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Siamak Namazi, left, a U.S. citizen who has been held prisoner in Iran for nearly eight years, with his father, Baquer Namazi. The U.S. government has identified three American citizens held in Iran — Siamak Namazi, Emad Shargi and Morad Tahbaz. NBC News first reported on the prisoner exchange negotiations in February. The families of the Americans held in Iran say their loved ones are "hostages" taken captive on false charges and used as bargaining chips by the government. And Siamak Namazi has been held prisoner in Iran for nearly eight years, longer than any of the other current American detainees.

Persons: Siamak Namazi, Baquer Namazi, Barack Obama, Emad, Shahab Dalili, Jared Genser, Namazi, Joe Biden, Obama, Biden, Donald Trump, Tahbaz, Shargi, Baquer, Robert Levinson, Levinson, Bob Levinson Organizations: NBC, Administration, NBC News, International Atomic Energy Agency, U.S, Congress, British, Tufts, Rutgers, FBI, CIA Locations: U.S, Iran, Tehran, Washington, Qatar, South Korea, United States, Israel, Iranian American, Iranian, Iran's

☆ The Gatsby of Silicon Alley: Meet the 27-year-old Google employee who's throwing tech's hottest parties
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-25 | by ( Darius Rafieyan | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +12 min

Despite throwing events attended by thousands, Andrew Yeung has never made a cent off his parties. They've all gathered at the personal invitation of a 27-year-old Google product lead named Andrew Yeung. The terms of his visa stipulate that he can only derive income from his day job at Google. And there was nothing bigger in his father's mind than a tech job in the United States. It was the first Andrew Yeung party.

Persons: Andrew Yeung, techies, who's, Yeung, revelers, He's, hasn't, he's, Connor Roach, Benjamin Franklin, Yeung doesn't, Cliff Lerner, it's, Melissa Glazar, Lior Cole, I've, Cole, Glazar, Lerner, Keyser, didn't, Connor Roach Yeung, Monica, Sunny Yeung, Andrew, Sunny, he'd, Andrew doesn't, It's Organizations: Junto, Google, Cornell, CCP, Yeung's, Party, SXSW, The University of Toronto, Facebook, Art Basel, of Homeland Security Locations: Brooklyn, Belarusian, cabanas, Gowanus, New York, Austin, Miami, LA, phoniness, Silicon Valley, San Francisco, Hong Kong, United States, Central Park, Basel, Canada, Toronto

Non-resident homebuyers will either need to get an ITIN mortgage or pay in cash to buy a home. ITIN mortgages for individuals without Social Security numbersITIN mortgages allow borrowers to use their ITINs to apply for a mortgage. ITIN mortgages offer a path to homeownership for individuals without the documentation to qualify for a conforming mortgage. Many ITIN lenders require a down payment of at least 20%, and ITIN mortgage rates are often significantly higher compared to rates on conforming mortgages. According to Aguirre, a person getting an ITIN mortgage could end up paying as much as $500 more on their monthly mortgage payment than someone getting a comparable conforming mortgage, thanks to the higher rates that come with an ITIN mortgage.

Persons: homebuyers, I'm, Nora Aguirre, she's, they've, Aguirre, you've Organizations: Service, Migration Policy Institute, Taxation, National Association of Hispanic Real Estate Professionals, Social, Internal Revenue Service, US Department of Housing, Urban Development Locations: Wall, Silicon, Nevada, United States

☆ WSJ Opinion: The Great Migrant Mess
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-13 | by ( Wsj Opinion | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

WSJ Opinion: The Great Migrant Mess Henninger: "The Biden do-nothing policy has let some 1.6 million migrants into the U.S. illegally since 2020. Meanwhile, the number of foreigners waiting for a green card to work legally in the U.S. is 9 million." By WSJ Opinion Jul 12, 2023 11:33 pm Wonder Land: The United States is often described as a 'nation of immigrants,' but with Biden’s open river or another Trump wall, the clock on American pre-eminence could stop, as illegal immigration taints the legal path to citizenship. Images: AFP/Getty Images/Zuma Press Composite: Mark Kelly Read: A Great, Destructive Migrant Mess

