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Mack Truck workers reject deal, join strike 

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:01:00 GMT

DETROIT — Union workers at Mack Trucks went on strike Monday after voting down a five-year contract agreement that negotiators had reached with the company.The United Auto Workers said 4,000 unionized workers walked out at 7 a.m., adding to labor turmoil in the industry that has ensnared all three big Detroit automakers.With those workers joining picket lines, the total number of UAW members that are on strike now exceeds 30,000 across 22 states, the union said Monday.Union President Shawn Fain said in a letter to Mack parent company Volvo Trucks that 73% of workers voted against the deal in results counted on Sunday.The UAW represents Mack workers in Pennsylvania, Maryland and Florida. Union leaders had reached a tentative agreement on the deal on Oct. 1.UAW Locals 171, 677, 1247, 2301, and 2420 in UAW Region 8 and Region 9 represent workers at Mack Trucks in Macungie and Middletown, Pennsylvania; Hagerstown and Baltimore, Maryland; and Jacksonville, Florida.The deal negotiators ha...

Celebrity chef Michael Chiarello dies after allergic reaction

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:01:00 GMT

Celebrity chef Michael Chiarello — who ran restaurants in San Francisco and Napa Valley — died on Friday night after an acute allergic reaction led to anaphylactic shock.Chiarello’s company, Gruppo Chiarello, announced the chef’s passing over the weekend. He was 61 years old.“As we navigate this profound loss, we hold dear the moments we cherished with him, both in his kitchens and in our hearts,” said the Chiarello family in a statement. “His legacy will forever live on in the love he poured into every dish and the passion he instilled in all of us to savor life’s flavors.”Chiarello founded restaurants including Bottega and Ottimo, both located in Napa Valley, and Coqueta, with locations in both Napa and San Francisco. Over his decades as a chef, Chiarello earned numerous accolades for his culinary work — from being named Esquire magazine’s Chef of the Year in 2013, to hosting national television shows on PBS, the Food Network, and the Cooking Channel, including the Emmy Award-winn...

Full text: White House Joint Statement on Israel

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:01:00 GMT

White House Joint Statement on Israel:Today, the leaders of France, Germany, Italy, the United Kingdom and the United States of America released the following joint statement following their call:Today, we — President Macron of France, Chancellor Scholz of Germany, Prime Minister Meloni of Italy, Prime Minister Sunak of the United Kingdom, and President Biden of the United States — express our steadfast and united support to the State of Israel, and our unequivocal condemnation of Hamas and its appalling acts of terrorism.We make clear that the terrorist actions of Hamas have no justification, no legitimacy, and must be universally condemned. There is never any justification for terrorism.  In recent days, the world has watched in horror as Hamas terrorists massacred families in their homes, slaughtered over 200 young people enjoying a music festival, and kidnapped elderly women, children, and entire families, who are now being held as hostages.Our countries will support Israel in i...

Surge in bond yield may help ease rate hikes

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:01:00 GMT

WASHINGTON — Two Federal Reserve officials suggested Monday that the central bank may leave interest rates unchanged at its next meeting in three weeks because a surge in long-term interest rates has made borrowing more expensive and could help cool inflation without further action by the Fed.Since late July, the yield, or rate, on the 10-year U.S. Treasury note has jumped from around 4% to about 4.8%, a 16-year high. The run-up in the yield has inflated other borrowing costs and raised the national average 30-year mortgage rate to 7.5%, according to Freddie Mac, a 23-year high.Business borrowing costs have also risen as corporate bond yields have accelerated.Philip Jefferson, vice chair of the Fed’s board and a close ally of Chair Jerome Powell, said in a speech Monday to the National Association for Business Economics that he would “remain cognizant” of the higher bond rates and “keep that in mind as I assess the future path of policy.”U.S. stock pric...

Ticker: Oil jumps on war in Israel; DreamWorks cuts 70 jobs amid strike

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:01:00 GMT

Oil surged nearly 5% after Hamas’ surprise attacks on Israel over the weekend, the broadest and bloodiest in decades, threatened to inflame tensions in the Middle East, home to almost a third of global supply.West Texas Intermediate traded near $87 a barrel as a war-risk premium returned to markets. U.S. crude rose 4.46% to $86.48 per barrel and Brent was at $88.04, up 4.09% on the day.Monday’s rise in crude helped oil and gas stocks to some of Wall Street’s biggest gains. Marathon Oil rose 6.6%, and Halliburton climbed 6.8%.The broader market also rose with the S&P 500 up 0.6%. The Dow added 197 points, and the Nasdaq composite climbed 0.4%. They perked higher after two officials at the Federal Reserve suggested they may not need to raise interest rates again at their next meeting at the end of this month.DreamWorks cuts 70 jobs amid strikeDreamWorks Animation cut about 70 positions, as many entertainment companies have adjusted their staffing levels amid rising productio...

