For those who followed the first election of Donald Trump in 2016, the headlines days before his inauguration in 2025 look very familiar, especially with what many are describing as a Republican “civil war” over the H1B visa programme.
H1B visas are given to highly skilled workers from overseas looking for jobs in the US, and are especially prominent in the start-up and IT sector. The employer-sponsored, non-immigrant classification allows non-US citizens to work in the country for up to six years.
During his 2016 campaign, Mr Trump sought to capitalise on his “Make America Great Again” campaign theme by promising to crack down on the H1B visa programme.
In 2017, as president, Mr Trump signed an executive order that sought to “tighten standards” and – in some cases – increase scrutiny for those applying for H1B visas. It also gave the Department of Homeland Security the power to increase workforce inspections to make sure the visas were not being misused.
“President Trump is improving America’s work visa programmes to prioritise the highest-skilled workers and protect American jobs and wages,” the Trump administration said at the time.
According to the National Foundation of American Policy, denials of the visas reached a high under Mr Trump, with a 24 per cent rejection rate in 2018, but the rate dipped under President Joe Biden. In 2020, Mr Trump also briefly suspended H1B visas.
The NFAP noted that successful court challenges to Mr Trump's enhanced H1B screening policies played a role in fewer denials in the years that followed.
Also under the Biden administration, the Department of Homeland Security announced an “H1B Modernisation Final Rule”, which sought to streamline the programme's approval process while maintaining inspections and fines for those who abuse the system.
“These changes will help US employers hire the employees they need to meet their business needs and remain competitive in the global marketplace,” read a statement from US Citizenship and Immigration Services.
Musk, Bannon and the H1B battle for Trump's influence
During his most recent campaign for the White House, however, tension in Mr Trump's coalition – consisting of technology entrepreneurs such as Elon Musk and the president-elect's loyal following of right-wing “America First” conservatives – has come to a head in a battle over the future of the visa.
It flew under the radar as Mr Trump campaigned against Vice President Kamala Harris in the general election, but it spilt out for the world to see after he secured another term in the White House.
Tesla and SpaceX chief executive Mr Musk, who supported Mr Trump's recent White House campaign and helped to fund operations, has come out in strong support of the H1B visas.
Mr Musk, who was born in South Africa and has since become a naturalised citizen of the US, has often said that the visas made it possible for him to work in the country.
“Anyone – of any race, creed or nationality – who came to America and worked like hell to contribute to this country will forever have my respect,” he posted on his social platform X.
“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 H-1B … take a big step back and [expletive] yourself. I will go to war on this issue with the likes of which you cannot possibly comprehend.”
Steve Bannon, a former White House aide to Mr Trump and major supporter of curtailing the visas, called Mr Musk a “toddler” for his stance on them and sarcastically suggested that someone do a wellness check on him.
Meanwhile, Vivek Ramaswamy, a one-time Republican presidential hopeful who will serve with Mr Musk in Mr Trump's Department of Government Efficiency (Doge), poured fuel on the H1B flames by defending the worker visa, while at the same time criticising US culture.
“The reason top tech companies often hire foreign-born and first-generation engineers over 'native' Americans isn’t because of an innate American IQ deficit (a lazy and wrong explanation),” Mr Ramaswamy wrote on X.
“A culture that celebrates the prom queen over the math olympiad champ, or the jock over the valedictorian, will not produce the best engineers.”
That post created a firestorm of responses from those who want to eliminate the H1B. It has so far received more than 50,000 replies.
Although it remains to be seen exactly what, if anything, president-elect Trump will do with regard to existing H1B policy, he recently shared Mr Musk's post that seemingly endorsed the programme, which many took to mean he sided with the tech billionaire.
Yet Mr Trump's past actions as president, combined with his appointment of immigration hardliner Stephen Miller as deputy chief of staff, has technology companies and those who depend on H1B on edge.
What does H1B controversy mean for other countries?
Peter Yacobucci, a political science professor at Buffalo State University, said that other countries with less stringent worker visa rules stand to benefit if Mr Trump decides to curtail or try to end the H1B programme.
But he also said that the entire controversy is a classic example of campaign promises being met with practical realities, and that the H1B changes some right-wing hardliners hope for may be tough to achieve.
“US industry has long taken advantage of these workers and excelled through their innovation based on the interchange of diverse viewpoints," Prof Yacobucci told The National. "That is exactly what the H1B and other work visas allow. Trump and his financial backers would never restrict these workers as they make them a huge amount of money."
