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Julián Álvarez picking up the scoring pace with Atletico Madrid
Will ‘Big Mood’ Return for Season 2? Everything We Know So Far
By Jarrell Dillard, Prashant Gopal and Maria Clara Cobo | Bloomberg Before Donald Trump’s election, Redfin Corp. projected mortgage rates would average 6.1% next year. But three days after the election, they revised their estimate upward to 6.8% – basically unchanged from today’s high levels. “The difference is Trump,” said Daryl Fairweather, chief economist at Redfin. “The market seems to be pricing in that he’ll move forward with at least some of the tariffs, but it’s really hard to know what Trump is going to do.” It’s another hit for the housing market, which has been dealing with a rise in borrowing costs that’s pushed at least one measure of mortgage rates above 7%. Economists expecting higher-for-longer borrowing costs shows just how tough the market is likely to be for homebuyers trying to find affordable options. “There was a view that rates would gradually fall, but that no longer seems to be the case,” said Thomas Ryan, North America economist at Capital Economics. “As a result, the housing market is going to stay frozen — as it is — for longer than we and other economists had expected.” While the stock market rallied the day after Trump’s victory, the bond market has reacted with more trepidation given how tariffs and other policies might impact inflation. After the election, Barclays Plc economists raised their inflation projections for the next two years and lowered their outlook for economic growth, due to tariffs and potential immigration restrictions. Trump’s proposal for an up to 20% tariff on all imports, and an even higher 60% tariff on Chinese goods, is one of the major causes of uncertainty. Economists have said this could lead to inflation as companies would likely pass on those cost increases to consumers. If he also imposes tax cuts, that could lower fiscal revenue and drive up the US deficit, pushing long-term rates even higher. Some economists have also warned that Trump’s plan to deport millions of undocumented immigrants could further exacerbate the nation’s housing shortage. If Trump’s policies lead to an even smaller labor force for the construction industry, it would make it difficult to build new homes and make costs even more expensive. “We need labor,” said Nadia Evangelou, senior economist at the National Association of Realtors. “Sometimes homebuilders are not able to deliver affordable homes, or the price point that people can afford to buy. And the reason is because of the labor shortage.” Trump’s impacts on the economy will likely influence how the Federal Reserve proceeds. And while the Fed’s decisions on short-term interest rates do not directly set mortgage rates, monetary policy does have some influence. Mortgage rates closely follow yields on 10-year Treasuries, and are affected by market expectations for inflation and economic growth. Capital Economics expects higher rates to be another “setback” for buyers and cause a home-sale recovery to be even shallower than expected. Mortgage rates will likely stay high around 7% in 2024 and drop only a quarter point by the end of 2025, according to Capital Economics’ Ryan. “There’s a general consensus that the net effect of Trump’s policies will be inflationary,” Ryan said. “That’s what’s driving changes in the bond market at the moment.” Other economists have also dialed back their mortgage-rate expectations. Mark Zandi, chief economist at Moody’s Analytics, predicts 30-year fixed mortgage rates will now remain around 7%. “I don’t think I’d count on mortgage rates coming down anytime until next fall, later next year,” Zandi said. “And even then, I’m not sure. It really depends on what his policies are, how aggressively he pursues them.” Forging aAhead For buyers, the picture remains a little uncertain. High borrowing costs have weighed on shoppers, fueling a drop in contracts to buy previously owned homes in October, according to Redfin. While prices held up in October, homes stayed a median of 41 days on the market, about a week longer than a year ago, according to Redfin. If higher borrowing costs slow the market even more, that could help spur more deals for buyers. For now, election uncertainty has cleared, giving some consumers more confidence to forge ahead. Erica Diaz, an agent with Homevest in Florida, said her business has seen a significant increase in both potential buyers and sellers since the election. Malvin Le, a real estate agent based in Orange County, California, said his phone lit up immediately after the election with a few buyers ready to go shopping again. “The day after the election, I got three or four calls from buyers who wanted to see a house that weekend,” Le said. “There are still buyers waiting to buy, they’re just waiting for a good deal.” Related Articles Housing | Criminal charges and jail time now part of predatory mortgage lending law in California Housing | 30-year mortgage hit highest level since July Housing | Mortgage refinancing, auto loans rejected at highest rate since 2013 Housing | US mortgage rates dip, but economists see volatility ahead Housing | Mortgage rates fell, then rose. What comes next?
