Washington, Oct 21: In a major relief for foreign workers on H-1B visas, the US Department of Homeland Security has issued new guidance on the $100,000 application fee, providing a series of exemptions and carveouts.

US clarifies $100,000 H-1B visa fee, exempts current visa holders

Washington, Oct 21 (IANS) In a major relief for foreign workers on H-1B visas, the US Department of Homeland Security has issued new guidance on the $100,000 application fee, providing a series of exemptions and carveouts.

According to the new guidelines, workers who switch to H-1B visa status from other visa categories such as F-1 student status won’t be subjected to the $100,000 fee.

H-1B workers applying for an amendment, change of status, or extension of stay within the United States won’t be subjected to the hefty payment. Moreover, all the current H-1B visa holders won’t be prevented from entering or leaving the United States.

The proclamation only applies to new visa petitions who are outside the US and do not have a valid H-1B visa. It also provided an online payment link for new applications.

The clarification comes just two days after US Chamber of Commerce, the country’s biggest business organisation, sued the Trump administration over the new rules, calling it “unlawful.”

In a lawsuit filed in the district court in Washington on Thursday, the plaintiff argued that the visa fee, if implemented, will “inflict significant harm on American businesses” and force them to “either dramatically increase their labour costs or hire fewer highly skilled employees for whom domestic replacements are not readily available.”

It added that Trump’s September 19 proclamation was “plainly unlawful” and a “boon to America’s economic rivals.”

It was the second major domestic legal challenge to new H-1B rules, after a group of unions, education professionals and religious bodies sued the Trump administration on October 3.

While signing the proclamation in September, Trump had said the “incentive is to hire American workers.”

The proclamation caused immense confusion as it seemed to suggest that it would impact the current H-1B visa holders who may face hurdles in returning to the United States.

The White House issued a clarification to IANS on September 20, saying that this is a “one-time fee” that applies only to new visas and not renewals or current visa holders.

India-born workers received over 70% of the total approved H1-B visas in 2024, primarily due to a huge backlog in approvals and high number of skilled immigrants from India.

New Delhi, Oct 21: The overall Air Quality Index (AQI) in Delhi-NCR remained in the ‘very poor’ category, reaching 400 on Tuesday morning, a day after Diwali festivities, according to data from the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB).

While the overall AQI stood at 347, several areas recorded levels in the ‘severe’ category.

As per CPCB classifications, AQI between 0-50 is considered ‘good’, 51-100 ‘satisfactory’, 101-200 ‘moderate’, 201-300 ‘poor’, 301-400 ‘very poor’, and 401-500 falls under the ‘severe’ category.

Several Delhi localities reported alarming AQI levels: Narela (354), Najafgarh (334), Mundka (357), Mandir Marg (325), Major Dhyan Chand National Stadium (358), Lodhi Road (334), Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium (317), Jahangirpuri (404), ITO (345), Dilshad Garden (346), Dwarka Sector 8 (333), Mathura Road (341), Bawana (418), and Anand Vihar (352), according to data from the SAMEER app developed by the CPCB.

In Noida, the air quality also declined sharply, entering the ‘very poor’ range. Sector-wise AQI readings were Sector 125 (326), Sector 62 (307), Sector 1 (322), and Sector 116 (340).

Residents across the Delhi-NCR region woke up to toxic air on Monday morning, with pollution levels worsening following widespread bursting of firecrackers on Diwali eve. On Diwali morning at 8 a.m., Delhi recorded an AQI of 335, indicating a significant decline in air quality.

Gurugram also witnessed poor air quality. AQI levels were reported at 338 overall, with specific areas like Gwal Pahari (347), Sector 51 (346), and Vikas Sadan (320) recording similar trends.

Despite a ban on firecrackers in Delhi since 2020 to combat winter pollution, the Supreme Court this year allowed the use of green crackers from October 18 to 20, within limited time slots — 6 a.m. to 7 a.m. and 8 p.m. to 10 p.m. However, these rules were widely flouted, with firecrackers being used well outside the permitted windows.

In response to the deteriorating air quality, the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) in Delhi-NCR activated Stage-II of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP), aimed at curbing pollution levels and safeguarding public health.

