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Some tech industry leaders are pushing the incoming Trump administration to increase visas for highly skilled workers from other nations. 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, University of California-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, University of California-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. ©2024 The San Diego Union-Tribune. Visit sandiegouniontribune.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.Sam Darnold-led Vikings down Packers for ninth straight winSyria's ousted dictator Bashar Assad and his family were members of the secretive religious minority, and used the community's fears and desires to stay in power. Thousands of locals took to the streets in recent days to protest attacks on a shrine in Syria's second-largest city, Aleppo. The shrine is important to the Alawite religious minority, a group to which Syria's ousted dictator Bashar Assad also belongs. The protests began after a video showing an attack on the Alawite shrine was circulated online. The video has been disputed — apparently it is not current — but protesters said those who had damaged the shrine must be held to account. Others demanded that Syria's newly appointed authorities act in a non-sectarian way, without prejudice against the country's Alawites. "No to burning holy places and religious discrimination. No to sectarianism. Yes, to a free Syria ," Doha-based media outlet Al Jazeera reported signs at the protests saying. The conflagration is another aspect of the difficult path ahead for the evolving Syrian transition. Members of Syria's Alawite minority fear they will be punished or persecuted because of their community's long-standing connections to the Assad family, who ruled Syria brutally for 54 years. The Alawite minority is often described as having benefited from the Assad family's rule. But they have also paid dearly for that connection. Who are Syria's Alawites? Estimates suggest that, before the civil war started in 2011, Alawites made up somewhere between 10% and 13% of Syria's total population. As a religious sect, the Alawites are often referred to as an offshoot of Shia Islam. But their background is more complex than that. Alawi Islam emerged in the ninth century in northeastern Syria, a rich mixture of belief systems at the time, according to religious experts. The sect is notoriously secretive, but those who have been able to study it say Alawites have a differing interpretation of several pillars of Islam , which are considered foundational by orthodox Muslims. That includes the regular call to public prayer and the physical pilgrimage to Mecca. Alawites prefer to worship in private, at home or outdoors, believe the pilgrimage could be symbolic, don't think females needed to wear headscarves, use wine in their rituals and incorporate more nature worship, including the sun, moon and stars, into their belief system. The Alawites do also have commonalities with Shiite Muslims. For example, they believe in the divinity of Ali ibn Abu Talib, cousin and son-in-law of the Prophet Muhammad, a caliph in the seventh century and considered the first leader of Shia Islam. Still, as a result of the mixture of beliefs, they were regularly accused of heresy and discriminated against by everyone from the Christian Crusaders to the Ottomans from Turkey. Emancipation through colonialism That changed in the early 20th century during the French colonial period in Syria. As part of their "divide and conquer" policy, the French split local Alawite and Druze minorities from the Muslim majority and, in 1922, established a legally autonomous state for Alawites. How Golan Heights Druze community views post-Assad Syria To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video While the country's Sunni majority resisted joining French-controlled armed forces, the Alawites — who, for the first time, were part of a state that did not persecute them for their beliefs — had no such apprehensions. By 1946, after France pulled out and Syria became an independent nation, "the Alawites had gained a political presence," researchers at US think tank, the Foreign Policy Research Institute , wrote. "By 1955, about 65% of the non-commissioned officers were Alawites." After Syrian independence, Alawites continued to climb the military's ranks and, in 1963, when five officers launched a coup — one of several during Syria's tumultuous postcolonial period — three of them were Alawites. And one of those was Hafez Assad, who would go on to take power for himself in 1971. "Hafez would emerge as his sect's sole representative and champion of a new Alawite identity," Alawite author Adnan Younes wrote in a 2021 text for New Lines Magazine . "This contrasted dramatically with the previous Alawite identity: opaque and recalcitrant, which has always been misunderstood," Younes explained. "Alawites now had to [...] support the 'founder of modern Syria' [...] and be worthy of his trust." Hafez Assad surrounded himself with loyal Alawites for his own protection. Members of the minority who were not loyal, such as communists, were imprisoned. Assad also tried to downplay the differences between the Alawite minority and the Muslim majority. "He built mosques in Alawite towns, prayed publicly and fasted, and encouraged his people to do the same," Joshua Landis, a non-resident fellow at the Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft, who married into a Syrian Alawite family, has previously pointed out . Assad also tried to stop Alawites from celebrating holidays they previously had, like the Persian new year, Nowruz, and the Christian holiday, Christmas. Dominating military and politics Now when the Alawite minority was attacked, the state retaliated. Hundreds of Alawi soldiers and other members of the community were deliberately targeted for sectarian reasons between 1979 and 1981 by members of the Muslim Brotherhood, a Sunni Muslim group with an Islamist ideology, during uprisings against the Assad regime. After killing around 2,000 members of the Muslim Brotherhood, the Assad government laid siege to the city of Hama in February 1982. An estimated 10,000 to 25,000 civilians were killed as a result. The Alawites saw the Islamists as a threat and generally preferred a secular government in Syria. Over ensuing decades, Assad and his son used that fear to manipulate the community, saying they were the only ones who would protect them. The community's concerns persist to this day. Disillusionment with Assad During the 13-year-long civil war, the Alawite community in Syria has been heavily affected by its military involvement. According to the EU's Agency for Asylum , in some Alawite-majority towns and villages between 60% and 70% of young men were either killed or wounded during the war. Many young Alawi males have also hidden or fled from conscription. Recent surveys show how, over the past few years, many Alawis had become increasingly disillusioned with the Assad regime, researchers at the Konrad Adenauer Foundation wrote, after conducting surveys of the Alawite community in Syria in early 2024. Unless they were members of a small Syrian elite, Alawites dealt with the same economic hardships as other Syrians. However, given the authoritarian nature of the Assad regime, many did not feel they could speak out either, the researchers said. That is why a binary portrayal of the Alawites as either pro- or anti-Assad "fails to capture the nuanced spectrum of views within the Alawite population, ranging from staunch regime loyalists to discreet dissenters," the researchers concluded. "Nor does it adequately account for the socioeconomic hardships that have affected them similarly to other Syrian communities," or the "disproportionate losses" the community has suffered, they noted. Syrian minorities wary of HTS' promises of inclusivity To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video Edited by: Martin KueblerBlockchain Revolution Why This Token Is Attracting Top Investors
Geode Capital Management LLC Acquires 6,166 Shares of AMERISAFE, Inc. (NASDAQ:AMSF)
Fancy 'chatting' with Dr. Jose Rizal? A veteran voice artist develops an AI Rizal for thatThis year has been one of milestones for top tech company Nvidia ( NVDA -2.09% ) . The artificial intelligence (AI) chip leader delivered record earnings quarter after quarter as demand for its products and services soared. Thanks to a triple-digit share price gain, the company even temporarily became the largest by market value -- surpassing Apple . Nvidia also won a spot among the elite, with an invitation to join the Dow Jones Industrial Average , and the stock became the best performer on the benchmark for the year. It's clear that this AI powerhouse has been firing on all cylinders. But the string of milestones isn't over. The company just reached yet another one, worth about $30 billion and showing exactly how important this stock is to investors right now. Let's take a closer look and consider whether Nvidia stock is a buy for 2025. The GPU is a natural for AI First, though, a quick summary of the Nvidia story so far. The company makes the world's top-performing graphics processing units (GPUs), a type of chip that mainly powered video games in its earlier days. But the GPU's ability to process many tasks at once made it a natural for other areas too. That's how and why the GPU expanded into AI. In fact, this chip plays a central role in crucial AI tasks -- such as the training and inferencing of large language models . As a result, Nvidia's revenue has exploded higher in recent years. For example, in the latest quarter, revenue came in at a record of more than $35 billion -- higher than a full year of revenue just two years ago. Importantly, the company is also highly profitable on sales, with a gross margin of more than 70% in