Honoring St. Nicholas
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.
WASHINGTON D.C. ⸺ When Tom Durkin was alerted in November 2012 that James Foley, a friend of more than two decades, had been kidnapped by ISIS while working as a freelance war correspondent in northwest Syria, he went to work with a group of friends to try and bring Foley home. On Aug.19, 2014, Durkin received a text. It read, “I’m so sorry about what just happened.” “I just knew what I was going to find out.” Durkin flipped on his television and saw an image of his longtime friend kneeling in the sand moments before he was beheaded. Now details for a new memorial in the nation’s capital honoring people like Foley who lost their lives while working in journalism are being shared with the public. The Fallen Journalists Memorial, planned to be completed in 2028, will be located on the National Mall near the U.S. Capitol. At least 3,100 journalists have been killed around the world since 1837 according to a Capital News Service analysis of databases of fallen journalists maintained by the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), a nonprofit that promotes press freedom and defends the rights of journalists, and the Freedom Forum, the nonprofit organization that operated the Newseum in Washington, D.C., prior to its closure at the end of 2019. Nearly 90% of those recorded deaths have occurred over the last 50 years. The databases created by both organizations are a result of extensive research into each reported death and require verification before names can be added to their lists, though their parameters are different. The Freedom Forum’s database extends as far back as 1837 (and concludes in 2019), and includes names of individuals tied to newsrooms who died while in the field or otherwise as a result of their work, while CPJ’s efforts began in 1992 and includes only journalists confirmed murdered in direct reprisal for their work; in combat or crossfire; or while carrying out a dangerous assignment. When the Newseum closed, the country lost its only memorial commemorating journalists who lost their lives as a result of their work. Journalist fatalities reached a high in 2017 with 126 recorded fatalities before falling below 50 deaths per year from 2019 through 2022, according to the CNS analysis. “I commend people, especially young people, that still are determined to be journalists and talk truths to power and expose things, because it’s becoming riskier,” said Durkin, who is now the director of safety education for the James Foley foundation, an organization that promotes journalist safety and helps Americans who have a family member taken hostage overseas. The Fallen Journalists Memorial Foundation formed in the wake of the Capital Gazette massacre. In June 2018, a gunman stormed into the publication’s newsroom in Annapolis, and killed four journalists and one staff member, the deadliest attack on journalists in American history. In 2021, Jarrod Ramos was given multiple life sentences for the shooting. Congress approved legislation for the memorial in 2020. In September, six years after the shooting, the first public images of the planned Fallen Journalist Memorial in Washington were unveiled. The memorial’s construction will be funded by a nonprofit organization created by former Republican U.S. Rep. David Dreier, who served as the chairman of the Tribune Publishing Company (the former owners of the Capital Gazette) from January 2019 through February 2020. The memorial will be between the National Museum of the American Indian and the Voice of America at Independence Avenue, Maryland Avenue and 3rd Street Southwest, putting it close to the three branches of government. Each of the memorial’s entry points lead to a circular Remembrance Hall that has the First Amendment inscribed in a glass lens. If the foundation meets its fundraising goals on schedule, the memorial will be completed and dedicated in June 2028, the 10th anniversary of the Capital Gazette shooting. “The memorial is dedicated not only to the journalists who lost their lives, but also in the words of the legislation ‘to commemorate America’s commitment to freedom of the press,’” Barbara Cochran, the president of the Fallen Journalists Memorial Foundation, told CNS. Iraq leads the world in journalist fatalities by nearly double the next country on the list, with 288 incidents compared to the Philippines’ 165. Ten countries – including Syria, Mexico and Russia – make up 49% of all media-related deaths since 1975. War and civil unrest are prevalent issues among the top 10 countries. When Durkin sees reports of journalists dying in combat zones like Gaza or Ukraine, he said it reminds him of the friend he lost. “Instances like this makes me think of Jim, and like, the risks that he was willing to endure to cover things in Syria, to cover things in Libya, and now you’re seeing it in Gaza,” Durkin said. “It’s this really difficult catch 22 because we need journalists to tell us what’s going on, but those journalists are increasingly putting their life at risk to tell us this.” The risk journalists face while working in a war zone is evident in the current conflict between Israel and Hamas in the Gaza Strip. Prior to October 2023, just 25 journalists lost their lives in the area. As of November, that figure has risen to 156 – a more than 500% increase over a roughly 12-month period. The jump has landed Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territory in third for media fatalities among all countries with at least one fatality reported since 1974. “At times, it feels like there’s indiscriminate bombing that journalists are just caught in the crossfire,” Durkin said. When the Fallen Journalists Memorial is fully erected, it will have the U.S. Capitol as a backdrop. At night, up-lit glass elements will release a glow with the dome of the Capitol visible, a choice the designers of the memorial made to pay homage to the role of journalism in democracy, the foundation said on its website. While a list of names will exist digitally, unlike many D.C. tributes, there will not be any on Fallen Journalists Memorial. “Because sadly,” Cochran said, “This is an unfinished story.” Capital News Service is a student-powered news organization run by the University of Maryland Philip Merrill College of Journalism.Samsara's EVP Adam Eltoukhy sells $688,101 in stock