Director: Aditya Sarpotdar, Writer: Niren Bhatt, Suresh Mathew, Arun Falara, Cast: Ayushmann Khurrana, Rashmika Mandanna, Nawazuddin Siddiqui, Paresh Rawal, Sathyaraj, Fasial Malik, Geeta Aggarwal, Rachit Singh, Duration: 149 Minutes, Rating: 4.

Thamma is big-screen fun at its purest — a daring mix of folklore, family, fantasy, and fanfare of a full-blown franchise. With this new movie in the Maddock horror-verse, director Aditya Sarpotdar is taking Indian genre cinema to a whole new level. It’s all sorts of strange, clever, and wildly creative — yet, very relatable. While Stree was scary and subversive and Bhediya went into the wilds, Thamma conquers the territory by merging horror with love and, thus, leaving a cinematic experience that is totally different.

The story revolves around the forest of myths where the past is still alive and the ancient guardians are awakening. Not Thamma by any means, but it still manages to conjure up a bizarre fantasy universe complete with its own laws, curses, and consequences. Compared to other supernatural thrillers, this one is basically an emotional comedy with a dose of humor and the human instinct to save those whom we love even if it costs our lives. It doesn’t become scary but rather keeps its faith. The movie is funny but not farcical. It is also emotional without being overly dramatic.

One of the main characters is journalist protagonist Khurrana from a small town. His incidental supernatural experience leads to a series of events that is not in his capacity to grasp the enormity of it. In the first half, he is simply lovable and relatable but later on he becomes quite intense. Mandanna delivers an emotional performance that is also very down-to-earth. She has the fire as well as the delicate side of her nature and does not go for the usual stereotypical trope of horror comedy being over-the-top.

The continuing part is just an explosive work of art — it features fight, change of characters, and a breathtaking fight between Alok and Bhediya (Varun Dhawan). Special effects are of great quality and the confrontation between these two forces is signaling their underlying relationship which will definitely influence this cinematic universe storyline in the future. Such a moment of grandeur is the kind of moment in which you wish to applaud in a jam-packed hall, and subsequently, you are left with more questions than answers. How are these two characters related? I promise; the answer will be beyond your imagination.

On the subject of universe-building, the movie is full of Easter eggs and a few character recalls, but one highlights: the comeback of Sar Kata, the frightening character from Stree, who ominously appears, signaling the massive danger that lies ahead for the Maddock horror-verse. To be honest, the connection between Stree 2 and Thamma is quite strong, and by the time you get to the end, it’s only evident that it’s something huge that is on its way. The seeds of a mega-crossover have been dropped.

The acting, in general, is great. Paresh Rawal offers a great comic relief performance as the sarcastic and sharp-witted father while Nawazuddin Siddiqui dominates the movie with his intense and dark presence. The upward movement of his character feels like the dawn of something bigger and maybe a major factor in the future war of good vs. evil in this ever-expanding universe.

Following that is the comeback of Sathyaraj as Elvis, the idiosyncratic paranormal expert who got the nickname Hand of God. However, this time, he is not only here for the laughs — his arrival subtly changes the bigger picture. In a significant moment, Elvis points to a vital connection between Alok’s freshly changed Betaal and Bhediya, the one who was last seen grappling with Sar Kata in Stree 2. It’s a clever, low-key link that signals the coming events and the Maddock universe fans will instantly get the excitement of the bigger plot unfolding.

Moreover, the talked-about Nora Fatehi cameo is not only a glam reel but also an addition to the lore. Her unveiling provides a wonderful emotional connection to Stree and is a massive high point for long-time fans of the universe. Being a kind of fan service, it rewards attention and gives a totally different perspective to everything that we thought we knew about this world. Is she the one who opens the door to its secrets or something else?

Before the release, the buzz was mostly about item numbers and flashy visuals. However, Thamma, turn, defies the expectation. In the typical Maddock manner, every song in this movie has its function-character revelation, story advancement, or myth deepening. There are no unnecessary diversions, no hollow spectacles, only the narrative-driven songs that keep the emotional part of the story going. It is a very important revamp of the Bollywood horror formula and the result is great.