An online debate over foreign workers in tech shows tensions in Trump's political coalition
NoneOsoyoos Fire Rescue responds to fire in industrial areaThe 2024 Sam Cali Battle for the Belt Tournament has delivered as it usually does, with plenty of early round upsets leading to compelling quarterfinal matchups and the chance for some unexpected wrestlers to make a run. Here’s a look at the quarterfinal pairings, and eventual results, for this year’s tournament. Quarterfinals pairings 106 pounds Anthony Curlo, Blair v. Chase Sudano, St. Augustine 4-Aidan Reilly, Mendham v. 5-Chase Dubuque, Delran 6-Steven Vidal, Hackettstown v. Forest Rose, Princeton Will Webb, Don Bosco Prep v. Julian Zargo, St. John Vianney 113 pounds 1-Brighton Karvoski, Green Farms v. 8-David Vazquez, North Bergen 4-Frank Figel, Jefferson v. 5-Ethan Quinn, Simsbury 3-Grayson Pettit, Delsea v. 6-Joseph Rowinski, Hackettstown 2-Mike Daly, Cranford v. Lucas Pelc, Bridgewater-Raritan 120 pounds 1-Matt Gould, St. John Vianney v. Anthony Borrometi, St. Peter’s Prep 4-Amari Vann, Dixon v. John Barron, St. Peter’s Prep 6-Elijah Bayne, Rumson-Fair Haven v. River Hibler, Paramus Catholic 2-Chase Kastner, Green Farms v. 7-Cam Kolakowski, Watchung Hills 126 pounds 1-Anthony DiAndrea, Watchung Hills v. 8-Andrew Bonita, Don Bosco Prep 4-Delvan Rotte, DePaul v. Jaxsen Bailey, Green Farms 3-Andre Morero, Seton Hall Prep v. 6-Carter Pack, St. Augustine 2-Jack Abramson, Pingry v. 7-Ryder Connors, Cranford 132 pounds 1-Pat O’Keefe, St. John Vianney v. Rafe Fonte, Mendham 4-Gino Schinina, St. Peter’s Prep v. 5-Nicky Pallitto, Paramus Catholic 3-Devin Ryan, New Milford v. 6-Jason Chrostowski, Butler 2-Finn O’Brien, Chaminade (NY) v. 7-Dante DePaul, St. Augustine 138 pounds 1-Carson Walsh, Pope John v. Abraham Amoako, St. John Vianney 4-Adrian Arbelo, St. Augustine v. 5-Charlie Lussier, St. Paul’s School (NH) Max Shaferman, Watchung Hills v. Kimoni Giles, Green Farms 2-Jake Nieto, Chaminade (NY) v. Matt Mertz, Dumont 144 pounds 1-Blase Mele, Princeton v. 8-Anthony Moreno, St. Mary (Ruth.) 4-Joey Fulco, Ramapo v. 5-Ben Zuckerman, Green Farms (CT) 3-Joseph Mahoney, Green Farms (CT) v. 6-Reid Clausi, West Essex 2-Ryan Langenmayr, Lakeland v. 7-Joey Petriello, Dumont 150 pounds 1-Sonny Amato, Rumson-Fair Haven v. 8-Nick Orejola, Seton Hall Prep 4-Jackson Weller, Delran v. 5-Michael O’Connor, Manasquan 3-Joey Ruiz, St. Peter’s Prep v. Lukas Katsigiannis, Pope John 2-Jamar Dixon Jr., Delsea v. Ryan Sullivan, Old Tappan 157 pounds 1-Cody Pritzlaff, Watchung Hills v. 8-Brayden Lombreglia, Pope John 4-Alex Diorio, Livingston v. Will Motley, Green Farms (CT) 3-Abe Zaretsky, Paramus Catholic v. Ryan Gavrish, St. John Vianney 2-James Conklin, Passaic Tech v. Dylan Jones, Cranford 165 pounds 1-Santino Rodriguez, Don Bosco Prep v. 8-Enzo Triola, Paramus Catholic 4-Joe Geleta, Clifton v. 5-Tyler Boelhower, Woodbridge 3-Chad McConnell, Pompton Lakes v. 6-Matt DiEduardo, Bridgewater-Raritan 2-Riley Boos, Delsea v. 7-Ryan Willi, Middletown South 175 pounds 1-Jordan Chapman, Cranford v. 8-Sean Herman, Pascack Hills 4-Greyson Catlow-Sidler, William Penn Charter (PA) v. 5-Carmine Masi, West Essex 3-Anthony Verdi, St. Peter’s Prep v. Brandon Papa, Seton Hall Prep 2-Tyler Neiva, Green Farms Academy v. 7-Luke Dougherty, Rumson-Fair Haven 190 pounds 1-Nevin Mattessich, Don Bosco Prep v. Henry Saxon, Morristown 4-Clark Rich, Seton Hall Prep v. 5-Carmen Marano, St. Peter’s Prep 3-Ryan Schneider, Green Farms Academy (CT) v. 6-Adam Mashfej, Wayne Hills 2-Maximus Konopka, Simsbury (CT) v. True DiGiuseppe, Vernon 215 pounds 1-Sal Marchese, Delsea v. 8-Adrian Galvez, Glen Rock 4-Noah Berlin-Langston, Highland Park v. 5-Andrew Baumann, Parsippany Hills 3-Guy Oelsner, Paramus Catholic v. 6-Luke LaPira, Demarest 2-Matthew Morrissey, Old Tappan v. 7-Josh Leath, Moorestown 285 pounds 1-James Lynch, Toms River East v. Sam Henry, Summit/Chatham 4-Connor Reynolds, St. Peter’s Prep v. 5-Isaac Cazimovski, Clifton 3-Mason Brancato, Pompton Lakes v. 6-Gabe McCulloch, Bloomfield 2-Alex Grippo, Delsea v. 7-Matt Smith, Rumson-Fair Haven Jake Aferiat can be reached at jaferiat@njadvancemedia.com . Follow him at @Jake_Aferiat . The N.J. High School Sports newsletter is now appearing in mailboxes 5 days a week. Sign up now! Follow us on social: Facebook | Instagram | X (formerly Twitter)
WASHINGTON — Senate Democrats reelected Chuck Schumer as party leader on Tuesday as the party moves into a deeply uncertain time, with no real consensus on a strategy as President-elect Donald Trump prepares to take office. From left, Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., Sen. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer of N.Y., Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., and Sen. Tammy Baldwin, D-Wis., gather after Senate Democratic leadership elections for the next session of Congress on Tuesday in Washington. Mark Schiefelbein, Associated Press Schumer faced no opposition in the party leadership elections, in which Illinois Sen. Dick Durbin was also reelected to the No. 2 spot and Minnesota Sen. Amy Klobuchar became the new No. 3. In a statement, Schumer, of New York, said he was honored to move the party forward “during this crucial period for our country.” “Our preference is to secure bipartisan solutions wherever possible and look for ways to collaborate with our Republican colleagues to help working families,” Schumer said. “However, our Republican colleagues should make no mistake about it, we will always stand up for our values.” While Schumer remains popular with his