He said other groups with less political capital might be caught in the middle of Mr Trump's strategy to appease.
“My guess is going forward Trump will attempt to satisfy both sides of this debate by quietly increasing H1B and similar work visa admissions with the tacit approval of many Democrats, while very publicly cracking down on other immigrant groups less central to American businesses' bottom lines.
“Sadly, the more cruel and more oppressive this crackdown appears, the more it appeases his Maga right.”
David Bier, director of immigration studies at the Cato Institute think tank in Washington, said there are too many misunderstandings about the H1B programme.
“Many think these are low-skilled and low-wage workers,” he told The National, adding that in reality, these workers are highly coveted and often hired for roles that are not easy to fill because of a talent gap. He also said the accusations of H1B fraud are grossly overstated.
“Some people think that there's something off about Indian immigrants getting so many of these H1Bs. They think it's due to fraud, but it's not – it's just a matter of supply and demand. In reality, these are people with the skills to do the job, and this is the one programme they can get into because of restrictions on Green Cards.”
Canada, Australia, the UAE and even India, he said, would all stand to benefit from an influx of talent if the US stopped the H1B programme.
“India is going to see a big increase in foreign direct investment from the US, as many of these employers offshore operations that they would otherwise be doing in the US,” he said , referring to the large number of Indian workers who obtain H1B visas in the US.
Meanwhile, those living in other countries and watching on the sideline are in wait-and-see mode, wondering if the shaky H1B foundation in the US might benefit their nations.
“If you guys don't like the H1B visa system of the US, then habeebi, come to Dubai,” UAE X user Hassan Sajwani told his more than 304,000 followers on the platform.
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Director: Jon Favreau
Starring: Donald Glover, Seth Rogen, John Oliver
Rating: 2 out of 5 stars
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COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Kumulus Water
Started: 2021
Founders: Iheb Triki and Mohamed Ali Abid
Based: Tunisia
Sector: Water technology
Number of staff: 22
Investment raised: $4 million
BMW M5 specs
Engine: 4.4-litre twin-turbo V-8 petrol enging with additional electric motor
Power: 727hp
Torque: 1,000Nm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 10.6L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh650,000
GOLF’S RAHMBO
- 5 wins in 22 months as pro
- Three wins in past 10 starts
- 45 pro starts worldwide: 5 wins, 17 top 5s
- Ranked 551th in world on debut, now No 4 (was No 2 earlier this year)
- 5th player in last 30 years to win 3 European Tour and 2 PGA Tour titles before age 24 (Woods, Garcia, McIlroy, Spieth)
KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
Anxiety and work stress major factors
Anxiety, work stress and social isolation are all factors in the recogised rise in mental health problems.
A study UAE Ministry of Health researchers published in the summer also cited struggles with weight and illnesses as major contributors.
Its authors analysed a dozen separate UAE studies between 2007 and 2017. Prevalence was often higher in university students, women and in people on low incomes.
One showed 28 per cent of female students at a Dubai university reported symptoms linked to depression. Another in Al Ain found 22.2 per cent of students had depressive symptoms - five times the global average.
It said the country has made strides to address mental health problems but said: “Our review highlights the overall prevalence of depressive symptoms and depression, which may long have been overlooked."
Prof Samir Al Adawi, of the department of behavioural medicine at Sultan Qaboos University in Oman, who was not involved in the study but is a recognised expert in the Gulf, said how mental health is discussed varies significantly between cultures and nationalities.
“The problem we have in the Gulf is the cross-cultural differences and how people articulate emotional distress," said Prof Al Adawi.
“Someone will say that I have physical complaints rather than emotional complaints. This is the major problem with any discussion around depression."
