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MAKING predictions for the coming year is a mug’s game. But there is one forecast I feel confident in making: That the people who are contributing least to economic growth will be the ones reaping the rewards. Figures from the Resolution Foundation confirm what has been obvious for months: That public sector workers have been the big winners from Labour’s general election victory. At the beginning of 2024 the average public sector worker was earning two per cent more than an equivalent worker in the private sector. Since then the gap has trebled to six per cent. The differential in salaries, though, is only half the story. Many public sector workers continue to enjoy salary-linked pensions . Private sector employers realised long ago that increasing longevity was making it unaffordable to offer workers guaranteed, index-linked pensions for life based on what they were earning while in work. READ MORE FROM ROSS CLARK Yet public sector employers have carried on getting these generous pensions regardless, relying on taxpayers to pick up the burden. Pleading poverty Another shocking set of figures released yesterday shows that across Britain a quarter of council tax receipts are now swallowed up by pension contributions for council staff. In some areas it is much more. Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council managed to spend more on pension contributions last year (£10.1million) than it raised in council tax (£9.5million). Providing actual public services such as emptying the bins and running libraries and swimming pools has to be funded from other sources of revenue. Most read in The Sun We have become used to councils pleading poverty, bleating that “Tory austerity” has bled them dry. But now we know the truth: While the public sees services slashed, former council employees have been treated to extravagant pensions. The Local Government Pension Scheme, though, is in some ways the responsible one. It is one of the few public sector schemes which is “fully funded”, which means that today’s contributions are invested to pay tomorrow’s pensions. Most schemes, such as those for NHS workers, teachers , firefighters and so on, are “unfunded, which means that there is no pot of cash being invested to pay future pensioners. Instead, today’s pension contributions are going straight out of the door to meet current pension liabilities. Were they in the private sector, these pensions would be called Ponzi schemes — they are like the scam operated by the late US financier Bernie Madoff. They are committing future taxpayers to huge, unknown liabilities. If the public sector was working efficiently and well, it wouldn’t matter quite so much. Yet disgracefully, public sector workers are being allowed to get away with producing less and less each year. Astonishingly, the average public sector worker produces less now than when Tony Blair came to power nearly 28 years ago, with minor productivity gains in the years to 2019 wiped out since the pandemic . The Labour government has made things worse This has been a period of huge technological advance, offering numerous opportunities for making work more efficient. Instead, civil servants and others have been indulged with the right to work from home, or even from the beach. Valuable work time is frittered on endless diversity courses and team-bonding exercises. Some council staff have been put on four-day weeks without any loss of pay, based on the fantastical assumption that it will somehow make them so much happier that they will produce as much in four days as they used to in five. Far from addressing the problem of falling public sector productivity, the Labour government has made things worse. In one of its first acts it awarded fat pay rises to NHS staff, train drivers and others without any requirement to agree to improved working practices. We can’t go on like this. If the private sector worked like the public sector we would be stuck with 1990s standards of living. Like the Soviet Union in its last decades, Britain would have become the land which economic development forgot. Energy crisis As it is, we have a millstone of a public sector being dragged along by a private sector which is still just about able to generate enough wealth to stop the country falling into permanent recession . But it is a close-run thing. In the first three months of the Labour government the economy failed to grow at all. This was an economic downturn generated entirely in Downing Street . Unlike the economic retreat caused by Covid-19 and the energy crisis following the Ukraine invasion, Britain’s sudden step backwards is not echoed internationally. Rather, it has been caused by declining confidence in the face of higher business taxes coming into effect next year. Labour came to office promising “growth, growth, growth”. If they really want to achieve that, they need to be shrinking the unproductive public sector and boosting the private sector. They are doing the opposite, while failing to undertake reforms to public sector pensions needed to avoid fiscal disaster in future. READ MORE SUN STORIES The past few months have seen a generous payday for some. But none of us will be shielded from the long-term decline caused by a slothful public sector.
