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H-1B visa: Canada launches new bid to poach skilled tech workers from U.S.

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:52:04 GMT

Canada, with a history of seeking to lure away skilled foreign technology workers from Silicon Valley, on Tuesday announced a new program to poach such talent from the U.S.The nation to the north, with a population of 40 million, is once again attempting to leverage foreign workers’ difficulties with the H-1B visa, the work permit of choice for Bay Area companies wanting to employ tech talent.“We’re targeting newcomers that can help enshrine Canada as a world leader in a variety of emerging technologies,” Canada’s immigration minister Sean Fraser said in a statement.Canada’s new “H1-B specialty occupation visa holder work permit,” available starting July 16, will give approved applicants permission to work for up to three years for nearly any employer anywhere in Canada, the Canadian government announced. Spouses and dependents will be eligible to apply for temporary resident visas and permission to work and study.“This will expand the...

Man with restraining order turns himself in after Monterey County woman found fatally stabbed

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:52:04 GMT

A man with a restraining order against him turned himself into police in Salinas Sunday after a woman was stabbed to death, the Salinas Police Department said Tuesday.Officers arrived around 3 p.m. in the under 100 block of Natividad Road. There they found Eleni Tavau, 30, unresponsive and appearing to have been stabbed multiple times. Her two toddler-aged children were present, police said.Tavau was taken to the hospital where she died of her injuries.Related ArticlesCrime and Public Safety | Double homicide, police shooting roil Vallejo Crime and Public Safety | East Bay police chase ends in Marin County Crime and Public Safety | East Bay couple get decades in federal prison for documenting their sexual abuse of two girls Crime and Public Safety | Former Fremont city manager pleads not guilty to theft by false pretenses charge Crime and Public Safety | Images released of suspect, vehicle in fatal Oakland hi...

Goalkeeper Edouard Mendy joins Al-Ahli as latest Chelsea player heading to Saudi Arabia

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:52:04 GMT

LONDON (AP) — Goalkeeper Edouard Mendy joined Saudi Arabian team Al-Ahli on Wednesday, becoming the latest Chelsea player to head to the oil-rich kingdom. N’Golo Kante and Kalidou Koulibaly have already made moves to the lucrative Saudi Pro League during this transfer window. Hakim Ziyech is also expected to join Al-Nassr, where he will team up with Cristiano Ronaldo. Al-Ahli and Chelsea both confirmed the move. In a video posted on Al-Ahli social media channels, Mendy is wearing a shirt which reads 2026 on the back, likely in reference to the length of his contract.No financial details were given but media reports said the fee was 17 million pounds ($21.5 million).Mendy, 31, joined Chelsea from French team Rennes in 2020 and went on to win the Champions League in his first season at the club. The Senegal goalkeeper also lifted the Club World Cup the following year. He made 105 appearances in all competitions, but was reduced to back-up keeper last season after Kepa Arrizabala...

Superfund town’s health clinic accused of submitting false asbestos claims

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:52:04 GMT

MISSOULA, Mont. (AP) — A major U.S. railroad found liable for spreading hazardous asbestos that killed hundreds of people in a Montana town is trying to convince a federal jury that a local clinic submitted hundreds of asbestos claims for people who weren’t sick, earning them lifetime government benefits and bilking taxpayer funds.The case focuses on the Center For Asbestos Related Disease in Libby, Montana, and the health clinic’s high-profile doctor, Brad Black, who has been at the forefront of efforts to help residents of the town, which came to national prominence when it was declared a deadly Superfund site in 2000.Since 2003, Black and the CARD clinic have certified more than 3,400 people, primarily from the Libby area, with asbestos-related diseases.BNSF Railway — controlled by billionaire Warren Buffet’s Berkshire Hathaway conglomerate — has alleged during a trial taking place in Missoula that more than half the certifications were based on false medical submissions fr...

Taika Waititi’s soccer pic ‘Next Goal Wins’ set for Toronto Film Festival premiere

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:52:04 GMT

Taika Waititi’s soccer comedy “ Next Goal Wins ” will have its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival this fall, organizers said Wednesday.The Searchlight Pictures film is based on a true story and stars Michael Fassbender as a Dutch-American soccer coach assigned to help the struggling American Samoa national team in its quest to qualify for the 2014 FIFA World Cup. The team at that point was best known for suffering the worst loss in international football history — a 31 to 0 game against Australia in 2001.Waititi and co-writer Iain Morris based the film off of a 2014 British documentary of the same name, from Mike Brett and Steve Jamison, which chronicled the comeback attempt. The new film also stars Oscar Kightley, Kaimana, Will Arnett and Elisabeth Moss.“Next Goal Wins” is the first major Hollywood film this year to stake its claim on the busy fall film festival season, where many studios debut awards hopefuls. Waititi’s last film to premiere at Toronto, “Joj...