Daniel Bardsley
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Zayed Sustainability Prize
BIGGEST CYBER SECURITY INCIDENTS IN RECENT TIMES
SolarWinds supply chain attack: Came to light in December 2020 but had taken root for several months, compromising major tech companies, governments and its entities
Microsoft Exchange server exploitation: March 2021; attackers used a vulnerability to steal emails
Kaseya attack: July 2021; ransomware hit perpetrated REvil, resulting in severe downtime for more than 1,000 companies
Log4j breach: December 2021; attackers exploited the Java-written code to inflitrate businesses and governments
ADCC AFC Women’s Champions League Group A fixtures
October 3: v Wuhan Jiangda Women’s FC
October 6: v Hyundai Steel Red Angels Women’s FC
October 9: v Sabah FA
MO
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECreators%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EMohammed%20Amer%2C%20Ramy%20Youssef%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EStars%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EMohammed%20Amer%2C%20Teresa%20Ruiz%2C%20Omar%20Elba%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%204%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Brief scores:
Pakistan (1st innings) 181: Babar 71; Olivier 6-37
South Africa (1st innings) 223: Bavuma 53; Amir 4-62
Pakistan (2nd innings) 190: Masood 65, Imam 57; Olivier 5-59
SPEC%20SHEET%3A%20APPLE%20IPHONE%2015%20PRO%20MAX
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDisplay%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%206.7%22%20Super%20Retina%20XDR%20OLED%2C%202796%20x%201290%2C%20460ppi%2C%20120Hz%2C%202000%20nits%20max%2C%20HDR%2C%20True%20Tone%2C%20P3%2C%20always-on%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EProcessor%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20A17%20Pro%2C%206-core%20CPU%2C%206-core%20GPU%2C%2016-core%20Neural%20Engine%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EMemory%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%208GB%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECapacity%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20256%2F512GB%20%2F%201TB%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EPlatform%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20iOS%2017%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EMain%20camera%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Triple%3A%2048MP%20main%20(f%2F1.78)%20%2B%2012MP%20ultra-wide%20(f%2F2.2)%20%2B%2012MP%205x%20telephoto%20(f%2F2.8)%3B%205x%20optical%20zoom%20in%2C%202x%20optical%20zoom%20out%3B%2010x%20optical%20zoom%20range%2C%20digital%20zoom%20up%20to%2025x%3B%20Photonic%20Engine%2C%20Deep%20Fusion%2C%20Smart%20HDR%204%2C%20Portrait%20Lighting%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EMain%20camera%20video%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%204K%20%40%2024%2F25%2F30%2F60fps%2C%20full-HD%20%40%2025%2F30%2F60fps%2C%20HD%20%40%2030fps%2C%20slo-mo%20%40%20120%2F240fps%2C%20ProRes%20(4K)%20%40%2060fps%3B%20night%2C%20time%20lapse%2C%20cinematic%2C%20action%20modes%3B%20Dolby%20Vision%2C%204K%20HDR%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EFront%20camera%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%2012MP%20TrueDepth%20(f%2F1.9)%2C%20Photonic%20Engine%2C%20Deep%20Fusion%2C%20Smart%20HDR%204%2C%20Portrait%20Lighting%3B%20Animoji%2C%20Memoji%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EFront%20camera%20video%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%204K%20%40%2024%2F25%2F30%2F60fps%2C%20full-HD%20%40%2025%2F30%2F60fps%2C%20slo-mo%20%40%20120%2F240fps%2C%20ProRes%20(4K)%20%40%2030fps%3B%20night%2C%20time%20lapse%2C%20cinematic%2C%20action%20modes%3B%20Dolby%20Vision%2C%204K%20HDR%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EBattery%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%204441mAh%2C%20up%20to%2029h%20video%2C%2025h%20streaming%20video%2C%2095h%20audio%3B%20fast%20charge%20to%2050%25%20in%2030min%20(with%20at%20least%2020W%20adaptor)%3B%20MagSafe%2C%20Qi%20wireless%20charging%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EConnectivity%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Wi-Fi%2C%20Bluetooth%205.3%2C%20NFC%20(Apple%20Pay)%2C%20second-generation%20Ultra%20Wideband%20chip%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EBiometrics%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Face%20ID%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EI%2FO%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20USB-C%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDurability%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20IP68%2C%20water-resistant%20up%20to%206m%20up%20to%2030min%3B%20dust%2Fsplash-resistant%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECards%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Dual%20eSIM%20%2F%20eSIM%20%2B%20eSIM%20(US%20models%20use%20eSIMs%20only)%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EColours%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Black%20titanium%2C%20blue%20titanium%2C%20natural%20titanium%2C%20white%20titanium%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EIn%20the%20box%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EiPhone%2015%20Pro%20Max%2C%20USB-C-to-USB-C%20woven%20cable%2C%20one%20Apple%20sticker%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EPrice%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Dh5%2C099%20%2F%20Dh5%2C949%20%2F%20Dh6%2C799%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
How to apply for a drone permit
- Individuals must register on UAE Drone app or website using their UAE Pass
- Add all their personal details, including name, nationality, passport number, Emiratis ID, email and phone number
- Upload the training certificate from a centre accredited by the GCAA
- Submit their request
What are the regulations?