HONG KONG (AFP) – South Korean stocks tumbled yesterday as the country was racked with political uncertainty after President Yoon Suk Yeol escaped impeachment following his brief imposition of martial law last week. The retreat came on a tough day for Asian markets despite another record on Wall Street, while traders were also awaiting a high-level economic meeting in China and keeping tabs on Syria after president Bashar al-Assad’s removal. Investors in Seoul were on edge after a near-total boycott of Saturday’s impeachment vote by Yoon’s People Power Party (PPP) doomed it to failure. However, the main opposition party said on Sunday it would try again, while police arrested the defence minister in charge of the martial law operation and the interior minister resigned. They and Yoon are being investigated for alleged insurrection. The president was also hit yesterday with a travel ban. People walk in front of an electronic stock board at a securities firm in Tokyo, Japan. PHOTO: AP France President Emmanuel Macron. PHOTO: AFP The crisis has fuelled concerns about Asia’s number four economy, which was already struggling and faces further pain as Donald Trump heads back to the White House threatening to resume his hardball trade policy. Michael Wan at MUFG said the hit to the country’s markets “may include slower tourism inflows, weaker domestic demand, and a dent to corporate sentiment, especially if street protests become more vociferous and the Budget passage remains in stalemate”. “South Korea was already one of the more vulnerable forex markets in Asia to Trump 2.0’s policies, and the political uncertainty also comes at a juncture just when leadership is needed to navigate these significant global policy shifts.” The won was trading at around 1,437 per dollar yesterday, compared with 1,413 on Friday. Shanghai and Hong Kong stocks dipped as top Chinese officials prepare to hold a two-day economic work conference this week to outline their targets and stimulus plans for next year. The gathering comes as Beijing prepares for Trump’s second presidency. Data released yesterday showed Chinese consumer prices rose less than expected last month, reinforcing the need for more support following a raft of measures at the end of September. “Hopes are for a clear commitment to support the economic recovery and close the shortfall in domestic demand. Growth and deficit targets are likely to be discussed,” said analysts at National Australia Bank. Elsewhere in Asia, Tokyo, Taipei and Jakarta rose while Manila, Bangkok, Wellington and Singapore fell. Mumbai and Sydney were flat. Traders had been given a healthy lead from Wall Street, where the S&P 500 and Nasdaq both ended at record highs after figures showed the US economy added more jobs than forecast last month. Focus is now on the Federal Reserve’s policy meeting next week when it is tipped to cut interest rates again. Developments in Syria are also being tracked after Assad’s fall at the weekend as rebels swept into Damascus, triggering celebrations across the country and beyond. The government fell 11 days after the rebels began a surprise advance, more than 13 years after Assad’s crackdown on anti-government protests ignited Syria’s civil war. The euro remained on the back foot but slightly stronger than last week when it took a hit after France’s new government fell after a no-confidence vote, while the European Central Bank is expected to lower borrowing costs this week. President Emmanuel Macron, who had faced calls to step down, lifted sentiment when he said would serve out his term and that a budget could be passed in the coming weeks. Macron held talks with French political leaders on the left and right on Friday as he sought to quickly name a new prime minister after Michel Barnier’s ouster over his 2025 budget plan.Donald Trump is returning to the world stage. So is his trolling
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The meeting of Provincial Development Working Party (PDWP) chaired by Additional Chief Secretary Planning and Development Department, Ikramullah Khan here Friday approved various development projects of improving infrastructure, education, health and social welfare sector. The approved projects include approval of Rs. 3 billion for Ehsaas Hunar Program, Rs. 2.9 billion for reconstruction and rehabilitation of a 26-kilometer road from Arandu to Kalkatak Lowari in Chitral district, improvement of flood protection structures in Swat and adjacent rivers, rehabilitation of CRBC and Paharpur Canal System in Dera Ismail Khan and feasibility studies for solar lift irrigation schemes across the province. The forum also approved Establishment of a Government College of Commerce in Duggar, Buner, reconstruction of the Agriculture Research Institute (ARI) in Mingora, Swat, upgrading of Hayasrai Primary Health Center to a Category-D Hospital in Lower Dir and construction of a Thalassemia Department at District Headquarters Hospital, Batkhela. The meeting also approved construction and rehabilitation of roads in South Waziristan, Tank, Batkhela and Upper Chitral, purchase of land for cemeteries and construction of model religious schools and computer labs in registered religious schools. The PDWP also approved projects to enhance governance and research capacity, including establishment of a Chief Minister’s Policy Office, Sector Reforms Unit in Public Health Engineering Department and Monitoring and Evaluation System for development projects. The meeting was attended by PDWP members and officers from various departments.Cricket Don't miss out on the headlines from Cricket. Followed categories will be added to My News. You just love to see it. A fresh camera angle has revealed Sam Konstas’ cheeky send-off to Virat Kohli after Australia snagged the Indian star’s wicket in the dying hours of day two at the MCG. By that time of the match, Konstas had already won the Australian public over with his rambunctious style of play on debut, ramping the best bowler in the world around the park on his way to a maiden fifty atop the order. Watch every ball of Australia v India LIVE & ad-break free during play in 4K on Kayo | New to Kayo? Get your first month for just $1 . Limited time offer. The nation rallied around him further when Kohli, a multi-millionaire celebrity 17 years his senior, strolled over to intimidate him with a shoulder nudge in front of the Boxing Day crowd. Konstas has clearly enjoyed the hoo-ha and was seen revving up the crowd in the outfield yesterday, giving Indian fans a cheeky shoulder charge gesture in some good-hearted banter before stumps. So when Kohli finally fell for 36, Konstas couldn’t help himself and turned it on again. The 19-year-old gave him a juicy little send-off as Kohli trudged off in defeat. The Melbourne crowd broke the decibel barrier at the sight of the fiery veteran dragging his feet with his head bowed as Konstas raised his hand as if to say “sod off, mate”, or something close to that description. To add insult to injury, Kohli was seen briefly stopping in the tunnel to stare at a fan who clearly said something unfavourable. Sam Konstas is getting stuck in. Scott Boland was the danger man late on day two. Konstas has been exactly what the Australian team needs this series. A laid-back, barely-graduated generational talent with a sense of humour is exactly what Australian fans love to see and Konstas has helped light a much-needed flame under Test cricket. His future will be dictated on how he performs overseas, but Mark Waugh has already put his debut half century down as one of the most unforgettable innings in recent times. Pending India’s performance on day two, we might not even see him bat again until Sydney. India was cruising at 2/153 in reply to the home side’s first innings of 474 all out, with young gun Yashasvi Jaiswal (82) and veteran Virat Kohli (36) producing a hundred-run partnership. The crowd loves him. Australia's Sam Konstas re-enacts his shoulder charge with India's Virat Kohli.