11 Americans dead in violence between Hamas and Israel

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:01:00 GMT

At least 11 Americans have died in bloody violence in Israel, President Biden said Monday, the third day since Palestinian militants launched a stunning and complex surprise attack in Israel.In a statement, Biden described the deaths as the “heart wrenching” results of an “appalling terrorist assault against Israel.” He said the U.S. believes that the Hamas militant group is likely holding American citizens as prisoners, and he added that the U.S. is working with Israel to handle the hostage crisis.“This is not some distant tragedy,” the president said in his statement. “The ties between Israel and the United States run deep. It is personal for so many American families who are feeling the pain of this attack.”The identities of the dead Americans were not immediately released, and it was unclear if any were from New York, which is home to about 1.6 million Jews. In New York City, there was a heavy police presence at synagogues on Monday.Major U.S. airlines have canceled flights into...

California campsite reservation bill signed by governor. Here's what changes it makes

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:01:00 GMT

SAN DIEGO (KSWB) -- A bill that would make it easier for outdoor enthusiasts to reserve a campsite in California state parks was signed into law by Gov. Gavin Newsom Sunday night.Assembly Bill 618, introduced by Assemblymember Rebecca Bauer-Kahan (D-Orinda), proposed amendments to the state's campsite reservation system to deter no-shows and cancellations, freeing up spots for campers that would otherwise go unused.The bill was sent to Newsom's desk for signature about three weeks ago after it passed through the legislature with unanimous support."California's public parks and beaches are treasures that should be enjoyed by all Californians and demand for them has increased greatly," Bauer-Kahan said in a release on Monday. California says no to ‘magic mushrooms’ for now "Unfortunately, our current outdated reservation system has led to a situation where many campsites are left empty," she continued. "By promoting responsible reservation practices, we can increase access to ...

Russia reports coolant leak in backup line at space station and says crew not in danger

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:01:00 GMT

MOSCOW (AP) — Coolant leaked from a backup line at the International Space Station, Russian officials said Monday, adding that there was no risk to the crew or the outpost.Russian space agency Roscosmos said that coolant leaked from an external backup radiator for Russia’s new science lab. The lab’s main thermal control system was working normally, the agency emphasized.“The crew and the station aren’t in any danger,” Roscosmos said.NASA confirmed that there is no threat to the station’s crew of seven and that operations are continuing as usual.Roscosmos said engineers were investigating the cause of the leak. The incident follows recent coolant leaks from Russian spacecraft parked at the station. Those leaks were blamed on tiny meteoroids.The lab — named Nauku, which means science — arrived at the space station in July 2021.Last December, coolant leaked from a Soyuz crew capsule docked to the station, and another similar leak from a Progress supply ship was discovered i...

Montreal man among those killed in attack on Israel by Hamas militants, family says

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:01:00 GMT

MONTREAL — A Montreal man says his son is among the victims of an attack by Hamas militants on Israel over the weekend. Alain Haim Look says in a social media post that his son Alexandre Look was killed in Israel on Saturday while trying to save those around them.Look describes his son as a force of nature with unique charisma, and says he died a hero.A spokeswoman for the Chabad of Westmount Education Centre says she knows Look’s parents, who are part of the centre’s community, and she confirms the authenticity of the post.Devorah Shanowitz, the centre’s director of education, says the centre’s rabbis have visited the family, and the organization is starting an emergency fund to help them.Global Affairs Canada says in a statement Sunday afternoon that it is aware of reports of one Canadian who has died amid the fighting and two others who are missing, but has not yet confirmed the death. The attack by Hamas and Israel’s response have left more than 1,1...

What is Hamas? The group that rules the Gaza Strip has fought several rounds of war with Israel

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:01:00 GMT

BEIRUT (AP) — Hamas, which has ruled the Gaza Strip since 2007, launched an attack inside Israel over the weekend, killing hundreds and taking others hostage. Its unprecedented breach of the border sent fighters inside border communities and military installations, shocked Israel and its allies, and raised questions about the group’s capabilities and strategy. WHAT IS HAMAS? The group was founded in 1987 by Sheikh Ahmed Yassin, a Palestinian refugee living in Gaza, during the first intifada, or uprising, which was marked by widespread protests against Israel’s occupation. Hamas is the Arabic acronym for the Islamic Resistance Movement, and a recognition of the group’s roots and early ties to one of the Sunni world’s most prominent groups, the Muslim Brotherhood, founded in Egypt in the 1920s. The group has vowed to annihilate Israel and has been responsible for many suicide bombings and other deadly attacks on civilians and Israeli soldiers. The U.S. State Department has designated ...