US Consulate may open 25% slots for students from June 14
The Hindu
Vaccination not mandatory by US govt. and varsities can decide on it
Though the US Embassies and Consulates will open their visa windows to students from June 14, the functioning is expected to be limited to just 25% of the visa slots compared to the non-COVID period. The US Consulate Hyderabad used to issue visa slots up to 800 on an average per day though sometimes the number used to cross 1,000 as well during the pre-COVID days. So students who are planning to apply for the appointments may have to face some disappointment with reduced slots. Similar situation is likely to exist in all the consulates in the country. The visa slots for non-immigrant visas were suspended on April 30 after the deadly spread of the virus in what was called as the second wave in India. In a Facebook chat with prospective visa seekers on Thursday, the Minister Counselor for Consular Affairs, Don Heflin clarified several doubts over the vaccination and appointments.The election authorities are gearing up for the counting of votes cast in the simultaneous elections to Lok Sabha and Assembly seats in Andhra Pradesh, scheduled to be held on June 4. The Collectors and Election Officers of Visakhapatnam, Anakapalli and Alluri Sitharama Raju (ASR) districts said on May 23 (Thursday) that their teams were ready for the counting of votes.
Responding to the prolonged water scarcity, the residents of the area took to the streets in protest on Wednesday. The protest, which drew attention to their plight, stopped only after the intervention of the police. It was not until 1.30 p.m. that a 4000-litre tanker was finally delivered by BWSSB, providing relief to the water-starved residents.