colleagues, it is a bleak moment for Senate Democrats, who were hopeful that they could hold the majority for the third election in a row. Instead they lost four seats and will be in the minority, 53-47, as Trump takes office and pressures the Senate to quickly confirm his Cabinet nominees. Unlike eight years ago, when opposition to Trump’s narrow election win fueled enthusiasm in their party, Democratic lawmakers and many of their voters are exhausted and looking for answers. So far, Democrats have stayed relatively quiet on Trump’s nominees and plans for office – a stark contrast from the loud opposition to Trump when he was elected eight years ago. Schumer has declined to comment on specifics of any nominees, instead allowing Republican reaction to dominate the conversation. On Monday, Schumer wrote a public letter to South Dakota Sen. John Thune, the incoming Republican majority leader, asking him to resist Trump’s pressure to allow him to appoint some of his nominees without a Senate vote and to insist on full FBI background checks for all nominees. But he has said little else about Trump’s upcoming presidency. Listen now and subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | RSS Feed | SoundStack | All Of Our Podcasts While some have been more aggressive — Washington Sen. Patty Murray, a former chairwoman of the Senate Health, Labor, Education and Pensions Committee, said that Trump’s nomination of Robert Kennedy Jr. to lead the Health and Human Services Department is “dangerous” and “nothing short of disaster” — several Democratic senators say they are saving their strength and figuring out a focus. “Everybody’s in kind of a wait-and-see mode right now,” said Nevada Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto, who is part of Schumer’s leadership team. “Under the previous Trump administration, there was chaos all the time, all the time. And I do think it is important to pick your battles.” It’s still unclear which battles they will pick. And Democrats have differing opinions on how to fight them. Hawaii Sen. Brian Schatz, who is also in Democratic leadership, says that “anyone who has a grand strategy is full of crap,” but thinks that Democrats, for now, “need to keep things simple.” “We need to talk about people, protect people, advocate for people,” Schatz said. “Do not talk about protecting institutions. Do not talk about advocating for institutions. It’s a not just a rhetorical shift, but an attitudinal shift. We have to remind ourselves, that we’re not fighting for programs and projects and line items and agencies or norms. We’re fighting for people.” Virginia Sen. Mark Warner said that he’s spent a lot of time reflecting, and “I don’t think anyone can claim this was a policy election,” and Democrats need to look at cultural issues. Pennsylvania Sen. John Fetterman says Democrats just need to “pace ourselves” and avoid the “massive freakout” of Trump's last term. Democrats should be preparing, says Connecticut Sen. Richard Blumenthal. He says Schumer is picking his battles “very thoughtfully and strategically.” “We’re thinking about how we protect against using the FBI, or the prosecutorial authority of the Justice Department for retribution against critics,” said Blumenthal. “How we elevate these issues in a way that American people understand them.” Democrats know better now, after eight years, “the extraordinary challenges we’re going to face,” Blumenthal said. Madison Chock and Evan Bates of the U.S. compete in the ice dance rhythm dance program at the Grand Prix of Figure Skating series competition in Tokyo, Japan, Friday, Nov. 8, 2024. (AP Photo/Hiro Komae) Hiro Komae A discarded plastic bag floats in the waters of Botafogo beach in Rio de Janeiro, Tuesday, Nov. 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Bruna Prado) Bruna Prado China's President Xi Jinping, left center, and Brazil's President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, walk into the Alvorada palace after attending a welcoming ceremony in Brasilia, Brazil, Nov. 20, 2024. (AP Photo/Eraldo Peres) Eraldo Peres Slovakia's Rebecca Sramkova competes against Great Britain's Katie Boulter during a Billie Jean King Cup semi-final match at Martin Carpena Sports Hall in Malaga, southern Spain, on Tuesday, Nov. 19, 2024. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez) Manu Fernandez President-elect Donald Trump's nominee to be attorney general, former Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., closes a door to a private meeting with Vice President-elect JD Vance and Republican Senate Judiciary Committee members, at the Capitol in Washington, Wednesday, Nov. 20, 2024. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite) J. Scott Applewhite A surfer rides on an artificial wave in the river 'Eisbach' at the 'Englischer Garten' (English Garden) downtown in Munich, Germany, Monday, Nov. 11, 2024. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader) Matthias Schrader A woman carries a gift basket as she arrives at a park to attend a friend's birthday party, Sunday, Nov. 24, 2024, in Kampala, Uganda. (AP Photo/David Goldman) David Goldman Tania hugs her brother-in-law Baruc after rescuing some of their belongings from their flooded house after the floods in Paiporta, Valencia, Spain, Tuesday, Nov. 5, 2024. (AP Photo/Emilio Morenatti) Emilio Morenatti Democratic presidential nominee Vice President Kamala Harris looks at a monitor backstage, just before taking the stage for her final campaign rally, Monday, Nov. 4, 2024, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin) Jacquelyn Martin President-elect Donald Trump listens during an America First Policy Institute gala at his Mar-a-Lago estate, Thursday, Nov. 14, 2024, in Palm Beach, Fla. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon) Alex Brandon President Joe Biden meets with President-elect Donald Trump in the Oval Office of the White House, Wednesday, Nov. 13, 2024, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci) Evan Vucci A resident returns to his burned village, Monday Nov. 25, 2024, one day after a fire broke out leaving about 2,000 families homeless at a slum area in Manila, Philippines. (AP Photo/Aaron Favila) Aaron Favila Isaac Young rests his cheek on the family horse Rusty's forehead during farm chores before homeschooling, Tuesday, Nov. 12, 2024, in Sunbury, Ohio. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster) Carolyn Kaster Students from anti-discrimination movements attack an Awami League supporter in Dhaka, Bangladesh, Sunday, Nov. 10, 2024. (AP Photo/Mahmud Hossain Opu) Mahmud Hossain Opu A young girl holds a "Black Voters for Harris-Walz" sign outside of Democratic presidential nominee Vice President Kamala Harris' election night watch party at Howard University, Tuesday, Nov. 5, 2024, in Washington. (AP Photo/Terrance Williams) Terrance Williams A man looks from a damaged building a day after it was hit by a rocket fired from Lebanon, in Ramat Gan, central Israel, Tuesday, Nov. 19, 2024. (AP Photo/Oded Balilty) Oded Balilty Visitors walk through the 'Cathedral' on the Christmas light trail as it returns for its12th year with a showcase of new installations set within the UNESCO World Heritage Site landscape of Kew Gardens in London, England, Tuesday, Nov. 12, 2024. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth) Kirsty Wigglesworth Venezuelan migrant Alvaro Calderini carries his niece across a river near Bajo Chiquito, Panama, after walking across the Darien Gap from Colombia on their way north to the United States, Saturday, Nov. 9, 2024. (AP Photo/Matias Delacroix) Matias Delacroix An aerial view shows a packed parking lot at Citadel Outlets in Commerce, Calif., Thursday, Nov. 28, 2024, as early Black Friday shoppers arrive at the mall. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong) Jae C. Hong Israeli soldiers holding their weapons bathe with residents in a hot water pool coming from a drilling project which exposed a subterranean hydrothermal spring near Mount Bental in the Israeli-controlled Golan Heights, on the first day of the ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah, Wednesday, Nov. 27, 2024. (AP Photo/Ohad Zwigenberg) Ohad Zwigenberg Voters stand in line outside a polling place at Madison Church, Tuesday, Nov. 5, 2024, in Phoenix, Ariz. (AP Photo/Matt York) Matt York Molten lava flows on the road to the Blue Lagoon, Grindavik, after the volcanic eruption that started Wednesday, on the Reykjanes Peninsula in Iceland, Thursday, Nov. 21, 2024. (AP Photo/Marco di Marco) Marco di Marco Firefighters and sheriff's deputies push a vintage car away from a burning home as the Mountain Fire burns in Camarillo, Calif., on Wednesday, Nov. 6, 2024. (AP Photo/Noah Berger) Noah Berger Supporters of the Frente Amplio (Broad Front) celebrate the victory of candidate Yamandú Orsi in the presidential run-off election in Montevideo, Uruguay, Sunday, Nov. 24, 2024. (AP Photo/Natacha Pisarenko) Natacha Pisarenko People gather at the site where former Hezbollah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah was killed by Israeli airstrikes late September during a memorial ceremony in Dahiyeh, in the southern suburb of Beirut, Lebanon, Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024. (AP Photo/Hussein Malla) Hussein Malla Katia, 11, with her grandmother and mother sit in an armored minivan during en evacuation by the "White Angels" police unit in Kurakhove, Donetsk region, Ukraine, on Nov. 4, 2024. (AP Photo/Anton Shtuka) Anton Shtuka People clean mud from a house affected by floods, in Algemesi, Spain, Sunday, Nov. 3, 2024. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez) Manu Fernandez Cattle stand on a heap of textile waste at the Old Fadama settlement of Accra, Ghana, Oct. 19, 2024. (AP Photo/Misper Apawu) Misper Apawu Family members accompany the coffin that contain the remains of Mexican actress Silvia Pinal, during a memorial service at the Palacio de Bellas Artes, in Mexico City, Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024. Pinal, an actress from Mexico's Golden Age of cinema in the 1940s and 50s, died Thursday. She was 93. (AP Photo/Aurea Del Rosario) Aurea Del Rosario A family arrive to cross into Lebanon through the Jousieh border crossing, between Syria and Lebanon, Nov. 28, 2024, following a ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah that went into effect on Wednesday. (AP Photo/Omar Sanadiki) Omar Sanadiki
Trump names billionaire investment banker Warren Stephens as his envoy to Britain
Julián Álvarez picking up the scoring pace with Atletico MadridTinubu mourns ex-Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh
Global PET Radiotracer Market to Reach USD 3.2 Billion by 2031, Growing at a Robust 8.5% CAGR | TMR Study
