Amid the high-pitch war of words over hiring H-1B visa-holders in America, tech billionaire Elon Musk, who has been handpicked by US President-elect Donald Trump to lead his proposed Department of Government Efficiency, joined the debate Saturday morning with a strong comment. The owner of Tesla, SpaceX, and X (formerly Twitter), asked right-wingers and MAGA loyalists to “take a big step back” as H-1B visa row intensified. “The reason I’m in America along with so many critical people who built SpaceX, Tesla and hundreds of other companies that made America strong is because of H1B. Take a big step back and **** ******** in the face,” Musk posted on the social media platform owned by him. “I will go to war on this issue the likes of which you cannot possibly comprehend,” he added. Skilled professionals from other countries need the H-1B visa to work in the US, and it is quite popular among immigrants, with Indians forming a big part of this chunk of the American population. A large number of people on social media, especially the Make America Great Again (MAGA) loyalists, have been for the last few days speaking against immigrants, after the President-elect appointed Indian-American Sriram Krishnan as Senior Policy Advisor for Artificial Intelligence at the White House. Krishnan had earlier spoken in favour of removing caps for green cards. Musk taking side of the immigrants and blasting right-wingers and Trump supporters is big because he is a close ally of the President-elect set to assume office on January 20. Musk had gone all out to campaign for him, both online and offline, and is credited with playing a big role in Trump's return to power scripting one of the biggest political comebacks in the history of the US. 💯 — Elon Musk (@elonmusk) December 27, 2024 What Is The H1B Visa Row? “Anything to remove country caps for green cards / unlock skilled immigration would be huge,” Sriram Krishnan had said in November, speaking in favour of bringing more skilled professionals to the US on H-1B visa. Anything to remove country caps for green cards / unlock skilled immigration would be huge. https://t.co/21toGtW5lS — Sriram Krishnan (@sriramk) November 14, 2024 This hadn’t gone down well with anti-immigration MAGA loyalists, and a controversy broke out after his appointment to the White House, with right winger Laura Loomer criticising his stance to be “not America First policy”. She also called tech executives "termites", and that they are aligning themselves with Donald Trump only to "enrich" themselves. Deeply disturbing to see the appointment of Sriram Krishnan @sriramk as Senior Policy Advisor for AI at the Office of Science and Technology Policy. It’s alarming to see the number of career leftists who are now being appointed to serve in Trump’s admin when they share views... https://t.co/pf0WiViy32 pic.twitter.com/nR0TkZpNK7 — Laura Loomer (@LauraLoomer) December 23, 2024 Tech billionaires are like termites who have descended upon Palm Beach to INFEST AND ROT from within. They don’t just want to replace your jobs. They want to replace the MAGA agenda by hiding and eating away at it as they multiply from within. Just like a termite... — Laura Loomer (@LauraLoomer) December 24, 2024 "...the tech billionaires are lining up outside the gates of Mar a Lago with their checkbooks. They want to buy influence so they can sabotage Trump’s immigration policies," she posted on December 26 . A heated debate has been continuing on social media on what will be the immigration policy under Donald Trump, with right-wingers denouncing even the influence of Elon Musk and investors like Vivek Ramaswamy who are pro-immigration. Vivek Ramaswamy is co-chair of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) along with Musk, whose job will be to cut by a third the size of the US government. The debate comes close on the heels of the presidential election that saw immigration as one of the most important issues, with Trump vowing to end illegal immigration and deport those who are already in the US. However, while his presidential campaign was centered around the issue of illegal immigration, the current debate is all about legal immigrants. While the anti-immigration lobby says skilled professionals working in the US on H-1B visa bite into the pie of jobs meant for US citizens, with some of them even calling for the visa programme to be discontinued with, technology companies say such immigrants are critical for the functioning of the sector as they fill a big gap. Trump, who had as a presidential candidate in 2016 called the H-1B visa regime “very bad” and “unfair” for US workers, is yet to say anything on the debate this time round. H1B Visa Row: Who Said What Trump may not have said anything on the matter yet, the debate over the H1B Visa programme has many prominent people speaking up. While Musk posted that there is a “permanent