recent quarters. Nvidia even expects gross margin to remain above 70% during the launch of its Blackwell architecture. This illustrates the strength of the company's cost structure -- because launches, involving new logistics and manufacturing processes, generally weigh on profit. As mentioned above, this tech giant has reached milestone after milestone over the past year, and now it's finishing up 2024 with yet another one. Nvidia is on its way to becoming the most-bought security by retail investors this year. Retail investor purchases represented nearly $30 billion in net inflows into Nvidia as of Dec. 17, according to Vanda Research. Last year, Nvidia was only the No. 4 most-purchased stock, with about $11 billion in inflows, and Tesla took the top spot. The data also show that net inflows from retail investors into Nvidia have increased by nine-fold from 2021. So, regular investors like you and me have piled into Nvidia in recent times, and the company has become a key part of many portfolios. But does Nvidia have what it takes to continue being an investor favorite, and is the stock a buy for 2025? Nvidia's valuation Nvidia's popularity among investors has driven valuation higher. Today, the stock trades for 47x forward earnings estimates , around its most expensive level this year. Still, it's not a ridiculously high level for a growth stock, especially one operating in a dynamic industry that's in the early days of its story. Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang says that about $1 trillion in outdated computers operate in the world today, and they'll need to be updated for accelerated computing. This suggests that a lot more growth could be ahead for Nvidia over the long term. Something big is happening in the near term that could continue pushing Nvidia stock higher. As mentioned, Nvidia is launching Blackwell, a move that's already started with a production ramp during this current quarter. Blackwell is a fully customizable system, with seven different chips, various networking options and more -- and its performance could be a game-changer for users. Speaking of users, they've been lining up to get in on Blackwell for quite some time, with demand reaching "insane" levels, as Huang said during a CNBC interview this fall. Nvidia even says it expects several billion dollars in Blackwell revenue during this first quarter of commercialization. All this means that Nvidia, even after its gains this year, has what it takes to continue attracting retail investors and landing at the top of their investing lists. This popularity doesn't make the stock a buy -- but other elements do. Nvidia's market leadership, its focus on innovation, and the launch of Blackwell could drive this stock higher in the weeks and months to come, making it a top stock to add to your portfolio for 2025.MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Wisconsin public worker and teachers unions scored a major legal victory Monday with a ruling that restores collective bargaining rights they lost under a 2011 state law that sparked weeks of protests and made the state the center of the national battle over union rights. That law, known as Act 10, effectively ended the ability of most public employees to bargain for wage increases and other issues, and forced them to pay more for health insurance and retirement benefits. Under the ruling by Dane County Circuit Judge Jacob Frost, all public sector workers who lost their collective bargaining power would have it restored to what was in place prior to 2011. They would be treated the same as the police, firefighter and other public safety unions that were exempted under the law. Republicans vowed to immediately appeal the ruling, which ultimately is likely to go before the Wisconsin Supreme Court. That only amplifies the importance of the April election that will determine whether the court remains controlled 4-3 by liberal justices. Former Gov. Scott Walker, who proposed the law that catapulted him onto the national political stage, decried the ruling in a post on the social media platform X as “brazen political activism.” He said it makes the state Supreme Court election “that much more important.” Supporters of the law have said it provided local governments more control over workers and the powers they needed to cut costs. Repealing the law, which allowed schools and local governments to raise money through higher employee contributions for benefits, would bankrupt those entities, backers of Act 10 have argued. Democratic opponents argue that the law has hurt schools and other government agencies by taking away the ability of employees to collectively bargain for their pay and working conditions. The law was proposed by Walker and enacted by the Republican-controlled Legislature in spite of massive protests that went on for weeks and drew as many as 100,000 people to the Capitol. The law has withstood numerous legal challenges over