Some tech industry leaders are pushing the incoming Trump administration to increase visas for highly skilled workers from other nations. Related Articles National Politics | Trump threat to immigrant health care tempered by economic hopes National Politics | In states that ban abortion, social safety net programs often fail families National Politics | Court rules Georgia lawmakers can subpoena Fani Willis for information related to her Trump case National Politics | New 2025 laws hit hot topics from AI in movies to rapid-fire guns National Politics | Trump has pressed for voting changes. GOP majorities in Congress will try to make that happen The heart of the argument is, for America to remain competitive, the country needs to expand the number of skilled visas it gives out. The previous Trump administration did not increase the skilled visa program, instead clamping down on visas for students and educated workers, increasing denial rates. Not everyone in corporate America thinks the skilled worker program is great. Former workers at IT company Cognizant recently won a federal class-action lawsuit that said the company favored Indian employees over Americans from 2013 to 2022. A Bloomberg investigation found Cognizant, and other similar outsourcing companies, mainly used its skilled work visas for lower-level positions. Workers alleged Cognizant preferred Indian workers because they could be paid less and were more willing to accept inconvenient or less-favorable assignments. Question: Should the U.S. increase immigration levels for highly skilled workers? Economists Caroline Freund, UC San Diego School of Global Policy and Strategy YES: Innovation is our superpower and it relies on people. Sourcing talent from 8 billion people in the world instead of 330 million here makes sense. Nearly half our Fortune 500 companies were founded by immigrants or their children. Growing them also relies on expanding our skilled workforce. The cap on skilled-worker visas has hardly changed since the computer age started. With AI on the horizon, attracting and building talent is more important than ever. Kelly Cunningham, San Diego Institute for Economic Research YES: After years of openly allowing millions of undocumented entrants into the country, why is there controversy over legally increasing somewhat the number having desirable skills? Undocumented immigration significantly impacts lower skill level jobs and wages competing with domestic workers at every skill level. Why should special cases be made against those having higher skills? Could they just not walk across the border anyway, why make it more inconvenient to those with desirable skills? James Hamilton, UC San Diego YES: Knowledge and technology are key drivers of the U.S. economy. Students come from all over the world to learn at U.S. universities, and their spending contributed $50 billion to U.S. exports last year. Technological advantage is what keeps us ahead of the rest of the world. Highly skilled immigrants contribute much more in taxes than they receive in public benefits. The skills immigrants bring to America can make us all better off. Norm Miller, University of San Diego YES: According to Forbes, the majority of billion-dollar startups were founded by foreigners. I’ve interviewed dozens of data analysts and programmers from Berkeley, UCSD, USD and a few other schools and 75% of them are foreign. There simply are not enough American graduates to fill the AI and data mining related jobs now exploding in the U.S. If we wish to remain a competitive economy, we need highly skilled and bright immigrants to come here and stay. David Ely, San Diego State University YES: Being able to employ highly skilled workers from a larger pool of candidates would strengthen the competitiveness of U.S. companies by increasing their capacity to perform research and innovate. This would boost the country’s economic output. Skilled workers from other nations that cannot remain in the U.S. will find jobs working for foreign rivals. The demand for H-1B visas far exceeds the current cap of 85,000, demonstrating a need to modify this program. Executives Phil Blair, Manpower YES: Every country needs skilled workers, at all levels, to grow its economy. We should take advantage of the opportunity these workers provide our employers who need these skills. It should be blended into our immigration policies allowing for both short and long term visas. Gary London, London Moeder Advisors YES: San Diego is a premiere example of how highly skilled workers from around the globe enrich a community and its regional economy. Of course Visa levels need to be increased. But let’s go further. Tie visas and immigration with a provision that those who are admitted and educated at a U.S. university be incentivized, or even required, to be employed in the U.S. in exchange for their admittance. Bob Rauch, R.A. Rauch & Associates NO: While attracting high-skilled immigrants can fill critical gaps in sectors like technology, health care and advanced manufacturing, increasing high-skilled immigration could displace American workers and drive down wages in certain industries. There are already many qualified American workers available for some of these jobs. We should balance the need for specialized skills with the impact on the domestic workforce. I believe we can begin to increase the number of visas after a careful review of abuse. Austin Neudecker, Weave Growth YES: We should expand skilled visas to drive innovation and economic growth. Individuals who perform high-skilled work in labor-restricted industries or graduate from respected colleges with relevant degrees should be prioritized for naturalization. We depend on immigration for GDP growth, tax revenue, research, and so much more. Despite the abhorrent rhetoric and curtailing of visas in the first term, I hope the incoming administration can be persuaded to enact positive changes to a clearly