shortage of excellent engineering talent” and that it’s “the fundamental limiting factor in Silicon Valley”, Ramaswamy said American culture was to be blamed for the fact that there is a lack on US-born engineers, as he suggested Americans have “venerated mediocrity over excellence for way too long”. There is a permanent shortage of excellent engineering talent. It is the fundamental limiting factor in Silicon Valley. — Elon Musk (@elonmusk) December 25, 2024 Ramaswamy also said: "A culture that celebrates the prom queen over the math olympiad champ, or the jock over the valedictorian, will not produce the best engineers." The reason top tech companies often hire foreign-born & first-generation engineers over “native” Americans isn’t because of an innate American IQ deficit (a lazy & wrong explanation). A key part of it comes down to the c-word: culture. Tough questions demand tough answers & if... — Vivek Ramaswamy (@VivekGRamaswamy) December 26, 2024 His comments did not go down well with many. Nikki Haley opposed Ramaswamy, saying: “There is nothing wrong with American workers or American culture... We should be investing and prioritizing in Americans, not foreign workers. We should be investing and prioritizing in Americans, not foreign workers.” There is nothing wrong with American workers or American culture. All you have to do is look at the border and see how many want what we have. We should be investing and prioritizing in Americans, not foreign workers. https://t.co/fIGr45C3LD — Nikki Haley (@NikkiHaley) December 26, 2024 Meanwhile, batting for immigrants, Ashish K Jha, Indian-American physician and academic who was the White House Covid-19 response coordinator from 2022–2023, said: “...foreign medical graduates are also WAY more likely to practice in rural areas, practice in other underserved areas, and go into primary care.” He added: “So yes, they are filling a critical need...And they are good too.” There is good empirical data that if you’re hospitalized, having a foreign medical grad as your doctor gets you better outcomes than having a US medical grad Some folks see this as a critique of American doctors. Not at all I graduated from a US medical school and strongly... https://t.co/vwlD5ldbdj — Ashish K. Jha, MD, MPH (@ashishkjha) December 27, 2024 Here is a look at what others are saying: “Now that you’ve angered us, we shall march forth as a unified army to hand your country over to the communists.” is certainly one way to make your h1b visa argument. pic.twitter.com/VJCxOynOM8 — Jesse Kelly (@JesseKellyDC) December 27, 2024 The vast majority of H1B visas aren’t going to 135 IQ engineers who make 250k a year. They’re going to people who take mediocre jobs like this. The whole system is a scam, and it’s disproportionately taken advantage of by one specific country in one specific subcontinent. pic.twitter.com/N862nag6EB — Red Eagle Politics (@RedEaglePatriot) December 28, 2024 Michio Kaku, 2011. H1B is America's secret weapon. Without H1B, scientific progress in America would collapse. It will collapse the economy. Great reminder on what's at stake and why @elonmusk is fighting so hard. pic.twitter.com/GZO8L0rvFP — Atal Agarwal 💜🚐🌍 (@atalovesyou) December 28, 2024
Mike McDaniel stepped in to keep Dolphins from trading veteran DT Calais Campbell to RavensAP Business SummaryBrief at 11:27 a.m. EST
Gildan Activewear Inc. CEO Glenn Chamandy arrives to speak to the media following their annual meeting in Montreal, on May 28. Christinne Muschi/The Canadian Press Fund managers who put Glenn Chamandy back in the driver’s seat at Gildan Activewear Inc. GIL-T after a nasty boardroom battle are reaping the rewards for their support by selling portions of their stakes in the T-shirt maker. Gildan’s stock price has soared by 40 per cent since shareholders voted in May to reinstate Mr. Chamandy as chief executive officer and install a new board. Last December, the company’s previous board dismissed the then 61-year-old co-founder over succession issues, kicking off a six-month public battle for leadership of one of the world’s largest clothing manufacturers. During the governance showdown, normally low-profile fund managers such as Jarislowsky Fraser Ltd., Turtle Creek Asset Management Inc. and Anson Funds waged public campaigns supporting Mr. Chamandy. Their faith proved justified. Since Mr. Chamandy’s return, Gildan has boosted international sales and ramped up share buybacks, while rivals such as Fruit of the Loom Ltd. stumbled. Within months, Gildan’s stock price soared through analysts’ long-term targets. In November, Gildan’s share price hit all-time highs of $70 on the Toronto Stock Exchange, valuing the Montreal-based company at $10.8-billion. Mr. Chamandy’s staunchest supporters took profits during the rally. Over the summer, Jarislowsky Fraser, Gildan’s largest shareholder, sold 703,000 shares