- But it all came crashing down after Jaiswal took off for a single and Kohli wasn’t going anywhere, leaving the opener stranded and ultimately run-out. That sparked a collapse of 3/6 as the tourists fell in a heap, leaving Australia with a 310-run lead and India just five wickets in hand entering day three. Skipper Pat Cummins (2/57) and MCG cult hero Scott Boland (2/24) led the way with the ball, leaving India with an enormous task on Saturday. Earlier in the day, Steve Smith (140) recorded his 34th Test century, moving him into a tie for seventh on the all-time list. Jasprit Bumrah (4/99) was India’s best with the ball yet again, but the Australian batting line-up fired in its first innings. Originally published as Sam Konstas gives Virat Kohli spicy send-off, wins over entire nation More related stories Cricket India battling in MCG massacre as Kohli’s ‘schoolboy error’ lashed India is massively on the back foot at the MCG - and superstar Virat Kohli is still creating headlines, and copping heat from back home, for his game-changing runout. FOLLOW LIVE INSIDE. Read more Cricket Kohli drama as star turns on spectator Video has emerged of Virat Kohli being involved in a tense moment with spectators at the MCG after being booed from the field. Read moreBy MICHELLE L. PRICE WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) — An online spat between factions of Donald Trump’s supporters over immigration and the tech industry has thrown internal divisions in his political movement into public display, previewing the fissures and contradictory views his coalition could bring to the White House. The rift laid bare the tensions between the newest flank of Trump’s movement — wealthy members of the tech world including billionaire Elon Musk and fellow entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy and their call for more highly skilled workers in their industry — and people in Trump’s Make America Great Again base who championed his hardline immigration policies. The debate touched off this week when Laura Loomer , a right-wing provocateur with a history of racist and conspiratorial comments, criticized Trump’s selection of Sriram Krishnan as an adviser on artificial intelligence policy in his coming administration. Krishnan favors the ability to bring more skilled immigrants into the U.S. Loomer declared the stance to be “not America First policy” and said the tech executives who have aligned themselves with Trump were doing so to enrich themselves. Much of the debate played out on the social media network X, which Musk owns. Loomer’s comments sparked a back-and-forth with venture capitalist and former PayPal executive David Sacks , whom Trump has tapped to be the “White House A.I. & Crypto Czar.” Musk and Ramaswamy, whom Trump has tasked with finding ways to cut the federal government , weighed in, defending the tech industry’s need to bring in foreign workers. It bloomed into a larger debate with more figures from the hard-right weighing in about the need to hire U.S. workers, whether values in American culture can produce the best engineers, free speech on the internet, the newfound influence tech figures have in Trump’s world and what his political movement stands for. Trump has not yet weighed in on the rift, and his presidential transition team did not respond to a message seeking comment. Musk, the world’s richest man who has grown remarkably close to the president-elect , was a central figure in the debate, not only for his stature in Trump’s movement but his stance on the tech industry’s hiring of foreign workers. Technology companies say H-1B visas for skilled workers, used by software engineers and others in the tech industry, are critical for hard-to-fill positions. But critics have said they undercut U.S. citizens who could take those jobs. Some on the right have called for the program to be eliminated, not expanded. Born in South Africa, Musk was once on an a H-1B visa himself and defended the industry’s need to bring in foreign workers. “There is a permanent shortage of excellent engineering talent,” he said in a post. “It is the fundamental limiting factor in Silicon Valley.” Related Articles National Politics | Should the U.S. increase immigration levels for highly skilled workers? 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 Trump’s own positions over the years have reflected the divide in his movement. His tough immigration policies, including his pledge for a mass deportation, were central to his winning presidential campaign. He has focused on immigrants who come into the U.S. illegally but he has also sought curbs on legal immigration , including family-based visas. As a presidential candidate in 2016, Trump called the H-1B visa program “very bad” and “unfair” for U.S. workers. After he became president, Trump in 2017 issued a “Buy American and Hire American” executive order , which directed Cabinet members to suggest changes to ensure H-1B visas were awarded to the highest-paid or most-skilled applicants to protect American workers. Trump’s businesses, however, have hired foreign workers, including waiters and cooks at his Mar-a-Lago club , and his social media company behind his Truth Social app has used the the H-1B program for highly skilled workers. During his 2024 campaign for president, as he made immigration his signature issue, Trump said immigrants in the country illegally are “poisoning the blood of our country” and promised to carry out the largest deportation operation in U.S. history. But in a sharp departure from his usual alarmist message around immigration generally, Trump told a podcast this year that he wants to give automatic green cards to foreign students who graduate from U.S. colleges. “I think you should get automatically, as part of your diploma, a green card to be able to stay in this country,” he told the “All-In” podcast with people from the venture capital and technology world. Those comments came on the cusp of Trump’s budding alliance with tech industry figures, but he did not make the idea a regular part of his campaign message or detail any plans to pursue such changes.By MICHELLE L. PRICE WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) — An online spat between factions of Donald Trump’s supporters over immigration and the tech industry has thrown internal divisions in his political movement into public display, previewing the fissures and contradictory views his coalition could bring to the White House. The rift laid bare the tensions between the newest flank of Trump’s movement — wealthy members of the tech world including billionaire Elon Musk and fellow entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy and their call for more highly