U.S. Greenlights Nvidia H200 Chip Exports to China With 25% Fee 
iRobot Files for Chapter 11 Bankruptcy Amid Rising Competition and Tariff Pressures 
Intel’s Testing of China-Linked Chipmaking Tools Raises U.S. National Security Concerns 
Coca-Cola’s Costa Coffee Sale Faces Uncertainty as Talks With TDR Capital Hit Snag 
International Outcry Grows Over Re-Arrest of Nobel Laureate Narges Mohammadi in Iran 
Russian Drone Attack Hits Turkish Cargo Ship Carrying Sunflower Oil to Egypt, Ukraine Says 
Belarus Frees 123 Political Prisoners in U.S.-Brokered Deal Over Sanctions 
Belarus Frees Opposition Leaders Maria Kalesnikava and Viktar Babaryka in U.S.-Brokered Deal 
Korea Zinc Plans $6.78 Billion U.S. Smelter Investment With Government Partnership 
Trump Signals Two Final Candidates for Fed Chair, Calls for Presidential Input on Interest Rates 
U.S. Military Bill Seeks to End Dependence on China for Display Technology by 2030 
Ukraine’s NATO Concession Unlikely to Shift Peace Talks, Experts Say 
Evercore Reaffirms Alphabet’s Search Dominance as AI Competition Intensifies 
CMOC to Acquire Equinox Gold’s Brazilian Mines in $1 Billion Deal to Expand Precious Metals Portfolio 
Global Leaders Condemn Deadly Antisemitic Shooting at Sydney’s Bondi Beach During Hanukkah 
Trump Signs Executive Order to Establish National AI Regulation Standard 
Woolworths Faces Fresh Class Action Over Alleged Underpayments, Shares Slide 
Chaos unfolded over the weekend as H-1B visa holders from India and China rushed back to the United States after President Donald Trump announced steep new fees on the visa program. The move, part of his broader immigration crackdown, caused confusion among foreign tech workers and global companies.
Tech giants including Microsoft, Amazon, Alphabet, and Goldman Sachs sent urgent memos advising employees not to leave the country and, in some cases, to return immediately. Passengers at San Francisco International Airport deplaned flights after receiving alerts from employers. One engineer said his wife, also an H-1B holder, still chose to fly to India to care for her sick mother despite the uncertainty.
On Chinese social media platform Rednote, many H-1B holders shared stories of cutting vacations short and canceling trips. “It feels surreal, everything is changing in an instant,” said a Nvidia engineer who rushed back from Japan.
Initial panic was fueled by fears that existing visa holders would be barred from re-entry. The White House later clarified that the rule only applied to new applicants, easing some of the tension. Amazon even told staff no immediate action was required.
Still, Trump’s proclamation emphasized that the H-1B program has been exploited to suppress wages, while supporters argue it brings critical talent to the U.S. workforce. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick said companies would pay $100,000 per visa, though officials clarified it was a one-time fee.
Industry leaders remain divided. Netflix Chairman Reed Hastings welcomed the change, saying it could replace the lottery system with greater certainty. Critics, however, see it as part of Trump’s protectionist agenda that threatens America’s reputation as a hub for global talent.
The sudden policy shift left many workers shaken, underscoring the uncertainty surrounding U.S. immigration under Trump’s administration.