There is nothing wrong and everything right about various sectors of the population asking questions of Government about expenditure of public money and the standard of infrastructural works. Whether it is the official political Opposition, the Tobago Business Chamber, letter writers, radio callers, newspaper editorials or the man in the street with a thought bubble over his head, it is right and proper to seek answers from top-level decision-makers who disburse money that is supposed to be wisely spent, closely guarded and equitably distributed for the uplift of all citizens. We begin with this reminder about the basics of democratic governance because, as expected, Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley launched an offensive against the Opposition United National Congress (UNC) and its leader, former prime minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar, for disclosing contents of claim assessment documents relating to the ANR Robinson Airport expansion project. According to Mrs Persad-Bissessar, two consultants’ reports estimate the project’s highest cost overruns could reach US$67,910,689.92 or TT$461,792,691 and show multiple instances of failure to meet specifications and building codes on the terminal building’s superstructure and foundation. The appropriate reaction from the Government to those allegations was outlined by Tobago Business Chamber chairman Martin George who told this newspaper that any normal, responsible government would provide full transparency. The Public Procurement legislation was recently proclaimed, with the whole rationale behind it being to avoid scenarios such as this, he said. Mr George made a predictable reference to the 1996 $1.6 billion Piarco Airport project out of which came allegations of bid-rigging, kickbacks, bid inflation, political interference and fraud and corruption charges. Those corruption cases have been described as the biggest in T&T’s history with the longest trials. Against this background, we agree with Mr George that all action in furtherance of full transparency is the legitimate public interest expectation. Having first mouthed off on the Opposition Leader, the Prime Minister then asked Finance Minister Colm Imbert to explain to the public what is happening with the Tobago airport project in the context of allegations raised by the Opposition. We cannot say that what transpired at the post-Cabinet news conference yesterday meets the standard of full transparency. Mr Imbert relied upon obfuscation, arrogance, word play and deflection. While two international consultants on the project submit monthly reports, Mr Imbert relied upon basically word of mouth from those consultants, read off his cellphone, to reassure the population that there have been no breaches of building codes and the foundation and superstructure of the new airport are being built in accordance with appropriate international standards. No formal written report was shared with the media. The minister did not deny that the quantum of claims for delays made by the contractor was close to $.5 billion and deflected queries about the identities of recipients of sub-contracts to the executing agency, Nidco, and the main contractor, CRCCCL. Mr Imbert was also reticent on the non-renewal of a contract to CEP Ltd, the original quality control consultants on the project. Government’s approach to this matter leaves much to be desired and avails even more room for speculation and ugly political contention.
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Liz Kendall to press ahead with benefit sanctions for young people
NoneIt appears Kelsey Anderson and Joey Graziadei have settled on a new city to live in together, but it has some fans worried a breakup could eventually be coming for the Bachelor couple. Rumors have been following the two since Joey was announced to be a part of the Dancing With the Stars cast and grew as Kelsey missed key events, forcing her to clarify where they stood as a couple. The two have also admitted to having some disagreements when it comes to key points about their future as well. And while Joey is still showing appreciation for his fiancee i n her social media posts that have addressed haters, some are now wondering if the couple’s next move is a bad sign for their future. Which celebrity is most likely to win DWTS Season 33 Danica McKellar speaks candidly about how Dancing With the Stars 'broke' her Despite originally sharing at the end of Joey’s season of The Bachelor that they had plans to live in New York together, it appears that has changed. Joey confessed that the two of them had some opposing feelings about New York in a new podcast interview, and shared where they were going to set up a new home together. Appearing on the Lightweights Podcast with Joe Vulpis, Joey admitted that he and Kelsey had now decided to settle in Los Angeles , a departure from their original plans–and one that was potentially geared a little more towards him. “Wed’ been going back and forth for a bit, but we kind of knew when Dancing came around that we were going to get a real taste if we like L.A.,” he said. “I think that I was more interested in L.A. than New York and she was probably more interested in New York than L.A., but realized she would probably still be happy here, and I don’t know know that I would have been able to find the things I love to do as much in New York ,” he added. “When you’ve lived in Hawaii, the closest lifestyle that you can get in the U.S. might be in Los Angeles or somewhere in California , because it’s really hard to be able to play tennis, golf, and surf and do all of these activities that I love anywhere else,” he continued. “So we said why don’t we do this, because we wanted to be in a place where there was more going on.” Don't miss: DWTS fans swoon over Joey's 'best dance' as Bachelor star could make history [LATEST] DWTS viewers left in the dark as technical difficulties crash semifinals stream [UPDATE] DWTS fans rage over 'cruel move' during semifinals that will 'ruin' the finale [INSIGHT] It was a change from what the two said they were looking to do after Joey’s season ended. At the time, they had plans to temporarily live in Kelsey’s hometown of New Orleans, but then head to New York before the summer was over–and is something Kelsey expressed excitement over at the time. “I’ve always wanted to live there and Joey is supporting me in that,” she said at the time. “We’re young and I think now is the time to live in a tiny, cramped apartment together and experience it. Even if we hate it, at least we can say we did it.” Instead of New York , they wound up in Los Angeles though, where Dancing With the Stars films–and it appears the delay on their New York plans has now become a permanent one. What that means for the couple’s future remains to be seen.West Virginia knocks off No. 3 Gonzaga in overtime
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