The UN's decision to take deep-sea mining applications comes when there is no mining code in place. Several countries have insisted that industrial undersea mining should require strict rules. After two weeks of negotiations, the International Seabed Authority has decided that it will start taking permit applications in July from companies that want to mine the ocean's floor. The undersea mining will be conducted to extract key battery materials — cobalt, copper, nickel, and manganese — from potato-sized rocks called "polymetallic nodules" found at depths of 4 kilometers to 6 kilometers (about 2.5 miles to 3.7 miles). The Jamaica-based ISA was established under the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea. It holds authority over the ocean floors outside of its 167 member states' Exclusive Economic Zones. The mining code is missing The draft decision of ISA's governing council allows companies to file permit applications from July 9. In a virtual meeting to be held before July, the governing council will debate whether permission to applications can be delayed. In the absence of a mining code, which has been under discussion for nearly 10 years, the 36-member council is uncertain about the process it should adopt for reviewing applications for mining contracts. In 2021, Nauru invoked a clause that allowed it to demand a mining code be adopted within two years.  "It is now clear that there is still a long way to go and that the two-week session in July will be largely insufficient to finalize the code," Belgian ambassador Hugo Verbist said Friday. Mounting concerns Voicing their concerns, several nationals called for a moratorium on industrial mining at the ISA's council meeting. Non-governmental organizations and experts have warned against the damaging repercussions of deep-sea mining. "Deep-sea mining would go beyond harming the seabed and have a wider impact on fish populations, marine mammals, and the essential function of the deep-sea ecosystems in regulating the climate," Vanuatu's representative, Sylvain Kalsakau, said during the negotiations. Several countries including Canada, Australia and Belgium have insisted that mining cannot begin without strict rules.

The US Embassy in Dhaka started accepting interview-waiver applications for B1/B2 - tourism, business, and medical - visas from Sunday along with a number of nonimmigrant visa categories (C, C1/D, F, I, J, M, O, and Q). A press release from the embassy on Monday said the processing time could be lengthy – as long as six weeks – amid the Covid-19 pandemic and recommended everyone to submit applications well ahead of their proposed travel dates. It said the embassy cannot yet accept new visa applications for any nonimmigrant visa categories, including F1 (students) and F2 (spouses/children of students). The embassy said they are only accepting interview-waiver applications for continuing students who want to renew their student visas for the same field of study at the same institution. Applications for continuing F2 spouses and their children under the age of 21 are also being accepted. The eligibility for interview-waiver renewal of nonimmigrant visas was extended to 24 months due to the pandemic. This change will be in effect through Dec 31 this year. After the Embassy receives an application, the reviewing Consular Officer may determine that the applicant will require an in-person interview. These applicants will have to schedule an interview when regular in-person visa services resume. Until the embassy’s regular visa services resume, the application fee (MRV) will remain valid and may be used to schedule an interview appointment there until Dec 31, 2021. “We continue to offer emergency visa services for applicants with life or death emergencies," the embassy said. Source: UNB AH

The Saudi embassy in Dhaka will accept the applications for visas, its extension and cancellation through the embassy authorized offices. The embassy also said, the visa holder must have to collect corona negative certificate through PCR lab tests. The certificates must have to obtain from Bangladesh government recognized medical centers. The PCR tests must be done 48 hours before departure to Saudi Arabia. For details people are requested to contact the embassy through email to [email protected]  AH