Cash will now expedite your work permit, in new Biden immigration rule

Cash will now expedite your work permit, in new Biden immigration rule

  • Applicants for work permits can pay $1,500 to speed up process
  • Revenue will ease massive backlogs at immigration agency

(Reuters) – The Biden administration on Tuesday released a final rule expanding a program that allows applicants for various employment-related immigration benefits to pay up to $2,500 to speed up the process, in a bid to ease massive backlogs at the agency.The rule from U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) extends the existing “premium processing” service to applications for an Employment Authorization Document, which allows recipients to work in the U.S. while they seek asylum or other legal status.About 2 million people apply for new or renewed work permits each year, according to USCIS data. The process typically takes five to seven months, leaving many immigrants unable to support themselves and their families in the meantime.Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.comRegisterUnder Tuesday’s rule, which takes effect in 60 days, individuals seeking work permits can pay $1,500 to have their applications considered within 30 days. The premium fee ranges up to $2,500 for applications for other kinds of employment-related adjustments in legal status.USCIS said it plans to phase in the expansion so that it will not negatively impact applicants who do not pay a premium fee. The backlog at USCIS grew to 9.5 million cases last month as the COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated an existing bottleneck at the agency.The agency also said it will have to hire and train new staff to expand premium processing in line with the new rule, which it plans to pay for using revenue from current applications for premium processing.USCIS is funded primarily through the fees paid by applicants for various immigration benefits. The agency on Tuesday estimated it would collect an additional $9.7 million in fees per year under the new rule.Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.comRegisterOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.Daniel WiessnerDan Wiessner (@danwiessner) reports on labor and employment and immigration law, including litigation and policy making. He can be reached at [email protected]. .

HP seeks to ride hybrid work boom with $1.7 billion Poly buyout

HP seeks to ride hybrid work boom with $1.7 billion Poly buyout

March 28 (Reuters) – HP Inc (HPQ.N) said on Monday it would buy audio and video devices maker Poly (POLY.N) for $1.7 billion in cash as it looks to capitalise on the hybrid work led boom in demand for electronic products.Shares in HP, which expects the deal will position it for long-term growth, fell 1.4% in premarket trade.The company has offered $40 for each share of Poly, formerly known as Plantronics, which represents a premium of about 53% to the stock’s last closing price. Including debt, the deal is valued at $3.3 billion.Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.comRegister“The rise of the hybrid office creates a once-in-a-generation opportunity to redefine the way work gets done,” HP Chief Executive Officer Enrique Lores said.With the global healthcare crisis boosting the need for hybrid work, the market has seen several acquisitions, including business software maker Salesforce.com’s (CRM.N) $27.7-billion purchase of workplace messaging app Slack Technologies Inc last year. read more Poly, whose shares rose 49% in premarket trade, said it would be required to pay a fee of $66 million if the deal is terminated.The transaction is expected to close by the end of 2022.Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.comRegisterReporting by Tiyashi Datta in Bengaluru; Editing by Aditya Soni and Vinay DwivediOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles. .

Netflix tests sharing accounts outside household

Netflix tests sharing accounts outside household

Small toy figures are seen in front of diplayed Netflix logo in this illustration taken March 19, 2020. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/IllustrationRegister now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.comRegisterMarch 16 (Reuters) – Netflix Inc is testing features including one that will allow accounts to be shared outside members’ household at an extra cost, the streaming pioneer said on Wednesday.The company is testing the features in Chile, Costa Rica and Peru allowing members on its standard and premium plans to add up to two people.Netflix is also studying another feature that will allow members on a basic, standard or premium plan to transfer their profile information to a new account or a sub account retaining data such as viewing history and personalized recommendations. (https://bit.ly/3CLKbF2)Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.comRegisterThe company currently allows people who live together to share their Netflix account. However, the plans have created some confusion about when and how accounts can be shared, the company said, adding it is impacting its ability to invest in new content.The company said it would test the features for their utility before making changes in other parts of the world.Netflix in January tempered its growth expectations, projecting customer additions in the first-quarter at less than half of Wall Street’s expectations citing the late arrival of anticipated content. read more Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.comRegisterReporting by Akash Sriram in Bengaluru; Editing by Shailesh KuberOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles. .

GM gears up to launch ‘halo’, a new premium import business in China

GM gears up to launch ‘halo’, a new premium import business in China

The new GM logo is seen on the facade of the General Motors headquarters in Detroit, Michigan, U.S., March 16, 2021. REUTERS/Rebecca CookRegister now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.comRegisterBEIJING, March 8 (Reuters) – General Motors Co (GM.N) plans to create a new, independently owned premium brand in China that will market what the automaker’s China chief Julian Blissett recently described as “halo cars” brought in from the United States.GM (GM.N) plans to build this new “premium import business” from the ground up and operate it with “a high level of autonomy,” GM said in a statement on Tuesday.“We are inviting talent from across the industry to join us and jointly create our brand-new business in China,” it said.Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.comRegisterThe U.S. automaker issued the statement after multiple Chinese media outlets reported this week about the new wholly owned brand.According to a Shanghai-based GM spokesperson, Blissett told Chinese media outlets on Friday the new premium brand will specialize in selling upscale GM vehicles currently unavailable in China through its existing brands. Those brands include Wuling, Baojun, Chevrolet, Buick and Cadillac, all of which are owned and operated with Chinese joint-venture partners.Blissett told Chinese media outlets the new business will be fully owned by GM, the spokesperson said.Additional details such as which vehicle models the new brand plans to sell or how such models are going to be marketed and distributed will be announced at a later date, she said.Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.comRegisterReporting By Norihiko Shirouzu in Beijing; Editing by Bernadette BaumOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles. .

Pet dog helps US family spot mountain lion under deck. Watch rescue video

Pet dog helps US family spot mountain lion under deck. Watch rescue video

A family in Colorado, US did not expect a mountain lion resting under the deck of their house when their pet dog alerted them to the animal’s presence. As a torch was lit under the deck, they were shocked to find the mountain lion on Sunday while they expected a raccoon, UPI reported.
The family contacted authorities for rescuing the big cat and Colorado Parks and Wildlife, Boulder Open Space and Mountain Parks, and the Boulder Police Department jointly undertook the rescue operation. The big cat was tranquillised by CPW wildlife officer Tyler Asnicar, and released into a remote area later, as per a People report.
A video shared on a YouTube channel, Jason Clay, showed the rescue operation. The big cat is seen resting under the deck, tranquillised, and then transferred into a cage. Later, when the feline wakes up, it is taken to a remote area and let free.
Watch the video:

“The mountain lion maybe not be fully grown or may belong to juvenile age class, approximately 115 pounds. The healthy-looking cat seems recovered from the anaesthesia pretty well,” a rescue team member was heard saying in the video.
“One factor we look at is location when we get cats that come into town,” wildlife officer Tyler Asnicar was quoted as saying by UPI citing a press release.
“This one was pretty far east in Boulder in a populated area and it is not a good situation to have a big predator like that close to so many people. It is better for the people and the cat to try to move it. The relocation was our best approach in this case,” he added.

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