Persons: Mark Kelly Read Organizations: Getty Locations: U.S, United States

☆ One of Philadelphia’s top chefs met her future husband on a plane. And then they traveled the world together
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-03 | by ( Kate Springer | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +13 min

CNN —Chutatip “Nok” Suntaranon still remembers the moment she first saw Ziv Katalan in vivid detail. Chutatip "Nok" Suntaranon and Ziv Katalan visit Barcelona in 2010. Courtesy Chutatip "Nok" Suntaranon and Ziv Katalan“It’s kind of an attraction of opposites,” says Katalan. Courtesy Chutatip "Nok" Suntaranon and Ziv Katalan“That’s how we maintained a global relationship for 1.5 years. Named after the chef’s mother, Kalaya showcases the complexity and vibrancy of the food Suntaranon grew up eating in Trang, a small city southeast of Krabi in southern Thailand.

Persons: Ziv, Suntaranon, “, Katalan, Ziv Katalan, ”, Katalan didn’t, “ Nok, –, David Bouley, ” Suntaranon, Kalaya, Michael Perisco, ‘, ’ ”, ’, didn’t, Milan –, ” Katalan, New York –, Georges, Titi, “ Ziv, Sutaranon, Bella, Mike Prince Suntaranon’s, James Beard, Mike Prince, Kenya – Organizations: CNN, Thai Airways, Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania, CNN Travel, New York City, Museum of Modern Art, MoMa, Times, Time Warner Center, Katalan, of Culinary Education, French Culinary Institute New York, Jean, Wharton Locations: Bangkok, New York City, New York, Southern Thailand, Rome, Barcelona, Philadelphia, Mexico, Italian, Midtown, York, Thailand, Masa, Central, Trang , Thailand, Asia, Vietnam, Singapore, Australia, New Zealand, Nha Trang, Los Angeles, London, Tel Aviv, Frankfurt, Paris, Ireland, SALA, Thai, France, Trang, Krabi, “, Morocco, Italy, Spain, Kenya, Baltic, India, Colombia

☆ New Migrants Have a Year to Apply for Asylum. Many Won’t Make It.
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-03 | by ( Hurubie Meko | Raúl Vilchis | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

The group demanded a monthly payment, he said, to allow him to run his car shop in peace. But more than a year after his family — including his wife and two daughters — arrived safely at the southern border, it seems likely they missed the deadline to apply. Mr. Lopez, 42, said he was seeking help from a lawyer. Mr. Lopez and his family are among the millions of migrants who have arrived at the southern border in the past year. Many, after telling border agents about abuse and persecution that they experienced, a first step in the long and complicated process of seeking asylum, have been temporarily released as they wait for their immigration cases to wind their way through courts.

Persons: Santos Lopez, Lopez, — Locations: Honduras, United States

☆ Number of Migrants Crossing U.S. Southern Border Is Down. But for How Long?
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-03 | by ( Eileen Sullivan | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +2 min

New options to come to the United States mean fewer illegal crossings. In central and northern Mexico, migrants can gain access to a government app on smartphones, where they can apply for an appointment at an official port of entry at the U.S. border. In April, the Biden administration announced that migrants from El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras would be eligible for a family reunification program. The measures Mexico has taken include limiting migrants’ abilities to travel throughout the country, making it harder for them to reach the U.S. border. Mexico is also flying migrants whom the United States has recently deported to southern parts of the country.

Persons: Biden, ” Benjamine Huffman Organizations: Central, Customs, Border Protection Locations: United States, Mexico, U.S, Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua, Venezuela, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico’s, Colombia

☆ Why Egusi Is More Than Just a Great Soup
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-16 | by ( Yewande Komolafe | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Elsewhere in southwest Houston, Ms. Lakshmi tastes suya, bole, fufu, asun and jollof, tries her hand at pounding yam and practices the art of scooping soup with swallows. She moves from the kitchen at Margaret Chibuzo’s Safari restaurant to the dining room, where she shares egusi soup with the gospel singer Stacy Egbo. I encountered not just the Nigerian, but the Liberian, Ghanaian and broader West African communities in Newark and Charlotte, Atlanta and Albuquerque. By ensuring access to ingredients, they’d helped steward our shared culture a world away. Versions of egusi soup dotted menus in every city we stopped, and I relished each one.