skilled workers in their industry — and people in Trump’s Make America Great Again base who championed his hardline immigration policies. The debate touched off this week when Laura Loomer , a right-wing provocateur with a history of racist and conspiratorial comments, criticized Trump’s selection of Sriram Krishnan as an adviser on artificial intelligence policy in his coming administration. Krishnan favors the ability to bring more skilled immigrants into the U.S. Loomer declared the stance to be “not America First policy” and said the tech executives who have aligned themselves with Trump were doing so to enrich themselves. Much of the debate played out on the social media network X, which Musk owns. Loomer’s comments sparked a back-and-forth with venture capitalist and former PayPal executive David Sacks , whom Trump has tapped to be the “White House A.I. & Crypto Czar.” Musk and Ramaswamy, whom Trump has tasked with finding ways to cut the federal government , weighed in, defending the tech industry’s need to bring in foreign workers. It bloomed into a larger debate with more figures from the hard-right weighing in about the need to hire U.S. workers, whether values in American culture can produce the best engineers, free speech on the internet, the newfound influence tech figures have in Trump’s world and what his political movement stands for. Trump has not yet weighed in on the rift, and his presidential transition team did not respond to a message seeking comment. Musk, the world’s richest man who has grown remarkably close to the president-elect , was a central figure in the debate, not only for his stature in Trump’s movement but his stance on the tech industry’s hiring of foreign workers. Technology companies say H-1B visas for skilled workers, used by software engineers and others in the tech industry, are critical for hard-to-fill positions. But critics have said they undercut U.S. citizens who could take those jobs. Some on the right have called for the program to be eliminated, not expanded. Born in South Africa, Musk was once on an a H-1B visa himself and defended the industry’s need to bring in foreign workers. “There is a permanent shortage of excellent engineering talent,” he said in a post. “It is the fundamental limiting factor in Silicon Valley.” Related Articles National Politics | Should the U.S. increase immigration levels for highly skilled workers? 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 Trump’s own positions over the years have reflected the divide in his movement. His tough immigration policies, including his pledge for a mass deportation, were central to his winning presidential campaign. He has focused on immigrants who come into the U.S. illegally but he has also sought curbs on legal immigration , including family-based visas. As a presidential candidate in 2016, Trump called the H-1B visa program “very bad” and “unfair” for U.S. workers. After he became president, Trump in 2017 issued a “Buy American and Hire American” executive order , which directed Cabinet members to suggest changes to ensure H-1B visas were awarded to the highest-paid or most-skilled applicants to protect American workers. Trump’s businesses, however, have hired foreign workers, including waiters and cooks at his Mar-a-Lago club , and his social media company behind his Truth Social app has used the the H-1B program for highly skilled workers. During his 2024 campaign for president, as he made immigration his signature issue, Trump said immigrants in the country illegally are “poisoning the blood of our country” and promised to carry out the largest deportation operation in U.S. history. But in a sharp departure from his usual alarmist message around immigration generally, Trump told a podcast this year that he wants to give automatic green cards to foreign students who graduate from U.S. colleges. “I think you should get automatically, as part of your diploma, a green card to be able to stay in this country,” he told the “All-In” podcast with people from the venture capital and technology world. Those comments came on the cusp of Trump’s budding alliance with tech industry figures, but he did not make the idea a regular part of his campaign message or detail any plans to pursue such changes.
There are a number of ways to gain exposure to the booming price on the Australian share market. But one of the best ways to do it could be from an ASX copper stock that is flying largely under the radar. Which ASX copper stock? The copper stock in question is ( ). Capstone Copper is a leading copper producer operating in the Americas. It notes that from exploration to mine development to operations, it is focused on creating growth and generating value for investors, employees, and communities as it aims to meet the surging global copper demand. A recent note out of Ord Minnett reveals that its analysts are very positive on the company. This due to its strong production growth outlook and the high copper price. They said: [The buy rating is] based on the Canadian company's strong production growth prospects from its already operating mines and future developments, its relatively high exposure to the copper price, on which Ord Minnett has a positive view, and an attractive entry point at present valuation levels. The broker also highlights the Mantoverde operation in Chile as a reason to buy. It expects this operation to generate huge profits in the near term. Its analysts add: Capstone has two operational mines in Chile, one in the US and one in Mexico, and a fully permitted development project in Chile. The most significant of these assets is Mantoverde open-pit mine in Chile, which accounts for circa 49% of our CY25 operating earnings forecast of US$1.51 billion ($2.35 billion). But the main reason to invest in this ASX copper stock is the aforementioned positive production growth outlook. It explains: A key pillar of the investment case for Capstone is its multiple growth options – we forecast the company to lift annual production to almost 400,000 tonnes by CY29 from expected CY24 production of circa 190,000 tonnes – in an industry where the opportunities to increase output are hard to come by. The second pillar of our thesis is our positive view on the copper price – our latest commodity price review incorporates a long-term copper price of US$5 a pound, up from circa US$4.00 a pound currently. Lastly, current pricing level puts Capstone shares on a price-to-net present value multiple of just 0.9x. Big returns Ord Minnett recently initiated coverage on the ASX copper stock with a buy rating and $13.00 price target. Based on its current share price of $10.10, this implies potential upside of 29% for investors over the next 12 months.How to Watch Top 25 Women’s College Basketball Games – Sunday, December 1