the years, but this was the first brought since the Wisconsin Supreme Court flipped to liberal control in 2023. The seven unions and three union leaders that brought the lawsuit argued that the law should be struck down because it creates unconstitutional exemptions for firefighters and other public safety workers. Attorneys for the Legislature and state agencies countered that the exemptions are legal, have already been upheld by other courts, and that the case should be dismissed. But Frost sided with the unions in July, saying the law violates equal protection guarantees in the Wisconsin Constitution by dividing public employees into “general” and “public safety” employees. He ruled that general employee unions, like those representing teachers, can not be treated differently from public safety unions that were exempt from the law. His ruling Monday delineated the dozens of specific provisions in the law that must be struck. Wisconsin Republican Assembly Speaker Robin Vos said he looked forward to appealing the ruling. “This lawsuit came more than a decade after Act 10 became law and after many courts rejected the same meritless legal challenges,” Vos said in a statement. Wisconsin Manufacturers and Commerce, the state's largest business lobbying organization, also decried the ruling. WMC President Kurt Bauer called Act 10 “a critical tool for policymakers and elected officials to balance budgets and find taxpayer savings." The Legislature said in court filings that arguments made in the current case were rejected in 2014 by the state Supreme Court. The only change since that ruling is the makeup of Wisconsin Supreme Court, attorneys for the Legislature argued. The Act 10 law effectively ended collective bargaining for most public unions by allowing them to bargain solely over base wage increases no greater than inflation. It also disallowed the automatic withdrawal of union dues, required annual recertification votes for unions, and forced public workers to pay more for health insurance and retirement benefits. The law was the signature legislative achievement of Walker, who was targeted for a recall election he won. Walker used his fights with unions to mount an unsuccessful presidential run in 2016. Frost, the judge who issued Monday's ruling, appeared to have signed the petition to recall Walker from office. None of the attorneys sought his removal from the case and he did not step down. Frost was appointed to the bench by Democratic Gov. Tony Evers, who signed the Walker recall petition. The law has also led to a dramatic decrease in union membership across the state. The nonpartisan Wisconsin Policy Forum said in a 2022 analysis that since 2000, Wisconsin had the largest decline in the proportion of its workforce that is unionized. In 2015, the GOP-controlled Wisconsin Legislature approved a right-to-work law that limited the power of private-sector unions. Public sector unions that brought the lawsuit are the Abbotsford Education Association; the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees Locals 47 and 1215; the Beaver Dam Education Association; SEIU Wisconsin; the Teaching Assistants’ Association Local 3220 and the International Brotherhood of Teamsters Local 695.
Female Indiana school bus driver, 38, is arrested for ridiculous act By SONYA GUGLIARA FOR DAILYMAIL.COM Published: 01:40, 30 December 2024 | Updated: 02:01, 30 December 2024 e-mail View comments An Indiana school bus driver accused of drunk-driving a bus of 32 children has been charged with two felonies. Kayla Pier, 38, turned herself in to police on Friday after authorities issued a warrant for her arrest, according to the La Porte County Sheriff's Office. On September 20, the reckless driver took students from La Porte Middle School to Riley Elementary School. But the students on the bus realized something was wrong as soon as she started driving. Police said that the students noticed Pier acting strangely and began reporting her out of the ordinary 'driving behaviors and mannerisms,' police said in a statement. 'The courageous students aboard the bus who reported the behaviors of the accused are publicly commended,' LPCSC Captain Derek Allen wrote in a press release. 'Their attention to detail and prompt actions may have prevented a tragedy from occurring.' The school district's transportation director met the bus at Riley Elementary School. Pier was taken off the vehicle and the school district started investigating the situation. Kayla Pier, 38, turned herself in to police on Friday after authorities issued a warrant for her arrest after allegedly drunk-driving a school bus According to police, 32 students were onboard the school bus, driving from La Porte Middle School to Riley Elementary School (stock image) Pier quit her job later that day. The school district brought the incident to the attention of the sheriff's office on October 21, when toxicology results confirmed that Pier was still intoxicated. 