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Opinion: A Biden-Trump rematch? American democracy is broken

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:24:52 GMT

A lot can happen between now and next year’s election, but President Joe Biden’s decision to run and former President Donald Trump’s barely diminished standing with Republicans make a repeat of their 2020 contest quite likely. Pause for a moment to consider this prospect — and the epic failure it represents.The Democrats’ best offer to the nation is a leader who’s 80 going on 90, who can’t safely be allowed off-script or put in front of reporters, whose grasp of policy and his own personal history was tenuous even in his prime, and who’s accused of involvement in his son’s peddling of influence.The Republicans’ leading applicant for the world’s most important job is admittedly still a youngster at 76. On the other hand, he led an administration that set new standards of chaotic and incompetent government, encouraged a riotous assault on the U.S. Capitol, is the subject of several criminal and civil investigations, and is defending a lawsuit alleging he’s a rapist.This extravaganza o...

Map: Tracking the rain in the Bay Area

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:24:52 GMT

Tuesday morning’s rain was the leading edge of a system expected to linger in the Bay Area until Wednesday night.Light rain, showers and temperatures in the 50s are forecast, the National Weather Service said.The updating radar map above shows areas of precipitation in green, with greater intensities indicated by yellow and orange.Related ArticlesWeather | Hours without power is tough, but what about Bay Area community’s two weeks? Weather | Forecast map: California rivers bulge with snowmelt, but no major floods expected. How’s it look near you? Weather | Bay Area lawmakers push feds for disaster recovery package for California farmers Weather | Warming Bay Area temperatures bring with them Spare the Air alert Weather | PG&E measures 211 inches of snow in final Northern California park survey

Walters: California Democrats at odds over how to close budget deficit

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:24:52 GMT

California’s tax revenues continue to fall short of expectations, its deficit continues to grow and with the June 15 deadline for enacting a new budget, there’s a three-way split among the Capitol’s top Democrats.In January, Gov. Gavin Newsom declared that the state had a $22.5 billion deficit, just months after bragging about a nearly $100 billion surplus. However, revenues – particularly personal income taxes – have grown even softer since then. When Newsom unveils a revised 2023-24 budget later this month, he’s expected to declare a wider income/outgo gap.The problem is exacerbated by two factors: the spending expectations that were raised by last year’s phantom surplus and the lack of revenue clarity because the deadline for filing income tax returns, originally April 18, was extended by six months due to winter storms.The current budget, passed when surplus projections were soaring, contains dozens of appropriations to create new projects or services, or to expand existing ones...

Skelton: Tucker Carlson’s ludicrous falsehoods have no place in journalism

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:24:52 GMT

If you’re an opinion journalist, a cardinal sin is to express a view you really don’t believe — or stoop to fabrication. In short, blatantly lie.It’s unforgivable — and potentially libelous.I’m referring particularly to so-called journalists who sound off when they don’t believe their own words. They lower themselves just to be provocative, feed listeners what they want to ingest and build viewer ratings.Someone like fired top-rated Fox News host Tucker Carlson, who trumpeted former President Trump’s lies about the 2020 election being stolen when he apparently didn’t believe the claptrap himself. Some other Fox News stars fit into the same dark corner of deception and hypocrisy.It all came out in the Dominion Voting Systems defamation lawsuit against Fox for smearing the company’s reputation during 2020 post-election reporting. Fox settled the suit by paying out nearly $800 million to Dominion and issuing a statement conceding that it had aired falsehoods about the company.Texts and...

Dutch plan to cut nitrogen emissions gets EU green light

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:24:52 GMT

THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP) — Dutch government plans to drastically cut emissions of nitrogen pollution cleared a key hurdle Tuesday when the European Union’s executive arm gave the green light to farm buyout schemes worth nearly 1.5 billion euros ($1.65 billion). The plans to reduce nitrogen deposits — mainly by livestock farms — on EU-designated areas of vulnerable nature have sparked heated debate and widespread protests by angry farmers in this small nation that is a major producer and exporter of farm products. Dutch agricultural exports were worth 122.3 billion euros last year, according to the national statistics office.The Dutch ruling coalition wants to cut emissions of pollutants, predominantly nitrogen oxide and ammonia, by 50% nationwide by 2030. It was not immediately clear how much of that target could be met using the EU-approved funds.Nitrogen pollution makes climate change worse and can harm biodiversity, according to the UN Environment Program. A key part of ...