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WASHINGTON (AP) — A ninth U.S. telecoms firm has been confirmed to have been hacked as part of a sprawling Chinese espionage campaign that gave officials in Beijing access to private texts and phone conversations of an unknown number of Americans, a top White House official said Friday. Biden administration officials said this month that at least eight telecommunications companies , as well as dozens of nations, had been affected by the Chinese hacking blitz known as Salt Typhoon. But deputy national security adviser Anne Neuberger told reporters Friday that a ninth victim had been identified after the administration released guidance to companies about how to hunt for Chinese culprits in their networks. The update from Neuberger is the latest development in a massive hacking operation that has alarmed national security officials, exposed cybersecurity vulnerabilities in the private sector and laid bare China's hacking sophistication. The hackers compromised the networks of telecommunications companies to obtain customer call records and gain access to the private communications of what officials have said is a a limited number of individuals. Though the FBI has not publicly identified any of the victims, officials believe senior U.S. government officials and prominent political figures are among those whose whose communications were accessed. Neuberger said Friday that officials did not yet have a precise sense how many Americans overall were affected by Salt Typhoon, in part because the Chinese were careful about their techniques, but that a “large number" were in the Washington-Virginia area. Officials believe the goal of the hackers was to identify who owned the phones and, if they were “government targets of interest,” spy on their texts and phone calls, she said. The FBI said most of the people targeted by the hackers are "primarily involved in government or political activity.” Neuberger said the episode highlighted the need for required cybersecurity practices in the telecommunications industry, something the Federal Communications Commission is to take up at a meeting next month. In addition, she said, the government was planning additional actions in coming weeks in response to the hacking campaign, though she did not say what they were. “We know that voluntary cyber security practices are inadequate to protect against China, Russia and Iran hacking of our critical infrastructure,” she said. The Chinese government has denied responsibility for the hacking.By MICHELLE L. PRICE WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) — An online spat between factions of Donald Trump’s supporters over immigration and the tech industry has thrown internal divisions in his political movement into public display, previewing the fissures and contradictory views his coalition could bring to the White House. The rift laid bare the tensions between the newest flank of Trump’s movement — wealthy members of the tech world including billionaire Elon Musk and fellow entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy and their call for more highly skilled workers in their industry — and people in Trump’s Make America Great Again base who championed his hardline immigration policies. The debate touched off this week when Laura Loomer , a right-wing provocateur with a history of racist and conspiratorial comments, criticized Trump’s selection of Sriram Krishnan as an adviser on artificial intelligence policy in his coming administration. Krishnan favors the ability to bring more skilled immigrants into the U.S. Loomer declared the stance to be “not America First policy” and said the tech executives who have aligned themselves with Trump were doing so to enrich themselves. Much of the debate played out on the social media network X, which Musk owns. Loomer’s comments sparked a back-and-forth with venture capitalist and former PayPal executive David Sacks , whom Trump has tapped to be the “White House A.I. & Crypto Czar.” Musk and Ramaswamy, whom Trump has tasked with finding ways to cut the federal government , weighed in, defending the tech industry’s need to bring in foreign workers. It bloomed into a larger debate with more figures from the hard-right weighing in about the need to hire U.S. workers, whether values in American culture can produce the best engineers, free speech on the internet, the newfound influence tech figures have in Trump’s world and what his political movement stands for. Trump has not yet weighed in on the rift. His presidential transition team did not respond to questions about positions on visas for highly skilled workers or the debate between his supporters online. Instead, his team instead sent a link to a post on X by longtime adviser and immigration hard-liner Stephen Miller that was a transcript of a speech Trump gave in 2020 at Mount Rushmore in which he praised figures and moments from American history. Musk, the world’s richest man who has grown remarkably close to the president-elect , was a central figure in the debate, not only for his stature in Trump’s movement but his stance on the tech industry’s hiring of foreign workers. Technology companies say H-1B visas for skilled workers, used by software engineers and others in the tech industry, are critical for hard-to-fill positions. But critics have said they undercut U.S. citizens who could take those jobs. Some on the right have called for the program to be eliminated, not expanded. Born in South Africa, Musk was once on an a H-1B visa himself and defended the industry’s need to bring in foreign workers. “There is a permanent shortage of excellent engineering talent,” he said in a post. “It is the fundamental limiting factor in Silicon Valley.” Trump’s own positions over the years have reflected the divide in his movement. Related Articles National Politics | Trump asks Supreme Court to delay TikTok ban so he can weigh in after he takes office National Politics | Should the U.S. increase immigration levels for highly skilled workers? 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 | Trump vows to pursue executions after Biden commutes most of federal death row His tough immigration policies, including his pledge for a mass deportation, were central to his winning presidential campaign. He has focused on immigrants who come into the U.S. illegally but he has also sought curbs on legal immigration , including family-based visas. As a presidential candidate in 2016, Trump called the H-1B visa program “very bad” and “unfair” for U.S. workers. After he became president, Trump in 2017 issued a “Buy American and Hire American” executive order , which directed Cabinet members to suggest changes to ensure H-1B visas were awarded to the highest-paid or most-skilled applicants to protect American workers. Trump’s businesses, however, have hired foreign workers, including waiters and cooks at his Mar-a-Lago club , and his social media company behind his Truth Social app has used the the H-1B program for highly skilled workers. During his 2024 campaign for president, as he made immigration his signature issue, Trump said immigrants in the country illegally are “poisoning the blood of our country” and promised to carry out the largest deportation operation in U.S. history. But in a sharp departure from his usual alarmist message around immigration generally, Trump told a podcast this year that he wants to give automatic green cards to foreign students who graduate from U.S. colleges. “I think you should get automatically, as part of your diploma, a green card to be able to stay in this country,” he told the “All-In” podcast with people from the venture capital and technology world. Those comments came on the cusp of Trump’s budding alliance with tech industry figures, but he did not make the idea a regular part of his campaign message or detail any plans to pursue such changes.