'Thank you to the school corporation administrators for their assistance and cooperation throughout the investigation. Our partnership is committed to student safety, both on and off of every campus,' Allen said. Authorities then launched an official investigation into Pier's actions, collecting videos and conducting interviews to get to the bottom of what transpired that day. On December 19, Deputy Brian Crail - who led the investigation - submitted a Probable Cause affidavit to the county's Prosecuting Attorney's office for evaluation. La Porte County Circuit Court agreed that there was probable cause the next day and issued an arrest warrant. Pier turned herself in a week later and was charged with Operating While Intoxicated and Neglect of a Dependent. She was taken to La Porte County Jail, but was released after her bond was posted. The La Porte Community School Corporation addressed Pier's arrest in a social media post, outlining what had transpired. The statement reads: 'Earlier this Fall, students aboard one of our buses demonstrated exceptional judgment and courage by reporting concerning behavior from their driver to school administrators. 'We are incredibly proud of our students, who recognized something was wrong and reported their concerns responsibly. Their actions exemplify the "see something, say something" principles we teach in our schools. 'Our district maintains rigorous standards for all transportation employees, including mandatory random drug and alcohol testing, regular credential verification, and ongoing safety training.' On social media, concerned parents have expressed their outrage with Pier and how the incident was handled. One woman wrote under the LPCSO's Facebook post about the situation: 'Why did the school deal with this internally? Pier was allegedly drunk-driving a bus that left from La Porte Middle School (pictured). Students started reporting her while she was driving 'This was a crime that should have been reported immediately like any other. This is disgusting and disturbing. Another example of poor leadership and a failure to protect our children.' Another user added: 'This should have been reported to the police when it happened! Very concerning it was not reported for a month. '[Pier should be charged with ] 32 counts neglect. 32 counts child endangerment.' 'Police should have met her at the school along with the superintendent! Baffling they didn't call the police right away! She had children on the bus! Even the children knew something was wrong!' someone else said. Indiana Share or comment on this article: Female Indiana school bus driver, 38, is arrested for ridiculous act e-mail Add comment
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North Carolina Teaching Fellows selects student from RutherfordtonThey are investigating whether his short-lived martial law decree earlier this month amounted to rebellion. The Corruption Investigation Office for High-Ranking Officials, which is leading a joint investigation with police and military authorities into the power grab that lasted only a few hours, confirmed it requested the warrant on Monday. Investigators plan to question Mr Yoon on charges of abuse of authority and orchestrating a rebellion. Mr Yoon has dodged several requests by the joint investigation team and public prosecutors to appear for questioning and has also blocked searches of his offices. It is not clear whether the court will grant the warrant or whether Mr Yoon can be compelled to appear for questioning. Under the country’s laws, locations potentially linked to military secrets cannot be seized or searched without the consent of the person in charge and it is unlikely Mr Yoon will voluntarily leave his residence if he faces detainment. Mr Yoon’s presidential powers were suspended after the National Assembly voted to impeach him on December 14 over his imposition of martial law that lasted only hours but has triggered weeks of political turmoil, halted high-level diplomacy and rattled financial markets. His fate lies with the Constitutional Court, which has begun deliberations on whether to uphold the impeachment and formally remove Mr Yoon from office or reinstate him. Mr Yoon has defended the martial law decree as a necessary act of governance, describing it as a warning against the liberal opposition Democratic Party, which has been bogging down his agenda with its majority in the parliament. Parliament voted last week to also impeach Prime Minister Han Duck-soo, who had assumed the role of acting president after Mr Yoon’s powers were suspended, over his reluctance to fill three Constitutional Court vacancies ahead of the court’s review of Mr Yoon’s case. The country’s new interim leader is Deputy Prime Minister Choi Sang-mok, who is also finance minister.
Stock market today: Wall Street rises toward records despite tariff talkAfter-hours movers: GM, Stitch Fix, Dave & Buster's, GME and more