flawed system. Chris Van Gorder, Scripps Health YES: But it should be based upon need, not politics. There are several industries that have or could have skilled workforce shortages, especially if the next administration tightens immigration as promised and expected. Over the years, there have been nursing shortages that have been met partially by trained and skilled nurses from other countries. The physician shortage is expected to get worse in the years to come. So, this visa program may very well be needed. Jamie Moraga, Franklin Revere NO: While skilled immigration could boost our economy and competitiveness, the U.S. should prioritize developing our domestic workforce. Hiring foreign nationals in sensitive industries or government-related work, especially in advanced technology or defense, raises security concerns. A balanced approach could involve targeted increases in non-sensitive high-demand fields coupled with investment in domestic STEM education and training programs. This could address immediate needs while strengthening the long-term STEM capabilities of the American workforce. Not participating this week: Alan Gin, University of San DiegoHaney Hong, San Diego County Taxpayers AssociationRay Major, economist Have an idea for an Econometer question? Email me at phillip.molnar@sduniontribune.com . Follow me on Threads: @phillip020Malware-poisoned versions of the widely used JavaScript library @solana/web3.js were distributed via the npm package registry, according to an advisory issued Wednesday by project maintainer Steven Luscher. An advisory , covering CVE-2024-54134 (CVSS-B: 8.3 High), explains that a hijacked @solana account with permission to publish the library was used to add malicious code. The library typically sees almost half a million weekly downloads. It’s used in decentralized apps, or dapps , tied to the Solana blockchain, which is not itself affected. The compromised npm account gave an attacker the opportunity "to publish unauthorized and malicious packages that were modified, allowing them to steal private key material and drain funds from dapps, like bots, that handle private keys directly," the advisory states, before explaining that non-custodial wallets should not be affected. Two affected versions (1.95.6 and 1.95.7) of the library have since been unpublished. Solana dapps that fetched the @solana/web3.js library as a direct or transitive dependency while those versions were available – a window from 3:20pm UTC to 8:25pm UTC on Tuesday, December 3, 2024 – may have downloaded the malicious code. Mert Mumtaz, CEO of Helius Labs, which makes Solana tools, estimated that the financial loss to unspecified persons "is roughly 130K USD so far." "In general, wallets should not be affected since they don't expose private keys – the biggest effect would be on people running JavaScript bots on the backend (ie, not user facing) with private keys on those servers if they updated to this version within the timeframe (last few hours until the patch)," wrote Mumatz in a social media post . Solana research and development firm Anza has posted a root cause analysis of the incident that suggests the attack began with a spear phishing email on Tuesday, December 3, at 1520 UTC, to an @solana npm org member with publish access. The phishing gambit is said to have captured the victim's username, password, and two-factor authentication details. Anza's analysis indicates that the attack came to light after "a core contributor of @solana/web3.js was alerted of the exploit by an ecosystem team that had installed one of the malicious versions into their application and had deployed it." The affected individual is said to have noticed the unauthorized transfer of assets from unspecified digital wallets to another account. In a social media post , Christophe Tafani-Dereeper, a security researcher for Datadog, wrote: "The backdoor inserted in v1.95.7 adds an 'addToQueue' function which exfiltrates the private key through seemingly-legitimate Cloudflare headers." Socket.dev, a software security biz, advises developers to run its free command-line tool to check for the presence of compromised packages. ®Missing dog returned to family home and rang the doorbell WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) — Athena, a 4-year-old German Shepherd and Husky mix, escaped her home in Green Cove Springs, Florida, on Dec. 15, prompting a search among the community and nearby towns for her. Yet on Christmas Eve, Athena appeared at the family's front door ringing on their doorbell — ending a search after more than a week. Her owner, Brooke Comer, said Athena's escape brought multiple communities in her town and neighboring towns to search for her dog, and that Athena's escape was about a 20-mile roundtrip near the train tracks. Sinkhole in New Jersey keeps I-80 closed after a section collapses into an abandoned mine WHARTON, N.J. (AP) — Road crews are repairing Interstate 80 in northern New Jersey after a sinkhole from an abandoned mine shut down the eastbound lanes. The state’s transportation department says it remains unknown when those lanes will reopen. The hole opened up along the highway’s right shoulder Thursday morning, and the guardrail was still hanging suspended across the gaping 40-foot-wide hole on Friday. Drivers are currently having to detour near Wharton, about 40 miles west of New York City. The New Jersey Department of Transportation said crews will work around the clock to the repair the roadway. Customs agents seize 22,000 fake Pennsylvania vehicle inspection stickers shipped from