Persons: jollof, Margaret Chibuzo’s, Stacy Egbo, they’d Organizations: Liberian Locations: Houston, bole, fufu, United States, Newark, Charlotte, Atlanta, Albuquerque

Ms. Hanif’s family history illustrates how Bangladeshi Kensington came to be. While the corner is often a male-dominated space, she and other Bangladeshi American women have carved out their own places there. Ms. Saeed wants to buy a house, but real estate in Kensington has become far too expensive. Ms. Saeed also faced opposition as she was growing up, from relatives on her mother’s side who frowned upon dance. With other public spaces so dominated by men, Ms. Ferdous sees it as vital that women gather to keep their traditions alive.

Persons: Shahana Hanif, Hanif’s, Hanif, Radhuni, Ms, Mir Hossain, Hossain, “, ”, Sala Miah, Rubel, Tarek Aziz, Uddin, Farojan Saeed, Syed Rehan, Saeed, Annie Ferdous, Ferdous, Eid, Mr, Mahmud Organizations: Young, City Council, Bangladesh Institute of Performing Arts, Bangladeshi Institute of Performing Arts, McDonald Locations: Kensington, Bangladesh, Pakistan, “, United States, America, Bengal, Noakhali, Chittagong, Sandwip, Brooklyn, East, South America, Colombia, Panama, Dhaka, Bangladeshi, Manhattan, East New York, Jackson Heights, Ozone, New York, Motiul, Philadelphia, Jessore District, Jamaica, Queens

☆ Afghan Women Who Aided U.S. Military Wait for Asylum in America
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-29 | by ( Ava Sasani | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Now Ms. Hassani and most of her platoon are among the tens of thousands of Afghans living in the United States as humanitarian parolees, a temporary legal status. For those who were in the platoon, the goal is to stay in the United States long term and to have their families, who are still in Afghanistan, join them. Ms. Hassani and nearly all of the platoon members have applied for asylum — a protected status for those fearing persecution in their home country — but the system is severely backlogged. Only three of the women so far have been granted asylum, which enables them to obtain a green card and bring their families over. “So many of our Afghan allies risked their lives and their loved ones’ safety to protect our service members,” Ms. Klobuchar said.

But the 20% rebate on travel purchases (up to $200 back) easily makes this superior to the Chase Sapphire Reserve® offer. Meanwhile, those with a Chase Sapphire Reserve can book travel through the Chase Travel Portal at a rate of 1.5 cents each. Winner: Chase Sapphire Reserve®Consider statement credits and complimentary membershipsThe Chase Sapphire Reserve and Amex Green Card offer various credits that can effectively reduce the annual fee you pay to be a cardholder. The Chase Sapphire Reserve's $300 travel credit is much more versatile than the Amex Green card's annual statement credits, since it applies to virtually any travel purchase. The Chase Sapphire Reserve carries a $550 annual fee, while the Amex Green Card charges $150 per year.

We'll compare the Amex Green Card, Amex Gold Card, and the Amex Platinum Card, highlighting similarities and differences to help you decide which is best for your lifestyle. Amex Green vs Gold vs Platinum: Which American Express Card Is Worth It for You? The Platinum Card, Amex Gold Card, and Amex Green Card are all good choices if you want to earn Amex points. Insider's valuations peg Amex Membership Rewards points as worth 1.8 cents each, on average, in travel. You can read our Amex Green card review for a full breakdown of the card, and our comparison of the Amex Gold and Amex Green for a closer look at the differences.

Alyssa Powell/Business InsiderThe American Express® Green Card just got a refresh, with a record-high welcome bonus offer and improved benefits. The travel statement credit isn't as straightforward as it sounds, but it's a great deal if you can use it. Plus, if you max out the travel statement credit, you'll offset the entire annual fee (and then some) for the first year. Amex Green Card benefitsThe Amex Green Card already comes with statement credits that can help offset the annual fee, though they're not the sole reason to open the card. But there are other Amex Green card benefits that are appealing to travelers that don't require signing up for a subscription.

