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Canada’s immigration targets to level out in 2026

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:54:33 GMT

New targets tabled in Parliament show the government plans to level out the number of new permanent residents to Canada in 2026, forecasting an end to record-breaking year-over-year immigration.Immigration Minister Marc Miller submitted new targets for the next three years, which call for the number of new permanent residents to hold steady at 500,000 in 2026.The plans show that the targets for 2024 and 2025 will increase as planned.The Liberals have aggressively increased their targets over the past several years, and surpassed records for the number of permanent residents admitted in a year in both 2021 and 2022.The minister said last week that Canada needs immigration to fuel Canada’s gross domestic product and there would be an economic cost to lowering yearly targets.The government says the levelling off in 2026 will allow time for new permanent residents to integrate successfully while still augmenting the labour market.

How does Jaylon Johnson feel about not being traded by the Bears?

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:54:33 GMT

LAKE FOREST, Ill. — The Bears player who asked for a trade before the NFL deadline on Tuesday might have been a little surprised he was at Halas Hall in front of a microphone on Wednesday.But Jaylon Johnson is still a member of the Bears, wearing a team hat as he addressed a simple question."Oh yeah, for sure," said the cornerback when he was asked if he thought he would be traded before the Tuesday 3 p.m. Central Time deadline. Of course, that didn't happen, and Johnson will suit up for the Bears as their top defensive back against the Saints on Sunday afternoon at the Caesars Superdome in New Orleans. The team may have made attempts to trade Johnson or even sign him to a new deal prior to the deadline, but both are out the door as possibilities at the moment. So after an eventful Tuesday, does the fact that he didn't get traded and still doesn't have a long-term contract disappoint Johnson as he looks ahead to the final nine games of the 2023 season?"Yeah, I would say as far as so...

Hammond ordinance that closes all gas stations overnight now in effect

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:54:33 GMT

HAMMOND, Ind. — An ordinance requiring all gas stations in the city of Hammond to close overnight went into effect Wednesday. As of Nov. 1, all 37 gas stations in the city must close from midnight to 5 a.m. following a 7-2 council member vote in August to pass the regulation. The ordinance was drafted in response to a series of crime-related events at Hammond-area gas stations. Hammond Mayor Thomas M. McDermott Jr. backed the proposal.SEE ALSO: Hammond man arrested after woman, 16-year-old shot dead in MattesonNotably, a Chicago man was shot and killed at Luke’s gas station in the 5100 block of State Line Avenue in late June. The next month, a man was critically wounded at the Speedway gas station in the 6800 block of Calumet Avenue, days after Hammond council members delayed voting on the ordinance.Ultimately, City Hall members favored the ordinance amid a council meeting on Aug. 14. Some business owners stressed to WGN News that the ordinance could cost people their jobs, while ot...

Fire breaks out on 3 boats at San Francisco Marina, 1 injured

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:54:33 GMT

(KRON) -- Three boats caught fire at the Oyster Cove Marina near Oyster Point in South San Francisco Wednesday morning, according to the South San Francisco Fire Department. Multiple agencies are on the scene responding. Des Plaines man charged with attempted kidnapping in Bridgeport Firefighters were alerted to the blaze shortly before 7:30 a.m., according to South SF Deputy Chief Matt Samson. The three boats were tied together when the blaze broke out.There were several adults onboard the boats, according to Samson. All of them were successfully rescued from the water. One person was transported to the hospital with minor injuries, firefighters confirmed. Firefighters began fire suppression efforts once they confirmed there was no one on the boats. At that point, crews also began environmental containment efforts to minimize contamination to the bay.Photos from the scene showed several boats engulfed in flames and large amounts of smoke emanating f...

Mean Girls cast reunite for 'totally fetch' Walmart commercial

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:54:33 GMT

DALLAS (KDAF) -- On Wednesdays we wear pink and apparently save a lot of money! Walmart teams up with the original Mean Girls cast for this full circle Black Friday commercial. In the "totally fetch" commercial Lindsay Lohan, Amanda Seyfried, Lacey Chabert, Daniel Franzese and Rajiv Surendra come together after nine years since the filming of the iconic movie. Cady Heron ( Lindsay Lohan) as Guidance CounselorWe see all of our favorites and even get a life update as well. With Cady Heron (Lohan) as a Guidance Counselor at North Shore High School, Karen Smith (Seyfried) now a reporter telling us the 'weather' and even Gretchen Wieners (Chabert) still trying to make fetch happen. This time with her daughter's friends. Other celebs also make an appearance as well. With rapper, Missy Elliot, as a P.E. Coach.Gretchen Wieners (Lacey Chabert) in Walmart Black Friday Commercial"Some things never change. On Wednesdays we wear pink, but now we shop Walmart Black Friday deals," Cady says as Gre...