Israel HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — The U.S. Customs and Border Protection agency says it seized more than 20,000 counterfeit Pennsylvania vehicle inspection stickers that were shipped from Israel to an address in Philadelphia. The agency said that customs officers found the stickers in two different shipments that arrived on different days, Nov. 26 and Dec. 9. The agency didn't say in a Thursday statement who sent the stickers, who was to receive them and what purpose the stickers were going to serve. The agency said it made no arrests. Pennsylvania requires that motor vehicles be inspected annually to ensure they meet minimum mechanical, safety and emissions standards. One owl rescued by a Minnesota woman is euthanized; efforts to save the other continue ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — One of the two owls rescued by a Minnesota woman in a story that went viral this week has died, but the other is still getting medical care. Wildwoods Wildlife Rehabilitation Center in Duluth said in a Facebook post Thursday that the snowy owl rescued by Annabell Whelan had internal injuries, a broken wing and a broken leg, and had to be euthanized. The great gray owl also rescued by Whelan suffered broken bones and large soft tissue wounds. Wildwoods says the injuries are severe and veterinarians are doing everything they can to “give the bird a chance at recovery.” Whelan happened to find both injured owls at different places Monday. 2 Florida tourist spots halt drones in shows following a separate accident that injured a boy ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — A theme park resort and a huge hotel in central Florida either have stopped using drones or canceled their drone-based shows after several drones collided and fell from the sky during a separate holiday celebration in downtown Orlando. The accident last weekend injured a boy who required surgery. Universal Orlando said this week that it was pausing the drone component of its “CineSational: A Symphonic Spectacular” show, while Orlando World Center Marriott posted that it was canceling its scheduled drone shows during the holiday week. The halt in using drones follows last Saturday’s accident at a holiday show at Lake Eola Park in downtown Orlando. NASA's Parker Solar Probe survives close brush with the sun's scorching surface NEW YORK (AP) — NASA has confirmed that a spacecraft has made the closest approach to the sun. Earlier this week, the Parker Solar Probe passed within a mere 3.8 million miles of the sun. Space agency officials received an all-clear message Thursday night confirming Parker survived the journey. The spacecraft was launched in 2018 to get a close-up look at the sun. It'll continue circling the sun at this distance until at least September. Scientists hope to better understand what drives the solar wind and why the sun's outer atmosphere iis so much hotter than its surface. 'Morrison Hotel' made famous by The Doors goes up in flames in LA The former Morrison Hotel, which was famously on the cover of a 1970 album by The Doors, has been significantly damaged by a fire in downtown Los Angeles. The Los Angeles Fire Department says the four-story building burned for nearly two hours Thursday. More than 100 firefighters helped bring the fire under control. The building had been vacant for more than a decade but several people who were inside at the time escaped without injuries. The Morrison Hotel was featured on the album’s cover that showed legendary frontman Jim Morrison in the middle. That album was viewed as a comeback for The Doors. Another jackpot surpasses $1 billion. Is this the new normal? Remember this moment because it probably won’t last: A U.S. lottery jackpot is projected to soar above $1 billion, and that's still a big deal. Friday’s Mega Millions drawing is worth an estimated $1.15 billion. The prize has evoked headlines across the country, despite the nation's top 10 jackpots already having boasted billion-dollar payouts. Jonathan Cohen is the author of the book “For a Dollar and a Dream: State Lotteries in Modern America.” He says he expects jackpots to continue to grow in size. Larger payouts attract more media attention, increase ticket sales and bring in new players. Suzuki Motor former boss Osamu Suzuki, who turned the minicar maker into a global player, dies at 94 TOKYO (AP) — Osamu Suzuki, the charismatic former boss of Japanese mini-vehicle maker Suzuki Motor Corp., has died. He was 94. Suzuki was known for his candid remarks and friendliness, calling himself an "old guy from a small to mid-size company.” He became CEO of Suzuki in 1978 and helped turn the company into a global brand name. It was the first Japanese automaker to start local production in India and has had tie-ups with industry leaders like General Motors and Volkswagen. It is working with Toyota on developing self-driving vehicles. The company said Suzuki died Wednesday of malignant lymphoma. Cowboys shutting down CeeDee Lamb with 2 games to go over receiver's shoulder issue FRISCO, Texas (AP) — The Dallas Cowboys are shutting down CeeDee Lamb with two games remaining after their 2023 All-Pro receiver spent the second half of the season dealing with a sprained right shoulder. The team says additional exams revealed enough damage to keep Lamb off the field Sunday at Philadelphia and in the final game at home against Washington. The team says surgery isn't expected to be required. Dallas was eliminated from playoff contention a few hours before last weekend’s 26-24 victory over Tampa Bay.
