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Hollywood crews, studios reach tentative contract deal, making another big strike unlikely
Read full article: Hollywood crews, studios reach tentative contract deal, making another big strike unlikelyThe union that represents most behind-the-scenes film and television crews has reached a tentative deal with studios for about 50,000 of its members, making another production-stopping strike unlikely after a year of labor turmoil in Hollywood.
A 19th century flag disrupts leadership at an Illinois museum and prompts a state investigation
Read full article: A 19th century flag disrupts leadership at an Illinois museum and prompts a state investigationThe Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum is under the spotlight again after a manager failed to consult a collections committee before purchasing a 21-star flag, supposedly from 1818 when Illinois became the 21st state to join the Union.
Volusia’s teachers’ union could be forced to dissolve because of membership law
Read full article: Volusia’s teachers’ union could be forced to dissolve because of membership lawThousands of Volusia County teachers may lose their protective, fighting force. The county's teacher's union is at risk of dissolving because of a new state law that requires a minimum in membership.
Through sobs, cargo ship officer says crew is 'broken' over deaths of 2 firefighters in blaze
Read full article: Through sobs, cargo ship officer says crew is 'broken' over deaths of 2 firefighters in blazeA top officer of an Italian cargo ship that caught fire last summer in one of America’s busiest seaports broke down in sobs recalling his crew’s initial efforts to put out the blaze.
Shops in 2 Dutch cities start selling legally grown cannabis in an experiment to regulate pot trade
Read full article: Shops in 2 Dutch cities start selling legally grown cannabis in an experiment to regulate pot tradeA paradox at the heart of the Netherlands’ permissive pot policy has gone up in smoke in two Dutch cities as “coffeeshops” began selling the country’s first legally cultivated cannabis.
Panama's high court declared a mining contract unconstitutional. Here's what's happening next
Read full article: Panama's high court declared a mining contract unconstitutional. Here's what's happening nextPanama’s Supreme Court unanimously declared that legislation granting a Canadian copper mine a 20-year concession was unconstitutional.
Union Pacific railroad's quarterly profit falls 19% as volumes slow and costs remain high
Read full article: Union Pacific railroad's quarterly profit falls 19% as volumes slow and costs remain highUnion Pacific's third-quarter profit fell 19% as the railroad hauled about 3% fewer shipments and costs remained high, but the average speed of its trains improved 5% as new CEO Jim Vena began to tweak the operations.
Jewish students plaster Paris walls with photos of French citizens believed held hostage by Hamas
Read full article: Jewish students plaster Paris walls with photos of French citizens believed held hostage by HamasFrance’s main Jewish students union has plastered walls around Paris with posters bearing the faces of French citizens believed to be held hostage by Hamas in their war with Israel.
Bosnia: Protest over draft law to recriminalize defamation
Read full article: Bosnia: Protest over draft law to recriminalize defamationDozens of journalists and rights activists have protested outside parliament in Bosnia’s Serb-run part as lawmakers debated whether to advance a contested law which critics say would restrict freedom of expression and silence critical media.
Foster Farms says grain deliveries arrive after train delay
Read full article: Foster Farms says grain deliveries arrive after train delayCalifornia poultry producer Foster Farms said Friday its grain inventories have been restored after the federal government ordered Union Pacific Railroad to step up its shipments.
Feds say railroad must deliver grain to California chickens
Read full article: Feds say railroad must deliver grain to California chickensFederal regulators have ordered Union Pacific railroad to make sure a livestock producer gets the grain it needs in California to prevent millions of chickens and hundreds of thousands of cattle from starving.
UK inflation accelerates to 40-year high as food prices rise
Read full article: UK inflation accelerates to 40-year high as food prices riseBritish food prices rose at the fastest pace since 1980 last month, driving inflation back to a 40-year high and heaping pressure on the embattled government to balance the books without gutting help for the nation’s poorest residents.
Fertilizer company complains about railroad shipment limits
Read full article: Fertilizer company complains about railroad shipment limitsA major fertilizer company says the limits Union Pacific is putting on rail traffic to clear up congestion will delay shipments that farmers rely on during the spring planting season.
Orlando organizer reacts to ‘momentous’ union win for Amazon workers
Read full article: Orlando organizer reacts to ‘momentous’ union win for Amazon workersThe passage of a union among Amazon warehouse workers is a historic first for one of the largest employers in the U.S., union organizers said Friday.
Union Pacific and its unions sue each other over vaccine
Read full article: Union Pacific and its unions sue each other over vaccineUnion Pacific and its labor unions are suing each other to determine whether the railroad has the authority to require its employees to get vaccinated against the coronavirus.
German parties look to Social Democrats to lead next govt
Read full article: German parties look to Social Democrats to lead next govtThe two parties that emerged as likely kingmakers from Germany’s election last month say they will hold talks on a possible new government under the leadership of outgoing center-left Social Democrats.
German kingmakers open talks toward forming new government
Read full article: German kingmakers open talks toward forming new governmentThe two parties that are expected to determine who will become Germany’s next chancellor have started talks to bridge their differences and declared that they got off to a good start.