worth roughly $40-million, according to U.S. regulatory filings made Sept. 30. Jarislowsky Fraser, an arm of Bank of Nova Scotia, continues to own 10.3 million shares or 6.7 per cent of Gildan, a stake worth over $700-million. “Our view on Gildan is unchanged,” said Charles Nadim, head of research and portfolio manager at Jarislowsky Fraser, in an e-mail. “Any reduction in shares reflects portfolio considerations given the size of the position after such strong performance.” In recent months, Turtle Creek sold 1.2 million Gildan shares worth roughly $70-million, according to filings. The asset manager continues to hold 3.1 million shares worth more than $200-million. In an interview, co-founder and CEO Andrew Brenton said Turtle Creek has owned Gildan for more than 10 years and continues to support Mr. Chamandy’s strategy but decided to sell a portion of its holding as part of the fund manager’s “continuous portfolio optimization strategy.” “We remain committed to Glenn and his strategy, and we expect to continue to be Gildan shareholders for the long term,” Mr. Brenton said. Turtle Creek oversees $4.2-billion in client assets. Gildan Activewear will be ‘beneficiary of consolidation’ as customers merge, CEO says Anson, a Toronto-based fund manager, built a 2 million share stake worth more than $100-million in Gildan during the proxy fight and publicly backed Mr. Chamandy. In its September letter to investors, Anson co- founder and chief investment officer Moez Kassam said while Gildan’s prospects are bright, the fund manager sold most of its stake after its value rose by 50 per cent. He said: “We believe Gildan will continue to take share from peers.” Two other significant shareholders, Fidelity parent FMR LLC and Coliseum Capital Management LLC, also sold more than a million Gildan shares this fall. Over all, 11 of Gildan’s 25 largest shareholders have trimmed their positions since Mr. Chamandy’s return, while 13 institutional investors added to their stakes, according to filings. Gildan’s third-largest shareholder, Browning West LP, kept its stake constant at 9.6 million shares or 6.2 per cent of the company. The Los Angeles-based fund manager led the campaign to bring back Mr. Chamandy. “We believe Gildan has a strong value creation path ahead of it and look forward to being an engaged and supportive shareholder for many years,” Usman Nabi, Browning West’s managing partner and chief investment officer, said in an e-mail. Gildan’s stock price is soaring as the company moves on from what proved to be an expensive boardroom fight. So far this year, the company has spent $82.3-million on lawyers and advisers in the proxy battle, according to the company’s financial reports. The total includes $9.4-million Gildan paid to Browning West to cover the asset manager’s expenses. Gildan is still contesting outstanding bills. In August, advisory firm Kingsdale Partners LP sued Gildan for $2.3-million in alleged unpaid fees in the Ontario Superior Court of Justice. Since Mr. Chamandy’s return to the top job, Gildan has introduced new products and expanded its reach. In a recent report, analyst Mark Petrie at CIBC Capital Markets said sales and profit margins rose after Gildan rolled out “soft cotton technology” to improve the feel and “printability” of its T-shirts. “Gildan is taking market share and we believe product innovation and favourable competitive dynamics are important tailwinds,” Mr. Petrie said. Prior to the boardroom fight, Gildan built new factories in Bangladesh to cut costs and better serve international markets. While revenue growth in North America is relatively modest – projected to be 5 per cent or less annually – Gildan’s international sales jumped 20 per cent to $64-million in the most recent quarter compared to the same period a year ago. Over all, Gildan’s sales rose 2.4 per cent to a record $891-million in the quarter, while adjusted earnings rose 6.5 per cent to $138-million. Mr. Chamandy returned to Gildan promising to ramp up repurchase of the company’s shares, potentially by increasing the company’s relatively low debt levels and has delivered. Since May, Gildan has bought back 14.3 million of its own shares. The company’s current repurchase plan, set in August, allows Gildan to buy back up to 16 million shares or 10 per cent of its float by August, 2025. Mr. Petrie forecast the company will reach that limit early in the new year. Last Wednesday, Gildan raised $700-million in credit markets by selling notes maturing in five and seven years. The money is earmarked for “general corporate purposes,” which can include paying for share buybacks. With a report from Robyn DoolittleFocus on technology & branding to promote tourism: Rajasthan Dy CM
US agencies should use advanced technology to identify mysterious drones, Schumer saysShould the U.S. increase immigration levels for highly skilled workers?
