There will be no hike in fee for H-1B work visa for professionals 2013 as clarified by the USCIS (US Citizenship and Immigration Services). USCIS in a press release detailed application procedure for H-1B visa for fiscal year 2013 which was mis-interpreted as hike in visa fee. Subsequently, USCIS as well as Indian IT industry body Nasscom have elucidated that there is no hike in the visa fee. From April 2012, applications for the most sought after H-1B work visa - used extensively by Indian IT professionals - for the fiscal year 2013 would be accepted.

The congressionally mandated numerical limitation on H-1B petitions for the fiscal year 2013 is 65,000, as has been in the previous year. Additionally, the first 20,000 H-1B petitions filed on behalf of individuals who have earned a US master's degree or higher are exempt from the fiscal year cap.

As per India's latest Sample Registration System data finalised by the Registrar General of India a 5-point decline was recorded by India in under-five mortality rate. As per the data more females are dying even now before they reach their 5^th birthday. India in total saw 15.41 lakh under-five deaths in 2010 as compared to 16.83 lakh in 2009. 

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The Earth Hour being observed on Last Saturday of March (i.e. March 31, 2012) across the globe.

Objective: To create awareness about climate change and to encourage support for environmentally sustainable action.

The worldwide initiative by World Wildlife Fund promotes people throughout the world to switch off lights today for an hour beginning at 8.30 pm in each time zone. The Earth Hour movement started in Sydney in 2007 has grown in later years. As per the Earth's Hour website, a record 147 nations and territories are preparing to take part in the event.

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Fresh sanctions were approved by US on buyers of Iranian oil. US held that there was ample oil in the world market to avoid negative consequences of a boycott of Iranian oil for US allies. 

Objective: This move by US would permit US to inflict sanctions on foreign banks, which are yet involved in the oil trade with Iran.

Iran says that its nuclear program is meant for peaceful purposes, but the western nations fear it is trying to build a nuclear bomb. US held that it would continue to monitor the global market closely to ensure it could handle a reduction of oil purchases from Iran.

Thus, US will penalize foreign financial institutions over transactions with Iran's central bank, which handles sales of the country's key export.

For sending unwanted telemarketing calls and SMS, 22,769 mobile connections were disconnected by TRAI (The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India). The new regulations for unsolicited calls and messages came into place on September 27, 2011. Since then, 36,156 subscribers have been issued notices and 22,769 subscribers have been disconnected.