Germany sees calls for quick decisions on new government
Read full article: Germany sees calls for quick decisions on new governmentPressure is growing for a quick start to talks on Germany’s next government as newly elected lawmakers hold their first meetings and tensions simmer in outgoing Chancellor Angela Merkel’s bloc, which declined to its worst-ever result in the country's election.
Uncertain start to post-Merkel era after close German vote
Read full article: Uncertain start to post-Merkel era after close German voteThe party that narrowly beat outgoing German Chancellor Angela Merkel’s bloc is pushing for a quick agreement on a coalition government, but Europe’s biggest economy could still be in for weeks of uncertainty after an election that failed to set a clear direction.
The Latest: Social Democrats beat Merkel bloc in German vote
Read full article: The Latest: Social Democrats beat Merkel bloc in German voteThe center-left Social Democrats have won the biggest share of the vote in Germany’s national election, beating outgoing Chancellor Angela Merkel’s center-right Union bloc in a closely fought race.
Social Democrats beat Merkel's bloc in German elections
Read full article: Social Democrats beat Merkel's bloc in German electionsThe center-left Social Democrats have won the biggest share of the vote in Germany’s national election, beating outgoing Chancellor Angela Merkel’s center-right Union bloc in a closely fought race.
Merkel's would-be heir seeks rebound after election debate
Read full article: Merkel's would-be heir seeks rebound after election debateChancellor Angela Merkel’s struggling would-be heir has hit back at suggestions that a center-left rival is better qualified for the job after a televised debate failed to give him a clear breakthrough.
Will Juneteenth become a federal holiday? Senate unanimously passes a bill, bringing it one step closer
Read full article: Will Juneteenth become a federal holiday? Senate unanimously passes a bill, bringing it one step closerIt’s an occasion that’s recognized in most states and the District of Columbia, but it’s not as of yet a federal holiday.
Locked out stagehands protest outside Metropolitan Opera
Read full article: Locked out stagehands protest outside Metropolitan OperaLocked out stagehands of the Metropolitan Opera protested the company amid a crowd of about 1,000 that rallied outside Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts, criticizing the company for constructing sets for three of next season’s new productions at nonunion shops.
Laschet wins battle to lead Merkel's bloc in German election
Read full article: Laschet wins battle to lead Merkel's bloc in German electionThe governor of Germany’s most populous state has won a bruising power struggle to become the candidate of Chancellor Angela Merkel’s center-right bloc in the September election that will pick Merkel's successor.
Flying the flag: UK govt tells ministries to wave Union Jack
Read full article: Flying the flag: UK govt tells ministries to wave Union JackFILE - In this file photo dated Friday, Jan. 1, 2021, a British Union flag flies atop the Houses of Parliament in London, on the morning after the U.K. fully left the European Union. The British government said Wednesday March 24, 2021, the national flag should be flown every day on all public buildings, the latest move in an increasing embrace of the Union flag. Flying the national flag is less common in the United Kingdom than in some other countries, such as the United States. The red, white and blue Union flag combines the emblems of England, Scotland and Northern Ireland, which make up the United Kingdom along with Wales. Under the new rules, any government building wishing to fly the European Union flag will need special permission.
Uber to give UK drivers minimum wage, pension, holiday pay
Read full article: Uber to give UK drivers minimum wage, pension, holiday payUber is giving its U.K. drivers the minimum wage, pensions and holiday pay, following a recent court ruling that said they should be classified as workers and entitled to such benefits, the company announced Tuesday, March 16, 2021. And they said the company can't decide by itself the expense base for calculating the minimum wage, which should be based on a collective agreement. (AP Photo/Alastair Grant, File)LONDON – Uber is giving its U.K. drivers the minimum wage, pensions and holiday pay, following a recent court ruling that said they should be classified as workers and entitled to such benefits. The ride hailing giant's announcement Tuesday comes after it lost an appeal last month at the U.K. Supreme Court following a yearslong court battle. And they said the company can't decide by itself the expense base for calculating the minimum wage, which should be based on a collective agreement.
Judge says railroad talks should be included in lawsuits
Read full article: Judge says railroad talks should be included in lawsuitsFILE- In this July 31, 2018, file photo a Union Pacific train travels through Union, Neb. – A federal judge has ruled that the details of conversations between the nation's four largest railroads should be included in lawsuits challenging billions of dollars of charges the railroads imposed in the past. The lawsuits say the railroads conspired to boost prices starting in 2003 by imposing coordinated fuel surcharges and pocketing billions of dollars in profits. In the lawsuits, the railroads have argued that their fuel surcharges were legal and were simply designed to recover the skyrocketing cost of fuel at the time. Union Pacific, which is based in Omaha, Nebraska, plans to continue “vigorously defending itself against the allegations in these lawsuits,” spokeswoman Elizabeth Graham said.