☆ I Got My Name From Connie Chung. So Did They. - The New York Times
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-11 | by ( Connie Wang | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +21 min

In my freshman class alone, there was a Connie Zheng, a Connie Guo, a Connie Xu, a few Connie Chengs, and multiple Connie Wangs. That ayi was Constance Yu-Hwa Chung, or, as the world knows her, Connie Chung. Connie Chung hosting the “CBS Evening News” in 1991, the year after the author named herself Connie. Connie Wang Connie Koh Connie Yang Connie Tang Connie Jang Connie Chung Connie Moy Connie Huang Connie Kwok Connie Chang Connie Sun Connie Chung, center, surrounded by 10 members of Generation Connie. Clockwise from top right, Connie Yang, Connie Tang, Connie Moy, Connie Sun, Connie Chang, Connie Kwok, Connie Huang, Connie Jang, Connie Wang and Connie Koh.

☆ Ron DeSantis is banning Chinese citizens from buying land in Florida, accusing China of taking up swathes of farmland: 'We don't want the CCP in the Sunshine State'
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-09 | by ( Matthew Loh | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Ron DeSantis has signed a new bill banning Chinese citizens from buying land in Florida. DeSantis cited concerns that Chinese investors have been buying up too much farmland in the state. Ron DeSantis signed a bill into law on Monday that bans most Chinese citizens from purchasing land in his state. The new bill, SB 246, prevents Chinese nationals from buying land in Florida unless they are also American citizens or permanent residents. Investors from Canada own the most US land out of any foreign country, holding 12.8 million acres worth around $11.6 billion, per the department's 2021 report.

☆ US Declining Population, Worker Shortage Will Cause Economic Crisis Without a Fix
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-04 | by ( Gadel Valle | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +15 min

That means that unless people start having a lot more kids, the US population could eventually start to shrink — just like China's population has. While the US population has managed to avoid an outright drop, population growth reached an unprecedented low of 0.12% in 2021. One way the US could encourage more immigration is by focusing on temporary visas for specific industries that need workers. And the treatment of workers in the country on temporary visas has been a problem for decades. After all, the US is running out of options, and soon its growing people shortage is going to spell economic disaster.

☆ What Is Coronation Chicken? The History Behind the Dish.
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-27 | by ( Melissa Clark | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: 1 min

This steep ascent was fueled by what the British food writer Gurdeep Loyal, author of “Mother Tongue: Flavours of a Second Generation,” calls a revival of Raj nostalgia that set in with Margaret Thatcher’s tenure as prime minister. Coronation chicken “wants to evoke the peacocks and rubies, the grandeur and spice of regal Indian dynasties, without actually delivering any strong flavors,” Mr. Loyal said. His version, which uses a complex Punjabi masala with black and green cardamom, ajwain, fennel and tamarind, alludes to the beloved 1980s version of his childhood while celebrating Mr. Loyal’s identity as a second-generation British Indian. Still, the 1980s version is delightful, and a snap to make.

☆ A 37-year-old immigrant who started with 'zero credit' and couldn't get a mortgage when he moved to New York explains how he built a 4-property portfolio that's helped him achieve financial independen
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-13 | by ( Kathleen Elkins | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

When Atif Afzal moved to the US in 2018, he didn't have a credit score and had to start from scratch. His lack of credit became a problem when he wanted to buy a home, so he saved up to buy it in cash. When Atif Afzal moved from India to upstate New York in 2018, he didn't have a credit score. Unable to secure a mortgage, he decided to buy his first property with cash. When he first decided to buy property, "my priority was selecting an awesome location," he said.

☆ The Amex Centurion 'black' card has a $5,000 annual fee and a long list of luxury perks, but you can get many of the same benefits with the Amex Platinum
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-06 | by ( Anna Baluch | Angela Fung | Sarah Silbert | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +15 min

It makes premium credit cards like the Platinum Card ($695 annual fee) and the Amex Business Platinum Card ($695) look downright affordable. Benefits of the Amex Centurion black cardThe Amex Centurion card isn't just a status symbol; it has some great perks, including some unique benefits like complimentary Delta elite status that you won't find on other cards. The Platinum Card and Amex Business Platinum Card offer status with Hilton and Marriott**, but not with IHG and Relais & Châteaux. Unsurprisingly, there's no comparable benefit on the Platinum Card and Amex Business Platinum Card cards**. Once again, the Platinum Card and Amex Business Platinum Card also offer concierge services.