South African court rules against government over ending permits for nearly 200,000 Zimbabweans

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:52:04 GMT

JOHANNESBURG (AP) — A South African court on Wednesday ruled against the government and ordered it to reconsider its decision to terminate the special permits allowing nearly 200,000 Zimbabwe nationals to live and work in the country.The government’s decision was set to force Zimbabweans to return home if they didn’t obtain regular work visas, even if they have children who were born in South Africa and are South African citizens.In its ruling, the Gauteng High Court in Pretoria said the Department of Home Affairs’ decision in 2022 to end the special exemption for citizens from neighboring Zimbabwe was “unlawful” and “unconstitutional” because it didn’t follow “a fair process” of consultation.The permits were extended until at least June 28 next year under the court ruling.The department initially set a deadline of June 30 this year — Friday — for the termination of the Zimbabwe Exemption Permit system. That deadline was recently extended to the end of the ye...

Rachel Garcia wins Athletes Unlimited AUX softball championship

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:52:04 GMT

ROSEMONT, Ill. (AP) — Pitcher Rachel Garcia is the 2023 Athletes Unlimited AUX Softball champion.The former UCLA standout scored 1,392 points to finish atop the group of 42 players in the individual competition. She compiled a 4-1 record, led the league with a 3.19 earned run average and set an AUX single-season record with 34 strikeouts over 37.1 innings.Middle infielder Aubrey Leach placed second with 1,158 points and designated player Mia Davidson finished third with 1,122 points.Infielder Jessie Warren was voted 2023 Athletes Unlimited AUX Defensive MVP.Athletes Unlimited said the final two games were canceled due to poor air quality in the Chicago area from the Canadian wildfires on Tuesday evening.The Athletes Unlimited championship season will run from July 28 to August 27 in Rosemont, Illinois. ___AP college sports: https://apnews.com/hub/college-sports and https://twitter.com/AP_Top25Source

Dive Bar Semiformal? Couple ditches traditional wedding dress code at Denver wedding

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:52:04 GMT

NEW YORK (AP) — “Space Disco Cowboy.” “Yacht Shabbat.” “Burning Man Formal”? More couples are tossing tradition when it comes to what wedding guests should wear, to some befuddlement among invitees.Maggie Long, 34, recently attended the nuptials of a close friend in a low-key Denver lounge. The suggested dress? “Dive Bar Semiformal.” Should you buy now, pay later for your wedding? “I love a theme,” said Long, who lives in New York. "It's fun that people aren't taking weddings so seriously, but I had no idea what that meant."After exchanging thoughts for months with the officiant, who is also a friend, Long took her outfit idea — a strappy-back, low-cut ultra-mini purple dress with a high side slit — to the bride. The bride deemed it a bit too “Kardashian cosplay.” Long finally settled on a longer gold lamé dress by Norma Kamali, and a great time was had.“There were a lot of vintage jumpsuits. One of our friends went full 1960s with go-go boots and a bouffant. A lot of se...

These cities have the most expensive homes in Colorado

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:52:04 GMT

Purchasing a home is one of the most important investments there is. More than a place to live, homeownership is an asset with the potential to tremendously rise in value. But with home prices reaching record heights, affordability plays a huge role for buyers. High mortgage rates are also making monthly payments more expensive; as of June 15, the 30-year fixed mortgage rate sits at 6.69%.Although home prices have inflated all across the U.S., there are some cities that command a higher price tag than others. Location, size, age, and condition are all contributing factors to home value. Where is Denver’s cheapest Big Mac? Stacker compiled a list of cities with the most expensive homes in Colorado using data from Zillow. Cities are ranked by the Zillow Home Values Index for all homes as of May 2023. The charts in this story were created automatically using Matplotlib.Which metros have the most cities in the top 30 for most expensive homes in Colorado?Data as of May 2023.Denver-Aur...

A record number of pedestrians died in Colorado car crashes last year

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:52:04 GMT

DENVER (KDVR) -- More pedestrians are dying in Colorado car crashes than ever before, according to a release from the Colorado Department of Transportation, and the trend doesn't seem to be slowing.Crash fatalities reached a new record in general in 2022, with 757 lives lost altogether. The COVID pandemic ushered in several years during which crashes rose as people drove more recklessly and aggressively despite driving less than before. Colorado traffic deaths spiked even though people are driving less Nationally, the number of traffic fatalities jumped by 19% from 2019 to 2022. The issue is worse in Colorado than in most other states. Colorado’s traffic fatalities rose by 27% between 2019 and 2022, tied with Arkansas and Illinois for the ninth-highest increase among states.The trend hasn't only involved drivers. There were 111 pedestrian traffic deaths in Colorado in 2022, an all-time high for the second year in a row. There were 94 pedestrian traffic deaths in 2021, which set t...