HAMILTON TOWNSHIP, N.J. , Dec. 5, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Billtrust , a B2B order-to-cash and digital payments market leader, has been named a Leader in two IDC MarketScape reports – IDC MarketScape: Worldwide Accounts Receivable Automation Applications for the Enterprise 2024 Vendor Assessment (doc #US51740924, December 2024 ) and IDC MarketScape: Worldwide Accounts Receivable Automation Applications for Small and Midmarket 2024 Vendor Assessment (doc #US52692224, December 2024 ). Billtrust was one of 14 providers evaluated for the enterprise report and one of 11 providers in the small and midmarket report. The IDC MarketScapes evaluate a broad set of SaaS and cloud-enabled accounts receivable automation software vendors based on innovation, functionality, range of services, customer satisfaction, cloud capabilities and architecture. "Billtrust is a Leader in the Accounts Receivable Automation Applications for Enterprise and Small and Midmarket," said Kevin Permenter , Research Director, Financial Applications at IDC. "Billtrust attempts to differentiate itself with a scalable, unified solution that simplifies AR processes and improvement to the payment experience their clients provide their customers, all while empowering their AR teams to turn financial data into insights that contribute to their business strategy. They offer an extensive suite of payment management capabilities designed to streamline and automate the accounts receivable process." Billtrust was recognized for the following strengths: Unified experience: "The unified platform enables customers to have an uninterrupted, AI-powered, complete view of customer activity across the entire AR process." Reporting and data analytics: "Billtrust's solutions feature dynamic reporting and dashboards." The news of Billtrust's recognition as a Leader in the IDC MarketScape comes as B2B businesses are leveraging technology like generative AI to boost efficiency and optimize operations as they grapple with the challenges of cash flow management, according to a recent IDC InfoBrief study (IDC InfoBrief, sponsored by Billtrust, "AI Pushing the Boundaries of What's Possible for OTC," IDC #US52446224, August 2024 ). Billtrust recently announced new generative AI functionality within its accounts receivable software platform to empower finance professionals to better understand their business, make strategic decisions, maximize cash flow and engage customers more effectively. "We are honored to be recognized as a Leader in the IDC MarketScape, which we believe reflects our dedication to innovation, digital transformation, and delivering exceptional customer outcomes," said Sunil Rajasekar , CEO of Billtrust. "In 2024, we achieved remarkable milestones, including the launch of our generative AI tool, Billtrust Finance Co-Pilot, which provides unmatched, in-depth analysis of customer data. We are proud to support finance teams in working more efficiently, accelerating payments, and enhancing the buyer experience." About IDC MarketScape IDC MarketScape vendor assessment model is designed to provide an overview of the competitive fitness of technology and service suppliers in a given market. The research utilizes a rigorous scoring methodology based on both qualitative and quantitative criteria that results in a single graphical illustration of each supplier's position within a given market. IDC MarketScape provides a clear framework in which the product and service offerings, capabilities and strategies, and current and future market success factors of technology suppliers can be meaningfully compared. The framework also provides technology buyers with a 360-degree assessment of the strengths and weaknesses of current and prospective suppliers. About Billtrust Finance leaders turn to Billtrust to get paid faster while controlling costs, accelerating cash flow and maximizing customer satisfaction. As a B2B order-to-cash software and digital payments market leader, we help the world's leading brands move finance forward with AI-powered solutions to transition from expensive paper invoicing and check acceptance to efficient electronic billing and payments. With more than $1 trillion invoice dollars processed, Billtrust delivers business value through deep industry expertise and a culture relentlessly focused on delivering meaningful customer outcomes. Media Contact Paul Accardo PR@billtrust.com View original content to download multimedia: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/billtrust-named-a-leader-in-idc-marketscape-for-worldwide-accounts-receivable-automation-software-for-enterprise-and-small-and-midmarket-2024-302324426.html SOURCE Billtrust
Global Blood Bank Information Systems Market To Reach $1.08 Billion By 2028 With A Growth Rate Of 8.5%Olusegun Obasanjo, the former president of Nigeria, has debunked the rumour that he was dead, expressing worries that some people wanted him to die The former president, at the commissioning of a road in Osun state, said he was informed of the report by an ally, promoting him to visit social media to verify Obasanjo then disclosed that he had to share the news with family and friends and wondered why anyone would wish him death CHECK OUT: Don't let unemployment hold you back. Start your digital marketing journey today. Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has debunked rumours of his death, stating that he woke up to false reports on social media claiming he had passed away. Speaking at the commissioning of the Old-Garage-Oke-Fia-Lameco road in Osun State, Obasanjo expressed his disappointment at seeing people wish him dead. He revealed that a close ally had informed him of the death rumours, prompting him to check social media, where he confirmed the false reports. Read also Verydarkman slams TVC presenter for criticising Davido’s remarks about the country’s economy The former president said he shared the news with his family and friends, wondering why anyone would wish him harm. He stated that those who wish him dead may have their wish, but it will not come to pass. The former president also warned that those who think ill of him will not escape tragedy. Obasanjo commends Governor Adeleke The Guardian reported that Obasanjo commended Governor Ademola Adeleke during his speech for his exceptional performance in Osun State and predicted that his second term would be assured. PAY ATTENTION: Follow us on Instagram - get the most important news directly in your favourite app! Obasanjo's appearance at the event was a testament to his good health, despite the false rumours circulating on social media. He said that comments were a clear indication that he remains committed to the well-being of Nigerians, even in his retirement. It's worth noting that this is not the first time Obasanjo has been the subject of death rumours. In September 2023, a viral video claimed that he had passed away, but his spokesperson quickly debunked the rumour. Obasanjo has also spoken about how Nigerians can say whatever they like about him after his death, showing that he is not bothered by rumours and speculation about his mortality. Source: Legit.ng
Ukraine must be in strong position for negotiations, Starmer says
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