footfall. The decision was taken by the UAE cabinet last year in July. Earlier in May, UAE had launched a permanent residency scheme to attract individuals and highly skilled workers, such as doctors, engineers, scientists and artists, to the oil-rich Gulf country. Foreigners account for 90 per cent of the population of around nine million in the UAE, the Arab world's second-largest economy which has seen rapid development in recent years. (With inputs from agencies)

UAE to provide free SIM cards to tourists

Iran will no longer require Chinese visitors to obtain visas, state media reported Sunday, as the sanctions-hit country attempts to boost tourism in the face of an economic crisis.

"The cabinet has agreed to waive visa requirements for Chinese nationals entering the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/iran-judges-progress-made-at-nuclear-meeting-but-still-not-enough-231350">Islamic Republic of Iran</a>," state news agency IRNA said.

Tourism board chief Ali Asghar Mounesan told IRNA that "We aim to host two million Chinese tourists per year using our country's numerous attractions."

He said the sector is "unsanctionable" and could help offset the economic hardships caused by tough sanctions Washington reinstated after withdrawing from a multilateral nuclear deal last year.

The sanctions have particularly targeted Iran's vital oil exports and international financial transactions, and were a major factor in the country's ongoing recession.

According to IRNA, some 52,000 Chinese tourists visited Iran during the 12 months to March.

In another bid to boost tourist arrivals, Iran recently announced it would no longer stamp visitors' passports, allowing them to bypass a US entry ban on travellers who have visited the Islamic Republic.

China is one of the remaining partners in the nuclear deal and has rejected the Trump administration's policy of seeking to cut Iranian oil exports to zero.

Tehran has threatened to abandon some of its commitments under the nuclear deal unless the remaining partners -- Britain, China, France, Germany and Russia -- help it circumvent US sanctions, especially on oil sales.

Iran will no longer require Chinese visitors to obtain visas, state media reported Sunday, as the sanctions-hit country attempts to boost tourism in the face of an economic crisis.

Iran will no longer require Chinese visitors to obtain visas, state media reported Sunday, as the sanctions-hit country attempts to boost tourism in the face of an economic crisis. "The cabinet has agreed to waive visa requirements for Chinese nationals entering the Islamic Republic of Iran," state news agency IRNA said. Tourism board chief Ali Asghar Mounesan told IRNA that "We aim to host two million Chinese tourists per year using our country's numerous attractions." He said the sector is "unsanctionable" and could help offset the economic hardships caused by tough sanctions Washington reinstated after withdrawing from a multilateral nuclear deal last year. The sanctions have particularly targeted Iran's vital oil exports and international financial transactions, and were a major factor in the country's ongoing recession. According to IRNA, some 52,000 Chinese tourists visited Iran during the 12 months to March. In another bid to boost tourist arrivals, Iran recently announced it would no longer stamp visitors' passports, allowing them to bypass a US entry ban on travellers who have visited the Islamic Republic. China is one of the remaining partners in the nuclear deal and has rejected the Trump administration's policy of seeking to cut Iranian oil exports to zero. Tehran has threatened to abandon some of its commitments under the nuclear deal unless the remaining partners -- Britain, China, France, Germany and Russia -- help it circumvent US sanctions, especially on oil sales.

Iran announces visa waiver for Chinese tourists

Pakistan on Wednesday refused visas to 58 Sikh pilgrims who wanted to go there to observe the death anniversary of Maharaja Ranjit Singh.

Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) had sent 282 applications for visas and only 224 visas were granted, while 58 were denied.

"We filed the application for 282 Sikh pilgrims but only 224 have been granted. 58 visas were not cleared," SGPC Secretary Manjeet Singh told ANI.

The pilgrims will be visiting Pakistan tomorrow by a special train from Attari railway station. Sikhs, whose visa were not approved, protested outside the SGPC office.

They demanded that there should not be a visa system.

"We have demanded an end to this visa system. Pilgrims should be allowed without it. We are now waiting for Pakistan`s response," he added.

Within the framework of the Pakistan-India Protocol on Visits to Religious Shrines of 1974, thousands of pilgrims from India visit Pakistan to observe various religious festivals and occasions every year.&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

Pakistan on Wednesday refused visas to 58 Sikh pilgrims who wanted to go there to observe the death anniversary of Maharaja Ranjit Singh. Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) had sent 282 applications for visas and only 224 visas were granted, while 58 were denied.

Pakistan on Wednesday refused visas to 58 Sikh pilgrims who wanted to go there to observe the death anniversary of Maharaja Ranjit Singh. Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) had sent 282 applications for visas and only 224 visas were granted, while 58 were denied. "We filed the application for 282 Sikh pilgrims but only 224 have been granted. 58 visas were not cleared," SGPC Secretary Manjeet Singh told ANI. The pilgrims will be visiting Pakistan tomorrow by a special train from Attari railway station. Sikhs, whose visa were not approved, protested outside the SGPC office. They demanded that there should not be a visa system. "We have demanded an end to this visa system. Pilgrims should be allowed without it. We are now waiting for Pakistan`s response," he added. Within the framework of the Pakistan-India Protocol on Visits to Religious Shrines of 1974, thousands of pilgrims from India visit Pakistan to observe various religious festivals and occasions every year.

Pakistan refuses visa to 58 Sikhs for pilgrimage

India Watch, 21st June 2019

visa

Visa, News on Visa, stories on Visa, articles on Visa, Visa stories at Wion, Visa news, Visa latest news