Hello,
Here are the five things you need to know today:
UNITED STATES. MIGRATION. The hike to H-1B visas is a talent war blunder.
UNITED STATES. SPEECH. Trump re-exposes corporate media’s dilemma.
NATO. RUSSIA. Moscow’s grey-zone tactics have allies all tied up.
ISRAEL. PALESTINE. Netanyahu is caught in a diplomatic trap.
VENEZUELA. A battle over the 'Worst in the World Insane Asylums' looms.
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UNITED STATES. MIGRATION. Workers of the world, pay up
The hike to H-1B visas is a talent war blunder.
The White House walked-back an announcement of $100,000 annual levies for H-1B visa-holders, saying Saturday this would be a "one-time fee". The UK was exploring abolishing fees for its own tech talent visas, the Financial Times said.
INTELLIGENCE. The H-1B notice rattled India, which takes up around 75% of the visas, and whose trade minister is in Washington today. Shares in Indian outsourcing firms have slumped. Narendra Modi urged foreign boycotts Sunday. Yet it's a win for other expat talent hubs, including beyond the UK. China's new "K visa" for STEM graduates takes effect on 1 October. Gulf states are said to be considering new categories aimed at laid-off US tech workers.
FOR BUSINESS. The visas, mainly used in high-tech fields, won't dent rising US jobless claims. While the hikes fit a MAGA narrative and the system had been abused, there may be other motives, such as pressuring India ahead of trade talks, or drawing attention from claims Border Czar Tom Homan had been caught taking cash in a bribery sting. Still, the changes may not be catastrophic. UK changes to “non-dom” residency in April have had a mixed effect.
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UNITED STATES. SPEECH. Press charges
Trump re-exposes corporate media’s dilemma.
Senators Rand Paul and Ted Cruz broke ranks to slam pressure on Disney and other broadcasters in the wake of Charlie Kirk's killing. Donald Trump said Lachlan Murdoch would be among a group of investors in the proposed sale of TikTok.
INTELLIGENCE. Businesses have long sought to influence government through
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