- Fly it within visual line of sight
- Never over populated areas
- Ensure maximum flying height of 400 feet (122 metres) above ground level is not crossed
- Users must avoid flying over restricted areas listed on the UAE Drone app
- Only fly the drone during the day, and never at night
- Should have a live feed of the drone flight
- Drones must weigh 5 kg or less
Key figures in the life of the fort
Sheikh Dhiyab bin Isa (ruled 1761-1793) Built Qasr Al Hosn as a watchtower to guard over the only freshwater well on Abu Dhabi island.
Sheikh Shakhbut bin Dhiyab (ruled 1793-1816) Expanded the tower into a small fort and transferred his ruling place of residence from Liwa Oasis to the fort on the island.
Sheikh Tahnoon bin Shakhbut (ruled 1818-1833) Expanded Qasr Al Hosn further as Abu Dhabi grew from a small village of palm huts to a town of more than 5,000 inhabitants.
Sheikh Khalifa bin Shakhbut (ruled 1833-1845) Repaired and fortified the fort.
Sheikh Saeed bin Tahnoon (ruled 1845-1855) Turned Qasr Al Hosn into a strong two-storied structure.
Sheikh Zayed bin Khalifa (ruled 1855-1909) Expanded Qasr Al Hosn further to reflect the emirate's increasing prominence.
Sheikh Shakhbut bin Sultan (ruled 1928-1966) Renovated and enlarged Qasr Al Hosn, adding a decorative arch and two new villas.
Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan (ruled 1966-2004) Moved the royal residence to Al Manhal palace and kept his diwan at Qasr Al Hosn.
Sources: Jayanti Maitra, www.adach.ae
The burning issue
The internal combustion engine is facing a watershed moment – major manufacturer Volvo is to stop producing petroleum-powered vehicles by 2021 and countries in Europe, including the UK, have vowed to ban their sale before 2040. The National takes a look at the story of one of the most successful technologies of the last 100 years and how it has impacted life in the UAE.
Read part four: an affection for classic cars lives on
Read part three: the age of the electric vehicle begins
Read part one: how cars came to the UAE
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
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Defence review at a glance
• Increase defence spending to 2.5% of GDP by 2027 but given “turbulent times it may be necessary to go faster”
• Prioritise a shift towards working with AI and autonomous systems
• Invest in the resilience of military space systems.
• Number of active reserves should be increased by 20%
• More F-35 fighter jets required in the next decade
• New “hybrid Navy” with AUKUS submarines and autonomous vessels
THE SIXTH SENSE
Starring: Bruce Willis, Toni Collette, Hayley Joel Osment
Director: M. Night Shyamalan
Rating: 5/5
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Who has been sanctioned?
Daniella Weiss and Nachala
Described as 'the grandmother of the settler movement', she has encouraged the expansion of settlements for decades. The 79 year old leads radical settler movement Nachala, whose aim is for Israel to annex Gaza and the occupied West Bank, where it helps settlers built outposts.
Harel Libi & Libi Construction and Infrastructure
Libi has been involved in threatening and perpetuating acts of aggression and violence against Palestinians. His firm has provided logistical and financial support for the establishment of illegal outposts.
Zohar Sabah
Runs a settler outpost named Zohar’s Farm and has previously faced charges of violence against Palestinians. He was indicted by Israel’s State Attorney’s Office in September for allegedly participating in a violent attack against Palestinians and activists in the West Bank village of Muarrajat.
Coco’s Farm and Neria’s Farm
These are illegal outposts in the West Bank, which are at the vanguard of the settler movement. According to the UK, they are associated with people who have been involved in enabling, inciting, promoting or providing support for activities that amount to “serious abuse”.
The five pillars of Islam
The years Ramadan fell in May
The biog:
From: Wimbledon, London, UK
Education: Medical doctor
Hobbies: Travelling, meeting new people and cultures
Favourite animals: All of them
WOMAN AND CHILD
Director: Saeed Roustaee
Starring: Parinaz Izadyar, Payman Maadi
Rating: 4/5