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PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Former Temple basketball standout Hysier Miller sat for a long interview with the NCAA as it looked into concerns about unusual gambling activity, his lawyer said Friday amid reports a federal probe is now under way. “Hysier Miller fully cooperated with the NCAA’s investigation. He sat for a five-hour interview and answered every question the NCAA asked. He also produced every document the NCAA requested,” lawyer Jason Bologna said in a statement. “Hysier did these things because he wanted to play basketball this season, and he is devastated that he cannot.” Miller, a three-year starter from South Philadelphia, transferred to Virginia Tech this spring. However, the Hokies released him last month due to what the program called “circumstances prior to his enrollment at Virginia Tech.” Bologna declined to confirm that a federal investigation had been opened, as did spokespeople for both the FBI and the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Philadelphia. ESPN, citing unnamed sources, reported Thursday that authorities were investigating whether Miller bet on games he played in at Temple, and whether he adjusted his performance accordingly. “Hysier Miller has overcome more adversity in his 22 years than most people face in their lifetime. He will meet and overcome whatever obstacles lay ahead," Bologna said. Miller scored eight points — about half his season average of 15.9 — in a 100-72 loss to UAB on March 7 that was later flagged for unusual betting activity. Temple said it has been aware of those allegations since they became public in March, and has been cooperative. “We have been fully responsive and cooperative with the NCAA since the moment we learned of the investigation,” Temple President John Fry said in a letter Thursday to the school community. However, Fry said Temple had not received any requests for information from state or federal law enforcement agencies. He vowed to cooperate fully if they did. “Coaches, student-athletes and staff members receive mandatory training on NCAA rules and regulations, including prohibitions on involvement in sports wagering," Fry said in the letter. The same week the Temple-UAB game raised concerns, Loyola (Maryland) said it had removed a person from its basketball program after it became aware of a gambling violation. Temple played UAB again on March 17, losing 85-69 in the finals of the American Athletic Conference Tournament. League spokesman Tom Fenstermaker also declined comment on Friday. Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here . AP college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-basketball-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-basketballU.S. Market Outlook: Navigating the Dawn of 2025
Musk writes opinion piece for German newspaper backing far right party, AdF. Editor resignsUS agencies should use advanced technology to identify mysterious drones, Schumer says BOSTON (AP) — After weeks of fear and bewilderment about the drones buzzing over parts of New York and New Jersey , elected officials are urging action to identify and stop the mysterious flights. Bianca Vázquez Toness And Dave Collins, The Associated Press Dec 15, 2024 2:44 PM Dec 15, 2024 2:50 PM Share by Email Share on Facebook Share on X Share on LinkedIn Print Share via Text Message This photo provided by Trisha Bushey shows the evening sky and points of light near in Lebanon Township, N.J., on Thursday, Dec. 5, 2024. (Trisha Bushey via AP) BOSTON (AP) — After weeks of fear and bewilderment about the drones buzzing over parts of New York and New Jersey , elected officials are urging action to identify and stop the mysterious flights. “There’s a lot of us who are pretty frustrated right now,” Rep. Jim Himes, D-Conn., the top Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee, said on “Fox News Sunday.” “'We don’t know’ is not a good enough answer,” he said. National security officials have said the drones don’t appear to be a sign of foreign interference or a public safety threat. But because they can’t say with certainty who is responsible for the sudden swarms of drones over parts of New Jersey, New York and other eastern parts of the U.S. — or how they can be stopped — has led leaders of both political parties to demand better technology and powers to deal with the drones. Sen. Chuck Schumer called Sunday for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to deploy better drone-tracking technology to identify the drones and their operators. “New Yorkers have tremendous questions about it,” Schumer, the Senate Majority leader, told reporters about the