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President-elect Trump appeared to agree with Elon Musk in support of H-1B visas for skilled workers in the U.S., as the right spars on the ongoing immigration debate. "I’ve always liked the visas, I have always been in favor of the visas. That’s why we have them," Trump told the New York Post Saturday. Trump said that he recognizes the visas on his properties, saying, "I've been a believer in H-1B. I have used it many times. It’s a great program." MUSK INFLAMES X WITH PROFANE MOVIE QUOTE IN DEFENSE OF H1-B VISA Trump's comments come as the right clashes over immigration and the place of foreign workers in the U.S. labor market. Musk  and Vivek Ramaswamy,  who have been tapped by Trump to lead his Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), argued earlier this week that American culture has not prioritized education enough, and therefore that foreign workers are needed for tech companies like Musk’s SpaceX and Tesla.  Many tech companies have embraced...

Jon Levine / New York Post : Trump supports H-1B visas, saying “I have many H-1B visas on my properties. I've been a believer in H-1B”, siding with Musk in the MAGA debate on the issue   —  President-elect Trump told The Post Saturday he supports immigration visas for highly skilled workers …

Michelle Obama provoked a wave of online criticism Friday after she shared a New Year's message with her followers on Instagram. The former first lady posted a video wishing her followers "Happy Holidays" and highlighting the work of the Obama Presidential Center as 2024 comes to a close. But critics noted with disapproval that her video begins on a sour note.  "Happy holidays, everyone. I know it's been a difficult few months for so many of us, and that folks are feeling a little bit anxious and uncertain," Obama says in the video. "But even during these tough times, there are plenty of reasons to stay hopeful," she adds, before mentioning programs operated by the Obama Foundation. ‘GREATER RECKONING’: OBAMA'S SPOT IN THE DEMOCRATIC SUN FADING AFTER HARRIS LOSS Hundreds of Instagram users commented on Obama's video within hours after it went live. While many thanked her for the message and showed support for the Obama Foundation, se...

Matt Burgess / Wired : Finland, Canada, the US, and other countries are testing tech for passport-free travel, including facial recognition and a “digital travel credential”   —  Smartphones and face recognition are being combined to create new digital travel documents.  The paper passport's days are numbered—despite new privacy risks.

Greg Otto / CyberScoop : The US says it has identified a ninth telecom company impacted by the Salt Typhoon hacks, and the number of individuals directly impacted is “less than 100”   —  In an update Friday, the White House says nine telecom companies were impacted by the Chinese espionage effort.  —  Learn more.

Guatemala may accept more foreign nationals deported from the United States by the incoming Trump administration in an effort to strengthen ties to the U.S., according to a report. Officials who spoke to Reuters said Guatemala is willing to receive deported citizens of other Central American countries – such as Nicaragua, Venezuela and Haiti – which have strained relationships with the U.S. and have not accepted deportees in the past.  "There has to be a regional response," one Guatemalan official told Reuters. "And we want to be part of the solution." The expectation is that Trump will keep his campaign promise to begin the largest mass deportation of illegal immigrants in American history, and Guatemala wants to be in the president's favor throughout that process. The officials are bracing for deportations to increase in the fall, reasoning that it will take time for the Trump administration ramp up its operations, according to Reuters.  BORDER CZAR TOM H...

Shivaune Field / Forbes Australia : Sydney-based Sitemate, which offers no-code software tools for industries like infrastructure and utilities, raised a AU$27.5M Series A at a ~AU$150M valuation   —  Sydney-founded Sitemate is making an impact on solar renewable sites in New Zealand, nuclear projects in Switzerland, and electric vehicle production in Detroit.