By MICHELLE L. PRICE WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) — An online spat between factions of Donald Trump’s supporters over immigration and the tech industry has thrown internal divisions in his political movement into public display, previewing the fissures and contradictory views his coalition could bring to the White House. The rift laid bare the tensions between the newest flank of Trump’s movement — wealthy members of the tech world including billionaire Elon Musk and fellow entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy and their call for more highly skilled workers in their industry — and people in Trump’s Make America Great Again base who championed his hardline immigration policies. The debate touched off this week when Laura Loomer , a right-wing provocateur with a history of racist and conspiratorial comments, criticized Trump’s selection of Sriram Krishnan as an adviser on artificial intelligence policy in his coming administration. Krishnan favors the ability to bring more skilled immigrants into the U.S. Loomer declared the stance to be “not America First policy” and said the tech executives who have aligned themselves with Trump were doing so to enrich themselves. Much of the debate played out on the social media network X, which Musk owns. Loomer’s comments sparked a back-and-forth with venture capitalist and former PayPal executive David Sacks , whom Trump has tapped to be the “White House A.I. & Crypto Czar.” Musk and Ramaswamy, whom Trump has tasked with finding ways to cut the federal government , weighed in, defending the tech industry’s need to bring in foreign workers. It bloomed into a larger debate with more figures from the hard-right weighing in about the need to hire U.S. workers, whether values in American culture can produce the best engineers, free speech on the internet, the newfound influence tech figures have in Trump’s world and what his political movement stands for. Trump has not yet weighed in on the rift, and his presidential transition team did not respond to a message seeking comment. Musk, the world’s richest man who has grown remarkably close to the president-elect , was a central figure in the debate, not only for his stature in Trump’s movement but his stance on the tech industry’s hiring of foreign workers. Technology companies say H-1B visas for skilled workers, used by software engineers and others in the tech industry, are critical for hard-to-fill positions. But critics have said they undercut U.S. citizens who could take those jobs. Some on the right have called for the program to be eliminated, not expanded. Born in South Africa, Musk was once on an a H-1B visa himself and defended the industry’s need to bring in foreign workers. “There is a permanent shortage of excellent engineering talent,” he said in a post. “It is the fundamental limiting factor in Silicon Valley.” Related Articles National Politics | Should the U.S. increase immigration levels for highly skilled workers? 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 Trump’s own positions over the years have reflected the divide in his movement. His tough immigration policies, including his pledge for a mass deportation, were central to his winning presidential campaign. He has focused on immigrants who come into the U.S. illegally but he has also sought curbs on legal immigration , including family-based visas. As a presidential candidate in 2016, Trump called the H-1B visa program “very bad” and “unfair” for U.S. workers. After he became president, Trump in 2017 issued a “Buy American and Hire American” executive order , which directed Cabinet members to suggest changes to ensure H-1B visas were awarded to the highest-paid or most-skilled applicants to protect American workers. Trump’s businesses, however, have hired foreign workers, including waiters and cooks at his Mar-a-Lago club , and his social media company behind his Truth Social app has used the the H-1B program for highly skilled workers. During his 2024 campaign for president, as he made immigration his signature issue, Trump said immigrants in the country illegally are “poisoning the blood of our country” and promised to carry out the largest deportation operation in U.S. history. But in a sharp departure from his usual alarmist message around immigration generally, Trump told a podcast this year that he wants to give automatic green cards to foreign students who graduate from U.S. colleges. “I think you should get automatically, as part of your diploma, a green card to be able to stay in this country,” he told the “All-In” podcast with people from the venture capital and technology world. Those comments came on the cusp of Trump’s budding alliance with tech industry figures, but he did not make the idea a regular part of his campaign message or detail any plans to pursue such changes.DETROIT (AP) — General Motors said Tuesday it will retreat from the robotaxi business and stop funding its money-losing Cruise autonomous vehicle unit. Instead the Detroit automaker will focus on development of partially automated driver-assist systems for personal vehicles like its Super Cruise, which allows drivers to take their hands off the steering wheel. GM said it would get out of robotaxis “given the considerable time and resources that would be needed to scale the business, along with an increasingly competitive robotaxi market.” The company said it will combine Cruise's technical team with its own to work on advanced systems to assist drivers. GM bought control of San Francisco-based in 2016 with high hopes of developing a profitable fleet of robotaxis. Over the years GM invested billions in the subsidiary and eventually bought 90% of the company from investors, all while racking up millions in losses. GM’s brushoff of Cruise represents a dramatic about-face from years of full-blown support that left a huge financial dent in the automaker. The company invested $2.4 billion in Cruise only to sustain years of uninterrupted losses, with little in return. Since GM bought a controlling stake in Cruise for $581 million