drone sightings. “We are going to get the answers for them.” The federal government did little to answer those questions in its own media briefings Sunday morning. “There’s no question that people are seeing drones,” U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas told ABC’s George Stephanopoulos. “But I want to assure the American public that we are on it. We are working in close coordination with state and local authorities.” Some of the drones reported above parts of New York and New Jersey have turned out to be “manned aircraft that are commonly mistaken for drones,” Mayorkas said. “We know of no foreign involvement with respect to the sightings in the Northeast. And we are vigilant in investigating this matter.” Last year, federal aviation rules began requiring certain drones to broadcast their remote identification, including the location of their operators. It’s not clear whether that information has been used to determine who is behind the drones plaguing locations over New York and New Jersey. Mayorkas’ office didn’t respond to questions about whether they’ve been able to identify drones using this capability. Schumer wants the federal government to use a recently declassified radio wave technology in New York and New Jersey. The radio wave detector can be attached to a drone or airplane and can determine whether another flying object is a bird or a drone, read its electronic registration, and follow it back to its landing place. Schumer said state and local authorities do not have the authority to track drones. On Sunday, New York Gov. Kathy Hochul said federal officials were sending a drone detection system to the state. “This system will support state and federal law enforcement in their investigations,” Hochul said in a statement. The governor did not immediately provide additional details, including where the system will be deployed. Dozens of mysterious nighttime flights started last month over parts of New Jersey, raising concerns among residents and officials. Part of the worry stems from the flying objects initially being spotted near the Picatinny Arsenal, a U.S. military research and manufacturing facility and over President-elect Donald Trump’s golf course in Bedminster. Drones are legal in New Jersey for recreational and commercial use, but they are subject to local and Federal Aviation Administration regulations and flight restrictions. Operators must be FAA certified. Drones are now being reported all along the northern East Coast, with suspicious sightings in Connecticut, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania and Virginia, according to news reports. Some U.S. political leaders, including Trump, have called for much stronger action against these drones, including shooting them down. Certain agencies within the Department of Homeland Security have the power to “incapacitate” drones, Mayorkas said Sunday. “But we need those authorities expanded,” he said. A bill before the U.S. Senate would enhance some federal agencies’ authority and give new abilities to local and state agencies to track drones. It would also start a pilot program allowing states and local authorities to disrupt, disable or seize a drone without prior consent of the operator. “What the drone issue points out are gaps in our agencies, gaps in our authorities between the Department of Homeland Security, local law enforcement, the Defense Department.," said Rep. Mike Waltz, R-Fla., Trump’s pick to be his national security adviser, speaking on CBS’ “Face the Nation” on Sunday. "Americans are finding it hard to believe we can’t figure out where these are coming from.’’ ___ Collins reported from Hartford, Connecticut. Bianca Vázquez Toness And Dave Collins, The Associated Press See a typo/mistake? Have a story/tip? This has been shared 0 times 0 Shares Share by Email Share on Facebook Share on X Share on LinkedIn Print Share via Text Message Get your daily Victoria news briefing Email Sign Up More Science News Mystery drone sightings keep happening in New Jersey. Here's what we know (and don't know) Dec 15, 2024 8:21 AM 'Tis the season for roasting chestnuts. But in the US, native ones are almost gone Dec 15, 2024 6:33 AM 'Tis the season for roasting chestnuts. But in the US, native ones are almost gone Dec 15, 2024 6:31 AM