Our experts answer readers' credit card questions and write unbiased product reviews (here's how we assess credit cards). The information for the following product(s) has been collected independently by Business Insider: American Express® Green Card, Chase Freedom®. Read Business Insider's guide to the best 0% APR credit cards. `Amex Plan ItAmex's Plan It is very similar to My Chase Plan, but it's been around much longer. It debuted on 16 Amex credit cards in the summer of 2017, and over the next three years, people created nearly five million plans worth $4 billion.

Persons: they'll, Chase, it's, Amex, You'll Organizations: Business, Citi, Read, American, American Express, Chase, Chase Chase

☆ Lawyer being sued, accused of creating fake clients to get loans and gamble '24/7', claims ex-husband manipulated her
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-29 | by ( Aaron Mcdade | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

A California lawyer allegedly spent $10 million in loans for fake clients to fund a Las Vegas lifestyle for six months. LDR International, the company claiming to have funded the loans, sued Sara Jacqueline King this month. King claims in a new court filing that her ex-husband manipulated her, and forced her to gamble. LDR claims this prevented it from ever knowing for sure whether their loans were actually given to the intended client. King allegedly served as an intermediary in the loan process separate from her law practice, King Reuben, starting when she formed the King Family Lending LLC in February 2020.

☆ America needs immigration reform, or it risks of losing an entire generation of tech workers to countries like Canada, the UK, and Japan
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-23 | by ( Emilia David | Paayal Zaveri | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

While the US still attracts talent, workers increasingly go to places like the UK or Canada. With other countries easing immigration for tech workers, the US may find itself lagging. Without change, and fast, experts say this could mean an entire lost generation of tech talent for American tech. "Foreign countries have figured out ways to more aggressively attack top-tier tech talent," Hiba Anver, an immigration attorney with Erickson Immigration Group, told Insider. America's loss is other countries' gainMeanwhile, other countries are making it easier for tech workers like Negandhi and students to immigrate.

☆ Laid off from a startup and on an H-1B visa? Here are 3 main things immigrant workers should know, according to experts.
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-08 | by ( Madeline Renbarger | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Here are three steps laid off visa holders should take, according to tech industry experts. Though, it appears that laid off immigrant workers are having success finding new roles. Insider spoke with immigration attorneys, venture capitalists, and recruitment experts and compiled the three most important steps laid off H-1B visa holders should take during their 60-day window. Look into other visa categoriesAn attorney can also advise on what other visa categories a worker could be eligible for. "Companies started by immigrant workers employ a lot of immigrant workers too," she said.

☆ Disney CEO Bob Iger has 'very little room for maneuver' as he tackles layoffs, budget cuts, a company reorg, and questions over the future of Hulu and ESPN
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-07 | by ( Claire Atkinson | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +11 min

Disney chief Bob Iger will speak Wednesday on his first quarterly earnings call since returning as CEO. Wall Street wants to see how Disney plans to boost profitability this year and whether it will trade ESPN or Hulu. Aside from a quick visit to Disney World in January, Bob Iger has been lying very low. Media investor Ross Gerber told Insider that Iger would get back to focusing on content rather than on the distribution mechanism. Iger tweeted a photo of himself at Disney World, dressed in a relaxed green cardigan and gray slacks as he posed with cast members on January 19.

☆ Rep. George Santos doubled down on the claim his mother died from cancer due to 9/11, despite records showing she wasn't even in the country
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-05 | by ( Alia Shoaib | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

George Santos doubled down on claims that his mother died due to 9/11. Santos explained that he meant she died of cancer due to "toxic dust" from the terror attack. The NYT previously reported that immigration records showed his mother was in Brazil on 9/11. He claimed in a 2021 tweet that "9/11 claimed my mother's life," even though his mother, Fatima Devolder, died of cancer in 2016. When asked about the immigration documents in the OANN interview, Santos responded that they "didn't know where that came from."

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