in 2016, the robotaxi service piled up more than $10 billion in operating losses while bringing in less than $500 million in revenue, according to GM shareholder reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The automaker even announced plans for Cruise to generate $1 billion in annual revenue by 2025, but it scaled back spending on the company after one of its autonomous Chevrolet Bolts dragged a San Francisco pedestrian who was hit by another vehicle in 2023. The California Public Utilities Commission alleged Cruise of the crash for more than two weeks. The embarrassing incident resulted in Cruise’s license to operate its driverless fleet in California being and triggered — in addition to layoffs that . GM CEO Mary Barra told analysts on a conference call Tuesday the the new unit will focus on personal vehicles and developing systems that can drive by themselves in certain circumstances. The company has agreements to buy another 7% of Cruise and intends to buy the remaining shares so it owns the whole company. The move is another step back from autonomous vehicles, which have proved far harder to develop than companies once anticipated. Two years ago, crosstown rival Ford Motor Co. disbanded its Argo AI autonomous vehicle venture in Pittsburgh that it co-owned with Volkswagen. At the time the company said it didn’t see a path to profitability for a number of years. Yet other companies are pressing forward with plans to deploy autonomous vehicles and expanding their services. Alphabet Inc.'s Waymo is accelerating plans to broaden its robotaxi service beyond areas of metropolitan Phoenix, San Francisco and Los Angeles. Last week the company said it would its driverless Jaguars in Miami next year, with plans to start charging for rides in 2026. The move comes less than a month after Waymo opened up its robotaxi service for a ride in an 80-square-mile (129 square kilometer) area of Los Angeles. Waymo also has plans to launch fleets in Atlanta and Austin next year in partership with ride-hailing leader Uber. In April, a company called Aurora Innovation plans to on Texas freeways using fully driverless semis. Tesla CEO Elon Musk has said his company plans to have autonomous Models Y and 3 running without human drivers next year. Robotaxis without steering wheels using Tesla's “Full Self-Driving” system would be available in 2026 starting in California and Texas, he said. But an investigation by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration into Full Self-Driving's ability to see in low visibility conditions cast doubt on whether Teslas are ready to be deployed without humans behind the wheel. The agency after getting reports of four crashes involving “Full Self-Driving” when Teslas encountered sun glare, fog and airborne dust. An Arizona pedestrian was killed in one of the crashes. GM said it will work with Cruise’s leadership to restructure the company and refocus Cruise’s operations on driver assist systems. The company expects the restructuring to reduce spending by more than $1 billion annually. Cruise has about 2,300 employees and will retain a presence in San Francisco, GM said. It’s too early to talk about employment levels until the restructuring is completed next year, a spokesman said. Dave Richardson, senior vice president of software and services engineering, said Cruise will bring its software, artificial intelligence and sensor development to GM to team up on improving GM’s driver-assist systems. “We want to leverage what already has been done as we go forward, and we think we can do that very effectively,” Barra said. Shares of GM rose about 3% in trading after Tuesday's closing bell. They are up about 47% for the year. AP Technology Writer Michael Liedtke in San Francisco contributed to this report.Real Madrid’s big stars turned on the style to revive the Spanish giant’s faltering Champions League title defense on Tuesday. Galacticos Kylian Mbappe, Vinicius Junior and Jude Bellingham all scored in a thrilling 3-2 win at Italian league leader Atalanta. But Madrid still had to ride its luck as Mateo Retegui fired over from in front of goal in stoppage time when handed a golden chance to level the game. It was only Madrid’s third win in the competition’s revamped league phase and leaves the 15-time champion in the unseeded playoff positions in 18th place. “It’s a very important win. Not everyone wins here. We suffered and competed. In the Champions League, you have to suffer,” Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti said. “It’s still difficult to finish in the top eight, but we have two games left to earn points.” Six-time champion Liverpool leads the way after maintaining its perfect record in Europe this season with a 1-0 win against Girona. Like Madrid, Paris Saint-Germain also picked up a much-needed win, beating Salzburg 3-0 to sit in the last playoff spot in 24th place. Bayer Leverkusen is second after a 1-0 win over Inter Milan, while Aston Villa beat Leipzig 3-2 and is third. The top eight teams advance directly to the round of 16. Positions nine to 24 face a playoff to reach the next phase. After three losses in its opening five games of the league phase, the pressure was mounting on Madrid. Questions were also being asked of Mbappe after his uncertain start since his offseason move from PSG. But he produced a moment of class to fire Madrid 1-0 up after 10 minutes at Gewiss Stadium — controlling the ball with his left foot and then finishing low with his right. It was the 25-year-old Mbappe's 50th Champions League goal . Lionel Messi is the only player to have reached that number at a younger age. Mbappe was substituted off before halftime with an apparent physical issue and Charles De Ketelaere leveled the game before the break from the penalty spot. But two goals inside three second-half minutes from Vinicius Junior and Bellingham put Madrid in control. Ademola Lookman's goal made it 3-2, but Madrid survived Retegui's late effort and held on. Mohamed Salah’s 50th Champions League goal maintained Liverpool’s perfect record in the competition this season. The