Investors with a lot of money to spend have taken a bullish stance on Quantum Computing QUBT . And retail traders should know. We noticed this today when the trades showed up on publicly available options history that we track here at Benzinga. Whether these are institutions or just wealthy individuals, we don't know. But when something this big happens with QUBT, it often means somebody knows something is about to happen. So how do we know what these investors just did? Today, Benzinga 's options scanner spotted 19 uncommon options trades for Quantum Computing. This isn't normal. The overall sentiment of these big-money traders is split between 42% bullish and 31%, bearish. Out of all of the special options we uncovered, 9 are puts, for a total amount of $455,775, and 10 are calls, for a total amount of $688,739. Expected Price Movements Based on the trading activity, it appears that the significant investors are aiming for a price territory stretching from $12.5 to $25.0 for Quantum Computing over the recent three months. Analyzing Volume & Open Interest In terms of liquidity and interest, the mean open interest for Quantum Computing options trades today is 2280.4 with a total volume of 9,055.00. In the following chart, we are able to follow the development of volume and open interest of call and put options for Quantum Computing's big money trades within a strike price range of $12.5 to $25.0 over the last 30 days. Quantum Computing Option Activity Analysis: Last 30 Days Noteworthy Options Activity: Symbol PUT/CALL Trade Type Sentiment Exp. Date Ask Bid Price Strike Price Total Trade Price Open Interest Volume QUBT CALL SWEEP BULLISH 01/24/25 $4.5 $4.4 $4.5 $20.00 $137.0K 876 308 QUBT CALL SWEEP BULLISH 01/17/25 $3.7 $3.5 $3.7 $18.00 $111.0K 1.7K 527 QUBT CALL SWEEP BULLISH 01/10/25 $3.2 $2.95 $3.2 $18.00 $96.0K 372 489 QUBT PUT TRADE BULLISH 01/17/25 $5.6 $5.4 $5.45 $20.00 $92.6K 1.5K 823 QUBT PUT SWEEP BULLISH 01/17/25 $5.6 $5.5 $5.5 $20.00 $82.6K 1.5K 1.1K About Quantum Computing Quantum Computing Inc is an American company utilizing non-linear quantum optics (optical devices whose output due to quantum effects is exponentially, not linearly, related to inputs) to deliver quantum products for high-performance computing applications. QCi's products are designed to operate at room temperature and use low power at an affordable cost. The Company's portfolio of core technology and products offer new capabilities in the areas of high-performance computing, artificial intelligence, cyber security as well as remote sensing applications. In light of the recent options history for Quantum Computing, it's now appropriate to focus on the company itself. We aim to explore its current performance. Present Market Standing of Quantum Computing With a volume of 33,862,378, the price of QUBT is down -4.95% at $18.29. RSI indicators hint that the underlying stock may be overbought. Next earnings are expected to be released in 94 days. Turn $1000 into $1270 in just 20 days? 20-year pro options trader reveals his one-line chart technique that shows when to buy and sell. Copy his trades, which have had averaged a 27% profit every 20 days. Click here for access . Trading options involves greater risks but also offers the potential for higher profits. Savvy traders mitigate these risks through ongoing education, strategic trade adjustments, utilizing various indicators, and staying attuned to market dynamics. Keep up with the latest options trades for Quantum Computing with Benzinga Pro for real-time alerts. © 2024 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.The Falcons are sticking with Kirk Cousins and may get a break thanks to a soft schedule
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The Greater Derry Londonderry Chamber of Commerce announced the election of six distinguished leaders to its Board of Directors. These new members bring a wealth of experience and dedication to supporting the Chamber’s mission of fostering a thriving business community and strengthening the Greater Derry Londonderry region. The newly elected board members are as follows: • Rob Aquilina, representing Next Charter School, brings a strong commitment to education and community engagement. • Christie Cartwright, Senior Director of Marketing and Communications for Lupoli Companies, brings extensive expertise in marketing, communications, and strategic growth. • Stacy Evans, Delivery Manager at Eastern Propane and Oil, offers valuable insights from her experience in operational management and client services. • Kerrin Lucas, CFO at Parkland Medical Center, brings her expertise in finance and healthcare management to the board. • Heidi Morrison, Project & Billing Coordinator at Block 5 Technologies, adds a deep understanding of project management, technology integration, and experience as the previous Derry Londonderry Chamber Vice President • Toni Runci, Co-founder and Owner of BlueLion, contributes a background in Human resources, business ownership, and workforce solutions. The new members officially start their three-year commitment to the board on Jan. 1.