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The Supreme Court bolsters protections for workers who ask for religious accommodations

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:55:22 GMT

By JESSICA GRESKO (Associated Press)WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court on Thursday used the case of a Christian mail carrier who did not want to work Sundays to solidify protections for workers who ask for religious accommodations.In a unanimous decision the justices made clear that workers who ask for accommodations, such as taking the Sabbath off, should have their requests honored unless employers show that doing so would result in “substantial increased costs” to the business.The court made clear that businesses must cite more than minor costs — known as “de minimis” costs — to reject requests for religious accommodations at work. Unlike most cases before the court, both sides in the case had agreed that businesses needed to show more.At issue was a mail carrier in rural Pennsylvania, Gerald Groff, who was told that as part of his job, he would need to start delivering Amazon packages on Sundays. Groff declined, saying his Sundays are f...

Economic growth revised up sharply last quarter

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:55:22 GMT

WASHINGTON — Showing surprising resilience in the face of higher interest rates, the U.S. economy grew at a 2% annual pace from January through March as consumers spent at the fastest pace in nearly two years.Thursday’s revised figure from the Commerce Department sharply upgraded its assessment of first-quarter growth from its previous estimate of a 1.3% annual rate.Despite the uptick, the government’s third and final report on January-March economic growth still marked a deceleration from the 2.6% annual rate from October through December and the 3.2% growth from July through September. The economy has been slowed by the Federal Reserve’s aggressive drive to tame inflation through a series of interest rate hikes beginning early last year.Yet Thursday’s report on the nation’s gross domestic product — the total output of goods and services — showed why the economy has so far managed to defy expectations of a coming recession: Consumers continue to spend ...

Quick Cook: Caramelized honey lavender apricots on ricotta toast

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:55:22 GMT

These gorgeous toasts glisten with gemlike stone fruit that has been caramelized and drizzled with lavender-infused honey. Whether on walnut levain or rustic baguette, with creamy ricotta or tangy farmers cheese, this treat beckons at all hours — just have your morning iced coffee or afternoon tea at the ready.You can use any stone fruit, but I like the color and tartness of apricots best, and summer is prime apricot season. Try a version with ricotta and another with farmer’s cheese and see if you can decide which you prefer, because I can’t. Save any extra lavender honey to stir into your tea or even coffee for a delightful flavor.Caramelized honey lavender apricots on ricotta toastServes 2INGREDIENTS5-inch hunk of walnut or plain baguette, halved lengthwise, or 2 slices levain3 tablespoons honey, divided3 apricots, halved and pitted (or substitute peaches or plums)1½ teaspoons culinary lavender buds½ cup ricotta cheese (or use farmer’s cheese for tangier version)Sea salt flakesDI...

Southwest Airlines pilots ask to be freed from mediation. It’s another step towards a strike

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:55:22 GMT

DALLAS (AP) — The pilots’ union at Southwest Airlines is asking federal mediators to open the way for a strike, saying that big differences remain over pay and other items despite three years of bargaining over a new contract.The request Thursday by the Southwest Airlines Pilots Association doesn’t mean a strike is imminent, even though union members voted nearly unanimously in May to authorize a strike.If mediators grant the union’s request, pilots could strike but only after a 30-day cooling-off period, during which the White House could delay a walkout or Congress could impose a settlement on both sides.Southwest opposed the union’s request. Adam Carlisle, Southwest’s vice president of labor relations, said the two sides are meeting regularly and the company has proposed industry-leading compensation and changes in pilot scheduling. He said further mediation will drive negotiators closer to an agreement that helps both sides.The union’s m...

Man faces federal charges for swastika on Michigan synagogue

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:55:22 GMT

HANCOCK, Mich. (AP) — A man has been charged in federal court with defacing one of Michigan’s oldest synagogues with a swastika in 2019.A swastika was sprayed on the outside of Temple Jacob in Hancock in the Upper Peninsula. Nathan Weeden, 23, of Houghton was indicted on charges of conspiring against rights and damaging religious property. He was released on bond Thursday following his arrest in Saline in southeastern Michigan. A not-guilty plea was entered.“No one should be the target of hate because of their race, ethnicity, religion or any other status,” U.S. Attorney Mark Totten said.A message seeking comment was left with Weeden’s attorney.It wasn’t clear why there was a nearly four-year gap between the vandalism and the indictment. Totten spokeswoman Tiffany Brown said she couldn’t comment on charging decisions.In 2021, a New Jersey man, Richard Tobin, was sentenced to a year in prison for conspiring to direct others to deface Temple Jacob as well...