Cheniere Energy: Q1 Earnings Snapshot

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:24:52 GMT

HOUSTON (AP) — HOUSTON (AP) — Cheniere Energy Inc. (LNG) on Tuesday reported first-quarter earnings of $5.43 billion.The Houston-based company said it had net income of $22.10 per share. Earnings, adjusted for non-recurring gains, were $6.89 per share.The results topped Wall Street expectations. The average estimate of seven analysts surveyed by Zacks Investment Research was for earnings of $5.96 per share.The natural gas company posted revenue of $7.31 billion in the period, which also beat Street forecasts. Four analysts surveyed by Zacks expected $6.58 billion._____This story was generated by Automated Insights (http://automatedinsights.com/ap) using data from Zacks Investment Research. Access a Zacks stock report on LNG at https://www.zacks.com/ap/LNGSource

Repligen: Q1 Earnings Snapshot

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:24:52 GMT

WALTHAM, Mass. (AP) — WALTHAM, Mass. (AP) — Repligen Corp. (RGEN) on Tuesday reported first-quarter profit of $28.8 million.The Waltham, Massachusetts-based company said it had net income of 51 cents per share. Earnings, adjusted for one-time gains and costs, came to 64 cents per share.The results beat Wall Street expectations. The average estimate of eight analysts surveyed by Zacks Investment Research was for earnings of 59 cents per share.The drug developer posted revenue of $182.7 million in the period, also beating Street forecasts. Eight analysts surveyed by Zacks expected $181 million.Repligen expects full-year earnings in the range of $2.35 to $2.42 per share, with revenue in the range of $720 million to $760 million._____This story was generated by Automated Insights (http://automatedinsights.com/ap) using data from Zacks Investment Research. Access a Zacks stock report on RGEN at https://www.zacks.com/ap/RGENSource

For healthy plants, test your garden’s soil for pH level

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:24:52 GMT

Healthy plants are the most critical component of a thriving garden. And one of the best ways to keep them that way is to make sure your soil’s pH level suits their needs.Every plant requires a specific soil pH range within which it can best absorb essential nutrients. Because the optimal range is different for every plant, gardeners should learn the pH requirements of each one. For example, carnations require a pH range of 6.7-6.9; turfgrasses, 6.3-6.8; tomatoes, 6.2-6.8; rhododendrons and azaleas, 4.5-6; blueberries, 4.5-5.5.WHAT’S pH?Soil pH indicates the degree of acidity or alkalinity of the soil, as measured on a 14-point scale. A pH of 7 is neutral. Values below 7 are acidic, and those above 7 are alkaline. Each unit on the scale is 10 times removed from the next, so a pH reading of 7.0 is 10 times higher than a reading of 6.0. That means a mere 1-unit difference is huge.If the pH isn’t suited for a specific plant, it won’t be able to absorb enough nutrients, whether na...

Consol Energy: Q1 Earnings Snapshot

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:24:52 GMT

CANONSBURG, Pa. (AP) — CANONSBURG, Pa. (AP) — Consol Energy Inc. (CEIX) on Tuesday reported first-quarter net income of $230.4 million, after reporting a loss in the same period a year earlier.On a per-share basis, the Canonsburg, Pennsylvania-based company said it had profit of $6.55.The coal company posted revenue of $688.6 million in the period.Consol Energy shares have dropped 7.5% since the beginning of the year. The stock has climbed 26% in the last 12 months._____This story was generated by Automated Insights (http://automatedinsights.com/ap) using data from Zacks Investment Research. Access a Zacks stock report on CEIX at https://www.zacks.com/ap/CEIXSource

Cummins: Q1 Earnings Snapshot

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:24:52 GMT

COLUMBUS, Ind. (AP) — COLUMBUS, Ind. (AP) — Cummins Inc. (CMI) on Tuesday reported first-quarter profit of $790 million.On a per-share basis, the Columbus, Indiana-based company said it had net income of $5.55.The results beat Wall Street expectations. The average estimate of eight analysts surveyed by Zacks Investment Research was for earnings of $4.81 per share.The engine maker posted revenue of $8.45 billion in the period, which also beat Street forecasts. Eight analysts surveyed by Zacks expected $8.03 billion._____This story was generated by Automated Insights (http://automatedinsights.com/ap) using data from Zacks Investment Research. Access a Zacks stock report on CMI at https://www.zacks.com/ap/CMISource