Egypt forward struck a 63rd minute penalty to seal the win in Spain that kept Liverpool atop the 36-team league. But even after a sixth straight win for the Merseyside club, head coach Arne Slot was critical of his players in a game that saw goalkeeper Alisson pull off several saves to keep Girona out. “If you ask me about all the six games, I’m really pleased with all the results, I am really pleased with the five (other) games with the way we played. I’m far from pleased about the performance tonight,” he said. Salah’s goal was his 16th in 22 appearances overall this season. Girona was 30th with just one win from six games. “I almost feel sorry for them because they deserved so much more in this Champions League campaign than the three points they have until now. But we have an incredible goalkeeper,” said Slot, whose team also leads the Premier League. Liverpool’s two remaining games are against Lille at home and PSV Eindhoven away in January. U.S. international Christian Pulisic is the only player to have scored against Liverpool in this season’s Champions League in a 3-1 loss for Milan in September. Bayern Munich routed Shakhtar Donetsk 5-1 to move into the automatic qualifying positions for the round of 16. Michael Olise scored a wonderful solo goal by dribbling past a host of players for his first of two in the game. Bayern's win came after going 1-0 down inside five minutes to a goal from Brazilian winger Kevin. PSG is not done yet. A miserable start to the league phase saw the French giant pick up just four points from five games as it adjusted tp life without stars like Mbappe, Messi and Neymar, who have all departed in the past two seasons. But victory at Salzburg moved PSG up into the playoff positions. Goncalo Ramos, Nuno Mendes and Desire Doue all scored. Leverkusen is back on a roll after struggling to repeat the success of last season's stunning German league and cup double. It's now six straight wins in all competitions, with Nordi Mukiele's 90th minute goal securing victory against Inter and moving Leverkusen into second on 13 points — five behind Liverpool. Villa, Inter and Brest are all on 13 points as well. Inter dropped to fourth after conceding for the first time in this season's competition. Villa is third after its own resurgence in form. Victory against Leipzig was its third in a row after an eight-game winless run. Brest is one of this season’s surprise packages on its Champions League debut and is fifth after beating PSV Eindhoven 1-0. Sporting Lisbon, in 12th, couldn’t build on taking a third-minute lead at Club Brugge — losing 2-1 in Belgium. Brugge is 14th. Dinamo Zagreb drew 0-0 with Celtic and both teams remain in the playoff positions. James Robson is at https://twitter.com/jamesalanrobson AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer
"Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum." Section 1.10.32 of "de Finibus Bonorum et Malorum", written by Cicero in 45 BC "Sed ut perspiciatis unde omnis iste natus error sit voluptatem accusantium doloremque laudantium, totam rem aperiam, eaque ipsa quae ab illo inventore veritatis et quasi architecto beatae vitae dicta sunt explicabo. Nemo enim ipsam voluptatem quia voluptas sit aspernatur aut odit aut fugit, sed quia consequuntur magni dolores eos qui ratione voluptatem sequi nesciunt. Neque porro quisquam est, qui dolorem ipsum quia dolor sit amet, consectetur, adipisci velit, sed quia non numquam eius modi tempora incidunt ut labore et dolore magnam aliquam quaerat voluptatem. Ut enim ad minima veniam, quis nostrum exercitationem ullam corporis suscipit laboriosam, nisi ut aliquid ex ea commodi consequatur? Quis autem vel eum iure reprehenderit qui in ea voluptate velit esse quam nihil molestiae consequatur, vel illum qui dolorem eum fugiat quo voluptas nulla pariatur?" 1914 translation by H. Rackham "But I must explain to you how all this mistaken idea of denouncing pleasure and praising pain was born and I will give you a complete account of the system, and expound the actual teachings of the great explorer of the truth, the master-builder of human happiness. No one rejects, dislikes, or avoids pleasure itself, because it is pleasure, but because those who do not know how to pursue pleasure rationally encounter consequences that are extremely painful. Nor again is there anyone who loves or pursues or desires to obtain pain of itself, because it is pain, but because occasionally circumstances occur in which toil and pain can procure him some great pleasure. To take a trivial example, which of us ever undertakes laborious physical exercise, except to obtain some advantage from it? But who has any right to find fault with a man who chooses to enjoy a pleasure that has no annoying consequences, or one who avoids a pain that produces no resultant pleasure?" 1914 translation by H. Rackham "But I must explain to you how all this mistaken idea of denouncing pleasure and praising pain was born and I will give you a complete account of the system, and expound the actual teachings of the great explorer of the truth, the master-builder of human happiness. No one rejects, dislikes, or avoids pleasure itself, because it is pleasure, but because those who do not know how to pursue pleasure rationally encounter consequences that are extremely painful. Nor again is there anyone who loves or pursues or desires to obtain pain of itself, because it is pain, but because occasionally circumstances occur in which toil and pain can procure him some great pleasure. To take a trivial example, which of us ever undertakes laborious physical exercise, except to obtain some advantage from it? But who has any right to find fault with a man who chooses to enjoy a pleasure that has no annoying consequences, or one who avoids a pain that produces no resultant pleasure?" Thanks for your interest in Kalkine Media's content! To continue reading, please log in to your account or create your free account with us.Seattle Seahawks CB Coby Bryant is the latest victim of NFL's label being the 'No Fun League'
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