U.K. wants NATO to speed up Ukraine’s membership process as alliance prepares to meet

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:55:22 GMT

OTTAWA — Britain’s defence secretary said Thursday that he wants NATO leaders to consider fast-tracking Ukraine’s membership in the military alliance when they meet next month in Vilnius, Lithuania.Ben Wallace met with Canadian Defence Minister Anita Anand as she visited London, where the pair talked about priorities for the upcoming NATO leaders’ summit on July 11 and 12. Wallace said he believes the 31 member countries should consider allowing Ukraine to skip the membership action plan portion of the accession process.“Sweden and Finland didn’t have any of that and I think that opens a very fair question about, should at Vilnius we just skip that and say that, subject to other conditions, Ukraine should be able to come in and join,” he said.“After all, they’re going to have the most experienced land forces in Europe, and probably one of the most heavily armed countries in Europe.”Anand said that Canada supports Ukraine joining ...

Canadian Chamber of Commerce wants B.C. port strike averted, cites economic impact

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:55:22 GMT

VANCOUVER — The Canadian Chamber of Commerce says it is “deeply disturbed” the British Columbia port workers’ union has served strike notice and is prepared to take job action on Saturday.The chamber has issued a statement urging the federal government to “use all the tools in its tool box” to prevent a strike.It says the shutdown of Canadian ports would fuel inflation, increase costs for people and businesses and seriously damage the economy.The president of the Canadian Vehicle Manufacturers’ Association says a work stoppage at the Port of Vancouver — Canada’s busiest port — “will have significant negative consequences for automotive supply chains in Canada and across North America.” Brian Kingston says frequent transportation disruptions undermine Canada’s reputation as a reliable place for producing and moving goods, and the federal government needs work with the parties “and reach a rapid resolution.”The comments come after ...

B.C. staff who failed to check on two abused foster children lose jobs: ministry

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:55:22 GMT

Staff members at the British Columbia Children’s Ministry who failed to check on two Indigenous children who were systematically abused by their foster parents have lost their jobs, the government says. A judge sentenced the foster parents this month to 10 years each in prison for the death of the 11-year-old boy and the serious injuries to his eight-year-old sister, saying it was incomprehensible how someone could inflict such pain, suffering and violence on an innocent child. While the Ministry of Children and Family Development did not provide the names or the number of people involved, it said in a statement “the staff who were directly involved in this case are no longer employed by the ministry.”Children’s Minister Mitzi Dean was not immediately available for comment Thursday.The statement said the ministry conducted a review of its involvement with the children and implemented changes to existing practices that include regular, in-person, private meeti...

Triple stabbing at University of Waterloo was hate-motivated, police say, man charged

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:55:22 GMT

A triple stabbing during a gender studies class at the University of Waterloo is believed to have been a hate-motivated attack, police said Thursday as they laid multiple charges against a 24-year-old former student. The attack that took place Wednesday injured three people and shocked the university campus located about 100 kilometres west of Toronto. Geovanny Villalba-Aleman, a recently graduated international student, faces three counts of aggravated assault, four counts of assault with a weapon and two counts of possession of a weapon for a dangerous purpose, police said. “Investigators have reason to believe that this was a planned and targeted attack motivated by hate related to gender expression and gender identity,” Waterloo Regional Police Chief Mark Crowell said at a news conference Thursday. Police said the suspect walked into the gender studies class of roughly 40 students, asked the 38-year-old professor for the subject of the class, then attacked her with t...

Here’s how to keep cool and stay safe during a heat wave

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:55:22 GMT

LAS VEGAS (AP) — Scorching heat across the U.S. already has caused more than a dozen deaths in Texas alone and led to mounting misery for millions of people from the Pacific Northwest to the South.And the official end of summer is still months away. Here’s a guide on how to keep cool and stay safe in the punishing temperatures as the latest heat wave ravaging the country spreads east. WHY IS EXTREME HEAT DANGEROUS?Heat kills more Americans than any other weather event, including tornadoes and flooding, even though most heat-related deaths are preventable through outreach and intervention, according to the Environmental Protection Agency. “Heat is the silent killer. No one thinks about it,” said Ben Zaitchik, a professor and climate scientist at Johns Hopkins University whose research includes heat waves. “It’s getting hotter just about everywhere. That means even without a particular weather phenomenon, like what we’re seeing in Texas right now, we’re seeing temperatures we ar...