Estimated read time: 2-3 minutes
This archived news story is available only for your personal, non-commercial use. Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information. Reading or replaying the story in its archived form does not constitute a republication of the story.
WASHINGTON (AP) — A closely-watched Supreme Court case has ended in a victory for the owners of Hobby Lobby, a chain of arts-and-crafts stores. The owners objected to a provision of the new health care law requiring that they cover contraceptives for women -- saying it violated their religious views. And today, the high court ruled 5-to-4 that they don't have to provide that coverage. It's the first time that the high court has ruled that profit-seeking businesses can hold religious views under federal law. But the ruling applies only to corporations that are controlled by just a few people -- in which there's no essential difference between the business and its owners.
WASHINGTON (AP) — A California law that bans mental health counseling aimed at turning gay minors straight has survived a Supreme Court challenge. The justices today let stand an appeals court ruling, which said the state's ban on so-called conversion therapy for minors doesn't violate the free speech rights of licensed counselors and patients seeking treatment.
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court has dealt a blow to public sector unions -- ruling that thousands of home health-care workers in Illinois can't be required to pay fees that help cover the union's cost of collective bargaining. In a 5-to-4 ruling, the justices said requiring those workers to pay the fees violates the First Amendment rights of nonmembers who disagree with the positions that unions take.
EDINBURG, Texas (AP) — Sheriff's officials in South Texas say a body found this month in some brush near the border is apparently that of an 11-year-old unaccompanied immigrant from Guatemala. More than 52,000 unaccompanied children have been apprehended entering the U.S. illegally since October, creating what President Barack Obama has called an "urgent humanitarian situation." Most are from Central America.
CINCINNATI (AP) — A friend of an American man who's facing trial in North Korea says the man's family is devastated, and hoping for the best while preparing for the worst. North Korea's state media reported today that Jeffrey Fowle and another American, Matthew Miller, will be tried for alleged hostile acts against that country. Fowle is a 56-year-old father of three from Ohio who arrived in North Korea in April. A friend says his family is fearing a long prison term.
Copyright © The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