At AI summit, nations set new global initiatives to reduce risk

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:54:33 GMT

WASHINGTON (NEXSTAR) — The U.S. alongside delegates from 28 nations are announcing new global initiatives to reduce the risks of artificial intelligence.Vice President Kamala Harris spoke at the first ever global summit."The actions we take today will lay the groundwork for how AI will be used in years to come,” Harris said.She is meeting 28 nations and industry leaders at the first ever global AI summit in London. Each are pledging to work together on international safeguards and 30 nations have now signed a declaration to make sure AI use by the military is compliant with international humanitarian law."The threats are profound, and they demand global action,” Harris said.The announcements come just days after the president signed the first executive order to reign in AI in the U.S. Harris said those efforts designed to stop the spread of misinformation and discrimination must be applied everywhere.Susan Aaronson, who researches international data governance at George Washington U...

Police documents reveal Maine gunman's possible motive for targeting restaurant, bowling alley

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:54:33 GMT

(AP) – Maine State Police documents released Tuesday shed light on why a delusional U.S. Army reservist who killed 18 people at a bowling alley and a bar in Lewiston may have targeted those locations.Robert Card, 40, was found dead Friday, two days after a rampage that also wounded 13 people and shut down multiple communities during a massive search on land and water.Three hours after the shooting began, state police interviewed a woman who said Card believed the Just-In-Time Recreation bowling alley, Schemengees Bar and Grille and several other businesses were “broadcasting online that Robert was a pedophile.” Maine mass shooter’s family contacted sheriff 5 months before rampage: police The woman said Card had been delusional since February after a break-up, had been hospitalized for mental illness and prescribed medication that he stopped taking, according to a police affidavit filed in support of an arrest warrant request.Police also spoke to Robert’s brother, who said Card had...

Mayor Johnson, 4 big city mayors seek a meeting with Biden about how to better manage arriving migrants

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:54:33 GMT

WASHINGTON (AP) — The mayors of Chicago, Denver, Houston, Los Angeles and New York are pressing to meet with President Joe Biden about getting federal help in managing the surge of migrants they say are arriving in their cities with little to no coordination, support or resources from his administration.The Democratic leaders say in a letter obtained by The Associated Press on Wednesday that while they appreciate Biden's efforts so far, much more needs to be done to ease the burden on their cities.Migrants are sleeping in police station foyers in Chicago. In New York, a cruise ship terminal was turned into a shelter. In Denver, the number of migrants arriving has increased tenfold and available space to shelter them has withered. With fewer available work authorizations, these migrants cannot find work that would allow them to get into proper housing.Denver Mayor Mike Johnston, who is leading the coalition, said nearly every conversation he has had with arriving migrants is the same...

Lanes reopened following crash at I-35, McNeil Road

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:54:33 GMT

UPDATE: As of 2:33 p.m. all lanes have been reopened.AUSTIN (KXAN) — The Texas Department of Transportation reported a traffic alert that closed several lanes of Interstate 35 following a crash in Round Rock.TxDOT said the crash occurred near southbound Interstate 35 at McNeil Road, just before the Hesters Crossing exit.The Round Rock Police Department said officers responded to the collision, but there were no injuries.

Austin City Council to consider eliminating minimum parking requirements Thursday

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:54:33 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) — Austin City Council could consider Thursday eliminating minimum parking space requirements from the city's land development code. Thursday's agenda item follows earlier action from council back in May, which authorized beginning the process of stripping mandatory parking minimums from its overarching zoning requirements.That May action not only began efforts to remove off-street parking requirements, but also directs the city manager "to return with recommendations for developments proposing no on-site parking that allow for accessible parking spaces on-street, adjacent to or reasonably nearby the development and located on an accessible route," per city documents. PAST COVERAGE: Austin City Council begins process to strip mandatory parking minimums Thursday's item includes both a public hearing on the recommendation, as well as council's consideration on the ordinance amendment. In city recommendation documents, officials said the amendment aligns with city effort...