Breakthrough: UK and EU reach post-Brexit trade agreement
Read full article: Breakthrough: UK and EU reach post-Brexit trade agreementIt took more than three years of wrangling before Britain left the bloc’s political structures last January. If Britain were to quit the EU with no agreement governing trade, the two sides would reinstate tariffs on each other's goods. Even with a trade deal, goods and people will no longer be able to move freely between the U.K. and its continental neighbors without border restrictions. ”“And the difference that a trade deal makes is not going to be obvious to most people from that,” he said. ___Follow all AP stories on the Brexit trade talks at https://apnews.com/Brexit
Philly claims Supporters' Shield on final day of MLS season
Read full article: Philly claims Supporters' Shield on final day of MLS season(AP Photo/Rick Bowmer)The path to the MLS Cup will go through Philadelphia after the Union wrapped up the Supporters’ Shield and top seed for the Eastern Conference playoffs on the final day of the MLS regular season on Sunday. The snowy victory for Kansas City was part of a wild final day in the Western Conference, with late goals in Los Angeles and Houston shuffling the playoff bracket. LAFC's reward is a trip to defending MLS Cup champion Seattle in a rematch of last year's Western Conference final won by the Sounders on the road. Only Philadelphia and Toronto had a chance to lay claim to the regular-season title entering the final day of the season. The Eastern Conference had a logjam at the bottom of the standings, and the final day ended with both expansion teams claiming playoff spots.
UK, EU inch toward more Brexit talks but hurdles remain
Read full article: UK, EU inch toward more Brexit talks but hurdles remainBritains foreign minister says there are only narrow differences remaining in trade talks between the U.K. and the European Union. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)LONDON – Britain and the European Union edged toward resuming their troubled trade talks on Monday, after the bloc's chief negotiator said he was ready to “intensify” negotiations on the legal text of an agreement. Britain and the EU have been attempting to strike a new trade deal since the U.K. left the bloc on Jan. 31. He told British businesses to prepare for a no-deal economic break with the EU at the end of the year. The bill soured talks aimed at securing a new trade deal between Britain and the EU.
UK minister: Door 'still ajar' for post-Brexit talks with EU
Read full article: UK minister: Door 'still ajar' for post-Brexit talks with EUBritains foreign minister says there are only narrow differences remaining in trade talks between the U.K. and the European Union. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)LONDON – A senior British official said Sunday the door is “still ajar” for post-Brexit talks to continue with the European Union if officials in the bloc change their position on key points. Michael Gove's comments came after Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s spokesman said Friday that the trade talks are “over” unless there is a “fundamental” change of position from the EU. With just weeks to go until the end-of-year deadline, Johnson said the U.K. needed to get ready for leaving the EU with no trade deal. “We’re certainly not saying that if they do change their position we can’t talk to them,” he told the BBC.
NFLPA asking teams to change all fields to natural grass
Read full article: NFLPA asking teams to change all fields to natural grassThe NFL Players Association president cited the league’s official injury reports from 2012-2018 to state his case that natural grass fields provide a much lower risk for injuries, compared to artificial surfaces, during practices and games. “Anecdotally, I know how my body responds playing on turf versus grass,” said Tretter, who graduated from Cornell University. Seventeen NFL teams play their home games on grass, while 15 franchises do so on artificial turf. In his new role, Tretter says lobbying for grass fields will be a key talking point in any labor negotiations with the league. “If we know grass is significantly more safe than synthetic turf, it’s about continuing to push forward and making it a priority,” Tretter said.
Gabrielle Union, NBC settle dispute over racism allegations
Read full article: Gabrielle Union, NBC settle dispute over racism allegationsLOS ANGELES – Gabrielle Union and NBC said Tuesday that they have settled their differences in their dispute over her firing as a judge on “America's Got Talent,” which she said was retaliation for her complaints that the show tolerated racism on the set. “We’ve reached an amicable resolution," Union and the network said in a joint statement. "NBC Entertainment appreciates the important concerns raised by Gabrielle Union and remains committed to ensuring an inclusive and supportive working environment where people of all backgrounds are treated with respect.”Both sides declined further comment, and would not give further details. Variety reported soon after that Union, who is Black, believed she was fired because she had asked NBC and the show’s producers to respond to an environment that tolerated racist jokes and remarks from judges and producers. NBC said the investigation "found an overarching culture of diversity on the show.”___Follow AP Entertainment Writer Andrew Dalton on Twitter: https://twitter.com/andyjamesdalton.
Fortunes of Berlin clubs changed by Bundesliga's virus break
Read full article: Fortunes of Berlin clubs changed by Bundesliga's virus breakHertha BSC's Krzysztof Piatek celebrates scoring their second goal with teammates during the German Bundesliga soccer match between Hertha Berlin and Augsburg at the Olympiastadion in Berlin, Germany, Saturday, May 30, 2020. (Hannibal Hanschke/pool photo via AP)BERLIN The Bundesligas coronavirus-induced break has changed the fortunes of the Berlin clubs. The German soccer leagues unprecedented two-month suspension came at the right time for Hertha Berlin and the wrong time for city rival Union Berlin. The former Stuttgart and Hamburger SV coach is coaching his eighth Bundesliga team. When you see our remaining games, you can see how important these (10) points were, Labbadia said.